Page 16 of Jealous Bodyguard

“Long story,” he explains, “but it looks like your dad’s ex-business partner, Sean Castor, had way more in mind than just kidnapping you and putting a baby in you to mess with your daddy’s family line. He’s got Melinda’s son too… A way to make her do whatever he tells her.”

“Including kidnapping me…” I groan.

I should feel sorry for the woman, I try to, but I can’t forget how cold and willing she was to see unimaginable things happen to me without trying to stop any of it.

“What’s going to happen?” I ask Steve. “Are you going to the police?”

He shakes his head, looking quietly confident, seeing just how willing a hostage I am, if that’s what I am now. But something tells me Steve here’s got what he wanted and doesn’t plan on ransoming me back to my dad.

At least, not in the traditional sense.

Glancing at his watch, he pulls me closer, a serious-sounding ringtone sees him cock a brow, fishing beside the bed and answering as if he’s expecting a call.

The sound of my dad’s voice, shrieking hysterically at Steve and making little sense. So loud too that he has to hold the phone away from his ear lets me hear everything.

“They- They’ve got her! They snatched Stacey on the way to the safehouse… Melinda… She got away but… I thought… Mr. Slade? Are you even listening to me?!”

Steve calms him down by talking quietly but firmly. Soothing me at the same time and making sure he keeps one arm hooked around me as he tries to explain things to my dad about what to do next, but poor daddy.

He's beside himself, and I can’t help feeling it’s all my fault...

“…I made a huge mistake in firing you, Mr. Slade. And let me tell you one thing, if you bring me back my daughter… I’ll- I’ll give you anything you want. Anything! Just name your price, but for god’s sake, make sure she’s alright and bring my Stacey home!”

I’ve never heard daddy so upset. But never so free with his money either. It makes me feel kinda special, though, knowing he’d give up his fortune if it meant I was safe.

Safe back at home, where he can keep an eagle eye on me. Away from fun things like Steve.

But the grin forming on Steve’s lips isn’t the kind that has matching dollar signs in his eyes, no way. I can see for myself that Steve’s doing alright for himself and doesn’t seem the type to be driven by money.

“AnythingI want?” he asks my dad before glancing at me, making sure I hear it myself, as a witness to the fact.

“Anything!” Daddy cries.

Steve’s only instructions are for my dad to stay put, tell no one, and wait by the phone for an update. My dad sighs bitterly but seems to agree to Steve’s terms, which he uses to remind daddy of something.

“I’ll do as you ask, Mr. Shulton. But just know something like this, after the way you treated me, is gonna cost you…”

He hangs up and smiles like a maniac, and I wonder if maybe I was wrong. “You don’t want money out of all this, do you?” I ask him, silenced by one of his kisses that makes me go blank until it’s over.

“No, Stacey. I don’t want any money from your dad, or anyone else for that matter,” he drawls knowingly, still smiling like a screw’s come loose someplace.

“…How long do you think we should make him sweat?” Steve asks me and I feel a little anger rising before it clicks.

Daddy’s words echoing in my mind as if they’re still bouncing off the walls.

‘…if you bring me back my daughter… I’ll- I’ll give you anything you want. Anything!’

And from the look on Steve’s face, I think I know the only reward he’s expecting is already tucked firmly under his huge strong arm.

“Let’s not leave him hanging too long,” I tell Steve. He grunts in agreement but has a suggestion on how we could spend just a little more time together.

“Maybe you could show me how you imagined things would be between us, y’know? When you first saw me?”

He cocks his brow and gives me one of his trademark smoldering looks that, combined with his firm tone, make it sound more like a command than a suggestion.

But the tingle in my belly it generates is more than enough to convince me it’s the only thing I really want right now.

Just Steve and me, like this. Forever if possible.

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