Page 23 of Guarding Zuri
Arrogant jerk!If he thought she would kiss him and cross thatprofessionalline,hewas mistaken. Despite embarrassment burning holes in her cheeks, Zuri lifted her chin and walked into her room, but couldn’t stop herself from slamming the door behind her.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Daemon ordered his legs to keep walking away from the most beautiful and frustrating woman he’d ever had the pleasure toalmostkiss. Plump lips open and inviting, deep dark eyes pleading for him to take the lead. But he wasn’t free. Zuri Msongo was a client. However tempted he was to cross that line, doing so the day after her father’s death seemed in poor taste.Zuri doesn’t like me. She’s grieving. If we’d kissed, she would’ve regretted it.Not to mention, making his job protecting her awkward and problematic. Emotions would interfere with rational judgment.
And he needed every ounce of judgment when around her. A momentary slip would be his doom.
Daemon raised his eyes to the grinning faces of Blaine and Archer. If he hadn’t heard them approach from behind, he would be kissing Zuri right now, and giving his friends a show they’d take back to headquarters.I wouldn’t live it down.
“Have you got something for me?” Daemon said, slipping into Zuri’s seat and snatching up his tablet from across the table.
“Nothing that could compete with Zuri,” Archer said.
“Grow up,” Daemon answered with a growl.
“Touché,” Blaine said. He sat across from Daemon and Archer took a seat at his side. “We didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Perfect timing. Believe me.”
“Not from where we were standing,” Archer said. “And she wasn’t protesting. Finally. Maybe that’s what she’s been wanting all along—a good kiss.”
Daemon gripped his armrests, keeping him in his seat. “We didn’t kiss. And if you don’t show her some respect, I’ll beat it out of you.”
Blaine leaned back. His gaze volleyed between the two. “Whoa, buddy. He was only teasing, Daemon. Relax.”
Archer held up two hands in surrender, but his eyes held amusement. “Sorry, boss. Won’t happen again.”
Daemon collapsed back in his seat and drug a hand down his face. “No, I’m sorry. I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day.”
“Get some sleep,” Blaine said. “We’ve got things covered here.”
“In a minute. I want to read Parker’s latest report.”
“I’ve got it pulled up,” Archer said, jumping out of his seat. Blaine and Daemon followed him into the conference room. The large screen at the opposite end of the room displayed Parker’s intelligence report, just like Archer said. “Parker said Gohi announced Bayo’s death. It’s chaos on the ground.”
“The EG is sweeping the capital city,” Blaine added. “Pulling people out of their homes, interrogating them. Gohi posted to Twitter that he’ll arrest and prosecute everyone who helped Bayo and the resistance.”
“What about the delegations from Bayo’s allies? Did they make it out?” Daemon asked.
“Yes. We just got word from our State Department contact that they were wheels up thirty minutes ago. UK officials too. The representatives from the African countries weren’t targeted. Parker believes Gohi is less willing to anger them and start a regional conflict.”
“Agreed. He’d have to divide his forces to attack those countries and the resistance. What about Parker and the rest of the men?”
“I’ve ordered Parker and the team to get out of the city and relocate to our coastal headquarters.”
“Sounds good,” Daemon said as he read the assessment. What they had predicted became true: with Bayo’s death came pandemonium in the streets.If Zuri had stayed, we might not have made it out.He let out a breath, relieved he’d made the right call to move her to Virginia. From now on, every decision he made would be to protect her.
Including keeping his hands to himself.
He raked his fingers through his hair.What was I thinking?He’d meant to bring her comfort with that hug. Then he was going to escort her to her room so she could rest. Although she’d been arguing with him since the second they met, she was still fighting him because of grief, whether she knew it or not. All she had left to cling to was her frustration. He’d read the pain in her eyes. The desperation for him to relieve her suffering. But physical intimacy would be only a bandaid, to be washed off later, exposing her wound once again. Daemon couldn’t be a part of her healing. He still had trouble getting over Jeremy’s death. What good would he be in helping her cope with the loss of a father?
This is your fault, David.Work on his customer service,yeah right.He shouldn’t have touched her. The moment she collapsed into his body, his arms instinctively wrapped around her. The strong and confident Zuri shattered by grief. Her tears broke his resolve to remain professional. When he touched her warm cheek and watched her eyes drop to his lips—a silent invitation—it had taken all his willpower not to drag her into her room and onto the bed. He wanted to ease her anguish in the one way that they both desired.
“Daemon?” Blaine said in an elevated voice.
“What?” Daemon barked back.
“I called your name three times. Where are you?”
