Page 9 of Max

“The singer, Desiree.”

If he wasn’t in such a foul mood, he’d probably be laughing his ass off at their expressions. They looked at him, blinked, and then looked again.

Desiree was a beautiful African American woman whose mother had been as white as his, and her father, his stepfather, was as dark as night. He’d grown up calling the man Dad. His own father had died in a car crash when Max was a baby. Marcus Stevens was the only father he’d ever known.

It did make for some fun family photos with him, Desi, and Marcus. He was the odd man out with his dirty blond hair and bright green eyes.

“But…” Jasper closed his mouth, trying his best not to offend. “She’s…you’re…”

“Her father married my mother when she was two. Blood or not, she’s my sister.”

Viktor nodded. “Family isn’t about blood, anyway.”

And that was something Viktor knew all about. His wife, Sara, had been married to an abusive husband. Her daughter was now officially a Kincaid, and Viktor was as much the girl’s father as Marcus was his.

“Tell me about these demands Ms. Moore has insisted upon.”

“She wants me to act as a bodyguard.”

Viktor frowned. “You’re not a bodyguard, though.”

“I tried to explain that to her. I told her once we figured out who her stalker was, that’s when I would come into play. I find people. I don’t guard them.”

“But she’s insisting?”

Max nodded. “She’s apparently had some run-ins with the media, and she’s afraid someone might sell her secrets to the press.”

“We would never…” Jasper started, but Max held up a hand to stop him.

“I know. I tried to assure her of that too, but she trusts my sister, who trusts me, so…”

Viktor sighed heavily. “This is not how we normally do things.”

“I told her that even if you and Kade agreed, I wouldn’t do it if she didn’t allow one of our actual bodyguards to be there as well. Someone who will know what they’re doing and might see something I don’t.”

“Which is why you texted me at the ass crack of dawn,” Jasper surmised.

“Were you asleep?”

“No.” A hint of a blush washed over the man’s face, and Max couldn’t resist teasing him.

“Sloane awake too?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Early morning…”

Jasper slapped a hand over his mouth. “Don’t be saying shit like that about my girlfriend.”

“You don’t know what I was going to say.”

“No, but I knowyou.”

Max laughed. Jasper did know him a little too well. He was the jokester of their group. Always had been, even back in their unit in the Marines.

“Fine, I’ll keep my sugar comments to myself.”

Viktor cleared his throat to get their attention before the bickering could commence. “Are you comfortable acting as a bodyguard?”

“I can take a man down if I have to. You know that.”

Viktor nodded. “You got the same training I did. I’m not questioning your instincts, Max. I’m asking you if you’re comfortable doing it. It’s a lot more responsibility than you ever wanted to take on.”

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