Page 44 of Protecting Hailey

My mother nearly jumped out of her skin, and Christian closed his eyes.

“Hailey. I thought you were sleeping.”

“I’m not.”

“Well,” she began and pulled a strand of hair away from her face. “I was just telling Christian that we no longer need his services.”

Christian’s jaw clenched.

She turned to him. “Is that true, Christian?”

He shook his head. “No, ma’am. Hailey very much needs protection. Now more than ever. If you no longer feel I’m the right person for the job, that’s fine. But don’t fire the whole company. I’ll send one of my brothers in my place.”

He clenched his jaw again, and I was sure one of his back molars would crack from the pressure. He was angry. Did he think he messed up this assignment as well? No. I wouldn’t let him feel that way.

“I thank you for your concern, Mother. But Christian isn’t going anywhere. He has been the best bodyguard I’ve ever had, and one kiss is not going to change that.”

My mother rushed to my side. “Hailey, be reasonable. People are already saying you’ve cheated on Trey with him. If you continue this behavior, it will only fuel the fire.”

My body flushed from head to toe at her response. “Are you saying you care more about what people think than my safety?”

She blinked. “No. That’s not what I’m saying at all.”

I shook my head at her trying to tell me otherwise, when her words so plainly stated the truth.

“Hailey. I hired this man so I can fire him. We’ll find you someone else.”

“He’s standing right here, Mother. And no, you will not fire him because he’s my bodyguard.”

We stood staring at each other for several seconds before my mother cleared her throat. “Fine. He can stay.” Then she turned to Christian and poked his chest. “But you keep your hands off of my daughter.”

He stared at her finger, but didn’t remove it from his body.

With a huff, she turned on her heels and left.

I exhaled, releasing some of the tension from my shoulders.

“Thank you,” he said.

I nodded. “Let’s eat.”

When I entered the dining room, my dad, Uncle Joe, Aunt Betty, and Cousin Anya were all seated at the table. Everyone stopped talking when they saw me. I sat down at the end of the table in my usual spot.

I looked around the room but didn’t see him. “Christian?”

He walked into the room. “Yes?”

“Aren’t you going to join us?”

“Hailey,” my mother began, but I glared at her.

“We always eat together. Today is no different. Come, sit down. What are you going to do? Eat alone in the kitchen? Absolutely not.”

My mother growled and stared at me. Everyone watched the stand-off between me and my mother, but no one commented.

“All right,” he said and sat down in front of me.

“Thank you.” Then, turning to my father, I said, “Can you pass the pasta, please?”

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