Page 9 of Room Twenty-Three: Tangled & Teased

She glances at her cell and presses it against her thigh. Her previously flushed face drains of all its color. Suddenly realizing this is serious. “Who are you?”

“It’s best you only know we are here to protect you.”

Erin lets out a strangled laugh as she lifts her cell in the air, showing the three of us on the screen. “Google says you’re a training facility.”

She looks up and searches our faces.

Beau, Atty, and I glance at each other. “We are.”

“My father called a training facility for me to disappear to. Will I be safe here?” Her hand rests on her hip as she shakes her head and turns around.

I think she’s going to leave and say, “We’re paid to protect people.” I stroll further inside my office and pick up the paper on my desk, and read it over.

Atty takes her by her arm and walks her into the office. “Youarenow our client.”

She looks back and forth between us. Letting out a soft laugh. “Client?” But the word isn’t quite off her tongue when I can see the internal questioning as she thinks about everything. “Oh. Are you mercenaries?”

“We are involved in a wider organization that helps people wronged by others.” I hope the words are enough for her to stop questioning and keep my face as stern as possible.

“I see. And can I stay here rather than go to America? I still have a job.”

Beau clears his throat. “No, I have your passport. We have business to attend to in America, and then we’ll be going to France for a week.”

“I also have a job and friends.”

“You’re under our watch until the threat is over,” I say.

Her eyes widen as she tilts her head to one side.

“What did your father tell you?” I ask, while trying not to stare at the pale blue top as it hugs her full breasts.

“The men he works for murdered my cousin. I’ve always known they aren’t good people.” Her voice wavers and she shuffles, making her breasts wiggle. “He wants me out of the way until he resolves whatever is going on.”

I sigh. There is definitely something going on. It’s the one in my head. The battle between not looking at her or wanting to see what is underneath her clothes. I squeeze my hands into fists to stop the urge to drag off her jeans that currently show off her perfect heart-shaped ass and shapely legs.

Because I am not imagining myself drilling my cock into her tight pussy as she wraps those gorgeous legs around my hips.

I’m not.

Atty narrows his eyes at me, eyeing her tits, but slowly a smile breaks out over his smug face.

Holy fuck.

Be professional, Jove.

“Take a seat, and we can have a chat.” My teeth clench as I try to bury any thought of being inside her to one side.

I’ve seen photos of Erin and watched her from afar when we checked out all of Lia’s connections. But this is the first time I’ve seen her up close.

She’s a beautiful, but young woman. I can understand why Atty and Beau like her.

But I could never act on my feelings for Lia. And Lia would have been perfect because I know she has some kinks that I could’ve explored with her. But I couldn’t. We never cross the line with our clients. And Atty and Beau know they can’t with Erin either.

“At the pub... When we kissed.” Erin’s chest rises as she makes eye contact with Atty. “Were you stalking me?”

“We were at the pub to collect a client,” Atty says, not wanting to tell her it was her friend.

Beau twists to Atty, and arches an eyebrow. “Obviously Atty here was not totally professional that evening.”

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