Page 6 of The Brat Tamers

Porter takes one step back, rubbing his hand down his face in frustration.

“This has to happen,” Mr. Krushner says to his daughter.

She stamps her foot against the marble floor. “But if this is an overzealous fan, I should be here to talk to them. Maybe I can change their mind? I’ll give them a swag bag or something.”

I shake my head and grab her arm, completely over having this conversation. “We will escort you to your apartment so you can pack a small bag.”

“And put on some clothes,” Porter grumbles, turning to the door.

She glances down at my hand on her arm and then up at my face, her eyes narrowed and pouty lips pursed. I figure she’s going to fight, but surprises me with, “Fine. Let’s go.”

I escort her out the front door and into our SUV before driving around the massive property to her apartment in the back. Porter jumps out of the car, doing a quick sweep of the property as he runs inside. Case, who sat in the back with Epi, stretches his arm over her and slams the door shut when she tries to exit the vehicle.

I turn around to glare at her. “Let’s get a couple of things straight, Ms. Krushner. While you are under our care, you will do exactly as we say. You don’t enter a room without us checking it first. You don’t exit a vehicle without us clearing the area. Do you understand?”

Her jaw drops open and her eyes narrow. “You can’t talk to me this way.”

I flash her a taunting grin. “Actually, I can. What’s even better, Ms. Krushner, is I’m getting paid to do so. This can be easy, or this can be hard, but how this goes is entirely up to you.”

Porter comes around the back of the vehicle and opens her door, offering her his hand. “Everything is clear. Let’s get you packed so we can go.”

Case and I also exit the vehicle, but I give Porter a head nod and he goes with her inside the apartment.

Apartment, my ass.

This place is bigger than most homes. Case and I make a lap around the property, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

“What do you think?” Case asks, his gaze scanning every bush, every tree, every hiding place between here and as far as we can see.

My eyes are doing the same thing. “What do I think about what?”

“You know damn well what I’m talking about.”

“No, I don’t, because we’re not having this conversation. We’ve taken on a new client, and our orders are very simple—keep her safe and hidden until we can rescue her sister and eliminate the threat.”

“Yeah, our orders are simple, but spending time with her will not be.”

I shake my head. “No other choice. This is what it is and nothing more. You, me, and Porter will keep our cocks in our pants until this is over. End of discussion.”

He lets out an exasperated breath. “I know you’re right, but if she gives us even half the attitude she’s given us so far, it’s gonna take everything within me not to bend her over my knee.”

“Yeah.” He’s preaching to the choir. My hand’s been itching since she ran into a group of very large, very hard, very dominant men. If she was ours, her ass would already be bright red for flashing her shit in everyone’s face.

A shrill scream echoes from the house. Case and I take off at a dead run through the front door, weapons drawn. Porter’s walking towards us and shaking his head, his jaw clenched. I look at him, then down the hallway at Epiphany, pacing back and forth in her bedroom and pitching a fit.

“She’s freaking out because I told her she couldn’t bring her computer.”

Case laughs. “Dude, she lives her life online. Of course, she’s going to have a fit.”

I lower my voice. “Where we are going, there is no Internet, but she doesn’t need to know that. We’ll put her stuff in the lead-lined box in the trunk, disrupting all signals, and she’ll never be the wiser.”

Staring down the hallway, I take a deep breath and square my shoulders. “I’ll fucking get her. Porter, you’re with the truck.”

“Roger that.”

I hear Case’s footsteps fall in line behind me as I stomp down the hallway. As soon as I get into her room, I use my booming command voice. “What the hell is the hold-up?”

My tone has the desired effect, causing her to jump and spin around with wide eyes. “Jesus, you scared me. Why are you yelling?”

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