Page 21 of South Beach Bodyguards

“Take the bullet?” She glared at me. “Wow, thanks, that’s such a flattering way of putting it. Never mind, I just totally changed my mind. Someone else can take the bullet, Ryan. Forget it.”

Ah, hell. She had taken that the wrong way.

I reached for her, but she jerked away.

Before I could apologize, we both heard it. Downstairs the front door opened. It had a distinct creak that had never been fixed. Isabel’s eyes widened as she looked behind me, fear making her reach out for my arm. I put a finger to my lips to indicate she should be quiet, then I turned, reaching for my gun. Looking back at her, I realized she was following me. I shook my head.

“Stay,” I whispered.

Moving into the hallway, I pressed my back to the wall, leaning to get a look down the stairs, my gun up. Then I immediately lowered it.

“Hey, asshole,” Alejandro said, his own gun pointed at me up the stairs. “What are you doing here?” His arm lowered as well.

My gut unclenched. “We’re getting a bag together for Isabel.” I had totally forgotten Alejandro was supposed to be doing surveillance on the house. Isabel’s little proposition had knocked the sense out of me. I needed to get my head back into the game. “How did you get in here?”

“Keys, dumb ass.” Alejandro held them up with a grin. “Why are you standing there just looking like an idiot?”

Good question.

Isabel came up behind me and touched my back. I actually jumped. “Fuck, are you crazy?” I yelled at her. “I have a weapon, Isabel! And I told you to stay in the bedroom.”

She reared back. “I could hear you. It sounded like everything was okay.”

“Well, you didn’t know that, did you?” I was being a dick, but I couldn’t help it. She had scared me. I didn’t want her hurt and I didn’t want her having some moron pawing at her just so she could shed herself of virgin skin.

“Dude, calm down,” Alejandro said. “What’s the big deal?”

The big deal was that I wanted to have sex with Isabel so bad it hurt and I couldn’t seem to think straight. It was dangerous. Just all the way around dangerous. “Mind your own business.”

“I’m pretty sure this is my business since Mickey sent me on surveillance.”

The fact that he was right was even more annoying.

He started up the stairs. “Isabel, I’m Alejandro. I’m going to be keeping an eye on the house so don’t be concerned if you see me. It just means I’m keeping you safe.”

My eye started to twitch. “I’m keeping her safe.”

Alejandro paused and gave me a look of curiosity. “Okay,” he said evenly.

Isabel stepped out from behind me and held out her hand. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. Thank you for keeping an eye on the house. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I appreciate that everyone is taking this seriously.”

“It’s his job,” I said shortly, and hated myself for it. I sounded like such a complete prick and yet, I couldn’t control it. So I pushed past Alejandro on the stairs and went into the living room. I needed more space. I was feeling pressed in by everything. By Isabel.

“What has the giant so angry?” I heard Alejandro ask Isabel.

“Me.”

At least she recognized she was driving me insane. I went to the picture window for no apparent reason and glanced outside, just needing to take a few deep breathes. I needed to go to the gym and work off some of my excess energy. Or take Isabel to bed.

No. That was out of the question. I wasn’t going to do it.

“How could a beautiful and sweet girl like you make him angry?”

I contemplated throwing up in my mouth. Alejandro was a tool. She was too smart to fall for that.

Isabel laughed. “You’d be surprised.”

There was truth to that.

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