Give in to Me by K. M. Scott Read Free Book Online Page A

interest in me. Yeah, that sounds like a real romance.”
    More shrugging. “The outside world doesn’t know that. All they know is what we show them, and you two will look like true lovebirds when the cameras are flashing.”
    “I’m a little confused why you think the press would care at all. I’m nobody. They only came out when I was with Tristan.”
    “They’ll care because you’re all that’s left of Tristan Stone. They can’t have him, so they’ll take you. Haven’t you noticed the press milling about at the end of the driveway?”
    I hadn’t noticed, but that was because I was too involved in being depressed. The few times I’d left the house recently I’d gone straight to the city, and there I was followed by West and Varo, so they had made sure nobody got close to me.
    “So they’ll take our picture as we go on our dates and that will make it look like I’ve left Tristan behind? Isn’t that going to make me seem like a heartless bitch? He hasn’t even been gone for six months.”
    “That’s another reason why they’ll be interested. The press loves showing the worst in people. They’ll eat it up.”
    I already hated this.
    “So I get to look like the world’s biggest bitch, Varo looks like some kind of gold digger since I’m living in Tristan’s house with him, and this helps keep me safe. Is that about right?”
    “Yeah. Oh, one more thing. You can’t tell anyone about this being a fake. That means your giggly friend there with the fixation on penis size.”
    I crossed my arms defiantly. “I’m not going to lie to my best friend, Daryl. We tell each other everything. I’ve never lied to her before, and I’m not starting now.”
    Daryl stood from the table and leaned down toward me until his furry face was just inches away from mine. “Then you better figure out a way to not tell her and not lie because if you tell her and someone gets to her, all of this will have been for nothing. Remember, your safety is the reason you’re doing all of this. Tristan is going to be busy finding out what Karl is up to and he needs to know you’re not in danger.”
    “Does Varo know about this yet? I can’t imagine acting like my boyfriend was in the bodyguard work description he agreed to when he was hired.”
    “Don’t worry about him. I’ll take care of that. We’ll have him moved in here tonight.”
    Terrific. I suddenly had a new man and somehow I had to find a way to explain to my best friend that he was none other than the one she’d tried to seduce to no avail. Fucking fabulous.
    “By the way, how is the gardener search going?” Daryl asked, ripping me from my thoughts.
    Confused by the change of topic, I shook my head. “You’re all over the place today, aren’t you? I hired one yesterday. West and Varo were supposed to check him out today and let me know.”
    “Good. I’ll ask them about it when I talk to him. In the meantime, I’d suggest making plans for where Varo will be staying while he’s here. Perhaps the room next to yours? That way he can be close.”
    “Why does he have to be close? The press can’t get onto the property, so why would we have to pretend to that extent?”
    “You can never be too careful, Nina.”
    What the hell did that mean? Was he implying that Jensen, West, or any of the other people who worked for Tristan couldn’t be trusted? Did he mean that Jordan couldn’t be?
    Craning my neck, I turned to look at Daryl as he walked from the room. “Is there something I should know? You and Tristan seem to think that Varo is okay, but everyone else can’t be trusted?”
    He stopped and seemed to think about my question for a moment. “Varo is okay, but we can’t be sure about anyone else. We’d like to think they’re safe, but for now, we can’t know.”
    Before I could comment on how much I hated all of this, he was gone and I was left to think about what I had to do. Daryl acted like it would be a piece of cake to just pretend to care for