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“Hence the large latte,” he offers with a grin. “I hope it helps, Maggie.”
“Dakota,” I correct before I think about it.
His head tips to the side, confusion narrowing his eyes. “What was that?”
“My real name. Sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Forget I ever said anything.” Right, because it’s as easy as that. I’m sure by the time he’s out of the shop and on his way to whatever he does with his life, I won’t even be a memory anymore. That’s the only thing that gets me through the embarrassment.
He scrubs a hand over his short black hair before shrugging those insane shoulders of his. “Whatever you say. You’re sure you’re all right?”
“Of course,” I reply with a laugh at myself. “Sorry. I’m fine.”
He doesn’t look convinced but takes his drink and leaves anyway. Not without one last look my way, though, and even that doesn’t freak me out. It’s the strangest thing. I was practically crawling out of my skin only a few minutes ago, wishing I could be invisible or that I had never left home at all. But when he looks at me, I feel safe. I bet being around him would give me a little bit of peace. No person alive would want to tangle with a guy that big.
Oh my god, what am I doing? Why am I still standing here? The answer is obvious, or at least it is to my exhausted mind. Maybe if I wasn’t so drained, I would think twice about this, but as things stand right now, it seems completely reasonable to run out of the café and follow him.
“Hey!” I wave an arm over my head as I run after him in case he can’t see me on the crowded sidewalk. I’m not as big as he is.
He stops and turns on his heel, frowning, his head tipping to the side. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what?” I ask once I reach him.
“Wave your arm over your head.” He gestures toward my bubblegum-pink hair. “You already stand out.”
I guess I do. And now that he’s looking at me the way he is, I forget what I wanted to say. “Um, I know this sounds crazy,” I begin, as my cheeks start to get hot because this really does sound insane. “But are you looking for a job, by any chance?”
He folds his arms, looking me up and down. “What makes you ask me that?”
“No offense or anything. Not that you look unemployed.” This is getting worse by the second, and I probably shouldn’t have chased him down. “But I could use a bodyguard, and you’re… the sort of man I would imagine hiring.”
“A bodyguard?”
“Yeah, you know. I’ve been thinking about hiring one, and I could pay you well. Very well,” I add when he sort of scoffs. “We can arrange all of that. I just need to know if you’re interested?”
Ten minutes ago, I didn’t know this man existed.
Now? My whole existence hinges on whether he’ll agree.
I can’t believe how much I want him to say yes.
2
BANE
The girl is crazy.She has to be. Who asks a complete stranger to be their bodyguard? She doesn’t know the first damn thing about me.
And if she did, she would run the other way.
So she’s probably crazy. She’s also gorgeous, even with that bright pink head of hair. It makes her interesting, at least to me. I would like to know more about this pink-haired, coffee-drinking Dakota who gives fake names to baristas. Like what she looks like without her clothes on. We could start there.
“Sure,” I offer, trying not to laugh at how batshit crazy this situation is. “Yeah, I’ll be your bodyguard. What do I do first?”
Either she doesn’t hear the laughter in my voice, or she doesn’t care. Maybe she’s too grateful. “Wow, great. Um, do you want to see my apartment?”
I’ve seen porn that starts off like this. But when I search her expression for any hint that she’s fucking around, all I see is sincerity. She’s touchingly young and naive, which goes a long way toward softening my sympathy. If she’s for real, she’s desperate. I wonder who would hurt a girl like this. I can’t imagine anyone would. Maybe she’s just watched too many scary movies. Or maybe there is more. I don’t have enough information to say for sure yet.
“Yeah, if you’re inviting me. Where is it?”
She jerks her chin. “Just a few blocks this way.” Immediately, I’m more intrigued than before. That’s a pretty nice area, confirming that she wasn’t kidding when she said she could pay. Only people who are loaded live there. Mostly old money. Trust fund baby is the first thing that comes to my mind.
