Page 19 of Just My Ex

“I guess.”

“Can we have a meeting with the family tonight?” I stop myself from using the nickname I gave her years ago, “Queen.” She was my “Queen,” and I was her “King Henry.” I grind my back teeth together to steady myself. “Everyone needs to be on the same page. It’s best if we tell them the truth. But there is a fine line between honesty and scaring everybody.” I’m lost in thought a moment, figuring out what to say and do that will help make this security assignment run as smoothly as possible.

“I guess everyone needs to know what I’m doing here.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. “I can go over some protocols. Make sure everyone knows how serious this is.”

She gives a decisive nod and then sticks a thumb behind her. “I’ve got to get back to the running.”

“I understand.”

I let her go on ahead of me, but I run at a reasonable distance behind her. Because I don’t think it’s smart to let her out of my sight.

Doesn’t mean she likes it. She looks back a couple of times during the run, glaring in my general direction.

Being around Quinn again is going to be frustratingly hard. But being here will help me be a better father to Navie, which I’m grateful for. I can’t explain this to Quinn yet, but there are several wheels in motion for some long-term work on my relationship with my daughter, and I can thank Raymond for it. His actions against Quinn are what allowed me to have these epiphanies in the first place six months ago.

Maybe I can pretend Quinn’s a part of the Ostlin family. If I can manage that, great. Because the Ostlins, even though I’ve worked in their security detail for years, are strictly business for me.

I can work on my relationship with Navie, but as far as Quinn is concerned, I have to see this as a job.

A job protecting someone who’s even now shooting daggers from her eyes at me.

It’s okay. I’ve had worse from the Ostlins over the years.

Quinn hates me. But even hatred can be useful.

Chapter 8

Quinn

So. We’re doing this now, huh?

The perfect gene pool that is the Tate family is represented quite well today, as three of the six brothers, plus Elianna, Sophie, and Oakley are seated around the boardroom table. Stella is here, too. It’s a gorgeous mix. All lovely people.

Noticeably absent? Alec.

And Henry is briefing them all on the steps he’s taking to keep Navie and me as safe as possible.

He’s got his poker face on as the screen behind him comes to life. “Quinn and Navie have been compromised, so to speak, and as such, we all need to have the right information to help this run smoothly. I know you’re mad at me—” He looks at his brothers. “But Quinn is still family and family sticks together.”

He’s standing here in front of us, looking like the biggest Bad-A on the planet.

And I’m not hating it.

I should.

I should be hating this display. But when the man you used to love is giving off protector pheromones to the nth degree, you gotta forgive a woman for a little heat under the collar.

A wildly attractive man is riled up to the point of anger about my loony relation harassing me and is here to save the day, to save our daughter and me?

Well.

I can’t be responsible for feeling just a tad bit …feminineover it, okay?

Doesn’t mean I want this to happen, and it doesn’t mean I want him here. But heishere. And the whole family’s dialed into the secret Henry sauce—a mix of confidence and efficiency.

We’re all on the edge of our seats.

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