Page 106 of An Indecent Longing

“Now you sound like me. And who says it’s going to fall apart?”

“I can’t ever tell them who I really am. I don’t want to build a relationship on a fundamental lie. Ben and I had one date. Ian and Ben and I shared a few hours in bed together. I’m not even sure they want a repeat performance. And now Dad hired them as my guards. Maybe they think they’re getting paid to sleep with me.”

“Whoa.” Risa held her hands up. “Now you’re just working yourself into a frenzy. Don’t. Okay? Just…stop.”

“I can’t. I still don’t know why Ian cut me off in the first place. I don’t know what Ben sees in me. Maybe they have a thing for awkward brunettes. Maybe it’s all some elaborate joke. Maybe—”

“Maybe you’ve gone off the deep end.” Risa’s wry tone made Dorrie suck in a deep breath. “That’s enough of that. You’re making me paranoid.”

“Well, then, welcome to the club.”

“Oh now stop. When did you become such a drama queen?”

“About ten o’clock this morning when I realized there were two men waiting for me after my game and neither of them was Blank.” She looked at her watch. “Shit. I’ve got to go. I told Blank I’d release him today but I need to see him first. So now I have to call Ian and Ben to pick me up. I can’t believe they agreed to this. A few days ago, Ian didn’t want anything to do with me and now he’s going to be by my side twenty-four-seven. It makes no sense.”

“It does if he cares about you.”

Dorrie hadn’t let herself think about that. “I need to go. Blank’s probably climbing the walls.”

Risa’s mouth curved. “I’m surprised he stayed as long as he did.”

Dorrie didn’t point out that Blank’s injuries had been severe.

Pulling up the call log, she stared at it for a few seconds before sighing.

“Do you want me to do it?” Risa asked.

Dorrie rolled her eyes. They both knew that wasn’t going to happen.

“Then suck it up, buttercup.” Risa leaned back into her chair, her expression pure challenge. “Make the call.”

“I am so going to laugh when you’re the one in this position.”

“Oh hon.” Risa shook her head. “I am never going to be in your position. It’s just not going to happen.”

* * * * *

Ben pulled to a stop in front of Dorrie’s office building, not surprised when Ian had his door open before the car stopped moving.

Ian was pissed, probably because Dorrie had called Ben—not Ian—to say she’d meet them here. One of Antonoff’s men would deliver her and wouldn’t leave until they arrived.

“I’ll check to see if she’s upstairs.” Ian held the door open long enough to speak. “She’s not answering my texts. If she gets here before I get back, bring her in and I’ll meet you upstairs.”

Then Ian slammed the door shut and took off before Ben had a chance to answer. When Ian was gone, Ben finally released the breath he’d been holding.

Ian was wound tighter than a ballerina’s bun, and if his cousin didn’t chill, Ben was going to punch him. He’d gladly pay the consequences for a few minutes of peace.

Shit, maybe this wasn’t the best idea. Maybe they were too close to her to protect her. But when he thought about anyone else guarding Dorrie, his eye started to twitch. And he knew Ian would’ve agreed no matter what Ben had decided.

Realistically, though… Probably the worst idea ever.

They’d slept with her last night and today they were supposed to make sure some unknown threat didn’t snatch her because he wanted leverage against the crime lord who paid her bills.

Hell, the writers of Law & Order would’ve rejected this storyline as too unbelievable.

Resting his hand on the steering wheel, he settled into a more comfortable position and cased the area. He didn’t expect to see anything out of the ordinary, but he knew never to make assumptions. They usually came back to bite you in the ass.

Seconds later, a car pulled up behind him. The driver got out and went around to the passenger side, where he reached in to help Dorrie out of the backseat.

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