Page 17 of Fiercely Protective

As I moved around the room, looking at the designer style closet and enormous bathroom, I wondered what he would call grand. The closet alone could be an extra bedroom and the bathroom looked like one of those you would see in a fantasy home show.

“My bedroom is across the hall.” There was an underlying sensuality to his words that captivated me and caused me to feel a little warmer.

He didn’t ask me to follow him, but I got the feeling it was expected. When we stepped into the master suite, I couldn’t stop the sharp intake of breath. It was much larger and decidedlymore masculine. The bed was along the side of the windows. There was a fireplace on the opposite wall. The bathroom had a huge whirlpool tub, and the shower was big enough and designed for more than one person. As I looked around, I started to get an uneasy feeling in my stomach.

“How long do you expect me to be here? I mean, the clothes I purchased today are already in the closet, which leads me to believe that you had every intention of moving me in before the incident tonight.”

He removed his tie and threw it on the bed. “What better place for you to be than here with me? When you accepted the job I offered, I did tell you that I was demanding. But after the incident tonight. I feel it is the only way for me to make certain you are protected, and I’m not going to lie, having you at my disposal both day and night is a rather exhilarating prospect.”

My eyes narrowed as I watched him begin to unbutton his shirt, the hint of a tattoo on his chest peeking through. I found it difficult to pull my eyes away. I finally broke free of the trance I had voluntarily slipped into and found my voice again.

“Like I said earlier, I quit. I don’t want the job. Contract or no contract. And as far as you doing this as some kind gesture just to keep me safe, I don’t believe you. And I don’t need protection. I am not connected to you or your friends. I am a nobody. Someone who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, you can keep your money and your protection, I don’t need it. And I am certainly not moving in with you. The farther away from you I can get, the better off I will be. You may have everyone else jumping through hoops to do your bidding, but I’m not going to be one of them. I am going back to my apartment.”

I turned, half expecting him to physically stop me, and walked back to the elevator. Surprised when I didn’t hear his footsteps coming behind me. Once the doors closed, I felt a sense of relief and finally let out the breath I was holding. The man was controlling and arrogant, but those coffee brown eyes and crooked smile still made me weak in the knees. I had to put some distance between us so that I could think clearly.

When the elevator stopped and the doors opened, I took a step out but was surprised to see the two security guards from earlier blocking my path. I tried to move around them, but they effectively stepped in my way, stopping me from going any farther.

“Miss Rogers, I’m afraid you can’t leave.”

I stepped forward and once again tried to get past them. “Get the hell out of my way! What do you mean I can’t leave?”

“Mr. Delaney asks that you return upstairs.”

“Mr. Delaney can fuck off, and so can you. I am going home, and you are going to get out of the way.”

I tried to push through them, and one of the men grabbed my arm. He twisted it back in some sort of submission hold, causing me to cry out.

“Please, Miss Rogers, we don’t want to hurt you.”

I heard the clink of handcuffs and when the man holding me reached for my other arm, I started fighting harder. There was no way I would get away if they managed to get the cuffs on me.

My head jerked up at the sound of the elevator doors opening, and I hoped it would be someone who would interveneon my behalf, but disappointment made my heart sink when I saw who was walking toward me. His face, hard and severe, held no hint of the teasing tone he had taken with me earlier. He was pissed, and I shivered when his eyes raked over me and then back to the men holding me.

“Take your hands off of her now, or I will kill both of you.”

He didn’t yell, but there was a chill to his voice that was frightening. The two men who had managed to get the cuffs on me immediately released their hold and took a step backward.

“She wouldn’t listen, Mr. Delaney. If we hadn’t detained her, she would have left the building.”

I stepped back into the elevator as my captor moved between me and the two security guards. His rage making the two men standing before him quake in their shoes.

“I told you to keep her from leaving the building. I never gave you permission to touch her. If you ever put a hand on her again, I’ll kill you both. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Mr. Delaney.”

Their faces both paled, fear evident in their eyes. I should feel sorry for them, but I didn’t. If they hadn’t been following their boss’ orders, I would have had a chance of getting away.

Mr. Delaney continued holding them with his cold stare before turning toward me, but his face did not soften. “That was stupid, Bri.”

“No, I was stupid for ever going to that interview and even more so for accepting an offer from a man like you.” I turned around and showed him the handcuffs. “Is there nothing in anHR handbook for your ‘organization’ that says handcuffs are not meant to be used in the workplace?”

His left eyebrow arched upward. “Do you need a reminder, sweetheart? You quit. You don’t work for me anymore, but if it will make you feel better, you can file a complaint.”

He pushed me backward, swiped his card, and again the elevator slowly took us to his penthouse on the 21stfloor. When the doors opened, he gripped my elbow, led me over to the sofa and shoved me down on it.

“Would you like a drink?”

“I would like for you to take these cuffs off.”

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