AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mia had meant it earlier when she said she’d fought hard for her independence. Part of that had been to start her dog-walking business so that she could financially support herself. She didn’t want to lose that just because she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Darius’s offer meant that wouldn’t happen.
“Okay.” She gave a self-derisive grimace when she saw Darius’s knowing expression. “You were ready for me that time!” she taunted.
* * *
Darius wasn’t sure anything could have made him ready for the mercurial woman that Mia Smith was turning out to be. She was not only resourceful in her private life, but was proving to be indomitable and brave.
She was also beautiful.
And kind to both dogs and humans—even him.
She was funny.
Positive in outlook too, despite the hand fate had dealt her.
She was perfect, Darius realized.
Except she was too fucking young for him, and her life had already been hard enough without some screwup of a man wanting to be a part of it.
Yeah, except for that.
He released a heavy sigh. “Give me the names and addresses I need and I’ll arrange for one of our men to stand in for you.” He intended to speak to the forensics team and his brothers too, but Mia didn’t need to know that. “Once you have your laptop, you can send them all an email alerting them to the fact you’ve had to go away for a couple of days.”
Thankfully, Mia didn’t put up any more of a fight.
Instead, she allowed Darius to show her to the bedroom she was to use.
He was then free to make his telephone calls.
He’d barely gotten off the phone, after making arrangements for someone from Kingston Security to take over Mia’s business commitments for the next week, when one of the guys on the front desk called through to let him know one of his brothers was on his way up. It was only a courtesy call, the Wynter Security men obviously being extra vigilant after Darius’s visit to Rufus this morning, because all members of his family were already cleared to come up to his apartment at any time.
He heard the elevator ascending and the doors opening seconds later.
“Are you decent?”
“Depends what you mean by decent,” Darius answered Casper.
“As in, have you both got your clothes on.” His brother breezed into the room without waiting for an answer.
Not for the first time, Darius regretted that, being the youngest member of the Kingston family, Casper had been allowed to get away with far more than his older siblings ever had. As a consequence, Casper said and did exactly as he pleased. Too much so on occasion. This was one of those occasions.
“You changed the ringtone on my cell phone,” Darius accused rather than answer Casper’s comment.
“It was boring as fuck.” His brother gave the room a quick scan. “You haven’t frightened your guest away already, have you?”
“You—”
“If you’re referring to me, then I’m still here,” Mia said lightly as she walked in from the hallway, the ever-vigilant Honey at her side. “I couldn’t sleep,” she told Darius dismissively.
He stood abruptly. “Why aren’t you dressed?”
She was only wearing the T-shirt he’d given her to sleep in. Admittedly, it reached almost to her knees, as he’d thought it might, but he wasn’t sure if she was wearing any underwear beneath it. Her hair was also tousled, and her eyes had dark shadows beneath them from lack of sleep.
She looked sexy as fuck.
Or as if she’d justbeenthoroughly fucked…
Darius gave a low groan just thinking about being the man responsible for helping her to look that way.
