Page 135 of South Beach Bodyguards

Her jaw dropped. “What? What did you see in the kitchen?”

Nothing good. “No one is living there. The living room is basically empty and the kitchen has no small appliances or a refrigerator. It looks more like an interview room.”

“Maybe it’s just not rented? Or maybe that guy is renting it but lives somewhere else?”

“Why would anyone do that? It doesn’t look like a drug house or a flop pad.” I wasn’t quite sure what I was looking at but I knew I didn’t like it. That wasn’t normal. Especially given that the guy had come over with the cat. The cat he denied owning who was named Max and whose collar had a number that rang to a phone on the other side of that wall. Nope. Didn’t like this shit at all.

Miranda looked as concerned as I felt. “I don’t know but I feel like I need to turn on a floor fan or something to create white noise. Doesn’t it feel like we’re being listened to?”

Her voice was low and she had moved to the wall farthest from the shared wall.

“The guy isn’t home. If he was he would have to have super human hearing.” Unless the apartment was bugged. I would have to do a sweep. I dialed a number on my phone. “But I have an idea.”

Wester, a co-worker at Miami Security, answered my call. “What’s up?”

“Hey, listen, can you run something for me? I want to know who owns a building and who is living there now.”

“Why can’t you do that yourself?”

“Because I’m busy.”

“And I’m just sitting around doing nothing?”

“Probably. You answered your phone, didn’t you?” Wester was probably with his girlfriend, Olivia, and now that I thought about it, she lived only a few minutes from Miranda’s apartment. “You at Olivia’s?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Can you come over to 25th Street? I’m at my friend Miranda’s and I want your opinion on the situation next door.”

There was rustling and Wester cleared his throat. “Is it serious or can it wait, man?”

“It’s life or death.” It wasn’t even close to that but if I had an opportunity to cock block a friend, I was taking it. I ruined it by allowing too much glee to slip into my voice.

“You’re an asshole,” he said. “But fine, I’ll come over now, then I’m turning my fucking phone off for the rest of the night.”

“Perfect, thanks. I owe you one.” I ended the call and shot Wester a text with the address. “Another bodyguard is coming over to give his opinion on the situation. I want to make sure this place isn’t wired.”

“Okay.” Miranda was unpacking a box of books.

“What are you doing?” I asked, even though it was obvious.

She stacked them onto a bookcase, working quickly. “I’m freaked out. I have to keep busy. This day has not gone according to plan.”

Obviously I could understand her being a little afraid. The situation was weird. But did she mean sex with me as well? I sat on the couch and watched her, finally getting the chance to eat my chicken. Miranda’s hair had slipped loose of the messy bun she had put it in and was drooping down her back. I wanted to go up behind her and shift her hair aside and kiss her neck.

I wanted to slide my cock inside her again, from behind this time. But she was too distracted now.

What the fuck was going on here? Was it no big deal or was it something shady? I had a nagging feeling, one I could precisely place. It was the ominous sense of helplessness I had always felt when Max pulled his latest bullshit. This smelled like Max. I had never considered the possibility that Max would have kept tabs on Miranda over the years but it made total sense.

Max was a control freak. He wouldn’t want her to move on.

He would also enjoy fucking with her, or at least any men who might be in her life.

And sick as it was, I couldn’t help but feel smug. If he was watching her, then he knew she wanted my baby. Then he would know that we had sex, and that she had enjoyed every second of it.

But I didn’t see how Max’s reach would extend to Miami if he were somewhere else entirely.

I hoped Mickey would get some information for me soon.

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