Gran folds her arms. “What the hell, Fox? Get off Cleo.”
Duke licks my face, taking advantage of the fact I can’t stop him while I’m holding this woman down. My gaze drops to the mysterious Cleo. Long wild red hair spreads out across my black comforter and green eyes glare at me. A kissable fullmouth, responsible for the blood dripping from mine. Her chest heaves in the thin black silk nightgown she’s wearing. There are worse things to find in your bed.
“Did I hear gunshots?” Henry asks from behind my gran.
“Yup, she got my shoulder.” My blood is coating half of her chest now.
“You come sneaking into someone’s home in the dead of night, and you get what you deserve. Be grateful I’m a shit shot,” Cleo snaps.
I tilt my head at her. “You are worse than a shit shot. I was two feet from you, and you only grazed my shoulder.”
“For my first time, it isn’t so bad.”
I huff as I climb off Cleo and the bed. She jerks upright, a blush staining her fresh cheeks. When was the last time I saw a woman with zero makeup look this stunning?
“Cleo, meet my grandson Fox. Fox, this is the assistant you pushed me into employing.”
I snort. “Assistant as in someone to help you out, not move in.”
“Tomayto, tomahto. I’m attached now. She’s not going anywhere.”
My gaze widens. My gran hateseveryone—apart from me—and the occasional man she takes to her bed. How has this woman worked her way into my gran’s affections? She’s probably a gold digger. They see the big house, the expensive car, and designer clothes and think they deserve a slice of that pie.
“She’s in my pool house,” I point out.
Cleo folds her arms, pushing her breasts up. “Helen offered me somewhere to stay. I can leave, though.”
“Good plan. Let me help you pack.”
“You will do no such thing,” my gran snaps.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, aware of the hot blood seeping down my arm and staining my white shirt.
“Fine, I’ll move into the main house,” Cleo mutters.
And have her with unsupervised access to my gran at night? “No, stay. I’ll sleep in the main house.”
“Not tonight,” my gran says, lifting her eyebrows and jerking her head at Henry. “I’m not finished.”
I did not need to hear that. “Fine, I’ll stay in the guest room here.”
Cleo swallows, and her jaw ticks as she grinds her teeth.Sorry, wildcat.
My gran tilts her head at the blood covering my left shoulder. It’s seeping into my white shirt. “Cleo, can you get Fox cleaned up? There’s a first aid kit under the sink in the main bathroom.”
Cleo drags her bottom lip between her teeth. I owe her a debt for punishing my own lip. I shake my head. Nope, not happening.
“Sure, Helen.”
Gran smirks. “Looks like we will need that extra breakfast after all.”
Henry’s gaze darts between the three of us like we are an entertaining reality show. His gaze skims over Cleo. I step in front of her, blocking his view and fold my arms.
“I’m staying for breakfast?” he asks hopefully.
Gran spins on her heel and ushers him away. “No, Henry, you’ll be gone before dawn. But there’s a scene I want to act out after seeing that gun.”
“Oh my God,” Cleo mumbles as her lips twitch.
