Page 11 of Battle Scars

“I do,” he says firmly, and I press my lips together to keep from fighting.

Something about his body language, the way he’s holding himself back—just barely—that tells me he’s been pushed enough for one day. So I concede and let him walk me back to the track.

But I won’t be his doormat for the duration of this situation either.

It’s always been my inclination to rise to the challenge, to pick up a gauntlet that’s been thrown, to fight. I want to yell back, but I’ve also learned that sometimes the better strategy is to be quiet and step back.

Not retreat but regroup.

“All right,” I reply softly.

He doesn’t respond verbally. Instead, he nods, taking his point. He turns to follow me. Only he follows very closely. The heat from his hand is a specter that haunts me at the small of my back, just above my ass and I like it. I like the heat he radiates, and I want to feel it all over. Tension snaps between us like a live wire.

I want him, and I don’t want to do that at all.

The need to put a little distance between me and my moody bodyguard has me double-timing it down the steps toward the track. I hightail it through the pit and to one of the garage bays we use here. I think I hear a little growl coming from Gabe, but I can’t be sure, because alarm bells are busy sounding in my ears.

“Addie?” Rowan calls out, and I can hear the amusement behind her voice.

“It wasn’t lunch,” I call out as I practically run by. I snatch up my package of watermelon candy ribbons and stuff one in my mouth. “I’ll explain later!”

This beautiful man and I are going to come to blows. In a perfect world, it would be naked and in bed… or against a wall. He looks strong enough for that kind of physical activity. I bet he could give good wall sex. But alas, it’s not meant to be. The disgust in his eyes when he looks at me says this is going to get ugly.

SIX

ADAPT AND OVERCOME

Gabe

This is fucking inconvenient.

My dick twitches in a way it hasn’t in years. It’s been dormant, dead since my sweet wife died and now has a mind of its own. He wants the spoiled brat I’m stuck protecting.

I wasn’t lying when I told Daddy Warbucks that I don’t run protection details anymore. I’ve been exclusively running my company since I decided that I had to do something with my life until my time here was up. That or eat a bullet.

Manny wasn’t wrong when he said that he and his wife grieved Macy and it wasn't fair to them to watch me fade away either. That said, I’m not going to fuck a client. Not now, or ever.

When this mission is over, I’ll consider finding relief elsewhere. But for now, I’m watching as she moves through the mechanical bay, stuffing candy between her bee-stung lips and wondering what it would feel like to have them wrapped around my cock.

Jesus. No. This is so wrong.

I should have turned his offer down but, while my fees for Eli are extensive, the fee for me is significantly more. Add to that the promise to triple it and I’ll be able to fuck off to an island after this and not worry about the boys back at the base.

That’s not going to happen. I already have enough money to fuck off to an island for a month, I just don’t want to. I have no need to, no drive to go off to see or experience something new. If I did, I would be worried about what the boys were doing to get themselves killed while I was gone.

So no, I’m not going to fuck the client. This is just a minor inconvenience because Manny put the thought in my head. That doesn’t mean I have to actually do anything about it. I just have to keep the princess alive and sus out who’s trying to kill her before they actually do.

Then I can go back to my office, and the quiet that surrounds me because Adrienne is anything but quiet. She’s loud and bright colors and I’m just gray. And that’s exactly how I like it.

I just have to adapt and overcome.

SEVEN

TEST TRACK

Adrienne

Iwould be lying if I said I had it all together. Although, at this point, no one would believe me if I tried to pass off my life as influencer worthy.