Protecting The Billionaire (16 page)

Connor hadn’t like that one bit. Only after she reminded him the receptionist would’ve seen any nonemployees go into the bathroom, had he conceded and stood guard outside the door instead.

The only positive thing, if one could call it positive, was that Jake had taken a few days off this week to spend time with Charlie and Garret, so he didn’t know about the situation. He would soon enough. After all a large, armed man had followed her into work and now sat outside her office door. No doubt Cindy, Jake’s personal assistant, would tell him the next time they spoke. When he learned the truth, questions would follow. Hopefully none of that took place today because she needed to get things done. Several grant proposals required her attention if she hoped to meet their end of the month deadlines.

Allison scrolled down and started on the next grant section, but two hard knocks on the door made her pause.
What can he possibly want?
Except for following her around every time she stepped out of her office, he’d left her alone to work so far today.

“Come in.” The sooner she found out, the sooner he’d go back to leaving her alone, well at least until she tried to make a break for the ladies room again.

“Something you want to share?”

Phooey. Jake. So much for a little more time.
“I thought you were out until Thursday.” A little small talk never hurt anything, even if it did only postpone the inevitable.

“I was until Cindy called and said you had a guard sitting outside your door. Out with it. What’s going on?” Jake stood on the other side of her desk, his arms crossed and his serious expression making him look like a younger clone of Uncle Warren.

“First, how’s Charlie and Garret. Do you have any new pictures of him?” She’d answer Jake. In the long run, what other choice did she have? Still, she didn’t appreciate him barging in and demanding answers. He might be her boss at the Falmouth Foundation, but he wasn’t her master.

His expression didn’t change, but Jake ran a hand through his short hair. “Okay, fine, we’ll do it your way. Everyone’s great. Maureen and her husband are down visiting again.” Pulling out his smartphone, he touched the screen before passing it to her. “These pictures are from last weekend when Sara and Christopher flew out.”

Score one for me.
With four brothers and a slew of male cousins, she didn’t often win. She scrolled through the various pictures. Many of them where of Garret alone, but there were also a few of Garret with Jake’s sister Sara and her soon-to-be husband, who also happened to be Jake’s best friend, Christopher Hall. “He looks like you. Uncle Warren must be crazy happy. Two grandsons in less than a year.” She reached the last of the most recent pictures, one of Garret asleep on Charlie.

“Allison.”

“What? He must be.”

Jake grabbed the phone before she could scroll through any older photos. “I answered your questions. Now out with it. What’s with the armed guard outside your door?”

Looks like the reprieve is over
. “It’s nothing. He’ll be gone in another few days.” She didn’t care what Rock or anyone else said. Unless someone at the security firm came back with evidence confirming she needed a full-time bodyguard, she’d be parting ways with Connor and Neil, the other bodyguard Elite Force assigned to her, soon.

“That’s not an answer.” Shoving the smartphone into a pocket, he sat and eyed her over his steepled fingers, a clear indication he had no intentions of budging until he got the answers he wanted. She’d seen both her dad and uncle strike a similar pose when dealing with their children.

When did Jake turn into a walking copy of Uncle Warren?

“Something made you hire a bodyguard. I can’t help you, Allison, if you’re not honest with me.”

She loved Jake like a brother, but she didn’t need or want his help. She had plenty of help already.

“Since I moved down here, I’ve had this weird feeling like someone is watching me. And a few weeks ago, I received a gift here with no name on it. At first I thought it was from Derek, some kind of silly practical joke.”

“He told me about the bear and candy. He said you contacted the police.”

“I changed my mind after I talked to him. It seemed silly to call them for such a harmless thing.” Clearing her throat, she continued on before Jake could tell her what he thought of her decision, not that he needed to. His expression reflected his opinion beautifully. “Anyway, on Friday, I panicked when I thought a car followed me all the way from here to Dumfries.”
And the bullet threw Rock’s window completely totally freaked me out.
She kept the last thought to herself. Her cousin didn’t need to know every minute detail.

“You’re leaving something out. I don’t know what, but there’s something you’re not saying.”

Just call her cousin Jake the Observant. How he managed to know when people were leaving details out, she didn’t know, but he’d always been that way. “Remember my accident in February?”

“Quit the stalling.”

Dumb question, of course he remembered. He’d been the first person at the hospital that night and she’d stayed with him and Charlie for the first few days afterward. “I thought I was being followed that night too. If I hadn’t been paying so much attention to the car behind me, I might have avoided the accident all together.”

“And you didn’t bother to tell the police any of this, right?” Jake pinched the bridge of his nose. “Never mind. It’s not important now. Okay, so you hired our friendly gun-toting buddy out there to watch your back. Have you called the police yet?”

“No.” The single word had Jake opening his mouth. Before he could offer up a protest, she continued. “But if either Connor or Neil see anything suspicious, I’ll call them right away. We both know they can’t do anything without evidence.”

“Until this gets figured out, come stay with us. If someone is stalking you, I’d rather you not be living alone.”

Stalking
. She’d avoided using the word and pushed it out of her thoughts now. Instead, she considered her cousin’s offer. No one who didn’t belong got into Jake’s gated community, and if Rock wasn’t playing her temporary roommate, she’d take her cousin up on his offer for a little while. “I’m not alone. Rock’s staying with me.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up and he leaned his arms on her desk. “Yeah, Derek mentioned how well you two have been getting to know each other.” Talking about the fact they were dating was one thing. Jake’s tone made it clear Derek had shared more than just that information with him.

Heat started on the tops of her ears and spread to her face. Just because Derek freely discussed his sex life didn’t give him the right to talk about hers, even if they were twins. The next time they spoke, she’d give him hell for sharing such personal information with Jake. “Derek’s got a big mouth.”

“Yep, he does, but your relationship’s not a secret either. I’ve seen the pics of you and Rock on the Internet.” Jake’s smirk disappeared. “Don’t worry, I didn’t share what Derek said with anyone else. And I promise I won’t.”

If Jake gave her his word, he’d keep it. Now could she get him to promise not tell the rest of the family about her armed friend sitting outside? Doubtful. “Can you also keep this little situation a secret? You know how protective Dad can be.”

“Protective? Is that what you call it?” Jake chuckled, not that she blamed him.

Even before her mom passed away, her dad had been more protective of her than any of her brothers. After her mom’s death though, his desire to keep her safe hit a whole new level. Even now he occasionally acted as is she was a ten-year-old little girl who needed someone to take care of her. In fact, before her move, she’d sat through several heated discussions with him. He’d tried every argument he could to keep her from moving away from Rhode Island.

A little begging never hurt. “Please, Jake. Lets keep this between us for now, and if Elite Force uncovers anything, I’ll call him right away.”

Seconds ticked by.
At least he didn’t say no immediately. It’s a start.

“You’ve got a Marine living with you and a bodyguard. You sound safe enough.”

And here comes “the but.” She heard it in Jake’s voice already.

“Allison, you can’t keep this from Uncle Mark. What if he stops in and visits. You know he and Abby are headed to DC, right? They’re attending Congressman Paul Wickford’s birthday party this weekend,” Jake said, referring to a close friend of her dad’s.

Damn it to hell, her brother Gray’s favorite curse, popped into her head. If her dad and stepmother were that close, they’d visit and not necessarily call first either. Rock’s presences she could easily explain. Thanks to the media, her father must know about their relationship. If her dad and Abby showed up, however, and either Connor or Neil answered the door instead, she’d have a lot of explaining to do.

“Fine. I’ll tell him.”
But only if I have no other choice
. Later she’d call him and work on convincing him to let her and Rock visit him and Abby in the city rather than at her house. “But don’t tell anyone else.” If Jake shared the news with any of her brothers, she find them all at her door tomorrow.

***

Rock rounded the corner and ignored the slight twinge in his left hamstring. Considering the amount of weight he’d deadlifted this afternoon, the slight discomfort came as no big shock. Tomorrow he expected even more, considering the fact today had been his first workout in days. The last time he’d exercised had been Thursday morning when he went for his morning run. He never took downtime like that. Even the flu the previous winter hadn’t kept him from exercising. Staying at Allison’s all weekend screwed up his routine, not that he’d do anything differently. She needed him and he didn’t intend on letting anyone hurt her.

She disagreed with him of course. Again this morning, she’d insisted they’d overreacted on Friday night. She’d argued the car behind her had simply been a coincidence. His instincts said otherwise. They were never wrong.

Someone, the same someone who’d sent her the teddy bear, wanted her. He had no doubts the bullet through his apartment window was somehow related. He just didn’t know if it had been meant for him or her. Stalkers did crazy things. The person may have decided that if he couldn’t have Allison, no one else would.

Ice ran through his veins at the thought of a bullet tearing into Allison soft skin.
It’s not happening.
She had a bodyguard with her during the day and him at night. She’d remain safe. For about the fiftieth time since Friday, he wished he could stay with her all day instead of the men she’d hired. His own responsibilities made it impossible. Maybe if they were married, he could get some emergency leave, but under the current circumstances, he’d have to trust Neil and Connor to keep her safe when they were apart.

“Hey, Rock,” a familiar southern drawl called out to him as he reached his truck and he saw Brayden Delray approaching. “Heading home?”

Close enough
. “Yeah. You?”

“Not yet. My mother-in-law is here. She’s not leaving until tomorrow night.” Brayden grimaced. “Been trying to stay away from home as much as possible until she’s gone.”

“Still afraid of your mother-in-law?” Brayden had complained about his wife’s mother even before they married.

“You’ve never met the woman. When she dies, she’ll probably take over hell. Anyway, I’m headed to Shooters for a beer. Are you interested?”

In the past, he’d join his buddy, grab a beer and burger, and then go back to his place for some television. Tonight, a much more appealing evening awaited him. “Sorry, I’ve got things to do. Another night.”

“Right, things to do.” Brayden wiggled his eyebrows and Rock’s hand itched to remove the knowing smile from his friend’s face. “Laurie showed me the pictures of you and the Sherbrooke chick together. Don’t blame you for wanting to rush home.”

“Have fun visiting with your mother-in-law tonight, Delray.” He didn’t care to discuss his and Allison’s relationship with Brayden or anyone else.

“Let’s plan for the four of us to go out together once the wicked witch leaves.”

A couples’ night out
. He done those before with a few of the women he’d dated. “I’ll let you know.” He had nothing against the idea. What about Allison? Would she be open to spending an evening with his friends? Up until now, they hadn’t added friends to their relationship. If this thing between them continued, it would have to happen at some point. And he wanted it to last. He’d come close to calling his sister crazy when she’d fallen in love with Trent so quickly. Now he was starting to understand because, somehow in a short period of time, Allison Sherbrooke had planted herself in his heart. Each day that passed, her hold on him grew. She hadn’t said anything, but he suspected strong feelings existed on her end too.

“Do that. Enjoy your night. I’m sure you’ll have more fun than me tonight.” Brayden frowned and pulled open his car door.

After all the stories Brayden had told him about his mother-in-law, he didn’t envy what was waiting for him when he got home. At the same time, anticipation at what was waiting for him forty minutes away had him wishing Alexandria were much closer.

When Rock squeezed into a spot in front of Allison’s townhouse later on, he spotted her car parked in the driveway, but he didn’t see Connor’s car. The bodyguard wouldn’t have left her alone. He had his orders to stay with her until he returned. So where were they? Before he left the base, he sent off a text message letting Allison know he was on his way. When she responded back, she’d said she’d be leaving work soon too. That had been fifty minutes ago. It didn’t take anywhere near that long to get from her office to home.

She’s got great protection with her.
He’d insisted Allison ask to have Connor assigned as one of her guards, even though he knew his friend would hate the job. He had known the guy a long time and knew what he was capable of. Rock trusted Connor to stop at nothing to keep her safe. The only person he trusted more was himself. The reminder didn’t stop him from pulling up her contact info and calling her.

“You beat me home,” Allison said after answering.