Page 21 of Vengeful Guard

But since that fateful day, it feels like some part of me has been dimmed.

Maybe Lara’s right. Maybe I need to get out there again, go back to living my life.

It scares the hell out of me, but what if that’s what I need to do to feel better?

I heave out a sigh and hug her back. “See you on Friday, sis.”

“Love you, Paige. Always remember that. All I want is for you to be happy, and I’ll always be here for you, okay?”

I nod. It’s nice that I can always count on my family. That I always have my father’s house to come back to if my world is falling apart.

As I leave the room, Declan’s standing in the hallway, his arms crossed over his chest as he frowns.

I sigh, trying to brush past him, but he holds my arm.

“You can’t do that again, Paige. This is not a game.”

I know, but I will not apologize. Not today, and not for this. No one cares that I have to live with my nemesis for god knows how long.

Declan sighs. “Okay, so you’re going to play this the hard way.”

“Is there any other way?” I shove past him and head outside to my car.

I brought myself here, I can get myself home, thank you very much.

Kael, the devil himself, is leaning against the driver’s door of my car. Legs and arms crossed.

I want to punch him in his smug face. “Move it.”

Of course, as always, talking to him as the same effect as talking to a wall.

“Do you mind? I’d like to get inside my car and go home now, please.”

He holds out his hand and curls it a couple of times as if asking me to hand him something.

I frown.

He raises his eyebrow and looks at his hand then back at me again.

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak… whatever your language is. Now, do you mind?”

I take a step closer to my car and the man blocking it, and an irresistible scent envelops me. Like pine and oak, something woodsy.

When I realize this is Kael’s scent, I try not to sniff the air as he moves to block my passage even more.

What the hell?

“Not happening, princess. That’s my job now. Comes with the demotion to babysitting you.”

“First of all, you are not babysitting me, you are my bodyguard. Which is little more than a fly on my wall. Kids interact with babysitters, and I will not be interacting with you unless I’m either dead already or close to it, so I hope that clears that confusion.”

I throw my hair back over my shoulder. “And second, I can drive myself, thank you very much. Get your own damn ride.”

“There seems to be a little misunderstanding here, princess.”

“Argh. Stop calling me that. And there’s no misunderstanding. You work for me, so you do what I say, and right now I say move the hell out of my way so I can get home.”

He shakes his head. “See? That right there is where you’re wrong. I don’t work for you. I work for your Da. And if you don’t do everything I say, you are back in there—” He tilts his head toward the mansion. “—so fast your head will be spinning.”

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