For Her Protection: An Alpha Romance by Amber Bardan Read Free Book Online Page B

her.
    Charlie almost laughed. “Answer implies a choice.”
    “You could always take some leave yourself.” He turned to her.
    He was so freaking evil. How were they from the same gene pool?
    Her dad’s face flashed in her mind and she sobered. Dad hadn’t been so different before his stroke.
    All consuming ambition.
    He’d had his good points. He’d done his best when Mom left with her fitness instructor and started family number two. It broke his heart but that can happen when you don’t speak to a spouse other than to issue an order. She’d witnessed her mother’s despair every time she’d tried to get his attention and failed.
    “That won’t be necessary.” She glanced at Connor. “I can handle one bodyguard.”
    Connor shifted subtly. Had he actually worried she’d refuse?
    “Glad you came around.” His smile flattened and he left her office. He’d won but he’d lost too.
    She looked at Connor. “Thanks for not telling him about last night.”
    His expression remained impassive. “He’ll hear about it on Monday.”
    Her eyes stretched. Was he kidding? He’d still be reporting on her. “What happened to those guys anyway? Won’t I need to make a statement?”
    “Mark will come by this morning to take a statement from you.”
    “Mark?”
    “The cop.” His gaze twitched away. “Detective.”
    Hmm. Interesting . “You used to be a cop didn’t you?”
    He refocused on her. “Detective.”
    “And you worked with Mark?”
    His face turned slightly to the side, eyeing her, and she saw right there in that movement the cop he’d been before. So suspicious. “I did.”
    A squeal rang out. Xavier. They’d better give him the room before someone in the adjoining offices complained. Charlie collected her laptop and headed out.
    She set her things on Lia’s desk in the open reception between her office and others. Connor made himself comfortable leaning on a wall opposite her.
    Upside of handing over her office was having an open space. Public space where people walked by to their desks. Where she wasn’t going to have to be alone with brooding barbarian.
    She’d accepted this bargain but how long she could handle having him so close?
    His attention pinned on her. Making her feel like that’s what he wanted, and not simply his job.
    As though he enjoyed the way she looked more than he liked to spy.
    Even though that’s what he was—a dirty, dirty spy.
    ***
    He watched Charlie arrange her things on her PA’s desk.
    “You’re going to work here all day?” He studied her. When she’d made the offer she’d been shooting venomous barbs at Frank with her eyes.
    He’d assumed she’d been making a statement in front of him.
    “Yes.” She punched numbers into the phone, redirecting it. Then her gaze washed back to him. “But that doesn’t mean you have to stand against the wall all day, get yourself a chair for goodness sake.”
    He folded his arms over his chest. “I will stand.”
    She gave a subtle but un-mistakable eye roll.
    What was she up to?
    Charlie didn’t trust him. She didn’t want him around. Why’d she care if he was comfortable or not? His muscles tightened. Yes, he’d watched her. Except, the longer he had the less it’d been about his job.
    That truth would do little to put her at ease.
    Yet, he wanted to her to know. Wanted her to look at him as she had when she’d spotted him in the bar.
    “Why are you doing this?”
    She set down the handset. “Doing what?”
    “Giving up your office and letting your assistant have her child here.” He hadn’t meant to snap, but his words amplified.
    “She’s a single mom.” She said that like the statement was completely self-explanatory. Against reason, it made the agitation gather tighter under his skin.
    “If you don’t like the draft, why don’t you go play in the security room.” She shot him a sassy little smile.
    “You won’t be rid of me so easy.” He pushed back from the wall and stalked to her desk.