Page 23 of Her Bossy Bodyguards

“So is this the game you’re going to play?”

“What game do you think I’m playing right now, Zeke?” Kingston asked. “Because I’ve never been more serious in my life.”

“I think you’re trying to pretend Natalie is just another one of our clients,” I explained. “And I think you’re trying to keep it that way because it makes you feel better about what happened last night.”

“Honestly, I think it’d be better if we never talked about last night.”

“We have to talk about last night, King,” I went on. “As soon as we crossed that line, you and I both knew that things were going to have to change between us.”

“Change how?”

“We want the same woman, don’t we?” I asked. “Or are you telling me that last night was just a one-night stand for you?”

“I don’t know what the hell last night was for me, Zeke.” His voice shook. “I wanted her. You wanted her. She wanted both of us. We should just leave it at that.”

“Have you ever had sex that good in your life?” I kept my voice low. “Because I don’t think fucking someone’s mouth has ever…”

“What do you want me to say?” There was irritation in his tone. “You want me to say that the sex was incredible? You want me to say that Ilikewatching Natalie get fucked like that? You want me to say that I watched you two in the kitchen the first time you fucked her?”

“You watched us?” I was taken aback by his confession.

“It was like I couldn’t help myself.” Kingston sighed. “I just…I don’t know. Seeing her that way just does something to me.” He shot me a look. “But that’s exactly why we need to stay away from her, Zeke. We have to stay focused on the mission. Seriously, what would’ve happened last night if someone had broken into the cabin while we were all on the couch? It’s nothing but bad news going down this path.”

“I don’t think I can stay away from her, Kingston,” I admitted with a shrug. “I don’t think I could, even if I wanted to. There’s just something about her…something that feels so goddamnright.”

“Okay.” Kingston nodded, a stern expression on his face. “Then I’ll try to be strong enough for both of us.”

“What wereyou and Kingston talking about earlier?” Natalie asked, cross-legged on her bed. “I thought I heard voices coming from the kitchen, but I didn’t want to interrupt anything.”

“We weren’t talking about much.” It was a white lie—I wanted to leave out all the bits about Montel Barca and sex trafficking. I took a seat beside her. “Just intel stuff, you know. Trying to put the pieces together about everything with your dad. We can’t exactly put you back out in the world until we figure out what the assholes want in the first place.”

“Well, what doyouthink they want?” Natalie’s gaze was locked on mine. “In your experience dealing with these kinds of guys, what do they usually want, in the end?”

“Usually?” I hummed. “Usually, it’s some variation of money, sex or power. Sometimes, all three.”

“So, you think these guys are trying to extort sex out of my dad?” Natalie chuckled.

“Not out of your dad, no,” I murmured, looking away from her.

And Natalie went completely still. “Are they…are they trying to extort sex out ofme?”

“You don’t need to hear about any of that shit, Natalie.”

“Tell me,” she demanded, her fingers curling underneath my jaw, forcing me to look at her. “Zeke, you have to tell me everything.”

“Fine.” I sighed as I moved Natalie’s fingers away from my face, taking them into my palm to gently hold her hand. “We think your dad might have a connection with Montel Barca.”

“Montel Barca? The prostitution ring guy?”

“One and the same,” I continued. “We’re thinking that your father may have taken some money from him, when he first ran for state senator. And now, Barca wants to collect on his investment, either by pushing your dad to run for a federal position or by—”

“Or by selling me,” Natalie whispered, her eyes wide with abject horror. “Oh God. Oh, my God.”

“We’re not going to let anything happen to you, Natalie,” I whispered right back. “We’re never going to let him get his hands on you. You remember what happened to the last guy who tried, right?”

“Is this karma?” She seemed to be on another planet, her eyes looking right past me. “Is this some kind of sick joke by the universe?”

Natalie quickly shifted away from me on the mattress.

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