Declan finally speaks again. "We won't let anything happen to you."
It's a simple statement, delivered with such calm certainty that for a moment, I almost believe him.
I look at thethree of them: the leader, the charmer, and the giant. I try to imagine them infiltrating every aspect of my carefully controlled life. The thought makes my skin crawl, but the card on the table makes it crawl more.
"Fine," I concede reluctantly. "But I have conditions. You stay out of my way as much as possible. I don't want to feel like I'm under surveillance in my own home. And I expect professionalism at all times."
This last bit I direct pointedly at Mateo, who has the grace to look sheepish.
"That's reasonable," Cross nods. "But for this to work, you'll need to keep us informed of your schedule and plans. No last-minute changes without letting us know."
"I can agree to that," I say stiffly.
"And one more thing," Cross adds, his mouth tightening like he hadn't expected to say it aloud. "Given the isolated location and multiple points of access, the most effective security arrangement would be for us to stay here."
"What?" I stare at him in disbelief. "You want to move in?"
"All of us," Cross confirms. "Twenty-four-seven coverage. It's the only way to ensure there are no gaps in your security."
I open my mouth to protest, but the weight of that card with its two simple words,Little Doll, silences me. For the firsttime in years, I feel truly afraid.
Cross seems to read the conflict on my face. "Miss Sinclair, this is what we do. This is our job, and we are very good at it. To do this right, we need to be here. All of us."
The finality in his voice sends a chill down my spine. I glance at Gloria, who nods almost imperceptibly, then at the other two men who seem as surprised by this declaration as I am.
"Fine," I say again, my voice barely above a whisper.
3
ETHAN
“Fine," Jade Sinclair says, her voice barely above a whisper.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Jade rises from her seat. For the first time, I notice how small she is in presence despite her height. Models are typically very tall and rail-thin, but Jade stands about 5'7" with lush curves. Her presence is so commanding that it's easy to forget she only reaches my shoulder.
She winces slightly as she stands, her hand unconsciously moving to her ribcage before dropping away. The bruising from CPR, most likely. Having been on the receiving end of chest compressions myself after a mission gone wrong in Afghanistan, I know exactly how it feels. Like someone took a baseball bat to your sternum.
She brushes an errant strand of copper hair from her face, revealing a dark bruise at her hairline that she's been carefully hiding. The sight sparks an unexpected surge of anger in my chest. Someone put their hands on her, tried toend her life. The thought bothers me more than it should for a client I've just met.
I'm still processing my own words. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Not like this. Not with me strong-arming a client and dragging my team into a living arrangement none of us had planned for.
Did I really just suggest that all three of us move into her home? That wasn't the plan. It wasn't my plan until the words came out of my mouth. Typically, we establish a rotation, maintain professional distance, and set up proper protocols.
We don't just... move in.
I run a hand over my face, stubble scraping against my palm. What the hell was I thinking?
"Gloria will show you around. You can stay in the pool house, I guess..." Jade says with dismissive coolness. "I have work to do." She turns to leave, her shoulders stiff with what I recognize as pain she's trying to conceal.
"Miss Sinclair," I call after her, "we'll need to discuss security protocols and your schedule..."
"Tomorrow," she interrupts without turning back. "I've had enough surprises for one day."
With that, she disappears down a hallway, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake. A light floral scent lingers in the air where she stood.
Gloria sighs deeply. "Well, that went better than I expected, honestly."
