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The doorbell rings while I’m upstairs. When I come down, they’re waiting in the den. Both men’s eyes drink me in, but Beau looks like he’s not breathing.
“Vanessa, how do you get prettier every time I see you?” Rome asks as he brings me into his body, placing a chaste kiss on my cheek.
Beau looks as if he’s going to kill someone—I’m just not sure if it’s Rome or me.
I push on Rome’s arm. “You’ve always been a smooth talker. No wonder women can’t resist you.” His smile meets his ears; it's so wide. “Do you want a drink?”
As I turn to the wet bar between the den and the kitchen, I catch Beau adjusting his gun in his holster. “Keep it in your pants, Mr. Landry.” I flash a wicked grin.
Since my dad’s driver doesn’t have much to do these days, I asked him to pick up dinner in town. Beau invites him in, and they begin chatting about fantasy football.
“This pizza smells heavenly. Can you stay, Mr. Taylor?”
“Thank you, Ms. Barron, but my daughter’s having a baby tonight. I need to get over to the hospital.”
My jaw hits the floor. I say, “Raina’s old enough to have a baby?”
“She’s twenty-one and married to a firefighter in town. It’s the same little boy that used to try and sneak in her window when you were babysitting.” He smacks his leg as he belly laughs.
She seemed so young when I was eighteen and she was thirteen. And she married her middle school boyfriend. Sadness creeps through my body as Beau and I peek at each other. That should have been us. We should be the middle school couple that made it. The ones that got married and had a family. I choke back a lump of sadness that’s risen in my throat at the thought.
“Congratulations. I vividly recall all of us watching Rocky movies and playing card games. Where did the time go?” I ask as Beau and Mr. Taylor shake their heads.
Rome interrupts, “Kids are terrifying and definitely not in my future.”
Beau’s cheek twitches, knowing I want a basketball team of children, then he takes a couple of slices of pizza, putting them on a plate before handing them to dad’s driver. “Congrats, sir. Raina will be a terrific mom.”
Rome looks at me, questioning my relationship with Beau.
After I walk Mr. Taylor out the French doors, I grab two wine glasses and a merlot from the wine cabinet. I pour two glasses. “Beau, we’ll be in the den.” I walk closer to him and quietly say, “I won’t need your services like last night.”
Beau’s only reaction is a reddened face.
Rome and I eat and catch up on all of our mutual friends. Once in a while, Beau walks from the kitchen to the archway leading into the den, checking on me.
But when Rome’s arm is slung around the back of the couch and his fingers circle my back, Beau walks through, turns off the alarm, and slams the door.
He’s upset. Good. He deserves it.
ChapterFourteen
BEAU
For the past week, I’ve listened to Vanessa and Rome talk on the phone. She puts him on speaker phone while she works on her laptop, giggling at his sexual innuendos. Honestly, I don’t think she realizes I’m here anymore. I’ve been keeping my distance, watching security feeds from the office in another room.
I heard him urging her to partner with Mr. Fitch, a man from another distillery, but Vanessa kept saying it wasn’t the right time and that she wanted to launch their joint campaign first. And, most importantly, find her father before making a commitment of that nature.
Evidently, Rome’s in Barcelona. He tells her over and over how romantic it is and things they should do together. The thought makes me sick, but I ruined my chance of being with Vanessa. She saw the side of me that was reserved for Afghanistan. Cool. Calculating. Detached.
Last week, when I tormented her with my hand and mouth then pulled away, it was not me. It was the person I became so I didn’t fall apart. Vanessa holds the key to my heart—always has.
I have two more weeks until Ben’s men can take over the responsibility of guarding her, and it can’t come soon enough. She hasn’t received another note. The only thing out of the ordinary is that her corkscrew turned up at her office. She vehemently denies bringing it onto the property. Also, a broken picture of Vanessa and Mr. Barron was found on the management floor. IT was unable to view surveillance feeds because whoever put it there must’ve been in blind spots.
Ben’s company is installing some new equipment tonight at Vanessa’s house. As instructed, he called her and told her where each hidden camera would be placed. She wasn’t happy when he disclosed there is now one in her bedroom.
At least we’re a week into building Vanessa’s new office; the framing is up. Ben’s team wired and installed everything inside the ceilings and existing walls.
Vanessa and I have barely spoken this week other than when she tells me she needs to go here or there.
