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“She your girl?” Butch asks, blood still dripping from the scratch on his neck.
“Yes.”
“There a threat against her?” Sarge leans forward as Winston and George set more plates of food in front of them.
“Theias Lorde purchased her from her father for five million dollars. What do you think?” Each of them mutters a curse, sitting back in their chairs. “I expect your loyalties to lie with her. Not me, not Granger, not each other. Rue only. You will protect her, kill for her, and, if necessary, die for her.”
“What’s the pay?” Butch asks, brow raised.
“A million a year, each. With a two hundred grand bonus for every time you thwart an attack.” I’m pleased to see their expressions don’t change. It’s not about the money, not right now. “Someone tries to bribe you into hurting her, handing her over, or doing anything to compromise her happiness, I expect to learn it from you. I will double the bribe amount. There is nothing I won’t do for her.”
I give them a few minutes to digest this information. Money is the world’s most powerful motivator. Understanding that they’ll get more from me if they’re upfront about it should be enough to keep them loyal to her.
“So, who do we report to?” Sarge asks.
“Rue. What she says goes. If I tell you to stand, and she says sit, you’d better fucking sit. I only want to hear from you if there’s a threat or something happens that I absolutely must know about.” It might kill me not to know everything, but she needs it that way. She hasn’t been able to trust anyone her entire life; these men will be her most trusted allies, aside from me.
Spotting Marco entering the room, I nod for him to hand out the files on Rue as well as the information about Theias. They need to know everything.
Finished with my breakfast, I’m unsurprised to find Minnie leading a sleepy-eyed Rue down the hallway. The cat brings her right to me. “Little girl.” Her eyes light up as they focus on me.
“Daddy,” she purrs as she climbs into my lap, spreading my shirt to press her ear to my heart. When I hear someone choke, my eyes flick up to find four sets of eyes glued to her. What’s likely shocked them is the easy way she calls me daddy. They have no fucking clue what that can do to a man like me.
“Get used to it,” Marco snaps when they don’t reset their expressions.
“But,” Butch starts, wisely shutting his mouth when Mickey gets up and strides towards him across the table.
Rue clicks her tongue, and the cat stops, sitting right in the center, waiting on his mistress’ next command.
“She is the only one who can truly control these animals. Be careful how you proceed,” I warn the man.
“Who are they?” Rue whispers up in my ear, her warm breath tickling my skin.
“Granger, go ask Winston for her breakfast. Not that fucking oatmeal bullshit, either. And tell George to keep his fucking distance.” The man nods and leaves; Marco takes his seat and eats the rest of the bacon on Granger’s plate. “He’s going to hit you for that.” Marco shrugs. The man never cares.
“Nick?” The angel’s wispy voice makes my dick twitch, and her ass wiggles in my lap.
“They are your bodyguards. Where you go, they go.” Her eyes grow wary as she slides them to look at the intimidating men.
“I have you.” Rubbing my hand around her bare thigh, her faith in me is next level.
“You do, but you need them, too. They work directly for you. Answer only to you,” I explain as simply as I can.
“Why?”
“Because as much as I want to be, I can’t be with you all the time. Neither can Marco. They are new and fresh; I don’t need to worry that they’ll choose my safety over yours. You are their number one, and I need that.” She shifts so she’s straddling me, spreading her legs as wide as she can before wrapping her arms around my back. Her nails dig into muscles as she scratches up and down.
“I only want you, Nick. Please.” Her tears are damn near my undoing. “Please don’t let them take me away.”
Another choked sound, this time from Kane. “They won’t be, little girl. They’ll keep in the background. You’re staying here; you are mine. And I protect what’s mine with everything in my arsenal. Okay?” She thinks on it for a minute, and just as Winston appears, she nods her head, and the tension leaves my body.
CHAPTER 9
Rue
Lying back on the exam bed—Nick told me that’s what it’s called—I try not to squirm. I don’t like what Dr. Miranda is doing, but she promised it would let us know if there was anything else wrong with me. Previously, she suspected I had low iron and a few vitamin deficiencies; I’m also malnourished—again, I had to have that explained—and there were some other things in my blood that I don’t understand. She told me everything can be helped with a balanced diet and that I shouldn’t worry. So I’m not.
“Ouch.” Nick brushes a finger across my jaw as she continues to dig between my legs. I’m only keeping still because Nick promised I could sit with him through his afternoon meetings.
