Page 52 of The Forbidden Bodyguard

“I appreciate your honesty. Care to explain?”

“Ms. Voss—Stella—and I are attracted to one another. I care about her. But even if I wasn’t, seeing a young woman of twenty-five being married off to a man like Tony Marino still wouldn’t sit right.” I shake my head. “Not after what we’ve seen, Josh.”

I don’t need to spell it out. Over the years, we’ve been exposed to the worst of humanity, seen women and children harmed in ways that would make most people question everything.

They should.

Josh nods, closing his eyes momentarily against the memories. “Understood.”

Beside me Ryder murmurs his agreement, having spent years as a Delta Force operator. “What do you think is behind the arrangement?”

I let out an audible sigh. “Honestly, I don’t know. There seems to be no historical connection between the two families—Travis has been doing some digging for me—and as much as Marino has mafia boss vibes, I’m assured he’s not one.”

Josh is quiet. Which means he has something to say and is considering the implications. I’ve seen him doing this when out in the field.

I wait.

Ryder waits.

This is how high-level operators work; fully aware. Patient. Thinking before speaking or acting.

“Tony, the Blade Marino, is an arms dealer and on the FBI radar,” Josh shares, and my gut sinks further.

He’s even more of a piece of shit than I thought.

More to the point, what the hell does a man like Victor Voss have to do with an arms dealer? Her father may not be a pillar of society and is a tough as nails businessman, but he’s not a criminal.

“You’re right to be concerned,” Josh continues and then sighs. “So, let’s play this out. Why do you think Stella would agree to marry Marino? Has she given away anything?”

“Someone’s life is threatened.” Ryder crosses his arms and leans back in the kitchen chair. “Does she have a lover or friend missing?”

Lover?

Fuck that.

If Stella was in love with someone else, I’d know about it. She wouldn’t have looked at me twice. If there’s one thing I know about her, it’s that she’s loyal.

“No. And if it’s a friend, it’s not her best friend. She and Charlotte talk daily.”

I’ve also heard her talking to her mom on the phone, and they don’t seem close. She definitely isn’t on good terms with her father.

The tension between them says the father is involved somehow.

I share my thoughts, and Josh starts tapping.

“Does she have a kid?” Ryder asks.

“No.” I frown, considering it further.

I saw no children’s bedroom in the penthouse or toys, photos, and so on. I’m not going to say it out loud, but I think I’d know after making love to her all week. Her body would show signs.

A split-second image pops into my head of her pregnant with my child and a flock of birds starts flapping their damn wings inside my chest.

What is that?

“The father is involved.” Josh chews his pen.

“There’s one more thing,” I say and get their full attention. “The day I started, Stella asked me to sign an NDA so she could share more information. I refused.”