Ace’s phone buzzes, and he checks it with a frown. “I have a meeting with your father. Conference call about the new security protocols.” He looks at me. “You’re in charge for a few hours. Don’t let her leave the building.”
“Got it, boss.”
After Ace leaves, Maddie looks at me. “So what are you going to do, follow me around my own apartment? Or do you have any other ideas?”
“I was thinking we could watch a movie,” I suggest. “Your choice.”
Her eyes light up. “Really?”
“I’ll even let you pick a scary one if you promise not to make fun of me when I jump.”
“Deal.” She’s already heading back to her apartment. “Come on, I know the perfect one.”
Twenty minutes later, we’re in her living room with the blackout curtains drawn and a horror movie ready to go. Maddie’s curled up at one end of her oversized couch, and I’m on the other.
“This is my favorite,” she says as the opening credits roll. “Fair warning, it’s actually terrifying.”
“I can handle it.”
I could not, in fact, handle it.
By the thirty-minute mark, Maddie has slowly migrated closer, using each jump scare as an excuse to scoot another few inches in my direction. I’m not complaining because this movie is scary as shit, and though I want to seem brave, I am ready to hide under the throw blanket.
“Oh god, don’t go in there,” she mutters at the screen, her hand finding my forearm.
The scare hits, and Maddie yelps as she practically launches herself onto me. I put my arm around her, pulling her closer.
“I’ve got you,” I say, covering her eyes with my free hand as another disturbing image flashes on screen. “See? I’ll protect you.”
She laughs against my chest, but she doesn’t pull away. “My hero.”
We stay that way for the rest of the movie, her tucked against my side with my arm around her shoulders. Every time something scary happens, she burrows closer, and every time she does, I hold her tighter. When the credits finally roll, neither of us moves.
“That was terrifying, wasn’t it,” she blurts.
“Absolutely.” I look down at her. “Want to watch another one?”
She tilts her head up and meets my eyes, and for a moment, I see her as simply a woman, not someone I am paid to protect. How Ace and Vander have done this for ten months and not laid a finger on her is beyond me.
“Yeah,” she says with a soft smile.
We watch another movie, and then another. By the time Ace gets back hours later, Maddie is asleep with her head on my shoulder. Ace takes one look at us and shakes his head, but I catch the hint of a smile before he turns away.
“Wake her up,” he says quietly.
I don’t want to. Right now she looks peaceful, and I like the way her body feels pressed against my own, even though I know I shouldn’t have crossed this line.
Chapter Five
Vander
She thinks she’s being clever.
I watch the camera feed on my phone as Maddie slides her window open, then tests the fire escape with one foot. She’s dressed in all black—leggings, hoodie, boots—with her camera bag slung across her body.
Rhodes leans over my shoulder to look at the screen. “Is she serious?”
“Yes,” I say, in one of my rare contributions to the conversation.
