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“I don’t like the way they interact with you,” he said. My heart admittedly picked up speed, even though I wasn’t intimidated by Neil at all. Did he sense something? “They’re very, very possessive. Like they’re taking their job too seriously. To your detriment, I mean.”

I couldn’t keep the shock and confusion off my face. What was this man on?

“I mean, isn’t it a good thing that they take their job seriously and that they care about me?” Taylor asked. “They’re bodyguards. Troy hired them himself, and you know his judgment is sound. The firm has a spotless reputation.”

“I know, honey,” Neil said. I clenched my fist at the pet name. “I just care. I want the best for you. Your father asked me to keep you safe, too, you know, and I’ve worked with a lot of people. I have good instincts.”

Taylor didn’t reply. What was going through her head? She had her naïve moments, but she cared about us. Neil wasn’t going to influence her, was he?

“Well, I like them a lot,” she said. My shoulders relaxed. “They make me feel safe, and they take care of all the details when I go to big events. I’d like them to stay.”

“That’s your choice.” He was obviously disappointed. “Now, let’s talk about your stock options.”

“I’ll go get Cody.”

I took a step farther from the door so that my snooping wasn’t as obvious. She opened it and waved me inside, her expression dimmer than usual.

“Hey, we’re done.” Taylor opened the door more, and I stepped inside.

Neil tidied up some papers in front of him and looked at me, visibly swallowing. I had to walk past him to get to my seat. His posture tensed as I walked by, like he was afraid I was going to put him in a chokehold. Good. I wanted him to feel terrified of me. Of all of us.

Neil wasn’t going to make me back down from protecting our girl. If anything, I wanted to double down. Creeps like him were in her life. She needed us more than ever.

CHAPTER15

Harrison

Planning and setting up Troy’s birthday party had taken a lot of work security-wise, but it was worth it. The party was the kind that I loved going to: filled with people having a great time with good music. The party planner had done a great job of transforming a regular club into something with a lush, tropical theme that somehow worked despite the cold outside.

We’d scoped out this club and chosen it because it was difficult to get inside and only had two blind spots where anyone could get up to something devious—a corner near the bathroom, and a door that led to the storage room. Not that we were letting just anyone waltz in. The guest list was strict. Ethan was at the door, not even allowing last-minute plus-ones, and Cody and I were keeping an eye on Taylor.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, anyway. She was wearing a silky cocktail dress, the silvery purple rippling like water whenever she danced. The back dipped all the way down to the top of her ass, showing off the dimples on her lower back. I wanted to kiss those spots again and run my tongue up the indentation of her spine.

She and Troy had been attached at the hip for a while, a stream of people coming by to say happy birthday to Troy. I loved watching her interact with people like this, completely carefree and absently bobbing to the pulsing bass ripping through the club. I looked at a spot above her head before my eyes were drawn to her hips again. The way they moved was making my cock throb.

“I’m gonna go dance!” Taylor shouted to us over the music.

“We’ll be right here,” Cody said, following her so we were close, but not on the dance floor.

Taylor locked hands with a friend, a woman who was slightly older than her and friends with Troy, and went out onto the dance floor. She put her free hand up when the song faded into another one, beaming at us. My heart flipped in my chest, and I smiled back.

I’d been to countless parties with clients, but I’d never wanted to be off the clock before. I loved dancing, especially with beautiful women, and Taylor was a good dancer.

At least watching her was easy. She moved with the music, her skin gleaming with a thin sheen of sweat as the dance floor got packed. Her glittery makeup made her shine in the flashing lights. I wanted to put my hands on her hips from behind, press my lips against the side of her neck, and let her feel my hardness against her ass the entire night. And then I’d take her over and over again when we got back to her place.

“You good?” Cody asked.

“In some ways, yeah,” I said, leaning over so I didn’t have to shout in his face. “But I want to be out there with her.”

“Same. And I don’t even like to dance.” Cody tucked his hands into his pockets. “I want time alone with her again.”

“I do, too, but when? How?” I asked. “We still need to talk to her about what it meant. And then we need to tell Ethan.”

Cody sighed. “I know. He’s not going to be thrilled.”

“When is he ever thrilled?” I snorted, my eyes following Taylor as she danced with Troy. “But he has the same feelings for her as we do. He has to understand on some level. And honestly, falling for her is making me be even more vigilant. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her.”

“We could frame it like that. About the job. He’ll always respond to something related to the job.”

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