Page 92 of Guarding Bristol

“One of his enforcers.”

Bristol paled.

Cassie took her hands in hers.“That’s all I know right now.But you’re safe now, and that’s all that matters.We’ll get you home—unless you want to come to my place?”

“No.I want to go home.”

“Okay.Once we get you there, I’ll start making calls and get an update.”She hesitated before saying more.She didn’t like the guy, would give half her salary for the chance to kick him in the nuts for what he’d done to Bristol, but it was clear her stepsister felt deeply for him.Whether it was gratitude, Stockholm syndrome, or something else, she wasn’t sure.

“It’s the middle of summer.The waters here don’t get much warmer than this.So if TJ was a decent swimmer, there’s a good chance the other crew found him and got him out in time.”

“Unless he’d been shot.”

Yeah.There was that.

Cassie squeezed Bristol’s hand in silent support, then fished her phone out of her pocket, switched it on and shot off a quick text.

“Who you talking to?”

“Just reassuring our parental unit that I’ve got you safe and sound.”

She groaned.“You told them?”

“Had to.But don’t worry, I’ll handle everything for tonight.If we’re lucky, they’ll wait until tomorrow before they descend on you.They were scared as hell for you, Bris.We all were.”

She nodded.“Me too.”

In Crimson Point, Tristan pulled up in front of the walkway leading to Bristol’s townhouse.Cassie got her safely inside, then carried the umbrella back to the SUV where he waited.He rolled down the front passenger window.

“I’m gonna stay with her,” she said.

“Then I’ll just park this for you and catch a ride home.”

“No, you keep it for tonight.”She reached through the window to set the dripping umbrella down on the floorboard.When she straightened, her eyes locked with his.“Thank you.For...today.”

She had a disturbingly strong urge to get in the car and curl up in his lap, bury her face in the side of his neck and absorb all that quiet, controlled strength he radiated.But that was as forbidden as all the other illicit things she’d imagined doing with him—she shoved those into the rapidly-filling closet in the back of her mind too—and would lead to guaranteed disaster.

She’d worked her ass off to get this job and the reputation she was proud of.She wanted to be seen as equals with the guys, had something to prove to the firm, and wouldn’t risk it all by getting involved with a coworker.

Not even a green-eyed, six-foot-something redhead who made her ache with the loss of everything she could never have.

“Don’t thank me.Just glad she’s okay.Hey, before I forget.”He reached into his inside jacket pocket, pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to her.“This is for you.”

She unfolded it, saw it was two tickets to the concert she’d mentioned a while ago.“What did you do?”She couldn’t believe he’d done this, let alone remembered about the concert.

He frowned slightly.“I told you I would.”He shrugged.“It’s not a big deal, a friend comped them.”

She wasn’t sure she believed that.Was he for real?He couldn’t be.There had to be some fatal flaw in him she was missing.Like maybe he was actually a serial killer.Shit, what was he trying to do to her?

“One thing you should know about me?”

It wasn’t lost on her that he was echoing the exact same wording she’d used with him this past spring when they’d headed to Portland before the riots had broken out.“What’s that?”she made herself ask.

“If I say I’m going to do something, I do it.”His green stare was so direct.Unflinching.Cutting through all the protective layers she had purposely wrapped herself in.“Text or call if you need anything.”

“Will do.”She wouldn’t, because he was now the last person she trusted herself with for anything outside of professional reasons.“Thanks again.”

The hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.And God help her, all she could think about was tracing that spot with her tongue before delving inside to taste him.

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