Page 14 of One Hot Chase

"I'm not concerned with your job."

The bloke chuckles again and playfully punches my arm. "Your mother sent me. She wants to know why you were at the Savoy. Since I'm an old friend of Julian's, and a former constable, I offered to find out where you'd gone."

"How could my family know I was at the Savoy?"

The bloke shrugs. "Your sister grassed on you."

Oh, bollocks.

Chapter Five

Sabrina

I flag down another taxi and hop in, asking the driver to take me to a specific address that my sister had mentioned before. I didn't have time to call Roger for help. I needed to get away from Declan as quickly as possible. Panicking might not be the smartest option right now, but my mind is spinning out of control.

Why does Declan affect me so deeply? Maybe I do know why, but I'm not ready to admit it yet.

The driver drops me off exactly where I wanted to go, and I give the driver a generous tip before dashing up the steps of the unfamiliar house in front of me. As I reach for the doorbell, I wonder if they'll think I'm crazy. But I remind myself to be brave and just do it.

So, I press the doorbell.

A few moments later, the door opens to reveal a handsome guy with a welcoming grin. "Hey, Sabrina, come on in. Diana and Pippa are in the living room. We're all excited to get to know you. Follow me."

Derek Hahn is a fellow American, but his wife Diana is a British billionaire. As I walk into the house, I suddenly realize who Pippa is. Diana's brother passed away years ago, leaving his daughter under Diana's care, and later she adopted the girl. So, Pippa is both Diana's daughter and her niece. It's all rather complicated.

We enter what seems to be a sitting room or something of that sort. Most Americans don't have fancy names for their rooms, at least not anyone I know. Diana and Pippy are sitting on a luxurious sofa, smiling as they see me.

Pippa hurries over to me and wraps her arms around my waist in a firm hug. "I'm so happy to finally meet you, Sabrina. We've been hearing all about you and Tabitha. Can't wait to see her at the wedding. I already know Spencer and his brother Kendall."

"I'm happy to meet you too, Pippa. Spencer mentioned that you're the smartest young lady in all of England."

The girl blushes, then she dashes back to Diana.

Derek motions toward a high-back chair. "Why don't you have a seat, Sabrina?"

"Thank you." I sink into the comfortable chair Derek pointed out for me. It has plush cushioning that feels wonderful. "But please call me Bree. That's what my friends and family call me, and I'm sure we'll become good friends."

Derek takes a seat beside the two women in his life, casually draping an arm over the back of the sofa. The sound of a baby crying echoes from elsewhere in the house.

Diana turns toward her daughter. "Pippa, dear, would you be a love and look after your little sister for me?"

The teenager rolls her eyes. "What you mean is 'Pippa, get lost so the adults can talk in private.' Right?"

"Exactly," Derek chimes in with a wink. "Go on, kiddo."

Pippa obediently makes her way down the hall. As she disappears from sight, she calls out, "But I'm not a child!"

"Yes, you are," both Derek and Diana shout in response.

Sitting opposite two strangers, I can't help feeling slightly uncomfortable. They seem like nice people, and I'm sure we'll become friends eventually. But right now, it feels like there's a pebble in my chair, though I realize there isn't one. A minute ago, I confidently declared that we would all be great friends. Now, I'm not so sure.

Derek moves closer to his wife, and they both aim pleasant smiles at me. "Can I do something for you, Bree? A desperate phone call, asking for urgent help, is my kind of problem."

I raise my brows. "What exactly is your specialty?"

"I'm a bodyguard. In fact, I own the company---H&M Protective Services. The 'M' stands for Marshall, who used to be my boss before he retired and sold the business to me."

I sit up straighter, leaning forward. "You're a bodyguard? That's terrific. Can you protect me from a rude jerk who's been harassing me?"

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