Page 9 of Love is Blind

“Princess, please. The two guys would also be there to keep Abby safe. They will be more of a driver and watchman. They can stay outside and be there for when you need them. Us going is for our peace of mind. One of us has been with you at all times for the last month. We don’t want to risk Adrian thinking he can make a move at you to hurt us. And I promise we will behave and just work from your office or the side or something.” His voice is low and calm, but I can hear the tinge of desperation in it. They really need this and he knew bringing Abby’s safety into this would crack my resolve. Damn him. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her.

Knowing I’ve been beat, I let my shoulders sag. Letting out a dramatic sigh, I give the guys what they want. “Fine, but only one of you is allowed to stalk me a day and if I feel you’re hovering or scaring away customers, the deal is off. Do you understand?” Three rounds of “yes” sound around the room. “Oh, and Ares gets to come, too.” I hear Mav chuckle, but Jax and Xander both groan. Too bad they will have to get over it.

A body leans against my back, Xander’s warmth flooding my system. The soft tickle of his lips brush against my ear, his hot breath caressing my skin. “Thank you, Little Bird. Now finish your breakfast so we can head out.” He kisses the top of my head before fully pulling away. I miss his warmth for a minute before the excitement of finally going back to work fills me up. I practically shovel the rest of the food into my month as my men go about their mornings.

A few minutes later, Abby enters the room, a bright ray of bubbly sunshine. “Good morning, everyone. Have we figured out how this will all work?” Her voice is light and airy as I hear her pour herself a cup of coffee.

“Yes. I’ll be accompanying you two, along with two of our men. Oh, and this is for you.” Xander says, his tone for once not sounding ice-cold.

“A new phone? But I have one already.”

“Yes, but this is an upgrade. Plus, it has all the numbers you could possibly need to contact one of us. I’ve also ordered you a credit card, it should be here tomorrow. It is to be used for anything you think, Wren, or you may need. Anything at all.” He continues like he didn’t just drop a bomb on her. I’m a little shocked by his words myself.

“Oh, I won’t need anything but my regular pay, sir.” Abby sounds a bit lost now.

“Nonsense. You will use it for anything you want. Think of it as a bonus. Plus, you have already shown you are a loyal person and Wren really enjoys your company. So, it’s also a thank-you gift.” Mav jumps in this time, and I can hear the smile in his words. He’s not wrong. Abby has been an absolute sweetheart since I met her.

“I’m not taking your money for being a decent human being. That’s ridiculous.” She retorts. I could totally hug her right now. If only she knew what her kindness actually meant to me. Being blind means a whole other struggle with people just being rude or flat out ignoring you. Some even think it’s contagious or something.

“Abby. Please, just take it. Trust me, it’s not worth arguing. It gets you nowhere. Plus, we can plan a shopping trip soon.” I can almost hear the eye roll she gives me.

“Ugh. Fine, you win this one. You about ready to go?” she asks and I perk up like a damn prairie dog.

“Ekk. Yes. So ready. Let me grab my bag.” I slide off the chair, reaching out until my hands reach the cabinet lined wall. No sooner do I take a few steps than Ares appears, pressing his body against mine. I’m turning the corner when I hear Maverick speak with a smug tone.

“See. I told you he would be good for her. He hasn’t even left her side since they met.”

The scent of old books, ink, and freshly brewed coffee assaults my nose as I enter the Cozy Nook Bookshop. It’s like coming home after a long vacation as the ding of the bell rings above me. “Hi, welcome in. Can I- Oh. Mr. Ashford, this must be Miss St. James.” I hear a masculine voice come out from the other side of the shop. Ares lets out a low growl and steps in front of me, causing me to reach down and run my fingers through his fur.

“It’s okay Ares.” At least I hope so, since the voice I just heard wasn’t familiar. Xander next to me mumbles something that sounds like, “Maybe the dog is good for something.” But I can’t be certain.

“Oh wow, Wren. This place is so cute. Mind if I browse a bit?” I let out a giggle at Abby’s words. What I wouldn’t give to experience being able to see entering a new bookshop. I used to love running my fingers over each shelf and each spine of every book, reading the titles as I went. Now I can do only one of those things.

“Of course. Go wild.” As she heads off to explore, Xander places his hand on my lower back and motions me forwards with a tap. I pray no one moved any shelves or stands in my absence, but as we go, everything feels right.

“Wren, this is Mr. Barron. He helped manage the shop while you were out.” As if he can sense my unease, Xander adds. “I gave strict instructions that nothing was to be moved or changed while you were out. He just helped Caleb and Camille open and close. He also dealt with all the financials and bank runs. Everything should be in order, as I oversaw that as well.”

“Yes. It’s been my pleasure. I can review everything with you if you would like. Mr. Ashford made sure everything ran smoothly while you were out. There were no problems at all.” I can feel my whole-body slump in relief. A small part of me thought I would come back to a whole new bookshop or something worse, like it burning to the ground.

“Yes. I would like a quick run-down if you wouldn’t mind.”

“First, I have one thing to show you. It’s a recent addition to the shop, but I think you will benefit greatly from it.” My stomach drops. I don’t do well with change. Xander leads me over to the front counter and around to the back of it. “Place your hand on the keyboard.” I frown at the odd request but slowly bring my hands up and onto the said keyboard. As soon as my figures touch the cool plastic, I’m gasping in shock. I trace all the bumps and grooves and realize it’s all in braille. It’s a braille keyboard. I’m completely stunned. I’m speechless. My eyes start to tear up at the fact that Xander would think of something like this. “That’s not all. It’s connected to a voice command computer and printer that will print in braille as well.”

“You did this?” I ask. My emotions have been all over the place this week. One second I want to scream at these men and the next I just want to cuddle up in their lap like a damn cat needing attention. But this, no one has ever tried to go out of their way to make my life easier.

“Of course, baby. Mr. Barron here did the research, and we made sure to get everything set up and ready for your return. Do you like it?” he asks, and this time I don’t bother trying to hide my tears.

“Yes.” I turn and throw myself into his chest. My arms wrap around his waist as he returns the motion. “Yes. This is amazing Xander. Thank you.”

“Anything for you, Little Bird. Now I’ll let you start your day. If you need me, I’ll be in your office, as promised. Okay?” I nod dumbly against his chest, not yet ready to let go. He lets me hang on for another minute until I finally step back and wipe my face of all wet and salty evidence of my crying.

“Thank you, Xander. This means the world to me.” He simply kisses the top of my head before leaving me to my first day back.

I have no idea how long it’s been since we got here, but Mr. Barron and I have gone over everything that’s happened in the last month pertaining to the shop. Apparently, the shop is doing better than I thought because sales are up since I last reviewed them with Amber. Ares hasn’t left my side since getting here, and I couldn’t be more surprised. Abby even tried to take him for a walk, but apparently, he did his business, then whined to come back in. To say he isn’t already protective of me is an understatement.

“Well, that’s everything, Miss St. James. I’ll be on my way. If you need anything else, Mr. Ashford can get a hold of me.” We say our goodbyes and I thank him again as he takes his leave. I am barely about to grab a coffee from the back when the front door rings.

“Good afternoon.” I call out.

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