Page 35 of The Forbidden Sitter
Why isn’t hehere?
Spooning Braiden’s scrambled eggs into his bird-like waiting mouth, I tried not to think all the bad thoughts I was thinking. Gannon had to have his reasons why he had stood me up atbreakfast.
He hadto.
The familiar clicking of his shoes on the tile floor had me springing to my feet in relief, turning to see him with my arms almost flying open to embrace him, even though I’d ask to keep things a secret. Then when I saw him, I found him flanked by two massive men and took an uncertain step back. I hadn’t heard their shoes clicking, onlyGannon’s.
When I saw his handsome face screwed into a terrible expression, I had no idea what to think. Was he bringing in his goons to have me removed from the premises? That was impossible. He might be a womanizer, but he surely couldn’t be so cruel. Couldhe?
“Brooke, come with me,” Gannon barked. “Consuela, see to Braiden. Don’t let him out of yoursight.”
She hauled ass to the table while I stood frozen in place. Gannon’s hand caught my upper arm, and I stumbled along with him. One goon stayed with Braiden, who was looking at all the new faces in confusion, close to crying, and one followedus.
My heart was pounding, and my mind had drifted into a hazed panic.What the hell ishappening?
Gannon opened a door I’d never opened before, and we were inside an office. He closed the door, leaving the giant man on the other side of it. Only then did he take me into his arms. Arms I found were shaking, as was his entire body. But at least he was holding me. He wasn’t pushing me away emotionally orphysically.
ThankGod.
“Gannon, what’swrong?”
“Brooke …” His breathing had gone ragged as his arms tightened around me. “I … I’msorry.”
I had no idea what he was sorry about, but I was feeling much better now that we were in each other’s arms again. “Gannon, talk tome.”
He eased his tight grip on me, running his hands down my arms and taking my hands. A sofa ran along the far wall, and he took me to it, sitting me down on hislap.
Brushing my hair back, he leaned in and kissed my collarbone. “Brooke, someone has threatened Braiden’slife.”
The gasp that came out of me was completely unexpected, and the way my heart stopped was actually frightening. “Who?”
He shook his head. “We don’tknow.”
I felt like I might faint. “How?”
He pulled out his cell to show me something. He’d received a text. Someone had sent him a message. Someone wanted him to end things with the club, so much so that they’d threatened his only child’s life to make sure thathappened.
“Believe me, if I thought shutting the club down would actually stop this then I’d do it in a heartbeat. But I don’t think that will end anything.” He put the cell back into his breast pocket and pulled me in for a hug. “We have to find this person and put a stop tothings.”
“How?” I realized I could only come up with one word at a time. My thoughts were all over the place, making it hard to think hard enough to say a wholesentence.
“My partners and I have hired an investigative team to find whoever is doing this. We’re sure it’s the same person or people who were behind the explosive device at the club.” His lips grazed my neck. “The bodyguards will have to be with us at all times until we find who’s behind this. That’ll mean no more sleeping together, no more making love if you won’t let us go public with ourrelationship.”
Chapter22
Gannon
“No,”came her one-wordreply.
“Brooke, you can’t be serious. Baby, I need you more than ever now. You have no idea.” Cupping the back of her neck, I pulled her close and kissed her sweet lips. Lips I found were quivering. She kissed me back, and I felt something wet move over mycheek.
She wascrying.
Pulling back, I found her with tears rolling down her pink cheeks. “Gannon, we can’t let my family know about us. We can’t. It’s for your owngood.”
“I’m not some kid, Brooke. I can handle your brother.” I rested my forehead against hers. “Do you have any idea how I felt when I saw that fucking text this morning?” She shook her head and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “All I could think about was the fact that I had finally found love. Love for a son and love for a woman. I had a family. I’ve been alone for too long, with Mom and Dad gone. And I’m not alone anymore. Don’t make me wait any longer, Brooke.Please.”
I was pouring my heart out to someone for the first time in mylife.
