AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Has it really been six hours?” Jade asked.
“Yes, ma’am, it has.”
She turned her eyes toward him. “Come on, I think we’re past ma’am now.”
“Ma’am,” he deadpanned.
She smacked him lightly and he barely let a smile through.
"You'd better get some sleep," he said, getting ready to stand.
She pouted and gave him a pitiful stare. “We’ve spent six hours together, yet I feel like I barely know you.”
Ryker turned to her. “You already know the important stuff.”
“Like what?”
“I’d do anything to protect you. This stalker has no idea what he’s up against.”
Her face fell. “No, I get that. But that’s not the important stuff.”
“Okay then, what do you consider important?” Genuine curiosity overcame him.
She shook her head. “Nevermind. Good night, Mr. Vittroli.”
“Good night.”
It took everything Ryker had to stay put as she went off to her bunk with that attitude. But maybe it was for the best if she disliked him. He needed to stay as far away from her as possible to do this job right. If only she didn’t make that so tempting.
Chapter 3
Jade
For the past two weeks, Jade did nothing but play gigs and stay on Ryker’s strict schedule. No parties; no after-parties; nothing.
She put her feelings into her music. From the cheers, at least she knew she was doing something right.
They’d finally reached a day on the tour where they had the entire day off to do whatever they wanted — and they were in a hotel to top it off.
Jade approached Ryker and Drake as they spoke quietly in the band’s Florida hotel suite. She wore a modest one-piece swimsuit and running shorts, with a towel slung over her shoulder. The guys turned when she approached. Ryker’s hair shined from his morning shower, and Drake’s was up in a ponytail.
She rarely got to see the ocean, so she wanted to go swimming at the beach. She wasn’t sure her new security would agree to that easily, so she decided to try “overly polite and cute” to get her way. She’d taken theater in college and knew she could do a cute Victorian damsel.
“Good morning, gentlemen. I desire to run on the beach and swim with the dolphins on this fine day. Willst one of you fine gentlemen please accompany me?”
Ryker frowned but surprisingly responded in kind, “Sorry, but no, milady. ‘Tis not a good idea. Mayhap you might fancy the pool instead?”
Jade appreciated the playful response but her frustration still flared. “Why not? It’s like 7 a.m. No one’s out there yet, and no one expects me to be on the beach today. I only decided to go this morning.”
Ryker said, “It’s still too dangerous. You always workout first thing in the morning. Your stalker watched you for years. He knows your routine. And I would bet that he knows you want to visit the beach on this stop. He’ll put two and two together. Plus, he’s pissed off right now. The beach is too open and unsecured for us to protect you.”
“You mean the one time the weather is nice, and I’m in a hotel close enough to smell the ocean, Rosé fucked up my only chance to visit the beach?”
“Unfortunately, yes, that’s what I’m telling you. Your safety is more important. You can visit the beach another time.”
She sighed and ran a hand over her face. “Can I please get an escort to the hotel’s perfectly secure indoor pool, Mr. Head of Security? Pretty please, with a cherry on top?”
An expression crossed Ryker’s face like it took everything he had not to make a snarky comment about cherries, but he reined it in and nodded. “Sure. Give us 15 minutes to secure the pool.”
