Page 1 of Protected

Chapter One

Dot

I swing open the front door and try not to drool. This isn’t a normal, everyday occurrence. I don’t commonly drool when I open the door, but today is different. Today, there’s a giant in my doorway. A thick, inked up, bearded giant. The kind of giant I’ve only read about in romance novels.

“Ma’am?”

Ma’am?I’m younger than him.Far younger.I’d guess nearly twenty years younger. He should be calling me miss or hot young thing.

I laugh at myself and clear my throat, wrapping my robe tighter around my frame. I didn’t know there was company coming, so I’m still bumming around in my nightgown. “Yes. How can I help you?”

He scans his eyes from left to right, as though I should know why he’s here. “I’m Hank. Hank from Rugged Mountain Security. We have an appointment today at noon to install cameras on your property.”

I glance toward the man with narrowed brows. “No, we don’t.” There was probably a nicer way to say it, but my body is confusing me now. I want him to stay, but not because I want cameras installed all over the property.

He glances down at his phone, then turns the screen toward me. “Is the owner of the house Mr. Benjamin Gray?”

My heart fills like a heavy, lead brick that sinks into my stomach.

My father.

I edge the door closed. Clearly, this isn’t going to turn into the sexual escapades of a romance novel. “Yeah, no. Youcannotcome in and I’ll be contacting the property owner. Thank you.”

The man steps forward, sliding his hand between the door and the frame. I could keep shutting the door, but I’m not trying to hurt anyone…yet.

“So, you’re not the owner of the home, then? Is the owner here, by any chance?”

I huff out a sigh and shake my head. I hope I look as annoyed as I’m trying to look. “No, he’s not, but I live here. So—”

“So, you’re the renter?”

I roll my eyes. Again, I hope he notices. “No.”

“Look… we got a call from Mr. Gray to come out and install security cameras on the property, so do you know when he’ll be back?”

In a romance novel, this man would take my word for the camera thing, pack up his tools, tell me I’m beautiful, and fuck me like a wild man in the back of his truck. Here in real life, he’s still asking about my father.

Real life is boring.

The sound of rocks popping beneath tires fills the air and I close my eyes, dragging in a deep breath.

Speak of the devil.

I love my father. I know he means well, but this is insanity.

Hank turns around to acknowledge the Chevy truck that’s pushing up the driveway. Of course Dad’s here, and of course he didn’t call me first. Why would he do that?

Suddenly, I no longer matter. The second Dad climbs down out of the truck, the giant has diverted his attention toward my father.

“Sir,” he reaches out his hand, “I’m Hank from Rugged Mountain Security. I’m here to install your cameras.”

Dad nods and tells the man to get to work.

Awesome.

“No.” I wrap my robe tighter and storm toward my father. Rocks poke at my bare feet, but I ignore them, favoring the rampage I’m on. I can’t look weak. “What are you doing? You can’t install cameras here. I deserve my privacy!”

He rolls his eyes and nods toward the man who’s stopped in his tracks. I’m sure it must be awkward for him to be set in the middle of a family feud, but I’m not going to roll over and let my dad take over my life just because of one weird encounter with one weird guy.

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