“She’s going to be pissed.” The voice is a low rumble that I recognize as Roan Ellis. He’s been one of Colt’s best friends since they played baseball together in college. There’s amusement in his tone, the kind afforded to the few people who know the realme.
Dammit.
Tiptoeing down the stairs, I move as quietly as I can before leaning against the wall leading into the kitchen.
“She’s—” Colt starts but stops when he sees me. My brother’s smile is big and genuine and not even a little bit afraid—classic younger brother status. I may only be four years older atthirty-four but when he’s like this, I feel like we’re kids again. “Morning, how’d you sleep?”
His hair is blond like mine but where his eyes are blue, mine are more of a soft gray.
“Why does Roan think I’m going to be mad?” I pause and really look at Roan. His hair is shorter on the sides and longer on the top and expertly styled. His facial hair is trimmed and neat, and he’s dressed for worknothanging out.
Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.
While Colt went on to play professional baseball, Roan opened his own law firm, hand selected his clients, and now has a waitlist that isyearslong. I got special treatment because we’re practically family.
He’s one of the few people who know that I’m Kat Harrington, bestselling author of children’s books,andthe faceless, bestselling, romantic suspense author, Sloane Daniels.
Before my brother can answer, the doorbell rings and he gives me a sheepish smile as he passes. “I’m doing this because I love you,” he says, whipping off his Illinois Blues sweatshirt and handing it to me. “You’re going to want to put that on.”
I look down at the oversized T-shirt I’m wearing over simple black leggings and swallow down the huff that wants to escape. The last thing I wanted to deal with this morning was a bra.
“Is he saying you can see my nipples?” I ask out loud as I pull on the hoodie, but Roan doesn’t answer me. I’m not sure if I should be offended or thankful for the heads-up before I’ve had the caffeine required for whatever is about to happen.
Muffled footsteps are followed by the sound of dress shoes on the polished wood floors, and even though Colt is big, he’s no match for the man behind him.
A stunningly gorgeous man.
“Kat, this is Tom Oakden. Tom, this is my sister, Kat.”
“And this is an NDA for everyone to sign,” Roan says, standing to his full height as he offers his hand and a serious expression to Tom.
What is this?
“Colt…”
“He’s security,” my brother says, his face void of his trademark smile. “Security for you.”
“Excuse me?” I nearly screech as Roan smirks.
“Called it.” I glare and he clears his throat. “Funny but irrelevant. Still, everyone sign these, then we can hash out the details before my next meeting.”
“Colt, you can’t just hire a bodyguard after?—”
“You,” Roan barks as he thrusts a stack of papers and a pen at me, “sign where it’s highlighted.”
Scribbling my signature across each line, I slam the pen down as everyone elsegentlyslides theirs across the table to Roan.
“Are we good?” The question is directed at Roan who nods before Colt turns his attention back to me. “He’s the best, and after someone set your fucking books on fire in a place that no one should have known about, yeah, I get to hire whoever the hell I want.”
“But I’m safe here!”
“For how long?” my brother fires back, his arms crossed over his broad chest, the T-shirt he’s wearing nearly bursting at the seams. “How long are you going to live here? You can’t go anywhere without looking over your shoulder, Kat. Tom isthe best. He’s going to figure out who is doing this and keep you safe.”
“And then what? He’s going to have to be with me for the rest of my life if I need protection from every single message and creep that has the audacity to come at me from behind a screen.”
“But this wasn’t just behind the screen, Kat.” Roan’s voice is quiet, a forearm braced on the table as his lips press into a hard line. “As your lawyer, I want to bury this fucker under so much fine print they never see the light of day. But as your friend?” He lets out a sigh. “I won’t entertain the thought of losing you.”
It’s his words that have the backs of my eyeballs stinging. Roan had promised not to tell Colt about the real reason I’d taken some time off after my last release. I told him I was tired, and while that was true, it wasn’t everything. The comments and threats had escalated to the point that I pushed back my next book nearly a year.
