All He Wants (2 page)

But just after her eighteenth birthday, her maternal grandmother, whom she’d never met, had left her a hefty inheritance. She’d used it for two things: her education and her condo.

“Great! Thanks, Carter.” Maxi was still slightly out of breath as she stepped inside the foyer of her building and removed her headphones. “How did it go last night?”

His face lit up like he’d just won the lotto. “It was great! Thanks for your help. She was like really,
really
impressed. I’m so glad that I didn’t just take her to a movie and dinner.”

“That’s great!” Maxi enthused.

“We’re going out again tomorrow night, so if you have any more suggestions…” Carter’s expression transformed. In the blink of an eye he was rocking full blown puppy dog eyes, which was totally unnecessary, she was more than happy to help.

When the kid had told Maxi that the girl he’d been working up the courage to ask out had finally said yes, she mentioned that the Art Institute was free admission on Thursday nights and there was a great gelato place just around the corner. She figured that it was unusual enough to be special and something that he could afford as a nineteen-year-old college student with a part-time job.

But a second date needed to be a little
more
.

“You could take her kayaking. It’s something active and a great way to see the city. There’s a night tour called the Ghosts and Gangsters of Hustlertown. I have tickets I can leave—”

“No!” He held up his hands. “You don’t have to do that. I can get my own tickets.”

Before Maxi could address his protests, the elevator opened and the new couple from 7G came out with their two Doberman Pinschers at their sides. The dogs instantly beelined to Maxi. Aside from their collars, one of which was bright pink with diamond studs while the other was black with metal studs, they were identical.

“Good morning to you, too, Bonnie and Clyde.” Maxi bent at the waist and greeted her newest four-legged friends, scratching their heads as they competed to see who could get in the most licks before they were pulled away.

“Sorry. They’re usually so well behaved.” Mr. 7G explained as confusion clouded his refined face.

“It’s fine,” Maxi insisted. “It’s just kisses.”

Mrs. 7G tugged on Bonnie’s leash, her brow furrowing. “It’s so strange. They never behave like this but every time they see
you
they act out.”

A sheepish smile pulled at the corners of Maxi’s lips. She wanted to explain that the dogs’ behavior
might
have something to do with the fact that last week when the outlaw-inspired canine duo had been in the elevator with the dog walker, they’d helped themselves to the roasted half-chicken Maxi had bought for dinner. She’d kept that info to herself because the last thing she’d ever want to do is get their dog walker in trouble. It really wasn’t his fault. The bird was gone before her or the dog walker had had a chance to react. So, she was pretty sure Bonnie and Clyde’s affinity towards her had more to do with poultry than true affection. In their minds she was the “Chicken Lady.” Mr. and Mrs. 7G still looked baffled as they dragged the dogs outside for their morning walk.

Turning her attention back to Carter, she insisted, “You should take the tickets. I got them through work and I won’t be able to use them. Honestly, they’ll just collect dust if you don’t take them.”

His eyes narrowed. He clearly wasn’t convinced. She could see the tug-of-war between pride and practicality waging behind his intelligent and honorable gaze.

Maxi changed tactics. “You’d actually be doing me a huge favor. You take the tour and report back to me what you and…”

“Sabrina.” A goofy grin spread appeared when he said the girl’s name. There were practically cartoon hearts floating around his head.

So sweet.

She loved love. Even if she’d never actually been in real, true love or believed she ever would be. That still didn’t diminish her affection and desire for it.

“What you and Sabrina think,” she finished. “That way I’ll know whether or not I should suggest it as a must-see activity.”

The PR firm where Maxi worked was number one in Chicago and number five in the country, which was quite an accomplishment considering they weren’t based in L.A. or New York. Part of her job as a publicist was knowing the city and all it had to offer. That way, she could entertain clients, which was why she was constantly getting comped tickets to go and experience the attractions.

Normally, she didn’t mind going and checking things out sans a plus one. But lately, with everything that’d been going on, she hadn’t felt comfortable doing that. And Simon, the guy she was currently seeing, wasn’t really the outdoorsy, kayaking type. Tonight, for example, they were going to a poetry reading. He insisted it would be “transforming.” She was doing her best to summon excitement.

She could’ve passed the kayaking tix along to one of the six people on her team, but Carter was a good kid and over the past two months that he’d been working at Lake Towers, she’d grown fond of him, like a little brother. Maybe because he reminded her a lot of the tall, athletic guys at the gym that she used to pretend were her brothers. Growing up, she’d always wanted siblings and a big family but after her mom left, her dad never remarried. He rarely even dated and when he did, it never developed into anything serious.

“If it would
really
help you…” Carter hesitated.

With a nod, Maxi confirmed, “It would.”

“Okay.” The teen’s smile was back in full force as he moved around her to open the door for another resident. “Thanks again, Miss Rizzo.”

“It’s Maxi,” she corrected him for probably the hundredth time as she made her way to the elevators. “And, it’s my pleasure. I’ll grab the tickets at work today and leave them for you.”

After stepping inside she reached out and pressed the number seven just as her phone buzzed. Looking down, she saw that it was a text from her boss, Jessie, letting her know that she’d gotten to the event early. She said that everything looked amazing and she would be working there until Maxi arrived to go over a few things. Maxi responded that she’d be there in an hour.

Maxi loved her boss, but the woman had a very difficult time relinquishing any control and could sometimes display OCD behavior. That bothered some people, but not Maxi. She took pride in her and her team’s work and never worried about Jessie checking up on her. In fact, the few times that she and her team had missed something, Jessie had caught it and Maxi was grateful. She welcomed the scrutiny, especially this week. The next ten days had to be perfect.

Two months ago she’d signed her most high-profile client to date. Ricco Kingsley, who was born and raised in Chicago. His fans, the Ricco-Nation, made Justin Bieber’s Beliebers and Beyoncé’s Beyhive look tame. His sophomore album was the most anticipated release of the year and it was dropping next week. Today was his first listening party and she crossed her fingers and toes that everything would run smoothly.

This was the opportunity she’d worked towards for years. This was it. The big leagues. It was do or die. Sink or swim. A smile of anticipation tilted her lips as nerves, disguised as butterflies, flitted in her stomach as the elevator doors slid open. But the moment she entered the hallway, her smile fell. The air was heavy and a prickling feeling crept up her arm. Six weeks ago, she probably would’ve ignored the sensation. But now,
now
she knew better than to dismiss her instincts.

She walked down the hallway and noticed that her door was slightly ajar. Reaching into the side pocket of her hoodie, she pulled out her key ring, which held pepper spray, and detached it. Her hand shook as she pushed the door open, lifting the pepper spray in front of her as it swung. The scene that it revealed caused her feet to cement in place and her entire body to go numb. Her chest rose and fell in labored breaths as her adrenaline spiked.

“Max, is everything okay?”

Maxi jumped and spun around to see her neighbor Jana behind her. Her friend’s long blonde hair fell over her shoulders as she tilted her head to see past Maxi.

“Oh my God!” Jana exclaimed. “Have you called the police?”

Maxi shook her head and lifted her phone as she turned to enter her apartment. “I need to call work—”

Before she’d even made it one step, she was jerked backwards. “You are not going in there.” Jana whisper-yelled as she pulled Maxi into her apartment, which was across the hall, and shut and locked the door. “You don’t know if whoever did that is still there.”

Good point
.

“You call your work, I’m calling the cops.”

She and Jana had become fast friends when Maxi moved into the building three years ago, right after college. Over the time they’d lived across the hall from each other they’d shared movie nights, borrowed milk, let the other in when they’d been locked out, and drank more wine together than all the Real Housewives combined. She’d always appreciated the convenience of living so close, but she’d never been so happy to have a friend near as she was right now.

Jana’s voice faded as she walked into her kitchen on the phone with the nine-one-one operator.

Maxi was happy for the semi-privacy. Before she called work she needed to make another call to Statesville Correctional and she didn’t want an audience when she did it. This nightmare just kept getting worse and she had to know if
he
was the one orchestrating it.

She felt so alone. So scared. So exposed.

Her hand was still shaking as she ran her finger over the screen of her phone and fought the urge to call the one person that she
knew
would make this better. Her prince. Billy. Since his retirement from boxing, the former heavyweight champion fighter had transitioned to a badass bodyguard. She knew that he would come to her rescue and save the day, but then what?

Nothing. That’s what.

It was all she could do lately to hold it together. Involving her greatest weakness when she was at her most vulnerable could have catastrophic results.

This was real life. Not a fairytale. Or, if it was, it was the Brothers Grimm version. Just as she always had, she reminded herself that Billy “The Big Bad Wolf” Marshall was
not
her knight in shining armor. He’d had enough drama in his life without her adding to it. He was not her happily-ever-after. He was her never-gonna-happen…

T
hank God it’s Friday.

Billy Marshall had never been a TGIF kinda guy, probably because he’d never been in professions that were nine to five, Monday through Friday. But, today TGIF was his new motto. All he planned on doing this weekend was eating and sleeping.

After pulling into his reserved parking space at Elite Protection Security Group, Billy closed his heavy lids. Lifting his arms, which felt like they’d been dipped in cement, he scrubbed his hands over his face as he leaned back against the headrest. If a sound hadn’t interrupted his peaceful moment he might’ve stayed like that for hours. When he heard the audible intrusion, he inhaled deeply through his nose and lifted his neck. With a sigh, he squinted in an attempt to focus on the LED light shining from his dashboard, but the numbers appeared blurry. It took several moments for his eyesight to clear. When it did, he saw that it was just before noon.

Shit
.

No wonder he was exhausted. Rolling his head to the left and then to the right he heard and felt several cracks, which relieved some of the tension he’d been carrying there. His last assignment had only lasted seventy-two hours, but they had been very long hours. On Monday at the risk factor debriefing, everything had appeared routine. Senator Robbins was a controversial politician attending multiple rallies, fundraisers, and events to garner support for re-election. With the current political climate, his people had reached out to Elite Protection for a security detail. Billy had been put on the detail.

The first rally had been fairly uneventful. There were the usual protesters, but nothing too bat-shit crazy. The luncheon that followed had produced a little more excitement when a “supporter” showed up with, not one, but two concealed weapons.

Thankfully, Billy had noticed the guy’s squirrely behavior as he fidgeted while waiting in the receiving line. He’d approached the man and the instant he’d seen the look in his eyes he’d known that his instincts were right. Internal alarms were flashing, telling Billy that something was definitely off.

Not wanting to put anyone in danger or cause a scene, he’d lied and told the man that he’d won a VIP one-on-one. After hearing that information, the suspect practically started salivating at the thought of being alone with the Senator. Once Billy had relocated the “supporter” to a side room, it took only a matter of seconds to disarm and detain him, then radio for the authorities. The rest of the event was smooth sailing and the police were able to confirm that he’d acted alone with the intent to shoot the Senator.

At the gala Tuesday evening, things got a little hairier. Two men and one woman posing as waitstaff were able to get close enough to Senator Robbins to spray pepper spray in his direction. The only upside to the attack was that it was over almost before it started. Billy shielded the Senator and got him to a secure location.