AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Vivian’s eyes narrowed with frustration. “I’ve been training for this my entire life. I’m more than capable of handling any job that comes my way.”
Val shook his head. “This isn’t a game, Viv. You’re not just dealing with a senator’s kid who wants to go to the Hamptons for summer break. This guy is the worst kind of man. He’s a player and a cheat. You’re not ready for him.”
“I’m not dating him or sleeping with him. I’m going to check out his security system, make suggestions and develop a protocol. It’s a simple job.” She was so angry her ears burned. “I’m more than capable.”
Val sighed, seeming torn. “Viv, please.”
“Did you or did you not put me in charge?”
“I did.”
“But it wasn’t because you thought I could do the job?”
He shook his head, and she wondered if that was his answer. Then he scrubbed his face with his palm. “It was a logical choice. You were the only one without a specialty.”
“Not true. I did all the cyber security and babysitting details.” She gasped. “You gave me the shit jobs because you didn’t think I could handle anything else.”
“That’s not true, but Viv, look at you. You’re five foot nothing. A strong wind could pick you up in a storm.”
She rose and put her cup in the sink. “I’m so glad you have so much confidence in me. I bet you only put me in charge because I’m great at scheduling, and my name starts with a V. You can’t spell Vortex without one.” She marched toward the hall but stopped. “You think Red is bad? Look in the mirror.”
When she turned around, Cameron was standing there holding the baby. “What did I miss?”
“Just a sibling squabble.” Viv stopped to kiss her niece on the head. “I accepted a job for Red Blakely. I believe you used to be engaged to him.”
Cameron’s eyes got big. “How did you know?”
She didn’t want to say that she’d been eavesdropping. “It came up. What do you really think of him?” She waited for Cameron to tell her the same thing Val did, that he was a despicable human being.
Cameron’s lips pursed before they relaxed with a sigh. “I have mixed feelings about Red. I loved and hated him, but I don’t think I fully understood him. I don’t think he’s a bad man, but I don’t think he knows anything about love.”
It wasn’t Viv’s job to school him on love, but she could teach him how to protect himself, and that paid a hundred bucks an hour.
CHAPTERSIX
Red eyed his quaint Victorian house, trying to imagine Viv’s reaction. Would she find it charming or rustic? He surveyed the front yard and knew she’d have complaints. It lacked the necessary security gate. Instead, there was a white picket fence with an open invitation for anyone to simply waltz in and hide under the shrubbery, which he had caught more than one surprise intruder doing in the past month.
Red smirked. His house wasn’t exactly Buckingham Palace, but not a flophouse either. He stepped toward the vibrant red front door. It added a pop of color and gave him a way to insinuate himself into the architecture.
Red grabbed the doorknob and inhaled deeply as he walked inside. It still smelled like stale coffee, old records, and dirty socks. She thought he was an asshole which was fine. He didn’t want her to think he was a slob as well, so he picked up everything that was out of place and opened all of the windows to let in a gentle breeze.
As he walked, his feet creaked on the wooden floors. He couldn’t help but snicker, reminiscing about how he’d pestered the Cooper Construction boys to make sure his house had an antique vibe despite being a kit-build and as new as could be. Kudos to Owen, Ian, and Paxton for constructing a residence in Aspen Cove that appeared to have been around since the time of its first settlers.
There was a knock on the door, and he took a deep breath before opening it. On the step stood Viv. Gone were the comfy pajamas; now she was clad in full security-guard regalia—blue jeans, Vortex logo polo shirt, and most surprising of all, steel-toed army boots that could turn any shin bone to dust. She wore her confidence like a crown and held her clipboard close to her chest like a shield.
“Ready to get started?”
“Yeah, come on in.” He stood back and let her inside.
Viv began to inspect every nook and cranny of Red’s home, making notes on her clipboard as she went along. It was like Viv was a chemist examining a new substance. Every now and then, Red saw Viv’s lips curl up into a wry smile as she pointed out yet another flaw with the system.
“Your security system isn’t great,” she said, shaking her head. “There are gaps in your defense bigger than the Grand Canyon.”
“I know it’s not good if all someone has to do is look on a site called Anything for Love to get my code.”
“What is your code?”
He hesitated a moment. “58008.”
