Page 13 of Impulsive Saint
“I don’t think she broke, ma’am.” Tyler offered, “She ran. She was scared of facing her father and she ran, but I don’t think she’s broken. If anything, I think she finally found the strength to stand up for herself before she did something that would have shattered her completely, and I think that’s something you should be proud of.”
Tyler couldn’t believe those words had just come out of his mouth. They were true. He believed them one hundred and ten percent, but he couldn’t believe he’d actually said it out loud and to Ashtyn’s mother. Hell, he couldn’t believe he was saying it about Ashtyn, a woman he barely knew and was fairly certain had lost her mind.
“Young man, what did you say your name was?” the woman asked quietly.
“Tyler St. James.” he answered quickly and then figured it couldn’t hurt to play the Vaughn card, “My oldest brother, Vaughn, owns and runs All Saints Security. He’s been working with the Senator for years and I work for him. I was on the security detail today.”
A small intake of breath, “So you were hired to protect my Ashtyn?”
He wasn’t sure that was entirely true but he shrugged, “Uh, yeah, yeah I guess so.”
“Then I’m going to ask you to continue doing your job, Mr. St. James.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, suddenly wary.
“Keep protecting her. Keep her safe. You mentioned she asked you to take her to Las Vegas? I want you to take her and help her do whatever it is that’s on her bucket list, whatever will make her happy. I want her to taste the freedom she’s spent her whole life yearning for but I want her to be safe while doing so. I want you to stay with her and protect her on her journey. Can you do that?”
“Uh…” Tyler’s mouth gaped open and he couldn’t figure out what to say.
No. No of course he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t just take off for Vegas with Senator Echols’ daughter on the back of his motorcycle. That would definitely be stupid and reckless and impulsive. He had a job. He had a life. He couldn’t up and go on a road trip.
“I’ll pay you for your trouble. I’ll transfer whatever money you may need into your account to covers costs and expenses and of course your time and energy.”
“Ma’am, the money… that’s really not what this is about…”
“Please.” she insisted. “I need to know she’s safe. She’s been kept in a bubble her entire life. She has no idea what the real world is like. Please don’t leave my daughter alone out there to face the harsh realities by herself. You work in security. I’ll pay you to protect her. She needs this, maybe more than even she realizes right now. She took the first step by leaving this church and if she decides to turn around and come back before you get out of town, that’s fine. I’ll still pay you. But she has to decide for herself. Please, will you help her?”
Tyler tipped his head back and stared up at the sky. It was already starting to turn dark, stars were beginning to peek through as the horizon turned a blood orange and the sun set. It had been a weird and crazy day and never in a million years had he thought it would end like this but…
Maybe it wasn’t irresponsible to stay with Ashtyn and help her get to Vegas. Maybe it was actually the most responsible thing he could do. He could make sure she was safe out there on the road. He could take care of her and when she decided to go home, which he honestly thought would happen after less than six hours on the back of a motorcycle, he could deliver her home to her parents, safe and sound.
Surely even Vaughn would have to agree that taking care of the girl was the most important thing he could do now, right?
“Okay.” He found himself saying. “Okay, I’ll stay with her. I’ll take her to Vegas if that’s where she wants to go and if she changes her mind, I’ll bring her home instead. I’ll keep her safe, Ms. Echols.”
“Thank you.” Relief washed over the phone line, “Oh, thank you. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Just… one more thing?” The woman cleared her throat “Don’t tell her you’re working for me. She’ll hate that. She needs to feel like she’s free of her father’s interference in her life and knowing I’m paying you won’t help that.”
“I understand.” He blew out a rough breath and turned his attention back towards the shopping center when he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Sure enough, there she was walking out of the sliding glass doors. He struggled to swallow and cleared his throat, “I uh… I should go now, ma’am.”
“Of course. Thank you, Mr. St. James. Take care of her.”
Tyler hung up and dropped the phone back into the pocket of his jacket without ever taking his eyes off the gorgeous woman strolling across the parking lot towards him. The slightly bedraggled but always elegant Senator’s daughter that had walked away from him earlier was nowhere to be seen. In her place was a dangerously sexy woman that had him completely rethinking putting her on the back of his motorcycle for the next four days.
She’d changed out of the massive dress and into a pair of black jeans that clung to her long, lithe legs. She’d paired it with a simple white t-shirt and a black leather jacket that was too damn sexy to be all that warm. Short ankle boots covered her feet and completed the look she’d clearly been going for. She looked like she was ready for a walk on the wild side and lord help him, but his cock rose to attention wanting to give her a ride of his own. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail now and showed off every one of her sharp, delicate features when she grinned at him and then dropped a backpack at his feet.
“How do I look?” She bit her lip and coyly looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes.
Delectable was the first word that came to mind but he shook that off. She was a job. Nothing more. Nothing less. She’d just run out on her own wedding and she was clearly having some sort of nervous breakdown. He was not going to let his wayward cock anywhere near her. He cleared his throat and picked up the backpack she’d dropped, giving himself time to breathe before answering.
“You look… different.” He finally settled on the only word that wouldn’t sound like a come-on in his suddenly hormone addled brain, “You ready to head back home, princess?”
“Ready to head to Vegas, you mean? Because yes. I’d like to get this road trip back on the road.” She smiled sweetly.
“Vegas huh?
