Page 3 of Falcon's Prey

“Hey, Siri,” I shouted.

“Good morning, Ember. How may I assist you?”

The surround sound was to the max, and I shrieked. My head was sure to explode now.

“Text Dr. Wozniak.”

“What would you like to text him?”

“Come now, exclamation point, exclamation point.”

I waited while she repeated the text to me and then sent it. Dr. W would come with a banana bag, and I would feel so much better. I laid in the dark for a few more seconds, and then I got up, went to my nightstand, and blew out the white candle I’d lit before leaving the house last night:Angel de mi Guardia, my guardian angel candle that I got from a little Mexican flower shop every time I went. The lady said it was for protection. Angels didn’t play where demons went to prey, but that was just my opinion. Still, like clockwork, I kept going back for more candles. Before I left my room, I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I was still in last night’s barely-there dress and makeup.

“Oh good, you’re up,” came Sammy’s, my dad’s head of security, cheery voice as I made my way down the stairs of my three-floor penthouse.

I loved Sammy. When I was young, he’d been my bodyguard. He’d taken care of me, and when I went through my rebellious stage, he hadn’t judged me. He still didn’t. Sammy was the best, and my father knew it, since he’d made him head of the whole family’s safety. The bad thing about that was, when he’d made Sammy head of security, he’d taken him away from me.

“Barely. Is Dr. W here?”

“Not yet. Come here, kiddo,” he said.

I rolled my eyes but followed the sound of his voice to the kitchen.

“I’m sorry about yesterday, but as you can see, I’m safe and in one piece,” I said to him as he came into view.

Sammy gave me a disapproving head shake and took a sip of his coffee. “Well, he’s fired.”

I sat on the stool of my breakfast bar and scrunched my nose when my maid, Karen, put food in front of me.

“Ewww, take that away,” I groaned.

She immediately did as I asked.

“Sorry, I guess. I mean, it’s like, he should have known I would ditch him,” I told Sammy.

“Your safety, Ember, is no laughing matter.”

“I’m safe and sound. No harm, no foul.”

Sammy ignored me and motioned for someone to come in.

“Don’t tell me you got another poor schmuck to watch over me already?”

Sammy gave me ayou should know betterlook.

“Ember, meet Ren Falcon. Falcon, meet your worst nightmare.”

I didn’t have the energy to turn around, but I did it anyway.

Fuck. Me. Sideways.

I’d had good-looking bodyguards before. I’d let them guard my body real well, if you know what I’m saying, but none of them looked like the man in front of me. For one, he was not in a suit. I let my eyes trail up from his black combat boots, to his dark jeans, gray V-neck, and leather jacket. His chest looked hard and defined, and from what I could see of his arms, they weren’t too shabby either.

He had a lovely neck, not too thick or thin. I wasn’t one to stare at throats, but then he swallowed and his Adam’s apple bobbed, and don’t ask me why, but I thought it was hot. He had a full beard, neatly trimmed. Blond. I’d never had a thing for blond guys—until now. His hair wasn’t too short, but not too long, and was slicked back without looking greasy or grimy. It just looked…hot. His face was hard and rugged. Even though his jaw was covered in facial hair, I could still see how sharp it was.

Once my eyes made contact with his, I forgot to breathe for a quick second. Either that or I still had junk in my system and was about to OD. He had gorgeous blue eyes, like the sky with no clouds. I quickly averted my eyes from him without registering the look he was giving me.

I gave him another glance. My new bodyguard was the definition of masculine beauty, and he was looking at me like he hated me.

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