Her cheeks heated up. Hehad some nerve! “Don’t be absurd!” she shot, “I’m just not used tohaving a man within breathing distance. I may forget that you’rethere. The rest of the men have comfortable quarters downstairs!You should be with them.”
“First of all, I doubt youwon’t see me,” he said. “I’m hard to miss. Secondly, I’m not one ofthose men. I’m strictly here as your protection, not as yourfather’s henchman, so I stay close.” He gave her a sloppy smilebefore he went through the door.
She glared at his backwishing she had something in reach to throw at him. How dare heargue and mock her! Well, at least he one thing right. He certainlywasn’t like her father’s men.
Her eyes followed him untilhe disappeared in his room. Then she turned and walked over to thelarge French doors of her bedroom that led to an immense stonebalcony. It spanned across to the room next door and overlooked thepool and the gardens in the back, then beyond, to the beach. Sheopened the doubled doors, walked out and leaned on the railinglooking out at the scenery. The ocean breeze rushed over her faceand blew her bangs off her forehead. She inhaled deeply, loving thescent of the ocean. She always loved this view. It was stillbeautiful despite the circumstances of why she wasthere.
She would routinely jog onthat beach by herself. Now, she knew she couldn’t do that out offear. She doubted she’d even be able to step through the gatewithout trembling. Her thoughts turned bitter. It was her father’sfault. All of it! If only she’d known what he was into, she wouldhave been more prepared, more on guard. Yes, she always loved thisview, but now it left a bad taste in her mouth. Her father paid forthis place with blood money. She wondered how many people died sohe could get rich. Ironically, her arm started to hurt as if it wasjust another reminder of what her father’s sins brought her. Sheturned and went back into her room.
She dropped the defensivefaçade and told the truth when she spoke next. “Mr. Casey, despitehow I come across. What happened to me was traumatic. I find myselffrightened of things that didn’t bother me before.” He wasn’t nearher, but obviously close enough to be within earshot because heanswered.
“I understand.”
His voice was deep and softand—close. She turned around and saw him leaning against the doorframe adjoining their room. For a big man, he never made a sound.“I mean, having a man so close.” She nodded toward the open door.He stared at her for a moment and she wondered if he really didunderstand. When he didn’t say anything she spoke again. “Mr.Casey?”
He held up a hand. “I’mtrying to word this without upsetting you—again.”
“Oh.”
“First of all, the doorstays open no matter what, especially after what you justconfessed. Second, I never hurt a woman or a child in mylife.”
“Never?”
He shook hishead.
“What about the woman thatkilled your client?”
Shit. He’d forgotten aboutthat lie. “She was arrested, convicted of murder and is spendingthe rest of her life in a Polish jail cell.” Truth was, he’d neverlost anyone. He’d also never worked privately as a bodyguard. Heneeded her to trust him—empathize with him over how importantprotecting her was to him.
“So even though sheassassinated your client you let her live?”
He nodded. “Secondly, andthis is the part might bother you a little, you have nothing toworry from me. I’m not so lonely as to spy on you while you dress,or sleep. I’m a professional, and you are a job.”
“Thank you, for puttingit nicely,” shestated sarcastically. She was a thing, a contract. She also didn’tneed to be told that he didn’t have trouble finding a woman when heneeded one. He was in great shape, and pretty much what her friendswould describe as drop-dead gorgeous. Only it was wasted on her.She would prefer if no man ever touched her again. There was avisible shudder that went through her as those horrid memoriesresurfaced.
He watched her closely, notsaying anything. He didn’t miss her physical response.
“You’ve killed men before,though, haven’t you Mr. Casey?”
He hesitated before heanswered her. This was something he didn’t like to discuss, buthe’d already lied to her and for some reason couldn’t do it again.“Yes.” To his surprise her expression didn’t change. She expectedthat answer.
“You have that look in youreyes like my father does. It was brief but I saw it. It’s like somehorrible things live there, but I never knew what it was until I’dseen it again, and what kind of man carries that withthem.”
She was referring to hercaptors. She’d seen them. Another slip of vulnerability. “Doesanyone know you saw them?”
She shot her wide eyes tohis realizing her mistake. She clamped her teeth together and feltthat cold shiver of terror creep through her.
He lifted his hand. “Putyour mind at ease. I won’t tell anyone.”
“My father would want toknow,” she countered softly, dreading his agreement. A single tearfinally escaped and trailed down her cheek. His eyes followed it.She didn’t want her father to know. She didn’t want anyone to know.They told her they weren’t done, and they would be returning if shesaid anything. Yet, why didn’t they let her sister go too? Shewould have given anything not to know what happened toher.
“I’m sure he would.”Meaning he still wasn’t going to tell him.
“He’s your bossand—“
“Miss Nickolov,” he addedafter her gaze narrowed, “Your father hired me to protect youfirst, and foremost. This is something you’d rather keep toyourself, and I’m willing to protect that interest.”
“I’m just not ready to sayanything.”
“I understand. Just thinkbefore you speak about that subject again. This wasn’t your firstslip.”
“It wasn’t?”
“No.”
She couldn’t believe it.Was she that blind to it? Maybe part of her did want to talk aboutit, but he was right. If she slipped like that in front of herfather, he would
