Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Sleep eluded me last night, so I was sure I would end the day early.
Collins’s secretary was a naughty girl wrapped in all those clothes, and she knew how to take orders.
Most women, in my experience, were a little reluctant when it came to my appetites in the bedroom, but I knew right away she was submissive.
I was going to enjoy her for a few weeks.
Around two this morning, I called Josh to take her home.
She was a bit irritated, but I didn’t give a fuck.
Since that bitch working with Taylor tried to kill me, I don’t let females I fuck stay overnight.
I learned my lesson and had the fucking scar down my face to prove it.
I flipped through the file on my desk. A picture of an eighteen-year-old Tisha McLean stared back at me.
There was no smile, no excitement in her light-brown eyes, and her hair was shorter then.
I saw anger and determination. She had an excellent stint with the military.
Accommodations and honors seemed to be the norm for her.
A stellar career, so why retire after only twelve years?
I flipped to the back of the file, to the most recent information.
“Therapy for two months then stopped. A month later retirement,” I mumbled to myself as I read. “Why? What happened that she needed therapy?”
There was nothing in her file that warranted it.
Miss McLean was an enigma I wanted to solve, especially since she’d given ultimatums to take this job.
Me even allowing and giving into her demands was unorthodox for me.
I didn’t give two fucks about what anyone wanted or where their loyalties lied as long as they were with me.
I called the guardhouse to give them a heads-up she was coming through. “I’ll send Josh to escort her up,” I stated.
“Yes, sir. I’ll be waiting.”
I hung up and immediately called Josh. He was keeping tabs on Collins’s movements as much as possible because I was inclined to believe Donavon when he stated that Collins was up to something.
By the look of chagrin on his face when I gave him the deadline yesterday, he was liable to come up with anything to get out of it.
I was sure his lawyers would try to conjure up something.
“Yeah, boss?” he answered.
I rolled my eyes. “You know I hate that bullshit.”
His chuckle resonated through the receiver. “Yeah, I know. That’s why I do it. What do you need?”
If Josh weren’t like a brother to me, I’d kick his ass.
“I need you to escort Miss McLean up to the house. Tell her she can use it to get into my study when she gets here.”
“I’m on the way,” Josh informed me, then hung up.
My cousin had a house on the grounds. It was well off from the main house and had its own gate and driveway for access. Josh helped me build this empire, so I was going to take care of him.
Our grandparents were no longer living, so we were all we had.
Five minutes later, I heard his motorcycle pulling up to my house.
Other than myself, Joshua was the only one who had a key card for access to the house—a security measure put in place after my would-be-assassin was almost successful.
Miss McLean, now my head of security, would be the third.
As soon as Josh entered, he questioned. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes, I’m damn sure, Josh,” I said exasperatedly.
He hesitated, then blew out a breath of frustration, and nodded.
“What is it?” I eyed him. “It’s more than just giving her the card you were talking about. You were asking about her, too.” I sat back in my chair while he sat in the seat usually reserved for guests, leaving Miss McLean to wait at the front gate a little longer.
“Look, I know you, cousin. You think with your dick when it comes to women. Are you sure she’s right for this job? This life?”
Shaking my head, I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my desk. “I’m sure about her. I’ve read her file.” I cut my eye toward the file closed next to me. “She has an impeccable record. Once I meet with her today and explain a few things, I’m sure she’ll be good.”
“And your dick is jumping, ready to land in her resting place.”
I laughed. Josh knew me well. “What can I say? She’s got something I wouldn’t mind dipping into,” I shrugged.
Joshua rose, and I picked up Miss McLean’s file and slid it into my desk drawer and locked it.
“As long as you know what you’re getting into.” He made his way to my office door, then wrenched it open. “I’d hate to have everything we’ve worked for jeopardized because she couldn’t keep her mouth closed.”
“You let me worry about Miss McLean.”
Josh nodded at me, then he was out of my office, the soft snick of the lock echoing as his words tumbled around in my head. Was he right? Would I be able to trust her with my life and my secrets? I was about to find out.
Miss McLean was prompt. I liked that quality in my employees.
Not even an hour after I’d called her, the guard at the gate was phoning, letting me know she had arrived.
It was ten minutes later, and I could hear the click of her heels on the hardwood floor coming down the hallway toward my office.
The mumble of voices on the other side of the door pulled my attention away from the few emails I needed to answer this morning before I went to Transient.
When the door slowly opened, I stiffened with anticipation.
“Come in, Miss McLean,” I called when she didn’t step into the room. “Have a seat.”
I stood, offering her the seat Joshua vacated. I took a few minutes to admire her body. My eyes traveled her entire frame, taking in every curve. I didn’t try to hide the predatory grin on my face. I wasn’t ashamed that I liked what I saw.
“Excuse me,” she gritted out, but her hand was extended toward mine, instead of cursing me out for ogling her like she wanted.
Wanting to feel her touch, I eagerly grasped hers.
As we made contact, I swear a shock of electricity ran straight up my arm and traveled down my body to my dick.
The soft intake of breath told me she felt it, too.
I smirked at the revelation Miss McLean was attracted to me as much as I was to her.
This situation was becoming more and more interesting by the minute, but first business.
“Mr. Smith,” she interrupted my lewd thoughts. “I must say meeting you here is a bit unconventional.” She tugged at her red cami underneath her suit jacket, allowing me to see more of her generous breasts.
I like that. Quick and to the point. Damn, I need to fuck her.
We both sat.
“I understand, but these are unconventional circumstances, Miss McLean.”
I opted to tell her about the murder attempts and the reason I needed a whole new security team. I got comfortable, aware that what I say may have her running back to her security firm.
“Miss McLean, I’m not an amiable man,” I informed her. “I’ve done some not so nice things to get what I have today and made a few enemies as a result.”
To her credit she didn’t look horrified, so that was something.
“Recently, those enemies have tried to kill me. One of those attempts”—I ran my finger down the scar on my face—“got help from someone on my security team, hence, why you are here.”
“I see. What do you need from me?”
I moved closer to her, placing my palms flat on my desk. I wanted her to hear my expectations clearly and then make her decision on whether or not she and her team could do this job.
“I need you to do whatever it takes to make sure I live a long, happy life, Miss McLean.” Our eyes locked.
I was well aware it sounded like I was asking her to be the reason for my happiness, but I didn’t amend my statement.
And as she gazed at me, I was reminded of the picture in her file.
That same determination I saw there in that eighteen-year-old’s eyes, I could see now.
Miss McLean is fiery. Fuck, I like that.
My dick was getting hard just from the look on her face. If this kept up, I was going to be walking around erect all the time. I willed my shit to go down and to be a good boy for once.
“I will do whatever is warranted, Mr. Smith.”
Giving a terse nod, I couldn’t help the grin forming on my lips. “I like that. I’m telling you now so you can decide if it’s what you signed up for. But if it comes right down to it.”—my eyes didn’t waver from hers—“if it’s my life or someone else’s, can you pull the trigger, Miss McLean?”
She leaned closer to my desk, resting her elbows on her knees, all formalities of being ladylike were gone. She was sexy and fierce as her eyes pierced mine. Miss McLean gave me a mischievous smirk.
“And as I said, Mr. Smith, I will do what is warranted.” Every word pulsed right through me. I swore my dick twitched at every single word she spoke.
Damn, I was in fucking trouble. I’d never met a woman who had this type of effect on me. It was unnerving and made me feel weak, although I would never show it because showing weakness could get you killed.
“I have to say, Miss McLean, if you mean what you say, then you are definitely what I’m looking for.”
I rose from my seat, wiping imaginary lint from my suit, and straightened my tie. I glanced down at my watch as I stuffed my cell inside the pocket of my suit jacket.
“The rest of your team should be at Transient by now, let’s get going.”
I moved from around my desk, my hand outstretched, offering for her to walk ahead of me. Once in the hallway, the door to my office automatically locked.
“The key card you received will unlock my study, the front and back doors, as well as my bedroom door.”
Her steps faltered, but she continued to walk down the hall, her heels echoing.
“I was warned not to lose it.”