She shot to her feet. “First and foremost, yourdivineness—” Her sarcasm struck like a sword. “When you kiss someone the way you did me, it’s because you either like that person and wish to know them better, or you want to hook up.”
Hook up? What did she mean?
“But since the latter is never gonna happen, you should’ve just let the former die a quiet death instead of explaining. Now I feel about this small.” She raised her hand, her thumb andforefinger an inch apart. “A word of advice? Next time you getcurious, find a hooker.”
He didn’t want anyone else, never had. Then she crossed his path. “Humans don’t usually ping my attention?—”
“Ouch. Thanks a bunch for making me your lab rat, then.”
He ignored her acerbic interruption. “Until you.”
“Oh, so I’m supposed to be flattered? H-honored? Her voice cracked.
His gaze drifted over her taut features, catching the rapid pulse in her delicate jaw. “I admit, I wanted to know what you felt like…tasted like. And now…”
“And now you’re highly disappointed. That’s why you’re giving me this callous spiel that it won’t happen again. FYI, I never expected it to. It’s not like I wanted more from every guy I ever kissed.”
Upon hearing that, his jaw clenched. His hands fisted.
“We women have to kiss a lot of toads to find a man we like?—”
“Stop,” he growled, that she actually froze. “Don’t you understand? My job is to keep you safe. A slipup on my part, and they will send another to take over.”
“So? Then you’ll be gone and won’t have to worry about me.”
He kept his flat stare pinned on her, but her flippant dismissal irritated him. “I have never handed over my task to someone else and never will until it is done.”
A task?
A deep hurt surged, squeezing every drop of happiness that had lit her so briefly. Nia wanted to storm out of the kitchen and forget how horrible this day was turning out to be.
Of course, he’d said so many times thatshewas a job he’d taken on as a favor…and now a little side experiment for his curiosity. She never expected more. And yes, it was just a kiss…
But it was a kiss that shifted her world.
Her chest tightened as she scooped up her mostly uneaten meal and disposed of it. “Another protector is preferable.” She pivoted and met his burning stare with a cool one. “As you pointed out, you’ll never leave until your task is completed. So, do us both a favor, find a way to finish this fast.”
Her cell rang.
Ignoring his tight-lipped expression, Nia grabbed her phone.Saia.A trembling breath escaped her. “Hey, Sai?—”
“Thank God I reached you!”
“The internet’s a bit sketchy up here in the mountains.” She pressed her fingertips against her throbbing temple. “What’s up?”
At her effervescent friend’s hesitation, Nia stilled, unease knotting her insides. In trepidation, she lowered her hand. “Saia?”
“Then you didn’t hear the news. Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. It’s…it’s your grandmother. She…she passed away last night. We just heard.”
The world tilted, she grasped the edge of the table. Her voice came out barely a whisper, “What are you talking about?”
A soft exhale. “The doc said it was a heart attack.”
Nia staggered back, her hip hitting the table.
Lore appeared in front of her. “Nia?”
She shook her head. It took a moment for her mind to function and her numb fingers to work. With a shaky hand, she swiped the screen, checking for any missed calls from the mansion…and nothing.
