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He simply stared at her. Griff wasn’t one to waste words, but this was ridiculous.
She had to know. “What are you doing here?”
He pulled in and then pushed out a long breath. His eyes flickered over her face, lingering on her lips before meeting her gaze again. Hope rose inside of her. Griff had come for her. That was all that mattered. The kiss might take longer to get to than she’d like, but it would come. It was fine to draw out the suspense and make her want it even more.
Oh, how she loved this man. The only man who was real with her, who loved her as plain Jane, without all the makeup and glam and success. Griff was also tough enough to stand by her side and not need her holding his hand. He’d wanted her and loved her, but he wasn’t needy and could definitely hold his own in any circle. She yearned for Griff Quinn. No other man had been her equal in confidence and goals and the ability to take life on and come out the victor. Griff was all of that and much more. He was the love of her youthful heart, and now that he was here, she knew that love hadn’t dimmed.
“I came to protect you,” he ground out. There was something in his bearing that had her hoping still, but it was a very small something.
Her hand fell away from his arm. “You didn’t come forme?”
“I’ve been assigned to protect you.”
“Assigned?” All of her hope deflated, and her dreams of love were dashed by the coldness radiating off of him.
He nodded shortly.
“Protect me from who?” she asked, hating the way her voice pitched. He had to know he still affected her. Could he have forgotten how much she’d loved him? She doubted he knew how much she’d cried when he stopped responding to her. The military was an honorable career and she respected his desire to serve and protect, but three months after he was deployed the first time, he’d cut off all communication, never responding to her emails, texts, or phone calls. It had killed something inside of her. She’d thought him being here could resurrect it, but … assigned?
“Sutton Smith received intel that there’s a million-dollar request for you.”
“What?” Her stomach plummeted, and she felt like she’d been rammed into from behind.
He shrugged. “We don’t know the source yet, but the hit is real.”
Real. She didn’t like real. “A million dollars? To kidnap me?”
He nodded. The serious expression in his eyes horrified her as much as the million-dollar bounty. This was serious.
“Through the dark web?”
“How do you know about the dark web?” He looked her over as if she was an immature teenager. She was an accomplished woman, and even though the action she saw wasn’t real, she’d seen plenty of action.
“InThe Fearless Warrior,they used the dark web.”
Griff raised his eyebrows in question. Apparently, he didn’t watch her movies.
“The heroine, Average Amy, does a reality show about trying the average person’s job out,” she explained. He didn’t acknowledge that he recognized the movie or her character. “Anyway, she has a hit out for her on the dark web.”
“That’s where the offer came through,” he admitted.
“Why would someone do that?” Her eyes darted around at her closed blinds and locked doors. Griff had easily bypassed her security, both the guards at the gate and her top-of-the-line system. What if those uneasy feelings she’d had earlier were from someone stalking her home?
Griff’s gaze swept over her. “You’re famous and the most beautiful and desirable woman in the world. Any man would pursue you.”
The compliment was sincere. Griff never blew smoke, but the way he said it was analytical—as if she were a beautiful and unique piece of artwork in a museum that anybody would want to steal because it was valuable, but the value had nothing to do withher. Nothing to do with the down-to-earth woman she thought Griff Quinn had loved. Lately, she felt like she’d lost that woman, and she really wanted her back.
Her eyes narrowed. “So you think I’m the most beautiful and desirable woman in the world, andyouwould pursue me?”
He gave her a practiced and very chilly smile. “I was speaking in the general sense. Any man who wanted women would want you.”
“So you don’t want women?”
“Stop it, Jane. Go pack your bag. Unless you’d prefer wearing that for the next few weeks.” His gaze swept over her comfortable fitted T-shirt and knee-length cotton skirt.
“What wouldyouprefer I wear, Griff Quinn?” She was ticked off enough that she wanted to goad him into admitting he was, at the very least, still attracted to her. Her heart beat painfully.
He arched an eyebrow mockingly, his lips curving in a smirk. “Go pack, Jane.”
