Page 7 of Max

He laughed. “Sometimes, but I rarely do those cases. My cases are a bit more involved, a little dangerous. Say you stole half a billion dollars from the studio here and went into hiding. I would find you. It might take some time, but I always find who I’m looking for.”

“So, you can find the stalker?”

That grin came back out. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll find him.”

He sounded self-assured and more than a little cocky.

“Still, unless you’re here, I don’t want a bodyguard. I need to know my secrets aren’t sold or pictures aren’t released to the press. I just got those vultures off my back. I can’t handle them and everything else.”

That wiped the smile off his face. “I assure you, everyone at KSI is vetted. Most are ex-military or police. No one there would ever violate your privacy like that. It’s why we’re hired by people like you to begin with.”

“People like me?” She arched a brow. It didn’t sound like something complimentary coming out of his mouth.

“Actors, musicians, creative people.”

Uh-huh. She had his number. He didn’t like actors, musicians, or creative people.

She let it slide.

“Look, Mr. Sheridan…”

“Call me Max.”

“Max.” She let his name roll around on her tongue. She liked it. “I’m willing to pay your company a large amount of money not only to help me find this stalker, but to keep me safe while you do it. But the only thing I’m asking in return for that exorbitant fee is that you, not some unknown bodyguard, are right here with me twenty-four-seven. Desi trusts you, and I trust her, so that means I trust you by default.”

To an extent.

In the film industry, sometimes your own family sold you out for money. Something else she wasintimatelyfamiliar with.

He sighed, and she saw how much it cost him to bite back his irritation, but she wasn’t going to budge on this. She had to trust someone, and Desi vouched for Max. Desi saved her life, for all intents and purposes, so that gave her more credit than any firm’s professional declaration. She promised Shay that Max could be trusted. That was all there was to it.

“I need to discuss it with Viktor and Kade Kincaid. They’re the owners of the company. It’ll be up to them if your demands can be met or not.”

“That’s fine.”

“If they agree to this nonsense…”

“It’s not nonsense, Max. I’m scared. I just want to know no one is going to take advantage of me. You’re Desiree’s brother, and she vouches for you. She said you wouldn’t let me down, that you’d keep me safe.”

“Fuck,” he muttered, but it was loud enough for her to hear.

“Please, Max?” She didn’t bat her eyes at him. She simply looked at him, letting her fear and the stark reality of the situation she was in shine through her expression.

“Fine. If the owners agree, I’ll do my best, but you’re going to have to agree to Jasper or Cole as well. They’re the best we have and know how to protect you, what to look for, while I track this asshole down.”

“Track him down?”

“That’s what I do, sweetheart. I find unfindable people, and I’m damn good at it.”

That much she believed.

Max asked for her cell number, and she gave it to him without hesitation. He also collected the keys to her apartment. Desiree assured her he was above board, and she believed her best friend.

When he left, Shay felt better than she had since she walked into her apartment and found it broken into.

Maybe everything would turn out okay after all.

Max cussed all the way to the KSI office. How did he let Desi get him into these situations? He called her to tell her the fuck off, and she didn’t even bother answering her phone. Granted, it was late in San Francisco. To make himself feel better, he left her a blistering message telling her exactly what she was going to do when they went back to the ranch over the summer. She was mucking stalls every day they were there for this fucked-up situation.

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