Page 39 of Fifth Avenue Fling

“Thanks.” I smile. “But…watching? Talk about making a girl feel paranoid.”

He chuckles as he comes to stand right beside me. “Don’t be. It’s a boring job, waiting around. Mr. Quinn sometimes does spot tests on us with fake snipers, but most of the time, we’re in the house working out to pass the time.”

“Fakesnipers? Are you freaking kidding me?” I manage to spit a little on Sam in my shock. This sounds very dramatic. “He won’t put a fake sniper on me, will he?”

“Not unless you warrant it.” He smirks. “Relax. Only the security team needs to know how to handle snipers. You’re safe.”

“Yeah, because living in a house at risk of sniper attacks feels safe.” I suck in a groan. “Oh my God, that’s why I’ve been recruited. They know no one will miss me in America.”

The corner of his mouth twitches. “Oh, you’ll be missed.”

I rear back a little, blushing. Sam’s flirting has upped a notch. I’m not complaining.

“I know he’s a bazillionaire, but this seems extreme. Is he really in need of so much security? The house is already like Fort Knox.”

“Yup.”

That’s all I get. There’s a story there that he doesn’t want to tell me. Maybe heisscared Quinn is listening. I’ll get it out of him when we’re away from the house.

I pretend to look serious. “So you big burly protector guys sit around working out in that house, huh?” Sounds like the perfect setup for a reverse harem. “Maybe I need to take a trip over and say hi.”

“Damn, I should have kept my mouth shut. The house wouldn’t be able to handle a beautiful lass like yourself.” His grin widens, accentuating the dimple on his right cheek. “I’ll act as the liaison between you and the rest of the team.”

“Can you be the liaison between Mr. Quinn and me?” I whisper in case Quinn is watching through his cameras.

“Nah, don’t worry.” He shakes his head dismissively. “You’re safe. He doesn’t go after staff. Or normal girls, for that matter.”

“I didn’t mean that… wait, what do you mean,normalgirls?”

“He goes for a certain type of woman.” Sam doesn’t appear to be trying to offend me, which makes the jab even worse.

“Uh-huh.” With my nose out of joint, I change the subject. “Listen, can you show me how to use the A/C properly? It goes from desert heat to arctic conditions when I turn it on.”

My nipples are confused.

Just as he is about to respond, his phone buzzes. It’s the fastest I’ve ever seen someone check a phone. They must be on high alert all the time.

“Damn,” he mutters. His face relaxes, so I know there’s not an emergency. “I’ll be back in a while to show you, okay?”

I nod, smiling. Anyway, I have a pie collection to take care of.

He turns, but not before giving me a cheeky wink. “Oh, and for the record, Clodagh, I’m glad you’re working here.”

***

Dinner sorted, I finish cleaning the last level of the house, Teagan’s floor. Up here, she has her own chill-out room with a massive TV and gaming equipment.

I walk down the hall to her bedroom. It’s gigantic. Teddy bears and Disney cushions are juxtaposed with boxes and shelves of eyeliner, lipstick, hair products, and perfume. A girl becoming a young woman.

I survey the chaos strewn all over the room. It looks like it’s been ransacked.

I move a million lipsticks off the dresser to clean it. Above it is a collage of photos of a baby and a female, with a few featuring Killian.

“Her mum,” I murmur to myself.

She’s beautiful. The blond curls are surprising; I thought she’d be a redhead like Teagan. She looks young. Maybe younger than me.

I gcuimhne grámhar Harlow Murphy, I read below one of the pictures.

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