Page 12 of Taming Scarlet

That said, there hadn’t been any issues like that since.

It was a lot easier to kidnap a beanpole twelve-year-old than it was a grown-ass woman.

I grabbed my caramel iced coffee, and my whipped cream cup for Hugh, and made my way back out onto the street.

As we stood there waiting for Hugh to finish eating his treat, my gaze slid to the bodyguard.

“You should have gotten a coffee,” I said, taking a long sip of mine. “It’s going to be a late night,” I informed him.

His gaze slid down me, then back up, eyes full of a million judgments.

“I’m sure it will be.”

That was it.

Most of the other bodyguards at least, you know, acted like human beings. Engaged me in conversation on occasion. Some even tried to kiss my ass, to be on my good side. Hoping that, I don’t know, my father would give them a bonus because I liked them.

This guy didn’t seem to give a shit what I thought of him.

Despite myself, I liked that about him.

I picked up and tossed Hugh’s cup, then picked up Hugh himself, and turned in the direction of home.

I needed to finish my coffee, down some electrolytes, recover a little bit from the night before, then go through the exhaustive routine of getting myself ready for another night on the town.

“Miss Chandelier!” the doorman, Henry, greeted me with his grandfatherly warmth. I mean, at least, I imagined it was grandfatherly. My own grandfather had been a cold, detached, judgmental asshole. “Someone left these for you,” he said, holding out a small bouquet of pink roses with a note attached.

My dove.

That was what was on the front of the envelope.

My stomach plummeted as my heart lodged up in my throat.

Twice in one day.

And this time, at my damn home.

It wasn’t like I thought I had even the illusion of privacy. I was a public figure. You could literally look up my address online.

That was why I lived in a manned building.

At least no one was getting in without permission.

That didn’t mean they couldn’t leave me gifts, though.

“Thanks, Henry,” I said, forcing a smile that ached, it was so fake as I took the flowers.

I could feel the bodyguard’s gaze on me as we climbed in the elevator together, then as we exited on the top floor.

I didn’t even go into my apartment to get rid of the flowers.

I tossed them right in the damn garbage chute.

Again, I could feel his gaze on me.

But he said nothing.

Maybe this one wouldn’t be that frustrating after all.

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