“So did I. At first. A picture was captured of the person tampering with the security system. We’re running the photograph through photo recognition software, but that often takes time.”
Everything about his words hit me hard. “Photo recognition software. My God. You are used to dealing with danger lurking around every corner. Aren’t you?”
“We learned to be cautious, Lainey. Nothing more. It’s helped our family?—”
“Stay alive?” I finished. “I don’t think I can do this. I have a life and a job to get back to. At least I think so. I’m not part of your world no matter how much the girl inside wanted to be. I truly hoped you’d be my knight in shining armor. You have been, but this is…”
“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. This isn’t a request. You are coming. The only way I can keep you safe right now is to have eyes on you every moment of the day.”
I couldn’t believe this. He was serious. He expected me to drop everything and run off to some tropical island with him. I looked away, forced to realize that even with the understanding of why we’d be leaving the country, I was still tingling all over from excitement. “How long?” Was I really asking? Was I seriously considering this?
“A week. Maybe two. Long enough to put some pieces into place. Trust me,” he said with that boyish grin that I’d seen only a few times and had fallen in love with. “You’ll enjoy the surroundings. A private beach front house. Turquoise ocean waters. A quaint little town full of delicious food.”
“What about Nina. Isn’t she in school?” I couldn’t go. It was ridiculous to think I could just disappear for a couple of weeks. Well, maybe I could write a few songs. I’d been working on some new material. I could finish it while I was there.
“Well, I happen to know an elementary school teacher.”
Damn it, his grin was driving me crazy, my pussy throbbing. And forget about my core. It was molten lava. How did he manage to make everything sound so exciting? Including danger.
Including…
I wasn’t going to say it.
“That’s crazy. It sounds wonderful, but…”
He was suddenly right in front of me again, gripping both arms and the deep, very intense look in his eyes screamed that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. I had to admit I did like the powerful, controlling side of him just a little too much.
I bit my lower lip, processing by stating the pros and cons in my mind. The hard buzz of my phone indicating a message was jarring. I used the sound as an excuse, pulling away. “Let me just check to make certain nothing is wrong.”
“Lainey… We need to talk about this.”
I snagged my phone from the table, still tingling all over. How was it that one man could do that to me so easily? When I noticed the number, all the self-doubt I’d had early in my career rushed into my system.
“Lainey, this is Mark Zimmerman. I’m sorry to call you on a Sunday, but this couldn’t wait.”
As I listened to the message, every sound around me began to echo. As if I was standing in a vacuum. When the message ended, I took a deep breath, holding the phone against my chest.
“What’s wrong?” Sasha asked.
A laugh bubbled to the surface. “My mama told me that everything happens for a reason.”
“O-kay. What?” He inched closer as if the big he-man was ready to protect me.
“That was my record producer. Mr. Big, we call him in the industry.” I lifted my head, darting my eyes across his. “If your offer of being Nina’s teacher still stands, I’ll take the job.”
“I thought you had one.” The tone of his voice dipped into the dark and dangerous level, the same one I’d heard when Damien had been manhandling me.
“Nope. I was just fired. And do you want to know why?”
“Why?”
I smiled before answering because in truth, I wasn’t angry in the least. “You.”
Paradise.
I’d been so lucky to visit extraordinary locations throughout the world in my career. Paris. London. Milan. Canada. Australia. I’d vacationed a few times, even once on a tropical island, but I’d either been too busy or too exhausted to enjoy the time away.
As I stood on the pearlescent beach staring at the crystalline waters of St. Lucia, an unusual sense of relaxation eased the fears. Maybe there was no reason to be afraid. This was a private location in a gorgeous cove with majestic views of the Piton Mountains.
