Page 196 of The Re-Proposal

He gives no indication that he heard me.

Awkwardly, I leave the hospital room and join the ladies outside. I check my phone on the way and note that the articles haven’t disappeared.

My blood heats when I see the negative comments about Ris online.

What’s a girl like that doing with Cody Bolton?

You think she’s an escort?

I saw her selling weed once. I’m sure it was her.

My temperature rises until I’m seeing red. I’ll have Vargas hunt down every last one of those creeps and slap them with a lawsuit so severe they’ll never get out of it alive.

Clarissa touches my hand. “Cody, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I pocket my phone before she sees the messages. “Just work.”

Clarissa narrows her eyes but, thankfully, her mom reclaims her attention.

When we arrive at her place, Doberman and his team park behind us. They line up on the street and then follow us into the apartment.

“Is all that necessary?” Liandra gestures to the guards. “People are looking at us like we’re weird.”

“For now, it is necessary,” I say simply.

Liandra frowns and shoots inside the apartment.

“Are you really not coming in?” Clarissa asks. “I’ll get mom to behave.”

I shake my head and cradle her face, rubbing my fingers over her chin. “Ris, there are some weird articles circulating. For the time being, don’t check your phone.”

“Why not?”

“Just don’t. Promise me.”

Her eyes search mine. “Is it that bad?”

I nod.

She sighs. “Okay. I promise.”

“Another thing.”

“What now?” She groans.

I glance at Doberman.

She sees the direction of my gaze and shakes her head. “You’re not going to ask me to live with my own scary team of guards, are you?”

“It’s for your own good.”

She frowns. “Cody, the police are looking for Winifred. They’ll find him.”

“It’s not just Winifred. In the future, anyone can use you to get to me. Clarissa, just one look at us and they’ll know that I’d burn my company to the ground for you. I can’t allow people to use you against me.”

“So what? I’m your weakness now?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”

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