Page 7 of Divine

“I don’t fuck with any and everybody. I like to do my own thing,” I said, hoping to avert the inevitable question. No, I wasn’t replacing my dad once he retired.

“I feel you. Carl Wilson is an old friend of my aunt’s. You came highly recommended for this position. That’s another reason why I said you remind me a lot of myself.”

“In what way?” I asked, wondering what else this background check of theirs entailed.

“In how you cursed that bitch ass Jack Walsh out like the dog he is. You know how much I regret not beating his ass when I had the chance? We were bidding on some of the same contracts back when I was getting my business off the ground. He’s so underhanded and nasty. It took everything in me not to smack the shit out of him for running his mouth. If it weren’t for my aunt, they would just now be getting my foot out of his ass.”

I shook my head. “I’m still pissed I didn’t put him on his ass.”

I followed Syre as he walked over to a big black truck and leaned on the hood before continuing to speak.

“So listen, I like to work on vibes. I narrowed my search down to four before today, and I really want you for this detail.”

“What does the job entail anyway? Who exactly am I protecting?” I asked, remembering that he mentioned his prized possessions.

“Look over there,” he said, motioning with his head.

I followed his eyes to a white BMW where a woman with skin the color of toffee and jet-black hair cascading down her back stepped out. With her head held high and huge sunglasses covering most of her face, she tossed her hair over her shoulder. She was short and thick with an ass that would make my mouth water if I weren’t 100 percent sure that she was my soon to be boss’s wife or something.

She was bad as hell, and she knew it. Sexiness reeked from her so loudly I could sense it from across the parking lot. She exuded confidence as she strutted into the smoothie bar that we’d just walked out of as if she owned the place.

“So, you need me to secure this place?” I asked, unsure exactly what my task would be.

“Nah, just the woman who went inside. If she’s here, you’re here. You go where she goes. Don’t let her shake you off either. Her little bitty ass is crafty.”

With a quick shrug, I nodded. “OK.”

“She’s beautiful, huh?” he asked casually.

“I didn’t get a good look,” I lied, knowing that my future depended on my response.

“Good answer. The first rule of this shit is don’t touch the merchandise. The second rule is don’t touch the fucking merchandise. I’m sure you know what the third rule is.”

“Don’t touch the merchandise,” I repeated his words.

“Don’t touch the muthafuckin’ merchandise,” he reiterated.

“No problem.”

It didn’t matter how sexy she was. No woman was worth fucking up a good opportunity, especially not another man’s wife. That kind of shit could get you killed. There was enough pussy out there that I didn’t have to go after one that belonged to someone else.

“Other than that, make sure she goes to bed and wakes up in one piece every morning. My sister is one of the most important people in the world to me. If I could, I would guard her with my own life. Unfortunately, I can’t be in multiple places at one time. Since I can’t, I’m willing to pay you top dollar to guard her with yours.”

“Got it.” I nodded. So, she was his sister, not that it made a huge difference. People had been killed for less.

“If you think you’re up for the task, you can start Monday.”

“Should I meet her here?” I asked.

“Nah, I’ll send you the information Sunday night.”

Just like that, I was once again among the employed.

* * *

I walked out of the bathroom, moisturizing my freshly showered skin before picking up my phone to check the time. It was two hours before I was supposed to start my new security detail, and I still hadn’t gotten the address to where I was supposed to go.

I liked to be early when starting a new gig so I could survey the lay of the land. Plus, you never knew if you would run into a wreck or funeral. Traffic was sometimes unpredictable, so I preferred to get an early start to make up for any hiccups I might face.

---