Page 25 of Protect Your Queen

Far more compliant, now that another father figure was present, she took his hands as he led her to the open door of the black Cadillac.

Yeah, Brian shouldn’t leave an idling car, with its fucking doors open in the middle of a potential conflict, but that was a fight for another time. Brian wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he pushed her into the car.

I shoved at his back, telling him to get into the seat with her, as I walked over to the driver’s side.Jesus, he had left the key in the ignition with the doors open? What was this? Amateur hour?

Security, he was not. He was definitely just a driver.

When the back door slammed, I had already put on my seatbelt. A car horn honked as I pulled out far too fast, almost coming to an instant stop as another car waited at a redlight. I tilted into the turn lane, looked left and right and gunned past the red.

“What the hell are you doing?” Jes said from her spot in the middle seat, her knees clamped together, her feet tucked elegantly to one side.

“Don’t mind me, but how about you put on your seatbelt, there, little Songbird?” I glanced at the rearview mirror and adjusted it to my correct height with one hand.

She absolutely fumed, and I almost wanted to laugh.

“Can you be a good girl and do what you’re told?” Again, I was teasing her.

Antagonizing her served two purposes. One, it amused the fuck out of me. Two, it would keep the shock at bay until I was ready to deal with the crash that would happen when her adrenaline tanked.

“Hard pass!” she said, narrowing her eyes.

That’s right, baby. You look cute as hell when you’re angry.

“He’s right, Miss Jestiny.” The old man reached around, pulling at the seatbelt over her shoulder, and tugging it down in a long arc, as if he was trying his bestnotto touch her as he buckled her in.

“Don’t take his side!” She turned to Brian, her voice softening just a little bit. Was she disappointed that he was agreeing with me?

“I’m not taking sides, Miss Jestiny.” Brian’s eyebrows came closer together. “But he did just save you…”

“He had no right to do any of that!” Oh, she was grasping at straws, trying to find something to be angry with.

“It’s my job, ma’am,” I drawled.

“And don’t call me ‘ma’am’! What do you think this is?”

What did it say about me that I found her adorable, now? I glanced down at my arm, where my expensive, new Brioni blazer was singed by a burned streak. Beneath it was the torn white silk shirt, and beneaththatwas my torn skin.

Despite the throbbing pain, I was relieved to see that it was just a graze. Superficial, and could be stitched up at home. I wouldn’t lose even more mobility. Thank God.

Maybe it was the relief talking, but a laugh bubbled in my chest, and I was doing everything I could to repress it.

“You’re mine to save,” I said, because it was fun to needle her.

“Sorry, that job belongs to our lord and savior, Jesus Christ.” She glared at me through the rearview.

I let out a loud belly laugh. Man, she was funny. I’ll give her that.

I weaved through traffic, cutting it way too close, and going way too fast. With my passengers buckled in, I definitely took a few sharp lane changes that tossed her from side to side, jostling that perfect, lightly curled hair.

I chuckled, because I knew what was about to happen. The more talented someone was, the more insane they were allowed to be. Stubborn insanity would even come off as charming and fun, as long as it could be backed with true ability. Insanity and genius were often separated by the line of lawfulness.

After seeing her raw talent, everything about her was about to seemverycharming.

Chapter nine

Detective

Jestiny

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