When I follow the tracks in the grass—footprints visible because it's freshly wet and packed down from the nightly watering—I wind up at a garden behind the house.
On a stone bench near an honest-to-god water fountain the size of my living room, I see Lila sitting cross-legged with her head in her hands.
"What the fuck are you doing out here? I explicitly told you to stay put in your room. Hell, you were supposed to be going to bed. Did I stutter?"
Lila looks up from the bench, her eyes wide. But instead of the look of guilt I wish I saw flashing over her face, I'm treated to that damn eyebrow raise she consistently offers.
"I needed some fresh air after that dinner. You can't just order me around. I'm doing what I need to do because Ihadto get out of that house for a second." She stands up, crossing her arms over her chest. "Calm down. Nothing has happened. You're worse than my father."
That one hits hard for some reason, and I stomp up to the bench, grabbing Lila by the wrist and yanking her forward.
"Get back in the house. I'm not going to ask twice."
She snatches her wrist away from me, glaring all the harder. "You willnotboss me around. I needed fresh air. I will come back when I'm good and ready."
We're nose to nose at this point, a lit powder keg about to explode. It takes everything I have to suck in the need to bend her over my knee as I've dreamed about all day.
Hell, at this point, a good spanking doesn't seem like it would do the trick. Something tells me that this little princess doesn't understand howniceI'm being, and there's a huge part of me that wants to show her just how bossy and mean I can be.
"Lila, get in the house. I will count to five."
"What am I, a four-year-old? I don't need you to count for me. I?—"
But before she can finish the words that would undoubtedly make my blood boil all the hotter, something rustles in the bushes, and I catch the glint of something glass.
I yank her to the side behind one of the bushes just as a projectile shoots out and lands on nothing. It's a dart, and I know for a fact that this was an attempt to kidnap her.
"This is exactly what I was talking about. We're leaving."
Without another word, I yank her with me, dragging the girl even as she complains back to the house.
She was almost taken because she decided to break the rules. She needs to be taught a lesson.
But I know that I'm not the one to do it.
Still, damn, I wish I were.
As soon as we get back into her bedroom, I step inside, closing the door behind me and throwing the latch so that it's locked.
I draw the curtains and make sure the patio door is locked. Lila is glaring at me as I take out my cell phone and send a quick message to the security team, letting them know that someone is outside and to handle the situation.
I'm not leaving Lila alone. I can't trust her to obey me.
Just as I stuff my phone back in my pocket, she rushes up to my face, getting way too close.
"You arrogant, pig-headed son of a bitch! I get to control what I do. I am my ownautonomousperson. You can't just?—"
"I have been hired to protect you, which you clearly need because somebody just tried to kidnap you and drag you off into the bushes."
It seems to hit Lila that that's actually what just happened, and she stumbles backward a step.
"What? I didn't see that. Are you...Are you sure?"
"Yes, princess. I'm sure."
Now, the wideness of her eyes is because of fear, and suddenly this disgusting feeling of guilt hits me for being so aggressive with her.
Slowly, I approach her, reaching out to rub my hand up and down her shoulder.
