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It was hard enough to pretend not to watch Westin with one person. It was nearly impossible to pretend in a room full of people. It was easy to sneak sidelong glances. To watch for him. To feel his gaze on me.
I was ready for this. My necklace had a camera in it, and all the while it was taking pictures of everyone who attended. Pictures of the layout of the house I had grown up in. Pictures of all the bodyguards. I was getting it all.
Anything and everything required to take down my father. To my chagrin, Westin was right. I didn't want Julian hurt. I just wanted him to pay. And the easiest way to do that for me was to send his arse to jail. Amelia had assured me that would be the outcome. This wasn't a hit job. Interpol wanted him in custody. They had many questions for him. And he was a valuable asset to them if they could get their hands on him.
At one point I was at the bar, getting a glass of champagne, and the shiver of cold skipping up my spine was my only warning before somebody leaned in. A part of me hoped it would be Antonio Igno so that I could say the phrase, and Amelia and her men would come rushing in. It wasn't Igno, but this man had also been at the meeting. What was his name? Terrence something or other.
“You look beautiful as always.” He traced a clammy palm down my exposed spine in my backless dress, and I shuddered.
Deftly, I stepped out of touching distance using my glass of champagne and an arm as a distance maker. “We've only met once. What was your name again?”
“You wound me. But that's all right. If a beautiful woman doesn't hurt your feelings at least once, you're not doing something right.”
I furrowed my brow. “That statement is actually quite disturbing.”
“What's disturbing is that you and I have yet to dance.”
“She's occupied.” Westin’s voice was low and menacing behind me. I could hear the light growl in it, and it made me shiver in a good way.
Terrence didn't like being thwarted. “Does Montgomery know the help is talking to his guests?”
Westin smiled. As beautiful as he was with those sparkling, Mediterranean blue eyes and the frame and elegance of a gentleman, there was an edge to that smile that should have warned Terrence off.
But it seemed Terrence was a complete git. “Now sod off, I'm talking to the young lady.”
But when he tried to take a step toward me, Westin stepped between us. “I might only be the help, but my sole job is to keep offensive, sweaty, paunchy geezers like yourself from bothering Miss Montgomery, and I take my job very, very seriously.”
Terrence glanced around then, looking for help. But anyone within earshot had already skittered away, leaving him to his own devices. And everything about Westin’s stance said that his protection detail happily came with bloodshed.
When Terrence finally skulked away, Westin inclined his head politely to anyone watching, as merely my bodyguard letting me know that now all was well, and I could resume my duties. Anyone else would have missed the wink entirely.
Later that night, I entered my old bedroom and waited for Westin to knock on the door. Nervous excitement made my stomach flip. I knew he should stay away. It would be safer if he stayed away. At the same time, I knew he wouldn't be able to. Nor did I want him to. The idea of sleeping in this house by myself, made me uneasy.
Who are you kidding? You want him. His little aggressive display downstairs made your insides melt and your mouth drier than the Sahara.
I didn't make the rules. His little show of possession had made me weak.
While I was expecting his knock on the door, I squeaked in panic as one of the hidden panels slid aside. And in walked Westin wearing a pair of gray joggers and a T-shirt.
“Holy shit. You scared me.”
“Sorry. For obvious reasons, I couldn't come in from the hallway.” His shrewd gaze studied me. “Are you okay? You look on edge.”
I shook my head. How did I explain it? The zinging energy, the need to be near him, the adrenaline flooding my veins. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
He smirked as his gaze narrowed on mine. “Oh. You're not edgy because of what happened downstairs with that Terrence bloke. You're edgy because you want me.”
I bit my bottom lip to keep the smile from peeking out. “Cockiness is not a good look on you.”
He very deliberately looked down at his joggers. “I don't know. I feel like I have an excellent imprint here. These are just the right thickness, enough to give you a tease but not overwhelm you.”
He said it was such a straight face that I almost thought he was serious, but then I could see the mirth in his eyes. The giggle escaped before I could stop it as I launched myself into his arms.
“Shut up and kiss me. Also, if you could get all growly like you did with the bloke downstairs, that would be excellent.”
“You like me growly do you?”
“Oh, very much.”
