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“Whatever I want.”
Gulp.
Although she couldn’t deny that being called precious was kind of sweet, but it wasn’t her. She wasn’t special. And maybe she was small in size, but by no means was she a little girl like he kept calling her.
She managed to drag herself onto her feet by the skin of her teeth.
“See? I did it.”
“Very good.” His voice didn’t hold much encouragement, though. In fact, if anything, she thought he sounded disappointed. “Now walk.”
“Pfft. Easy-peasy.” She took a step forward and would have fallen flat on her face if he hadn’t leaped to grab her.
Ooh. Not cool. Not cool at all.
“Damn it.”
“Right, I’ve had enough of this,” he said in a grouchy voice. He swept forward and picked her up into his arms.
And Lord. She had to bite back a groan. She was a strong, independent woman.
But there was something about having a man sweep her up into his arms like this that was doing it for her.
Maybe she could be strong and independent later? Did it really make her weak to enjoy this?
“Enough of what? I was going to do it. I just tripped.”
“Over your own feet? You weren’t going to make it. Or if you were, it would have taken all night and too much of your energy. I do have other things to do.”
Right. Silly her. Of course he did. Things that were far more important than picking up the pieces of a foolish, shattered woman who thought she was tougher than she was.
She was such an idiot.
“I don’t know why I gave you the choice. I never give choices.” He sounded baffled.
“You can just leave me. I’ll be fine.”
“You cannot even walk on your own.”
“I’ll figure it out. I’m tougher than I look.”
“Honestly, I do not understand this notion that women can do everything.”
“Hey, we can!”
“Perhaps, but why should you have to? If my car breaks down, I do not fix it myself. If I need more electrical sockets, I do not put them in myself, if I need an MRI, I do not operate the equipment.”
“That’s different.”
“Is it?” he asked.
“I can walk. I’m just a little shaken.”
“And you have every right to be, Pequeña. Which is also a time when it is acceptable to ask for help.”
“But any other time, you’d let me do whatever I wanted?”
Somehow, Cat doubted that. He was definitely a man who liked to get his own way.
She shouldn’t like being held in his arms. It shouldn’t feel safe.
Because Alejandro De Leon was a lot of things. But safe was not one of them.
“Of course not. Like I told you, my employees do as they are told.”
Right. That’s all she was. An employee.
He climbed into the car with her in his arms. Wow he was strong. Cairn was standing by the door, keeping watch.
“You’re really taking me with you,” she said.
“I don’t say anything I don’t mean. You are coming home with me.”
“Because I work for you and I have to do what you say?”
“I’m glad you now understand.”
What? Wait . . . she didn’t understand anything.
“I didn’t mean it like that. It was a question. Urgh, you’re an infuriating, pig-headed man.”
“Because I’m always right? I’ve been told that before. But you should be warned that I don’t usually let people insult me and live.”
She swallowed heavily. That was a good reminder. He wasn’t one of her friends. He didn’t actually have a vested interest in looking after her. There was no reason for him to take care of her.
Even though he kind of was. In his own way.
Maybe he felt guilty because she was his employee.
Yeah. Somehow, she didn’t think it was that.
“And I don’t get any say? I can’t say no?”
“I’m not a man who likes the word no.”
A shiver of premonition ran up her spine.
Somehow, she thought that this right here might be the moment her life changed forever.
Whether it was for good or bad remained to be seen.
9
Alejandro held the girl close on his lap.
He should have set her down on the other side of the car. As far away from him as he could get her.
But he wanted her close. He told himself it was because she was chilled. The poor thing was still shivering.
However, he knew that she likely wasn’t cold. Her trembling was an aftereffect of that fucking bastard, Vince, touching her.
He wondered where Cairn and Mikey had put him and his bodyguard.
Also, he’d need to have a word with Mikey. There was no call for him to put his eyes on Catherine.
“Catherine,” he said softly, wanting to test something. She didn’t look up. Didn’t really react.
It could be that she was too far in her head. She’d just been attacked, after all.
Or maybe she was used to using her nickname.
“Cat,” he said.
“Yes?”
“You don’t use your full name much?”
“What?” She glanced up at him in confusion.
