Page 33 of My Grumpy Billionaire Protector

“What’s up with you?”

I lower my head and throw a kick that makes the punching bag rattle around. “Nothing.”

Cory steps into my field of vision and holds the punching bag steady with both hands. “You want to try that again?”

I shrug and straighten my back. “It’s nothing worth mentioning.”

Cory releases the punching bag and steps out from behind it. “You know you can talk to me about shit, right? I mean, I’m not a psychiatrist or anything, so if you’re looking for the whole spiritual journey, I am not your guy.”

I bend down to reach for my water bottle and bring it up to my lips. “Duly noted.”

Cory runs a hand over his face. “At least Isaiah is allowing us to walk around, use his home gym and stuff.”

I clear my throat and take a few sips of water. “What are you talking about? This isn’t a good thing.”

“At least we’re not locked up in a dungeon or something.” Cory makes a vague hand gesture and grimaces. “There’s still something to be thankful for.”

I frown and use the back of my hand to wipe my mouth. “We’re still his prisoners, Cory. We need to find a way to get out of here.”

Cory lifts his chin up and exhales. “Maybe if we can convince Evie to cooperate, then he’ll let us out.”

I raise an eyebrow. “If you know how to get through to her, be my guest.”

Cory shrugs, his eyes dancing over the makeshift gym and lingering on the treadmill in the corner. “I don’t know, but she has to know that our best chances of getting out involve working together.”

“Something tells me that Evie is not in the cooperating mood.”

Not so long as she believes we are in league with Isaiah.

So far, no one has even noticed we were missing.

“I heard she jumped on Lexi’s back the other day, and Hayes had to pry her off.”

I shake my head. “She’s making things worse for herself.”

Cory mutters something unintelligible under his breath. I set my water bottle back down on the hardwood floors and drift toward the weights on the other side of the room. After peeling my shorts and shirt away from my sweaty skin, I blow out a breath and lower myself onto the bench.

“Something’s been up with you,” Cory comments, stopping in front of me and peering intently. “For the past two days, you’ve been in a pissy mood.”

“Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we can’t leave.”

“Look, man. Isaiah isn’t going to keep us forever,” Cory continues as if he hasn’t heard me. “Sooner or later, your company is going to notice that its CEO is missing.”

I glance up at him and frown. “What if Isaiah convinces them I’m on vacation or something?”

Knowing what I know so far, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Isaiah is a lot closer to the board than I am.

And as far as I can tell, no one has been able to get to Governor Coombes yet.

As for Evie Grace Coombes, she is a lot more irritating than I remember. Not that I’ve had much reason to think of her in the past ten years. Other than the fact that she is hot, even as a badly dressed twenty-eight-year-old, she hasn’t crossed my mind until Isaiah brought up her family a week ago.

Now, as hard as I try, she stubbornly refuses to leave my thoughts.

Fuck it.

This isn’t about being drawn to her.

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