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“I really am sorry! It’s seriously been the strangest day ever! Do you know who Chase and Katarina Prestian are?”
“Of course, you can’t live in this city and not know them, Lexie.”
“I ran into one of their security men at the coffee shop down the street from the salon, and he asked me to do Katarina’s hair in a pinch today. I actually took care of Carlos Larussio’s daughter today. She was so nice; didn’t seem like the mafia daughter of New York City, at all!”
“Okay, I think you need to back the train up a bit. I’m not following much here. I’m working nights this week, and I’m admittedly only half awake.”
“I have no clue how you do it. I could never learn to sleep in the day and keep switching shifts. That has to be the worst!”
“At this very moment, it is. Now stop stalling and spill! How on earth did you end up doing Katarina Larussio-Prestian’s hair? I’m dying of curiosity over here!”
“A creepy guy was hitting on me at the café and wouldn’t give me my business card back.”
“Whoa! Remember, I’m half awake! Why’d you give him your card?”
I roll my eyes to the sky. “I didn’t give it to him, Allie. I dropped it by accident, and he grabbed it off the floor. I was trying to get it back, and Sheldon, the security guy I met, stepped in, took care of the jerk, and got my card back. Otherwise, the creep would know exactly where I work! And then Sheldon came back a bit later and asked me if I could fix Katarina Larussio’s hair.”
“Okay, we can talk more about the mafia boss’ daughter later. Right now, I wanna know more about this security guy. What does he look like? Did he rough the guy up? Make your panties wet?”
“Goodbye, Allie. I have to go to work, and you need sleep. I’ll tell you all about the super-hot security guy and my wet panties later!”
I glance at the clock on the wall and scroll through my recent incoming calls for Sheldon’s number. I’m sure he’s busy with Chase and Katarina, and I really shouldn’t bother him, but those penetrating deep brown eyes and that commanding tone of his voice keeps replaying in my mind. My finger hovers over his number before I close my eyes and click.
I let the deep timbers of his voice instructing me to leave a message wash over me. I have no idea what I intend to say. Damn, I should have written something down. I am so bad at this. I don’t flirt with men, chase after them, or even date! What am I even doing? The beep letting me know it’s time to leave the message startles me. Here goes nothing. “Hi, Sheldon. This is Alexis. Alexis Barrington from Salon Diva. I just wanted to thank you again for all your help today. It was incredibly nice of you to step in and take care of the situation at the coffee shop, and also to offer me the chance to make that much money. Umm, I just wanted to call and let you know that. Umm, well, thanks again, Sheldon. Have a good evening, and if you ever need anything, you know, like someone to do Katarina’s hair or makeup, I’m always happy to help out and you wouldn’t need to pay me as much as you did for today. I still can’t believe you paid me that much money for one hour of work. That was seriously generous of you. Anyway, just wanted to say thank you for everything and stuff.”
I disconnect, shaking my head. Rambling and rambling. So he’s hot and dominant, and I’m clearly attracted to him, but chasing after someone is not something I do or have ever done—well, until now, and jeez! He must think I’m a dithering idiot.
I’m just getting my mind back on work and preparing for my next customer when a text from Sheldon hits my inbox, and the tone of his message arouses every one of my feminine senses.
Sheldon: I received your message. No need to thank me. Did you do as I asked, Alexis?
Chapter Three
Sheldon
The meetingwith Katarina’s great-uncle and cousin is tense as fuck, and I’d bet a week’s salary that I’m not the only one who breathes a sigh of relief when it concludes with no fatalities.
As soon as we walk out of that boardroom, all my plans for the rest of the day are blown to hell. Looks like we’re going to need to get Chase and Katarina into the air as quickly as possible to ensure these damn Italian relatives of Katarina’s don’t get a lock on the Prestian Corp plane or find out when Chase and Katarina plan to arrive in Italy. I find myself glancing at my phone, thoroughly annoyed because someone else will need to deliver the car back to the sassy Ms. Barrington. Just as I’m about to shove the cell back in my pocket, a message from the lovely lady pops up. I step into an alcove and push play, listening to the sound of her tinkly voice and letting the velvety rich tones seep into my senses. Alexis Barrington, you have the most unique effect on me, young lady.
It doesn’t take long to get flights scrambled and Chase and Katarina settled onto the plane. Gaby, their house manager and the woman who mothers all of us, is caught in traffic. I let the crew know to hold the plane because it’s critical to the plan that anyone watching sees her getting on this Gulfstream jet. I text Nick not to forget to return the car to Alexis and then check in with the security team that I asked to stake out Salon Diva earlier in the day to get an update.
All is good at the salon, but I still find myself scrolling through my recent-calls list, and hovering over the number that belongs to Alexis, tempted to call just to hear that sexy voice of hers. I grin, recalling the look of disbelief on her sassy face when I sent her home with the cops. The little vixen shouldn’t test me like that! I’m pulled from my thoughts as Gaby’s car arrives, and security helps her board the plane. Once we’re airborne, I make my way back to the security cabin, loosen and slide the tie from around my neck, and shrug out of my suit jacket.
Dereck is sprawled over a leather armchair, engrossed on his cell phone. Cole’s sitting on the couch and has his feet propped up on the coffee table, watching old reruns of Breaking Bad. I don’t know how many more of these shows he has to get through to be done, but he has all the time in the world, because it’s a long-ass flight. I grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator, settle into a recliner, and find myself twirling Ms. Barrington’s card in my hand.
The blonde with shoulder-length curls and a wide set of deep blue-violet eyes, with a body that makes my cock hard every time I see her, hasn’t been off my mind since she almost backhanded me in the coffee shop. The courteous thing to do would be to let Alexis know there’s been a change of plans and that Nick will deliver her car shortly, but it would be far better to have more information before the call. I click over to email to see if the report on the asshole from the café has arrived yet so I can give her an update. It’s ten pages, which can’t be good. I toe off my shoes and put my feet on the footrest as the plane climbs high, reading charge after charge of this deviant’s history. Although aliases exist, his given name is Darwin F. Pierce. His convictions include armed robbery, trafficking, and domestic abuse. He is suspected of running guns, human trafficking internationally, and murder. And the fucker’s now free and running loose around the streets of New York City.
I send a message to Nick. As much as he gets on my nerves with all of his womanizing, his heart is in the right place. Plus, he’s one of the best security men we have.
Me: Need round-the-clock crew to watch the salon. They’ll need to follow Alexis home when her shift ends and keep an eye on her, at least until morning.
Nick: Roger that! We’ll pull straws and let you know the schedule for who’s watching your lady.
Me: Not my lady!
Nick: So, technically available then? She’s hot!
My jaw clenches tightly as I read his last message. Nick is notorious for carousing, always hitting on beautiful women, and damn it all if she’s not the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. Everything about her makes my body thrum. The thought of Nick even talking with her pisses me right the hell off, and touching her luscious curves—the ones I’ve been thinking about caressing myself—would make him a dead man.
