by Harley Wylde
Chapter Two
Madelyn
When the officers left, I was shaking. I’d known that Bradley was bad news, but I hadn’t realized just how bad. Now that I was catching a glimpse of the monster inside, I had no doubt he’d either gotten rid of those women himself or paid someone to do it. And how likely was it that his dad didn’t know what was going on, or his uncle for that matter? It sickened me, the lengths they would go to cover up a crime, just so their precious name wasn’t smeared in the papers.
Poor Grady hadn’t signed on for this. The man had only won the bid to build my deck, and while that might have had more to do with his good looks than his price, I still couldn’t ask him to help me hide out while I figured out what to do. My parents hadn’t been without connections, even though I’d never called on any of them for favors in the past. No one knew just how well-connected my mother had been, and I wanted to keep it that way for a little while longer.
“I can’t ask you to help me,” I told him, licking my sore lip. “You have a life here, a business to run.”
He snorted. “I have about twenty bucks in the bank, so we’re not getting far if I help you.”
“I have money. More than I know what to do with, quite honestly. It still doesn’t give me the right to uproot your life. You’ve done enough for me already just by being here tonight. I can’t thank you enough for coming to my rescue.”
Grady knelt by my feet and took my hand in his. “Madelyn, I’m glad you called me. You shouldn’t have tried facing this alone. Honestly, though, I can’t figure out why you called me instead of one of your friends. We were complete strangers until a few days ago.”
How could I put this delicately? My friends were upper crust yuppies with trust funds and no self-defense skills. Grady looked like he could handle himself in a fight, with all those muscles and that swagger. Bradley might have taken me down, and he could probably take down any of my friends, but I knew there was no way in hell he’d try to tangle with Grady. He’d have to be stupid to attempt it.
“My friends are on the light side,” I said.
“You mean they’re gay? Because I’ve met some gay men who could knock me out with one punch.”
“Well, some of them are gay, but I mean more like…” I sighed. “I’m just going to give it to you straight. My guy friends might weigh 150 pounds soaking wet and would blow over with a stiff wind. Bradley wasn’t going to be run off by any of them. But you… you’re like a walking mountain with all those muscles. I figured if he came back, one look at you and he’d go running the other way. I knew if it came down to it, you could protect me.”
Grady smiled a little, and the knots in my stomach eased. I’d worried that I would offend him. He really did make me feel safe, though, and it wasn’t just his muscles. It was the confidence he exuded, the predatory look in his eyes that said he’d seen more shit than most, and I just felt calm when I was around him. I was normally a very nervous and twitchy person, but not when Grady was nearby.
“Do you know how to use a gun?” I asked.
His eyebrows rose as he stared at me. “Why do I need to know how to use a gun? If you want me to hunt down Bradley and shoot him, I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone else. I prefer life on this side of the bars.”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” I bit my lip then winced when it stung. “I obviously need protection until I can get the Bradley situation taken care of. And I know I still owe you for the deck you’re building for me, which looks fantastic by the way.”
“Get to the point, princess.”
Princess? Is that how he saw me? Some pampered poodle? In all fairness, it wasn’t far off.
“Have you ever done any work as a bodyguard?” I asked.
“Not exactly.”
Not exactly didn’t mean no. “Okay, so maybe not a bodyguard, but you’ve done some kind of protection work before, right?”
“I was a Marine for five years. Joined up right out of high school, served my five years and got out. Being sent to a war zone isn’t my idea of a good time. I’m proud to have served, but five years was enough.”
My gaze took him in from head to toe. Yeah, I could see him as a Marine. And damn if that didn’t just make him even sexier. I’d always had a thing for men in uniform. I wondered if he still wore his dog tags, or if he’d hung them up when he’d decided to live life as a civilian.
“If I pay you an additional two thousand dollars, would you consider being my bodyguard for the next week? Just long enough for me to figure out what the heck I’m going to do. You could still work on the deck while you’re here if you’re worried about being free to work on other jobs afterward.”
“Bodyguard?”
“I’d need you to stay here though. Overnight, I mean. And you’d have to go with me if I left the house.”
He looked like he was thinking it over, but I was worried he’d tell me no. I needed him. Yes, I could hire a security firm, but I wanted Grady. Perhaps it had a little to do with the fact I wanted to spend more time with him. There had to be a way I could tempt him.
“Three thousand,” I offered. “And two of my friends need some work done on their houses, so I could refer you.”
Although, the thought of Jenna watching Grady work up a sweat made me want to growl in protest. For some reason, I thought of him as mine. Ridiculous, since we barely knew one another. He stared at me, and I wondered if I needed to up the price again. It wasn’t like I couldn’t afford to pay him more.
“I would have done it for less, Madelyn. I just think if you’re serious about protection, you should probably hire a professional.”
“So, you’d rather trust my safety to someone who took some sort of class to be an armed guard instead of a Marine?”
He smiled a little. “If you’re serious, I’ll need to go to my place and get some clothes. I can’t go a week with just the clothes on my back, but my neighborhood isn’t the safest.”
“We could go shopping,” I offered. “My treat. Consider it part of your pay.”
“I don’t need new clothes, Madelyn. The ones I have are just fine.”
“I didn’t mean to imply they weren’t, but I just thought if I can’t go to your place then I’d just buy you some new things.”
He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. “We’ll go to my place, but I have to warn you… the air is out. You’re going to melt the moment you walk through the door.”
“I think I’ll survive.”
“All right, princess. If we’re going to do this, let’s get it out of the way. Then we’ll figure out sleeping arrangements when we get back.”
Sleeping arrangements? Would now be a good time to offer up my bed -- with me in it? He was a red-blooded man, so I didn’t think he’d turn me down. Unless he was one of those honorable types who wouldn’t want to take advantage of me. Since he hadn’t made a move in the three days he’d been here, I had a feeling he was one of those rare men who put others before himself. I’d caught a heated look or two, so I knew he wanted me. But would he allow himself to have me? Only time would tell.
I looked down at my swimsuit and shorts. “Do I have time to change?”
“Trust me; you’ll be thankful you’re not wearing much. I wasn’t kidding when I said the air was out. Afghanistan feels like the arctic compared to my house right now.”
“Then let’s go get your stuff. When we get back, I’ll order some takeout for us. Chinese sound good? Or I could call that takeout delivery service that just started up. I think they deliver from five different restaurants.”
“Chinese is fine,” he said.
I rose to my feet, even though I felt a little unsteady. “I’m ready. Do you want to take my car?”
He shook his head. “Better to take my truck. Taking your car would just be asking for trouble. It would probably get stolen.”
Just where did he live? I hadn’t ventured to the other side of town before, the area my dad had always called the “wrong” side
. I followed him out to his truck and Grady helped me up onto the seat. The drive to his house was quiet, but I noticed his grip on the steering wheel was pretty tight. Was he nervous about me seeing where he lived? I didn’t care if he lived in the smallest dump in town or the biggest mansion. Stuff like that had never mattered to me.
He pulled to a stop in front of a small bungalow, and I had to admit it was in pretty sad shape. It seemed odd for a handyman to live in a place that had fallen into disrepair, but he probably spent so much time working, he didn’t want to work on his own place after hours. I couldn’t fault him for that. We got out of the truck, and he looked around as he guided me up the porch steps. When he pushed open the front door, the blast of heat that came out of his house made me glad I’d asked him to stay with me. No one should have to suffer in these high temps without air.
He led me through the house to his bedroom. The unmade bed was small for a guy his size, and his furniture looked secondhand. Despite the shabbiness of everything, I had to admit the place was pretty clean. The clothes he’d worn earlier were discarded on the floor, but aside from that, the place was spotless. He threw some things into a duffle bag and grabbed his work boots before motioning for me to head back to the front door.
Grady locked up, tossed his bag into the back of the truck, and then we were heading back to my place. He hadn’t said a word the entire time we were at his house, and I found it a little strange. He wasn’t quite as tense on the way home, but I noticed he checked his rearview mirror every minute or so. Was he worried that we’d be followed from his place? Or was he just being vigilant in his new role as a bodyguard?
“Thanks for helping me,” I told him. Even if I was paying him, he didn’t have to agree. He had to have better things to do than babysit me while I figured things out. Assuming I could find a way out of this mess without starting over somewhere else. It didn’t seem fair that I was being punished for something Bradley did.
“Maybe I just need the money,” he said.
“Or maybe you’re a nice guy.”
He smiled a little and glanced my way for a brief moment.
At my house, he parked at the curb again. “You can use the driveway.”
“The truck leaks oil. It’s better if it stays on the street.”
“Suit yourself.”
I got out and went to open up the house while he got his things. The air conditioning was welcome after being in his hundred-degree house. I tossed my keys onto the table inside the door and waited for Grady to catch up. After I locked the house up behind him, I crooked my finger.
“Follow me and I’ll show you to the guest quarters.”
“I need a room close to yours if I’m going to protect you. And you’ll have to sleep with the door open. Your privacy is going to be invaded while I’m here, but it’s the only way to make sure you stay safe.”
He followed me upstairs, and I showed him the room next to the master suite. The master had been my parents’ room, but it had seemed like a waste of space to not use it after they were gone. I’d only moved in about three months ago, which left my old room for Grady. The white furniture and lavender bedding were a little too feminine for him, but it was only temporary.
“Sorry about the girly colors,” I told him. “It used to be my room.”
He set his duffle on the floor. “It’s fine. Not like I sleep much anyway.”
“I’ll go order Chinese while you unpack.”
Grady shook his head. “I go where you go. The unpacking can wait. If you’re going downstairs, I’ll go with you.”
He reached into his duffle and pulled out a gun, tucking it into the back of his pants. My jaw dropped, and I looked up at him with wide eyes. When the hell had he packed a gun? I hoped it wouldn’t be necessary. Bradley was an abusive asshole, but surely he’d turn tail and run the moment he saw Grady.
“Don’t worry,” Grady said. “It’s registered, and I have a concealed carry permit.”
My jaw snapped shut. I’d asked if he knew how to use a gun, but I hadn’t realized he would actually bring one with him.
“I left my phone in the kitchen earlier.” I turned, knowing he would follow, and went downstairs. I flicked on the kitchen light and picked up my phone from the counter. My favorite Chinese place was programmed in, but I pulled out a menu from one of the drawers and gave it to Grady.
He stared at it pretty hard, and I wondered if he just couldn’t decide, or if he was trying not to order too much. A guy his size probably could put away a lot of food. I always ordered the same thing, so once I had Grady’s order, I could place the call. They usually delivered within a half hour of my call.
“Order anything you want,” I told him. “Seriously. If you want one of everything, order it.”
He smiled a little. “I’ll take a number four and a number eleven with some eggrolls on the side.”
I called and placed our order, then went back upstairs. Grady shadowed me, and I wondered if he planned to follow me into the bedroom. I didn’t have time for a shower, as much as I would have loved one, so I just grabbed a T-shirt and pulled it over my bikini top. I turned and nearly collided with Grady’s massive chest.
“Sorry,” he said, stepping out of the way.
“I just wanted to have more clothes on when they delivered the food. I’ll need a shower after dinner though.”
He nodded. “I’ll take a quick one after you go to bed. I’ll make sure the house is locked up tight first.”
“We can set the alarm. I never really use it, but I know the code. It’s the same one my parents used when they were alive. I don’t think they shared it with anyone.”
At the bottom of the stairs, I veered left and went into the family room. There were four six foot tall bookshelves that were filled with movies. I probably should have let Grady pick, but I was in the mood for something lighthearted, and he seemed more like an action kind of guy. I pulled my favorite movie off the shelf and loaded it into the Blu-ray player.
Before I could sit down, the doorbell chimed. Grady tensed and went to answer it, a hand braced on his weapon. I was grateful for his help, but if he pulled his weapon on the delivery guy I’d never be able to order Chinese again. I ran to the kitchen for my wallet and skidded to a stop at the front door, where Grady was glaring at the teen on the other side. The poor kid looked about ready to piss his pants.
“Miss Sparks, I have your order ready,” the kid said.
I thrust the money out to him. “Keep the change and thanks for getting here so fast.”
He nodded and practically ran back to his car after he handed over the sack of food. Grady closed and locked the door before turning to face me. He seemed a little disgruntled.
“That kid has the hots for you,” he said, taking the sack from me.
I wasn’t quite sure what to say to that, so I meekly followed him into the kitchen. I pulled out two plates, and we loaded them up before taking them to the family room to watch the movie. If Grady had a problem with my selection, he didn’t say anything. He quietly watched the show while he ate, but I could feel his gaze on me every few minutes. I didn’t know if he was making sure I was still here, or if he just liked looking at me. I know I certainly liked looking at him.
Chapter Three
Grady
I had no idea what movie she’d put on, and only half paid attention to it. Instead, I found myself watching Madelyn more than the TV. Even with her split lip and bruised cheek, she was still the most stunning woman I’d ever seen. When she started to doze off, I turned off the TV and lifted her into my arms. She startled awake but just gave me a sleepy smile as I carried her up the stairs. I had no idea how to set the house alarm for the night, so I’d have to be extra vigilant.
In her bedroom, I eased her down onto the bed. There was a blanket folded at the foot, and I pulled it up over her. She sighed in her sleep and snuggled against her pillow. In sleep, she looked even more angelic than she did when she was awake. Some guy was going to be damn
lucky to have her in his life one day. I had to assume she was single if she hadn’t called on a boyfriend during this ordeal, even though we hadn’t discussed her relationship status. Unless that Bradley asshole was her boyfriend, but she’d never called him that.
I left her door open and went into my temporary bedroom. I grabbed my duffle bag and unloaded everything into the empty dresser. Living out of the bag would have been fine, but if she expected me to be here a week, then getting comfortable wasn’t going to hurt anything. I removed my shoes and socks, stripped out of my jeans and tee, and stored the gun in the bedside table drawer. After checking on Madelyn one last time, I stretched out on top of the covers so I could roll out of bed with ease if trouble should arise.
I stared at the ceiling, listening for anything that seemed out of place before closing my eyes. I knew I’d sleep light, but I still didn’t relax all the way. Not knowing much about Bradley, I couldn’t say whether or not he’d be the type to break in. Any man who put his hands on a woman in anger was slime in my book. But it didn’t mean he had the skills to pick a lock. Something about the entire thing bothered me though. Why had he hit her and run? If the man was capable of rape, why wouldn’t he have forced her to submit to him? Not that I wished that fate on any woman, but it bothered me.
I hadn’t seen any sign of a struggle when I’d gotten to the house, and the police hadn’t brought it up. There had been a glass on the counter, yet she hadn’t smashed it over his head. So, what had made him run off? I rolled out of bed, grabbed my gun, and prowled through the house, trying to piece everything together in my head. Double checking the locks on the doors and windows, I made my way through each room. A muffled sound caught my attention, and I froze.
“Grady.” It was soft, but I heard it.
I bolted up the stairs and down the hall to Madelyn’s room, expecting the worst. When I barreled into the room, she was tangled in the blanket and fighting off an imaginary attacker. I eased down onto the mattress and pulled her into my arms, trying to soothe her.