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“It’s understandable for you to be upset, but you have my word that we’ll keep you and your loved ones safe. It’s going to mean taking time off from the salon, though.”
My chest tightens. I can do anything he asks, except that. I won’t have enough money to buy the salon from Jan at a decent price next year unless I keep working. I have more put away than I would have thanks to Sheldon giving me the styling job, but I want to give Jan what she needs for a comfortable retirement. “I can’t afford to take time off.”
“Like I said, I have a proposal. I’m with Chase and Katarina in Italy on assignment. Katarina needs a stylist who can be available at a moment’s notice over the course of the next week or so. I’d like to hire you for the job. As you can imagine, it pays well.”
The silence on the other end of the phone is unnerving. He’s waiting to hear what I have to say, but the words on the tip of my tongue simply do not form.
“I have a plane on standby and would like you to leave as soon as possible. Nick will escort you to the airport and travel with you to Italy. He’s already scheduled to return in the next couple days, so he would’ve had to come off your security detail at that time, anyway. The man we’re after has serious issues. This is the only way we can assure your safety, Alexis. I want you to say yes.”
The softly spoken command sends a shiver down my spine and causes my center to clench, just like in every single one of my dreams. “Yes.” I try not to get too excited, because while he may want to keep me safe, if he were interested in me like that, he would have called days before now.
“Nick said you and Jan both have clients this afternoon and early evening. I’d like you to move them.”
“Bossy much?” I say on a breath.
“We both know the answer to that question, Alexis.”
“Jan has been winding down, gearing up for retirement next year, so she’s been giving me most of her clients. I can see if she would mind taking care of them, but what if he comes here looking for me and finds her? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if he hurt her.”
“We’d like Jan to take a couple weeks off, and we’ll make sure she’s protected. I wanted to make sure you agreed, and that I didn’t need to fly back to New York City and personally drag you to Italy before we said anything to Jan.”
I can’t help it when my face splits into a grin. My blood is suddenly racing so fast. I put a hand over the pulse on my neck, willing it to calm. Sheldon had everything planned to keep both me and Jan safe. He was going to fly all the way to the States and take me back to Italy. Allie. Jesus, what about Allie? “Sheldon, what about Allie, my roommate? If he finds out where I live, he may go there too.”
“The team is handling that as we speak. All you have to do is talk with Jan and get on that plane to Italy with Nick. Are you able to do that for me, Alexis?” Sheldon asks.
The sound of that deep, husky voice, the one that instructs me over and over again in my dreams and has developed a plan to keep me safe, sends delicious little tingles of anticipation right to my center. “I’ll be on the plane, Sheldon. Thank you for taking care of me.”
“You’re welcome. Text me when you’re onboard, and I’ll see you when you land,” Sheldon says before disconnecting.
I should still be scared crazy that a madman is stalking me, but all I can think of is seeing Sheldon again. Holy hell, is this really happening? The man who sends goosebumps down my spine every time he touches me, the one who brings me to orgasm every night of my life, if only in my dreams, wants me to travel to Italy so he can protect me.
I head back into the salon, and the spectacle there makes me laugh and breaks through some of my pent-up tension. Nick is sweeping the floor, and Jan is wiping down all the counters. “What are you two up to?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at them as Nick pushes the wad of hair on the floor toward the central vac duct.
Jan looks up from what she’s doing and hits the button on the wall to suck up the hair. “Big mouth here let me in on the secret,” Jan answers, gesturing to Nick, who’s grinning widely despite the name. “I called all our clients and told them we have an emergency. I’ve been taking care of these people for years and never once have I cancelled on them, not during snowstorms, not when I was sick, nothing, but this is different. This man who’s after you sounds dangerous. Lexie, those traffickers sell women into prostitution. I’ve heard all about them. No sense testing fate,” Jan explains, looking up at Nick, who gives her a megawatt smile.
I narrow my eyes at him, and he tones it down with a smirk. Is there a woman around who doesn’t succumb to Nick’s charms? Well, besides my dear friend Allie?
“And you’re okay with not working and having a security team protect you?” I ask Jan.
Her eyes twinkle. “Well, not exactly. I’ve got a better plan. Nick said his boys are going to take me home and guard me, and I still have the shop in the lower level stocked for family and the neighbors. I can’t take care of multiple people at one time, as it only has one chair, but still, I can manage on a small income for a few days. If it takes longer than that, I’ll have to go back to work, but we’ll cross that bridge if we need to. In the meantime, I’ll just bring a few of our regulars to me after I get the place organized. All those beefcakes running around protecting us are sure to draw in all the women.” Jan smirks, giving me a big conciliatory wink.
Nick’s trying to hide the smile that threatens. “We’ll drop Jan and a couple of the security guys off at her house. We have another team on their way to yours and Allie’s apartment. In the meantime, Sheldon will have someone pick up clothing and other essentials. Let’s get all the items from the salon you need to bring along, and then make a list of anything else you need for the trip,” Nick directs.
Sheldon and Nick have clearly already planned this all out, and there’s a part of me—the small part of me that I’ve tried to push down—that loves this, and absolutely needs this, especially right now, even though I’ve fought against depending on someone else for so very long. “Sheldon said you were taking care of Allie?”
Nick squints at me. “I wouldn’t say that, exactly. She’s on twelve-hour shifts this week. I tried to convince her to come to Italy with us, but Allie plans to work her shifts, so we’ll have guards with her at all times. I have to be back in Italy for another job, but Trent and Liam and some of the other guys will stay in the States and protect her round the clock.”
Oh, dear Lord, a bunch of hotshot security guards hanging around watching Allie will go over like an absolute lead balloon. Nick taps his watch—a not too subtle reminder to help clean up the salon so we can get going.
The minute we walk out of Salon Diva, we’re surrounded by four tall, muscly men in black suits and white shirts who look intimidating as hell. They nod politely but say absolutely nothing in greeting. They give new meaning to the strong and silent type. Nick talks to them briefly, and one opens the back door of the sleek black stretch limo for me, while another helps Jan in on the other side.
The ride to Jan’s is quick and uneventful, but more than slightly uncomfortable. Jan is usually jabbering a mile a minute, and even she is quiet and subdued. I lean over and give her a big hug. “It’s going to be okay. You’ll get to spend some time relaxing and setting up your lower-level shop. When I return, it will all be over; just like a bad dream.”
Jan squeezes me tight. “I’m sure you’re right. You just make sure to listen to the security team and come home safely when they catch this guy!”
She doesn’t know it, but if I keep saving, hopefully I can afford to buy the salon and give her a good price so she can perhaps afford a few extra comforts in life when she retires. I give her one more squeeze before saying goodbye and reluctantly relinquishing her to the two security men who escort her up the concrete pathway to her door.
The ride to the airport takes a while in this traffic. Nick gives the team an update on what occurred across the street from the salon, and the plan for us ladies while we drive. Once there, the security team gets us through all the formalities before Nick and I walk up the ramp. At the top, Nick gestures me to go ahead of him into the main cabin of the Prestian Corp Gulfstream. The cabin is absolutely gorgeous, furnished with a sectional that wraps around one corner of the space and faces a fireplace with a television mounted over the mantle. The space is so big and luxurious that it looks like the living room of someone’s oversized apartment, at least to me.
