Protecting His Assets by J.K. Coi Read Free Book Online Page A

girl, Nolan?”
    Steve had been a member of the boxing club for three years, but he’d never been on the receiving end of a look from Joey quite like the one he was getting now—a look full of warning and protectiveness.
    He raised an eyebrow. “It’s just like she told you. We’re just hanging out for a while,” he said. “Then again, if I was doing something, I’d be doing it with a mature, adult woman who knows her own mind and makes her own decisions…don’t you agree?”
    Big Joey leaned close and spoke softly. “Listen up then. I’ve known her since she was a kid running around this gym. April’s been through enough from guys like you. If you do anything to hurt her…”
    Interesting. He never would have pictured Big Joey as the type to make threats, but he sure was protective of Steve’s new bodyguard. “From what I just saw, I think she can probably take care of herself,” he said with a shrug.
    “Just keep what I said in mind.”
    Fifteen minutes later, Steve came back onto the floor, hair still damp from a quick shower. The gym had quieted down a bit, and Ms. Porter waited just outside the men’s locker room door. She was once again dressed in her suit. Her gym bag was thrown over her shoulder, and she stood beside one of the structural posts as if she had all the time in the world. It was hard to tell which had more steel in its posture; her or the post. The only evidence that anything at all had changed since they’d left the office was the fact that her hair now hung down to her shoulder blades in a thick, damp ponytail instead of rolled up on top of her head.
    Standing like that, dressed like that, she was definitely Ms. Porter again. Steve could find no sign of a boxing spitfire named April with the world’s most amazing smile.
    She stepped forward. “Are you ready to go home?”
    He shook his head. “Actually, no. I have dinner plans,” he said.
    Her lips thinned as she narrowed her gaze, but he wasn’t intentionally trying to be difficult…this time. With all the distractions today, he’d forgotten he had a date until the reminder had popped up on his phone while he’d been changing. He checked his watch. There should be just enough time to make it to the restaurant.

    A pril pulled up to the curb across the street from the classy restaurant and watched Nolan get out of his car and hand his keys to the valet. Before he proceeded inside, he actually looked her way. She could swear he was even making eye contact through her car window.
    Not only was she not dressed for dinner at the fanciest restaurant in New York, joining him inside would be oodles more awkwardness in one evening than she’d signed up for.
    She was surprised he’d even bothered looking for her car. The few other clients she’d protected had quickly gotten used to her presence and simply accepted that she was always there somewhere. Otherwise, they’d forgotten about her until they needed something. She was like a statue and hadn’t warranted human interaction unless it was absolutely necessary.
    Before they’d left Big Joey’s, she’d asked for the name of the restaurant. There’d be no way to remain inconspicuous at a table by herself, especially dressed as she was and especially if she didn’t order something. Staying outside in the car had been a calculated decision, but he’d promised to text “911” to her number—which she’d programed into his phone back at the gym—if absolutely anything looked suspicious. She’d written down his license plate number and would make a point of checking over the car when he came back out to retrieve it from the valet, but for now there was nothing to do but wait…and think.
    It had been a mistake to follow him into the boxing club. She’d known it would be virtually impossible to go unrecognized at Big Joey’s, and her dad would probably find out about it before the end of the night—even from his hospital bed. But the bigger mistake had been offering to