Page 18 of Vengeful Guard

I mean, he’s just objectively hot in a universal way with his strong jaw, sandy-colored stubble, and lean, lithe body. And I hate that his sandy hair curls at the ends giving him even more of a bad-boy playboy look. In any other guy, I’d be drooling by now.

But him? Yuck.

A shiver runs through me, and I look away.

He hasn’t looked up at me either, but he doesn’t need to. I remember his ocean-blue eyes just fine.

Not that he’d know the color of mine. He never bothered looking at me if he could help it.

We are oil and water. Chatty outgoing, bubbly girl and silent grump.

Kael’s a hard nut to crack. Not to mention he used to call me “short stack” when I was growing up.

Hilarious. Not.

In any case, I sure as hell am not allowing Kael Sullivan to be my bodyguard.

Declan turns to me. “Paige?—”

“Absolutely fucking not.”

Kael chuckles.

What the hell? Is he making fun of me?

He still doesn’t look at me, though. “Don’t remember you having such a dirty mouth.”

I freeze, his words doing something to my body that I don’t like to think about.

But my mind tricks me and has me thinking about them in another context...

Stop it, Paige.

I’m just... well, I’m a little sexually frustrated.

Being a virgin at twenty-seven years old will do that to you.

Not like I had a choice, being sheltered and watched whenever I left the house, given who my family is wasn’t exactly conductive to an active sex life.

And I didn’t move into this house until after the attack, so it’s not like I had any inclinations to go out after that.

And now, even if I had, with a personal babysitter, I am doomed.

It’s not like I can tell him to leave me alone for a couple of hours just so I can do the deed or something.

And this is Kael we’re talking about. My brother’s best friend. A pain in my ass.

Declan clears his throat, and I’m back to reality.

“I don’t need a fucking babysitter, Declan.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Gray said you agreed to this.”

“Fucking Gray,” I mumble. “Whatever. I might have agreed to having someone look after me, but I never agreed to have him do it. So, if that’s your only choice, you can leave now. I’d rather take my chances alone.”

“Paige, you could’ve been?—”

“I know that!” I burst out, feeling emotional and angry and not quite knowing why.

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