Page 13 of Billionaire Bodyguard

The cops had quickly taken down the three shooters who’d stormed the club. But my ears still rang with the screaming tonight—from the terrified club patrons, from the cops, from the gunmen. While we hid, we heard the police storming in and neutralizing the situation. We hadn’t moved until the 9-1-1 operator had told Adler it was safe.

He’d crawled out first then held me to him while he carried me from the club, keeping my face to his chest with one hand. I knew people had been hurt. Though Adler had shielded me, I’d still seen the blood. I could barely breathe. People had probably died. People who’d just been out for the evening, hoping to have a good time.

Out on the sidewalk, we’d spoken to the cops and looked for the rest of our group. My knees had buckled when I’d seen my sister was okay. So were Booker and their entire security team, who’d hidden them behind the private bar in the opposite corner from where Adler had taken me.

Thankfully, Adler had caught me before I’d crumpled to the sidewalk.

“Baby girl, I’m not going anywhere,” he said now.

Baby girl? I shivered. He’d never called me that. He’d never called me anything but Linzey that I could think of. Exceptlittle girl. He’d called me that earlier today, hadn’t he? The things I’d felt when he’d said it, from the endearment and from the threat attached to it… Heat had suffused my entire body, my pulse beating heavily at my center. Little girl. I’d really liked that. Probably too much.

“No…I mean…” I dampened my dry lips, staring at his chest. “I need you to hold me. To stay with me. To be with me.”

His eyes met mine, dark promise in their depths. “Yes.”

One word. It told me everything. He understood I needed him.

His hand cupped the side of my face. “You still didn’t eat.”

“I don’t think I can,” I said honestly. “After what happened…”

“You can,” he insisted. “You will. You need to take care of yourself.”

I studied his stern face, a tremble throbbing through my core at the intensity of his gaze. My inner voice urged me to test him. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t stop myself.

“And if I don’t?” I dared to ask.

“Then you’ll be punished, little girl.”

My eyes widened before I could stop my reaction. Then, it was too late to hide what his words did to me. I looked away, lifting a shoulder. “I don’t believe you. You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, trust me. I would.”

“You can’t. You’re—”

“I’m what?”

“You’re my bodyguard. You’re supposed to protect me, not… Not do anything else.”

He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, his head tipped slightly to the side. “See I think that’s part of the problem?”

“What problem?”

“That you don’t understand the length and breadth of what protection means to me.” Straightening from the wall, he stalked toward me. He grasped my upper arms as he leaned over me. It should have scared me. It didn’t. It thrilled me the same waslittle girlhad.

“Protection,” he continued, “includes protecting you from yourself. It means utilizing whatever means are necessary to keep you safe.”

“Adler,” I breathed. “I—”

“You’ve been exercising until you’re ready to drop. Unacceptable. You haven’t been eating.Unacceptable,” he repeated on a growl. “And why? As a punishment? Exactly why are you punishing yourself?”

My sharp inhale seemed to echo through the great room as blood rushed past my ears, my pulse racing. Pain lanced through me. How could he know that?

“I’m not,” I denied, lying about my truth, my sickness. I’d thought I’d hidden my coping mechanisms.

Adler sighed, reaching for my hand and leading me toward the kitchen. “You are. And it ends today. You need an outlet? I’ll give you one. We’ll figure this out.”

I shook my head. He couldn’tfigure me out.No one else could. I couldn’t. How could he?

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