Page 41 of Guarding her Gangster Girl

Real fuckin’ smooth.

I roll to my side, punching the pillow in frustration. This job was supposed to be simple. Protect the widow, gather intel for Eva, prove myself in the Consortium.

But nothing about Brie Colombo is simple. She’s a puzzle, layers upon layers of carefully constructed facade hiding…what? A scared girl from a trailer park? A ruthless woman determined to avenge her husband? Or something else entirely?

And why the hell do Icareso much?

I’m not just breaking the Consortium rule, I’m obliterating it.

Don’t. Get. Involved.

The shower cuts off and I tense, knowing she’ll be out any moment. I should get up, get dressed, pretend nothing happened. But I’m rooted to the spot, caught between duty and desire.

The bathroom door opens, releasing a cloud of steam. Brie emerges, wrapped in a fluffy white towel, and another wrapped over her hair. She doesn’t look at me as she moves to the closet, selecting an outfit with meticulous care.

I watch her, words of apology dying on my lips. What can I say? Sorry I reminded you that I have loyalties to another woman?

She drops the towel, and I turn away, giving her privacy. The rustle of fabric fills the silence between us, heavy with unspoken words.

“I’ll meet you in the living room in ten,” Brie says coolly. “And then we’ll go to the clubhouse. We should discuss our next moves. Talking to Sophie Johnson, for example.”

And just like that, we’re back to business.

The so-called clubhouse at Solara is more like a whole damn resort, and holds everything I’d expect from a billionaire’s playground. As we walk in, a petite brunette with short-cropped hair and a megawatt smile rushes over to us.

“Mrs. Diamond!” she exclaims at Brie, her enthusiasm bordering on manic. “Why, your schedule’s just all over the place these days. I’ll rearrange the cleaner I planned to send over to your place today. But is everything alright?”

Brie’s mask of polite sociability slides into place seamlessly. “Everything’s fine, Katy. Just been busy.” She turns to me, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “This is Nik, an…associate of mine.”

Katy’s gaze flicks between us, curiosity evident, which is probably not a useful trait in staff members of a place like this. “Pleasure to meet you, Nik. I’m Katy. I oversee maintenance, cleaning, and pretty much any other concerns our residents might have.”

I nod, filing away the information until she’s gone. And then I turn to Brie. “You allow random cleaning staff into your house? That stops now, until we find out who’s after you.”

Brie scoffs. “Terry had all the staff checked out when I moved in here—and they only ever come in when I’m out. They’re on camera the whole time they’re cleaning, and Solara security reviews the footage regularly.”

“Still,” I say.

“I will not be reduced todusting,” Brie snaps imperiously. “I have to draw a line somewhere, Nik.”

We’re seated at a secluded table on the restaurant terrace, the Las Vegas skyline shimmering in the distance like a mirage. I let the cleaning thing go, but as we peruse the menu, the air is still strained between us, unspoken words hanging in the air.

“So,” Brie says, her voice carefully neutral. “Sophie Johnson. How do you think we should play it?”

At least she’s still willing to listen to my ideas. I lean back, considering. “Direct approach might be best. She’s already spooked. If we come at her sideways, she might bolt.”

Brie nods, her fingers tapping a restless rhythm on the tablecloth. “Agreed. We’ll need to tread carefully, though. If sheisthe assassin the Syndicate seeks—or even just if she was involved in Terry’s murder…”

“She could be dangerous,” I finish. A waiter arrives with our food, and I wait until he’s gone before continuing. “Maybe we could head back tomorrow, once the heat has died down a little.”

“Fine,” Brie says curtly, and I can’t take it anymore.

“Look, about what I said—” I start, but she cuts me off.

“Don’t worry about it. I get it. You’re just doing your job.”

I lean forward, my voice low and intense. “That’s not what I meant, and I think you know it. I’m sorry I spoke so carelessly. The truth is…” I trail off, searching for the right words.

Brie’s eyebrow arches. “The truth is what? You can’t wait to get away from the wannabe gangster girl and get back to your real work with the Consortium?”

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