No, you don’t. You are sitting inches from your overprotective brother, who would go completely homicidal if he knew what was happening.
My pulse is pounding so hard I’m surprised the others at the table can’t hear it, and I know my cheeks are flushed. I force myself to listen to what Keke’s manager is saying. But really, I want these people to disappear so that I can climb on Liev’s lap and…
Elizabeth kicks me under the table and widens her eyes at me a little, which makes my brother glance between us with suspicion.
“The museum and Atelier Florian contracted a separate security company to accompany the jewels, so you don’t need to worry about that.” Todd explains. “They will wait for you at each event with the parure under guard.”
Elizabeth looks at Brady. “Elite’s job is just to be there as a deterrent. There is nothing to be concerned about, just somerude comments online about the posts Keke made. There might be people who show up who aren’t happy with her.”
“Who cares? I thought all publicity is good publicity?” Keke flicks her hair over her shoulder. “I made a joke about puppies. I don’t understand why everyone is so worked up. It’s not that deep.”
Poor Todd looks like he might have a stroke. “Jokes about animal testing and wearing puppies aren’t funny.”
“Babies.” Keke seems entirely unconcerned.
“There are a few groups…” Elizabeth interjects in a quelling tone. “Animal rights and some environmental groups who have taken issue with her comments, not just on social media, but in interviews lately. Nothing serious, but just in case…”
Keke turns her blue gaze on Elizabeth and deliberately strokes her hand down the front of the fur still draped around her. “They asked what my favorite animal was, and I said the kind that makes the shiniest coats. It’s not my fault the bitch pushed it. She wanted to know if I preferred dogs or cats.”
“You said you thought puppies would make a soft coat,” Todd strangles out.
My eyes bulge, and even Liev stiffens at that. Holy crap! This chick is batshit.
Elizabeth’s face is flushed, but her voice is smooth. “She needs security in case?—”
“Someone wants to throw paint at you?” Liev drawls.
Brady shoots him a look, but Keke beams.
“Exactly!”
When the meeting breaks up,and Keke and Todd have left, Brady doesn’t look at me when he says, “Sera, a word.”
I follow him down the short hall to his office, aware of Elizabeth watching us go, concern etched on her face. Brady closes the door behind us and leans back against his desk instead of sitting. His arms fold across his chest, the tension rolling off him in waves.
“I don’t like this,” he says flatly.
I cross my arms, mirroring him without meaning to. “I never would have guessed,” I drawl sarcastically. “Five minutes ago, you agreed to it.”
“That was in front of a client,” he snaps, then exhales and reins himself in. “You’ve never worked in the field. And as much as Elizabeth is trying to sell this as a cakewalk, you never know when things could go sideways. This client is clearly going to be a handful. You’ll have to keep your temper in check and your mouth shut, regardless of the provocation.”
“It’s a low-risk detail. Mostly logistics and crowd control. It’s babysitting. I’m an adult. I can handle an oversexed model.”
His mouth tightens. “Babysitting turns into something else when people get careless.”
“I won’t,” I say, stung that’s what he thinks of me.
“I know. I’m just…” Brady pushes off the desk and starts pacing. “You’re my baby sister. It’s hard for me to…” He lets out a heavy sigh. “I know you want to prove you can do this. I get that. After everything?—”
Anger and embarrassment flush through me. “I’ve been doing this job for years.”
“Behind a screen,” he counters. “Planning routes. Doing research. Watching cameras. You’re good at that. You’re great at that. This is different.”
I open my mouth, then close it again. I don’t want to admit that he’s voicing the exact fears I shoved down the moment Vincent told me to smile and nod. But hearing them voiced out loud makes my spine stiffen.
“I can handle it. And it’s not like I’ll be alone. Liev will be there, too. He is a pretty big deterrent and more than capable of taking care of something if it goes wrong.”
The words are out before I can stop them, my attempt at humor to lighten the mood clearly backfiring when Brady’s face clouds and he points an accusatory finger at me.”
