by M. S. Parker
“Hey, don’t look so grim,” he said, sliding a hand into his pocket and pulling out a bottle. “I was going to be down for the count some of this week anyway. Now I’m just going to be down and in a cast. I’ve got to get some tests and shit done.”
He tossed the bottle he held over to the other suit – Ryan, I remembered – and I watched as Ryan opened the bottle, shook out some medicine, and brought it to Jake. They spoke in low tones and the look on Carly’s face was somber, something sad in her eyes.
It was a private moment and I shifted, uncomfortable being in the middle of something that was clearly personal. The hotel guys were looking away too, I noticed.
Then Carly shook her head a little, as if focusing. When she looked back at me, her brazen smile was back in place.
“We had coverage lined up,” she said. “Except the guy who was here, his wife went into early labor this morning. The other guy? Just took his first vacation in two years. He can get here, but...” Her voice trailed off and her gaze shifted to Jake.
“Ridley needs the vacation.” Jake gave me a cool look, clearly assessing my every reaction.
“Yeah, I bet.” Running my tongue across my teeth, I looked between the three of them and asked, “Just what exactly do you want me to do?”
She cocked her head as she explained, “I basically need you to do just what you did earlier. Help with annoying reporters, keep me from doing stupid things like running out in front of cars.”
“Sounds like you need a babysitter.”
A strange, choking noise came from the couch.
Carly narrowed her eyes on me as I glanced over to see if it had been Ryan or Jake laughing at us, but I couldn’t tell. They both wore that blank face that professional security knew how to do well.
So I looked back at her.
“Well, I pay my babysitters five thousand for the week. Or, at least, that’s what I’m willing to pay you.”
I blinked, waiting for someone else to say how ludicrous the offer was.
Except no one did.
Carly stood there, smiling. The hotel suits looked bored. Jake and Ryan didn't even blink.
“Okay. I’m waiting for the punchline.”
“There is no punchline, Mr...?”
“Cantrell,” I said. I had to clear my throat, because my voice sounded like a faint ghost of itself.
“Okay, Mr. Cantrell. Bobby Cantrell.” She took a step toward me. “I need another bodyguard for when I’m out and about. Jake will still be with us most of the time. But he’s got a few things to do while we’re here, and since my back-up is going to be preoccupied with his daughter, I need an extra set of hands. Two good hands.” She flashed those dimples at me. “And since Jake has only one now, I figure you owe me yours.”
“You still got the other guy.” I jabbed a finger at Ryan, and then gestured to the other suits. “And all of them. Take one of them.”
Carly glanced at the hotel suits. “I can’t. They're with the hotel. I need my own personal security when I leave here. That’s why I want to hire you.”
This whole situation was making me antsy now. Skimming a hand back over my hair, I looked from her to the security detail, to Ryan and Jake, and then back at her. “Okay, I’m not getting it. Just why the hell do you need bodyguards? Three of them? Or two and a half. Whatever. Are you Princess Diana’s long-lost daughter or something?”
Carly rolled her eyes, the gesture making me want to laugh. “I wish. Maybe then this circus might be a little more fun.” She shook her head. “This is...bizarre. You’ve seriously never heard of me.”
“No.” I shook my head, drawing the word out. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”
She blew out a breath and then sighed. “My name is Carly Prince.”
I lifted a brow, waiting for the rest.
“My father was Phoenix Prince.” Those lovely blue eyes fixed on me and she smiled just a little. But it wasn't a nice smile. It was more like resignation. Like she was sure things would change as soon as things clicked.
And then – click – they did and I felt like somebody had just hit me across the head with a sledgehammer.
Phoenix Prince. “Son of a bitch.”
Chapter Three
The one thing I’d never imagined was that one day I’d find myself standing face-to-face with the daughter of the man who’d written “Crying Angel.” The song my mother had sang to me almost every night up until I was too old for her to sing to.
Then, as she'd lay dying, I sang it to her.
“Crying Angel” might not have seemed like a kid’s lullaby, but my mother had been a die-hard Phoenix Prince fan, and the song had been playing when I was born. It had also been playing the first night she brought me home, and according to her, it was the only song that had been able to get me to sleep.
Even now, the sound of it soothed me. Bittersweet memories always came with it, but it was my go-to when I needed out of my head.
“Son of a bitch,” I whispered again.
“Well, some people say he was.” She laughed a little. “I honestly wouldn’t know.”
My face went red. “That’s not…I wasn’t…”
“I’m messing with you.” She waved a hand dismissively as she took a seat at the table, leaning forward in a position that put her ample breasts on display.
Dammit.
I kept my gaze on her face.
She was Phoenix Prince’s daughter.
“I know that wasn’t what you meant.” A sad smile curled her lips. “I take it you’re a fan.”
Feeling like an idiot now, I glanced around. Finally, I moved over to the seat across from hers. “Yeah,” I said. “My mom...” I shrugged, trying to keep my own emotions in check as I spoke, “She loved him. Got me into his music...well, all music, but especially him.”
“Loved...” Carly studied me. Her voice softened. “She’s gone, isn’t she?”
“Yeah.” I jerked a shoulder. “Cancer when I was in high school.”
“I’m sorry.” The words weren't rote. They were sincere.
Nodding, I focused on anything and everything but her. I couldn't take seeing pity on her face. I swung my knee back and forth, too much energy coursing inside me. I wanted to get up and pace. “Well, I guess I get why you need bodyguards.”
She smiled and I saw it then.
She had his smile. And his eyes, I realized. Those deep, vivid blue eyes were her father’s eyes. I didn't know why I hadn't seen it before.
My brain kicked in then, and I began to remember things I'd heard about her. There had been attacks on her life. Multiple attacks. Somebody had tried to kidnap her. Not once, but twice. There had even been something with a teacher. It'd been this elaborate scheme. The teacher had gone through the whole deal, applying for a position at the girl’s school, biding her time.
When she’d ended up in Carly’s class, she’d asked Carly to wait for a few minutes after class one day, and she’d attacked the girl. It had been a passing teacher who’d saved Carly's life.
I hadn't been following news about her, exactly, but because of my mom, I tended to absorb whatever I heard about Phoenix Prince. Including...
“Your mom. She still batshit crazy?”
Even as I said it, I wanted to kick myself. My stomach churned, and I felt like I was going to be sick. Fuck. Why had I said that?
The hotel suits looked appalled, but Ryan started to laugh and Jake looked mildly amused.
Carly reached across the table and caught my hands with hers. “Oh, honey, I think you and I are going to get along wonderfully.” She squeezed my fingers and then pushed back from the table. “You’re taking the job. Say you’re taking the job.”
She stood and walked past me. I forced myself to think and not stare at her legs.
The apology tripped out of me. “I...look, my head – I mean, my brain and my mouth, they aren't always connected right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Oh, please.” Carly rolled her e
yes and shot me a rueful look. “Trust me. I’ve said much worse. Or at least, I’ve thought worse.”
That stopped me.
“What?”
Her eyes widened. “You think I don’t know what my own mother is like?”
For once, my brain worked and I said nothing.
Carly winked at me and then turned away. “Julio, if you could take your crew out, I want to talk with my new employee.”
Her new employee? When had that happened? I didn't remember agreeing to this. “Hey...hold up a minute.”
Nobody paid me any attention.
Julio started ushering his men out while Carly turned to Ryan. “We need to get Jake to the hospital. Can you take him while I go over things with Bobby?”
Ryan gave me an uneasy look, and my estimation of him rose. “Carly, I’m not so sure...”
“Now everybody just wait a damn minute!” I raised my voice so they'd listen.
To my surprise, everybody stopped and looked at me.
“I’m not taking the damn job.” I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the whole stupid lot of them.
“Don’t be silly.” Carly waved a hand at me, like I was some kid who'd said there was a monster hiding in the closet.
“Silly?” Lowering my voice, I took a step toward her. “You think I’m being silly? Sugar, you don’t know who in the hell it is you’re trying to hire to guard your cute ass. You might as well be hiring the fox to lie down with the chickens.” My accent thickened as emotion took hold.
Her forehead wrinkled. She looked confused. And adorable. I wanted to shake her.
And kiss her.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
I curled my lip at her. “You want a bodyguard, maybe you should get somebody a little more trustworthy, sugar.”
I turned and stormed towards the door.
“And just what’s wrong with you, Bobby Cantrell?” she called out after me.
I kept on walking. At the elevator, I stopped and looked for the down button. Then I scowled.
All I saw was a slot for what looked like a keycard.
Damn rich people.
Frowning, I looked over at Julio who was watching me with a slightly amused expression on his face. “You mind?”
Carly cut between us. “I mind.”
I leaned down so my face was only a few inches from hers. “Sweetheart, there’s a word for keeping people against their will.”
“Yeah? What are you going to do? Call the police and tell them that I’m trying to offer you a job and you don’t want it?” She rolled her eyes. “Cry me a river...sweetheart.” She drawled the last word.
I opened my mouth, only to shut it with a snap a second later.
Straightening, I jammed my hands in my pockets as I deliberated about just how to handle her.
It came to me then. There was a beautifully simple way to end this, and all it required was the truth.
Skimming the room with a quick look, I finally settled my gaze on her. “You should probably know, I’m not exactly between projects. I fudged the truth a bit on that. I just got let go from my last job and haven’t even started looking for my next one.”
“Okay.” She smiled wider. “Sounds like this will be perfect then.”
I gritted my teeth. This woman was impossible.
“No. See, it wasn’t the boss. He liked me, appreciated my work, appreciated my willingness to work hard. But some of his clientele didn't like my background.”
I watched her closely. From the corner of my eye, I could see her two suits as well. I saw a flicker flash across Jake’s face, saw how Ryan’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Didn’t surprise me. I had a feeling at least one of them had already put it together.
“But in the end, he had to make a choice. It was his business, or me.”
“Why?” Carly stared at me, clearly baffled.
“Because I’m a convicted murderer.” I smiled at her, slowly. I took no pleasure from the way her face went pale, nor did it please me to see how dark her eyes suddenly seemed, but I continued on. She needed to hear this. With what was supposed to be an uncaring shrug, I said, “I’ve been out about a year. I did nine years of a fifteen-year sentence. And, yes, before you can ask, I am guilty. I killed a man. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.”
Carly continued to look at me, her eyes all wide and dark...and scared.
That bothered me. I couldn’t hide it from myself. Knowing that I’d scared her hurt me.
But I didn’t let it show.
I just stared right back and gave her a cocky grin while I was at it. It didn't mean anything, but I wanted the others to think it did. I needed them to make sure Carly was protected from herself.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Ryan and Jake exchange glances. After a few more seconds, Jake leaned closer, nodding his head toward the hotel suits, and then Ryan nodded.
Jake started toward me and I braced myself for some manhandling. I wouldn't even resist, I told myself. No matter what they did.
But Jake cut around me as if I wasn’t even there.
“Julio, perhaps one of your men could drive me to the nearest hospital? Ryan needs to stay with Carly.”
There was a low conversation that passed between them. I could have listened in, but I was too busy watching Carly. I'd wanted her scared enough to get her to understand why I couldn't be here, be near her. And I hated that I'd succeeded.
She was still staring at me. She licked her lips and it hit me. I wasn’t going to be able to follow through on that kiss. That sucked, but I knew it was for the best.
As the elevator door swung open behind us, I turned, intending to join Jake and Julio and Company.
Ryan blocked me. “What’s the hurry?” He gave me an easy smile.
“I think I’ve worn out my welcome,” I said, not bothering to hold back the edge of temper cutting into my voice. I could feel my head starting to throb. I just wanted to get home and lose myself in sleep.
“Oh, don’t worry. Jake or I will let you know when that happens.” He clapped me on the shoulder, not too subtly nudging me back from the door. “Carly, I don’t know about you, but I'm starving.”
Carly’s silence seemed to be all the answer he needed. As Ryan pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket, he shot me a look. “You like burgers?”
I stared at him. What was he talking about?
Ryan’s smile was friendly. “It’s not a hard question, man. Beef, cow, you know?”
“Suck my dick,” I suggested. I wasn't in the mood to be jerked around.
“I’ll take that as a maybe. Preferred it dressed or plain?”
Since the man was clearly not going to be dissuaded, I just sighed. “Dressed.”
As he busied himself on the phone, I moved back to the window. The glow of the lights was one I didn’t think I’d ever tire of. It was a great view.
“Who was it?”
Carly’s question caught me off guard.
I closed my eyes. “Does it matter?”
“Somebody died. How can that not matter?”
Such a simple statement. So very true.
“He was an asshole. An abusive asshole. He beat on his girlfriend. He beat on his mother. He beat on the whores he hired. He beat on the people who were late paying him money. He beat on anybody who crossed him. He tried to beat on me once, and I kicked his ass.”
“Is...” Carly hesitated and then continued, “Is that why you killed him? Because he hurt you?”
“Nah,” I said, shaking my head. I glanced down at her. “Derrell, he wasn’t worth that. He wasn’t worth much of anything, really. Just a punk. A trouble-maker. He was a dealer. I was a...” I paused, taking my time with how I finished that statement. “I was a problem solver. I was always good with my hands. Strong. Fast. We worked for the same guy. I didn’t mess with the drugs, but if there was a problem, somebody who owed money, or somebody causing trouble, I was the one who got called. But the man in charge, one day, h
e told me to go after this woman. She was young. Owed him money. She had a daughter. A little girl. He said...”
I closed my eyes and leaned in until I could press my forehead to the window. I felt Carly watching me. I didn't want to tell her, but she'd asked, and if this was how I could get her to understand why I needed to go, then I'd say it.
“He told me to grab the girl. Use her if I had to. I wouldn’t do it. I grabbed the little girl from her bus stop, took her to her grandmother’s, then called the mom. Gave them money. Told them to leave town, all three of them. They did. He found out. Said he’d send his boys after them, but she had a cousin in Texas who was a Ranger. She went right to him, and my boss, he knew better than to go down that road. I said I’d take her debt, but that wasn’t good enough. He tried to send Derrell after me. Derrell, he said he’d do the job right. Do it the way I should have done it.”
My heart was racing and I could taste the acrid tang of fear in the back of my throat. My time inside might've hardened me, but this memory still gave me nightmares.
I took in a deep breath. Let it out slowly. “I had a little girl. Or I was going to. My girlfriend, she was pregnant. I got there just as Derrell was tying her up. And I killed him. Then I called an undercover cop I knew. He'd been looking for dirt on my boss for a while, tried to turn me, but I'd told him no. This time, I told him I’d give him dirt, but he had to take care of my girlfriend, the baby.”
I looked back at Carly.
Dammit. She was crying. Big, silent tears dripping down her cheeks and I flushed.
“Don’t go crying about me.” The words came out harsh and ugly.
“But–”
“Don’t!” I snapped. “I almost got my daughter killed. I don’t even know where she is now. All because I had to take the easy way out. I don’t deserve any fucking tears.”
“If you took the easy way, you would have just grabbed that little girl to begin with!” Carly threw the words at me like a challenge. Her eyes were glittering, but it wasn't all sadness now. She was angry.