Page 10 of Betrayed

“No. I won’t risk your safety.” His tone was harsher than he usually used. It had been last night too, and I didn’t like it. “This will all be over soon. I promise.”

I glared at the note. I should have thrown the damn thing away.

My life was being turned upside down because some asshole thought a threat was a funny prank.

“Are you my bodyguard?” I asked, looking down the table at Max.

“No, sorry. I’ll be in court,” she answered flatly.

Then why are you even here?

Knowing I couldn’t talk my father out of hiring a bodyguard, I gave up arguing. I'd be the good little girl he expected me to be so we could get this stupid meeting over with, and I could get to class.

Chapter 6

AJ

Blake was even more captivating in person, despite her bratty attitude and the scowl on her face. I forced myself to look away whenever I caught myself staring. Which was a lot.

When she turned her head, her shoulder-length blond hair moved just enough to reveal a pink stripe. Rebellion? Lost a bet? School spirit? All the cool kids were doing it? I couldn’t help but wonder why a rich politician’s daughter would dye her hair with a bright pink stripe.

My eyes drifted to Blake repeatedly, as if they had a mind of their own. I watched as she struggled to hide her fear and annoyance.

I wasn’t a profiler like Maxwell, or an experienced detective like John, but my gut said this wasn’t a prank.

Her father played with his class ring, a sign he believed the threat was real, even if Blake didn’t. Blake could insist it was a prank until the cows came home, but I wasn’t buying it.

Something about his behavior felt off.What isn’t he telling us?

His young wife, the epitome of a trophy wife, with her perfectly styled hair, excessive bling, and manicured nails, looked irritated.

At the situation? At Blake?

To limit how much time I spent staring at Blake, I noted my observations, forcing myself to be more detailed than necessary. My behavior was borderline creepy. Not that she noticed; Blake avoided making eye contact with everyone except John and Max.

It made sense she’d expect to find a kindred spirit in Max, but the joke was on her—Maxwell was one of the toughest people I knew. She wasn’t a let’s do our nails and talk about our feelings kind of girl. She held her own any time she faced one of us on the mat, her gender and size irrelevant when facing us in unarmed combat.Well, some of us. She had yet to beat me or Doug. And she was a badass on the range, too.

“I’ll have Meg draw up the contract for twenty-four-seven coverage for Ms. Davenport, including a car and driver,” John said. “We’ll order forensics on the note and investigate to determine who sent the threat.”

Blake had given up arguing, but I saw her roll her eyes when John said driver. Her picture might have captured my heart, but her attitude was a turnoff. She needed to stop acting like a spoiled teenager and accept reality.

If this was a prank, someone would have come forward by now. No one would let something like this go on long enough to scare the prankee.

“Given the personal detail in the note, it may be from someone who attended your dinner party on Friday. If you could email a list of the attendees, we’ll start there.”

Blake’s head shot up. The look of fear in her eyes as she looked at John felt like a shot to my gut.

Protect her!The desire to eliminate any and every threat so she'd never feel fear again flooded my system. It didn't make sense, but I couldn't deny the strongest desire to protect anyone I'd ever felt in my life.

Fuck.Was this what the guys felt when they fell in love?

Love?

Doublefuck.They’d never let me hear the end of it if they could read my mind.

“I’ll email the list later today,” Mr. Davenport said.

“Thank you,” John said before addressing Blake. “Ms. Davenport, I understand this is disruptive and I assure you, we’ll do everything in our power to sort this out as quickly as we can,” John said.

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