Page 48 of Ronan

“Excuse me, can you give me one sec?”

“Sure, I’ll be right here. I’ve been dying to meet you.”

“Aw, just give me one second. We’ll take a pic too.”

She gasps and clutches her books to her chest as her eyes light up. She nods excitedly as I get up and signal for Hudson to come over. He moves quickly to my side.

“What’s up, boss? You need me to go kick the redhead’s ass?”

I scoff. “No, he’s fine. I know him. It’s the other guy. The one with the glasses and the sweatshirt. Find him and see if he’s a problem I need handled.

“Also, stay away from the redhead and out of sight when he’s around. Let the guys know he’s going to my suite. He’s not a threat, let him by.

“He doesn’t know me as DP and I don’t want him to find out until I’m ready. You get me?”

“I got you, boss. I’ll let the guys know. Stanley is here. I’ll go follow up on that dude.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem, boss.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. Hudson knows to play the background. He’s a sharpshooter, so he can give me a wide berth to live my life without him on top of me.

It doesn’t hurt that I was raised with my head on a swivel. I’ll drop a motherfucker before they get me. I glance around and release a breath.

The reader is still standing at my table, looking both nervous and excited. She’s reading the back cover of one of my older books.

“Thanks for being so patient.”

“You’re so welcome. I can’t believe I’ve never read this one. I thought I had read all of your books. This one sounds so good.”

“Here, I’ll sign that one to you. It’s on me.”

“Really? You don’t have to do that. I was about to purchase it.”

“Say less …”

“Mika. My name is Tamika, but my friends call me Mika. You’ve been a friend in my head sinceDon’t Rush A Player.

“That book was fire. I love how diverse your catalog is. I can get a dose of thug love or a fine educated Black man running shit.

“Although I meant what I said. I’d buy a book about your boyfriend as the muse. You’re one lucky sister.”

I finish signing her books and get up to take a picture with her. Even with my flats on, she’s way shorter than me. However, she excitedly goes to wrap her arm around my waist.

“Thank you so much for taking a picture with her. She wanted one before you offered, but was too scared to ask,” her friend says before snapping a few pictures with her friend’s phone.

“You guys enjoy the rest of the signing. There are some dope authors here.”

* * *

Ronan

“Hold him up,”I snarl at Lochlann as this piece of shit collapses to his knees.

From the moment I looked at him, I knew he didn’t belong anywhere near Dean. The tat on his neck and the back of his hand were my first clues. He didn’t expect to see me, that’s for sure.

The fucker nearly shit his pants. He’s lucky I haven’t blown his head off. Whoever sent him has a death wish and they set him up to die alongside them.

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