Page 3 of Hunted Hearts
“Black Heart Security.”
“What’s that mean to me? I’m not part of the family business.” Theo was on vacation, dammit. He hadn’t taken a vacation in… Well, ever.
Oaks went on, “There’s a musician with what appears to be a stalker situation.”
Theo pictured a pop star or a country music artist and started shaking his head.
Oaks started nodding. “We need you, man.”
“Why does it have to be me?”
“Because we have our significant others here. We can’t just leave.”
“Oh, I get it now. I don’t have a girlfriend, and that makes me the odd man out.” Suddenly, he looked toward the back of the group. His little sister was attempting to hide behind the wall of their bodies.
“Willow’s alone too.”
She gave him a sister look. “I’m not part of the security agency that way. I’m not trained.”
Denver turned to her. “That’s about to change as soon as we return to the ranch. You’re going toallget training and refreshers.”
Willow tugged on her long braid draped over her shoulder, a sure tell she was irritated. “Nowlook what you did, Theo.”
He issued a groan that was part growl. After everything he’d been through, the prospect of babysitting a musician with a stalker felt like a slap in the face—a demotion he hadn’t earned.
His middle brother Colt gave Theo a direct look. His gray eyes were just like every other Malone’s, even if they held a gleam of persuasion.
“It’s my vacation too,” Theo argued. “Carson should go—it’s his agency.”
“You already saw the world,” Colt said.
“Yeah—in gear! That’s not a vacation, and you all know it.”
Hell. He should just go—he didn’t want to be in Lake Tahoe with the family anymore, anyway.
He did want to do that fishing, though. He shot a longing stare at the lake, then he pushed past his siblings to reach the door, tossing a final word over his shoulder. “Fine. I’ll go pack while y’all have a great time.”
“Thanks for picking up the slack, Theo,” Oaks called after him, though it didn’t make him feel any happier to be leaving.
His family had no jurisdiction over him, but he’d take the order anyway. Pack his bag, show up and do the damn job. Because even if he had no personal stake in the star the world was suddenly worried about, protecting people was still his duty—and duty didn’t require a personal connection.
* * * * *
The scent of gardenias still hung in the air even though the bouquet had been crammed into the trash can at the far side ofJuliette’s dressing room. Her designer high heel balanced on top of it like a gravestone.
Juliette folded her arms and leaned against the sofa, watching her publicist pace the room like a cat on an energy drink.
“I really think you’re overreacting, Rachel.” Juliette kept her voice calm. “It was only a scorpion.”
“Only a scorpion!” Rachel stopped to slash a hand through the air.
“We’re in California. There are bugs. Big ones.”
Rachel spun to face her, eyes wild. “It crawled out of yourflowers. In yourdressing room. That’s not a pest problem, Juliette. That’s amessage.”
She rolled her eyes, even though her skin still crawled from seeing that thing’s slow, deliberate creep across her makeup table. And how hard it felt when she squashed it with her high heel.
“It was gross. But it’s not like it was a bomb.”
