“What’s with you and Jacob Irons?” Boomer asked.
Every gaze turned to me, and my warm cheeks began to burn red. I widened my eyes innocently. “Dunno what you mean.”
One side of his mouth tilted up. “Did you fuck the bodyguard?”
I raised one brow and glared. “And that’s your business, how?”
He raised his hands. “Just asking. If you have, I was gonna suggest we swap bodyguards. Don’t want you to feel uncomfortable if there’s history there, and if my memory serves me, he was the same guy who helped you out with that lunatic fan at the Festival of Rock a couple of years ago, right?”
My stomach twisted at the thought of losing Jacob as my security. “Yeah, and that’s why I don’t want to swap bodyguards. I feel safe around him. I didn’t know how much I needed that until it was taken away.”
My friend leaned to the side and slid his arm around me. “I didn’t realize how much all this stalker business had affected you. Why didn’t you say something?”
“I didn’t know myself, Boom. I thought I was handling it okay until the gifts began to show up. Then those topless images.” I swallowed down the sudden surge of emotions. “I’d fucking die if they got into the hands of the tabloids. My dad...” My voice trailed off because the guys and Talia knew about my family dynamic and how screwed up it was.
“It won’t come to that,” Jonny said reassuringly, nodding toward the spot where Jacob and the other guys were discussing the boundaries of my property. “These guys obviously know what they’re doing. I don’t think your stalker stands a chance against them. Also, Jake never took his eyes off you. I think if any fucker tried anything, he’d slice their throat.”
My heart skipped a beat, but I blanked my face, trying to play it cool even though I felt like punchingthe air in glee. “Jacob’s just doing his job. Don’t read too much into it.”
Jonny glanced at Boomer, who barked a laugh. “This is gonna be interesting.”
I twisted my neck to stare haughtily at my friend. “You’ve been binge-watching rom-coms again, haven’t you?”
“Riiiight,” he drawled, his gaze going over my shoulder toward the men. “He couldn’t tear his fucking eyes away from you. Don’t care what you say; that dude’s invested. I’m still trying to work out if he wants to strangle you or fuck you, but either way, you’ve got him by the balls.”
“Know how he feels with the whole strangle fuck thing,” Jonny muttered, his stare drifting to Talia. “I feel like that about somebody we know.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Jonny,” Talia snapped. “Stop being so goddamned dramatic. I’ve told you. I don’t take shits on my own doorstep. It’s too messy, and I hate having to clean up. Go find yourself some airhead reality star who’ll bleed you dry for everything you’ve got before sucking the life out of you.” She paused, holding a finger in the air and looking thoughtful. “Oh, wait... didn’t you just impregnate one?”
“Told ya,” he drawled. “It’s not mine.”
“This time,” she bandied back pointedly. “You won’t be so lucky if you carry on giving Don Juan a run for his money.”
“Don who?” he asked, his eyebrows drawing together.
“God help me,” Tally said with a sigh. “It’s like running a damned kindergarten. Thank God for Saint, or I would’ve walked years ago.”
I grinned because that was such a lie.
Tally loved us, but I suspected she loved Jonny J the most. Not that she’d ever admit it, though I couldn’t blame her for that. Relationships within bands neverworked out well, and when everything imploded, you were stuck with an ex whose guts you either still loved with all your heart or hated with all your soul. And to top it all off, you had to face them every damned day.
Yikes.
My eyes drifted to where Jacob stood chatting with his men, and I wondered if it was the same for bodyguards.
As much as I yearned to believe Jonny and Boomer about Jacob having feelings for me, I knew it was a lost cause.
Even if Jake was single now, he still hurt me last time, and that wasn’t something I could forgive easily. It was going to be hard to stay aloof and even harder not to smile into his eyes like a lovestruck fool.
But he was here to do a job, and I was going to let him because I might not have trusted him romantically, but he’d only ever shown me care when it came to keeping me physically safe. Right now, he was exactly the man I needed around me.
If anybody could keep the monsters at bay, it was Jacob Irons.
But I couldn’t help wondering who would keep my heart at bay fromhim.
CHAPTER FIVE
ICEMAN
