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“Good girl. I’m going to take you upstairs to our room and tuck you in bed. Then I’ll make you something for breakfast. You’re going to laze around for the rest of the day. I’ll bring everything we managed to salvage from the cottage upstairs to work on. If I have questions, you’ll be right there to answer them for me. Sound good?”
He stood up, cradling her to his chest.
“I’m going to need to put something else on,” she said, staring at her ruined leggings.
“Not happening.”
Coop reached down and brought the tattered remains of her leggings up so she could cover her sex, but he was fairly sure the men would ensure they encountered no one.
“Coop?”
“Nope.”
He opened the library door and headed up the grand staircase to their bedroom with Anabella in his arms.
CHAPTER18
ANABELLA
Coop was as good as his word. Once inside the bedroom, he stripped her naked and installed her in the enormous four poster bed.
“Does every bedroom associated with Cerberus have a four-poster bed?” she quipped.
“No. Some of them are iron or brass. But if you’re asking do all of them have an easy way to restrain a recalcitrant sub or protectee? You bet.”
She laughed. “You’re a bunch of sick bastards, you know that?” Growing more sober, she asked, “Is it common for the guys in the field to enter into relationships with their protectees?”
“Common? No. I’ve protected more than my fair share of women who were in trouble, and I will admit that being in danger promotes a certain intimacy, but you are the only woman I’ve protected that I’ve ever had any kind of sex with—or sexual interest in. I remember talking to Royce, who gave King such a raft of shit over Samantha, about his falling for Camille when he was protecting her. His theory was that you’d fall for the same woman regardless of the circumstances. It was just that danger compresses time and what might have taken months under normal circumstances can happen in a matter of days or hours in more fraught situations.” He kissed her hard and fast. “Know what you want for breakfast?”
“I wouldn’t mind another round of your killertres lechesFrench toast.”
He grinned. “I do, indeed. Bacon or sausage?”
“Link or patty?”
“Both.”
“Patty, then.”
By the time he got back, Anabella had managed to get a shower and wash her hair. Feeling human once more, she was waiting for him in another pair of leggings and a clean t-shirt. They curled up on the bed and shared the delicious breakfast. He lavished affection and food on her. Both were rich, luxurious, and made her feel safe and drowsy. She snuggled into him, closed her eyes and was asleep in minutes.
Cooper moving her from between his legs awakened her.
“Shh. I think I heard something. I want you to put on shoes and be ready to move.”
He rolled off the bed and retrieved his SIG from its belt holster, checked the ammo, and cleared the chamber. When she started to get off the bed, he shook his head and came to stand next to her.
“This is one of those times I’m your bodyguard first and your Dom and lover second. I need you to take my cell into the bathroom, lock the door, and hit one on the speed dial. I haven’t heard any shots, and if someone had taken out the team I would have. My guess is they saw the intruders and made themselves scarce so we could lure them in and wrap this up.”
“What do I say if someone answers the phone?” she whispered.
He smiled. “That line is monitored at all times. Just tell them Aurora. They’ll know we’re here and will dispatch a backup team. Worst case scenario we only need to hold them for less than half an hour.”
“We’re more than an hour from Chicago.”
“By car. Trust me, baby, there’s a team waiting with the helicopter—half an hour, tops.”
Anabella did as he asked. Once she had on her shoes, she headed into the bath. He nodded to her as he crouched by the door. She closed and locked the door to the bath and could hear Coop moving out into the hall. She then did as he’d asked, pressing one on his speed dial.
