Page 37 of Petty's Crime

I hear footsteps behind me. Turning my head, I watch Petty approach.

It’s only been a few minutes since I experienced his violent side, yet I don’t feel I have anything to fear from him. Nevertheless, I’m wary as I meet his eyes. I needn’t have worried.

He stands in front of me, pinching the brow of his nose. “I’m sorry.”

As though he hadn’t gone toe to toe with another man just now, I shrug. “No matter.”

Dropping his hand he shakes his head. “I lost my temper and I shouldn’t have.”

If I’d have realised it was a sensitive subject, I’d have kept my mouth shut. I had been guilty of listening to gossip. If I’m honest, I’d love to know why no one seemed to know Petty was married, and what had made them decide to reconcile after obviously quite a lot of time had gone by. But I can also understand being a private person. Who am I to object? As he’d remarked, I’m just a client. It’s none of my business. I don’t need to know anything about the men who are paid to protect me, unless it affects them doing their jobs.

“I should apologise.” When I’m in the wrong, I admit to it. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

He walks to the window and stares out. I don’t think he’s going to say anything more, so it surprises me when he does.

“It’s complicated.”

“I get complicated,” I reply honestly. And I do. Here I am hiding out in a hotel room because I’m being hounded by my ex.

“I suppose you do,” he murmurs. He stares out the window for a time, then he gives a visible shake and his back straightens. When he turns around, he gives me his full attention. It’s like a switch being thrown. My bodyguard’s back once more. “We think you need to get out of Vegas.”

My mouth drops open. “And go where? For how long?”

“Not long, but we want to lay a trap. Try to get Saul to walk into it. It’s time to stop this once and for all.”

I’m not going to argue with that. “Any suggestions for where I should go?”

He shrugs. “We thought, your parents.”

I waggle my finger at him. Like that’s going to happen. “Uh-uh, no way.” At his raised eyebrow I continue, “My parents have no idea Saul’s after me, and I’m not going to enlighten them. They’d be worried sick about me.”

“But—”

“No.” I put emphasis on the one word to show there will be no further discussion. My parents worry enough about me being so far away and already think Vegas is a den of iniquity. If they knew Saul had reappeared with evil intentions, they wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

He inhales a deep breath. “RoseLyn, Saul, at the very least, is trying to frighten you, and at the worst wants to cause you serious harm. Now we’re not going to turn work away, so it’s no skin off our nose how long you pay us to protect you. But apart from the cost, there’s always a chance that however good we are, that he might be able to get to you. It’s not enough just to provide you with protection. We’ve got to stop him before he slips by us.”

I round on him. “Don’t you think I know that?”

While I’ve spat the words at him, conversely he’s remained calm. “Which is exactly the reason we need you out of town.”

“Not with my parents.” I move my attention back to the task in hand and return to making coffee. “They had me later in life when they thought they’d never have a child. While they’ve tried not to smother me, they hate that I’ve moved away from home. If they thought I was in danger, it would just about kill them. Dad’s already got a weak heart.” Another thought occurs to me, making me gasp. “What if he suspects I’ve gone home and follows me? They could be in danger.”

“You won’t be in danger. You’ll have one of us with you.”

I huff. “And what part of ‘I don’t want to worry them’ did you not understand? Me walking in with a bodyguard?” I make a gesture with my hand to show how ridiculous it all is.

“We’ll just have to be diplomatic about what we tell them.” His brow creases. “Leave it to me. I’ll try to think of something.”

Petty and diplomacy were words I hadn’t expected would go together. I thought he’d have insisted on charging in like the proverbial bull in a china shop, having no consideration for the feelings of anyone who got in the way of his job being done.

“Petty.” I narrow my eyes. “Don’t go around my back. I’m not having them brought into this. If they knew, they’d never let me come back to Vegas.”

He meets my eyes and raises his chin. “Leave it with me. I’ll sort something out.”

It’s the most I can hope for, and more than I expect from him. I start to wonder whether with the return of his wife, his personality is changing.

But then he’s true to form when he takes his and Cobra’s remade drinks and I overhear his words to his friend.

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