Page 1 of My Grumpy Billionaire Protector

SHANE

“Yeah, this isn’t shady at all.”

I glance over at my cousin before allowing the car to come to a complete halt, kicking up dust and gravel. As soon as the car stops, I pull the brakes and let the engine idle. The quiet rumble fills the silence. I lean forward and peer into the darkness, taking in the large, abandoned warehouse, bathed in the silver glow of the moon.

Cory was right.

It’s shady as fuck.

But we’ve been in worse places before.

Between the two of us, we’ve been to every seedy alleyway and every run-down building in the city. For the most part, we’ve emerged unscathed. Oddly, being sent to an unfamiliar location on the outskirts of the city, only to discover an empty stretch of land with a warehouse that had seen better days, wasn’t a first for us.

But I do have to admit that something felt off…

“Should we tell the others to follow us?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t want to spook them.”

Cory snorts and twists to face me. “Spookthem? They’re the ones who brought us out here to the middle of fucking nowhere. Are you sure this isn’t some kind of trap?”

Slowly, I unbuckle my seatbelt and let it slide into place. As soon as it does, I turn the keys in the ignition and plunge us both into silence. For a few moments, we just sit there with Cory’s nails digging into the leather seats underneath him and his heavy breathing echoing inside of my head.

Normally, I love working with my cousin because I knew he had my back no matter what. But for a guy who's been in the business for the better part of the last fifteen years, he was too paranoid. Every situation, every glance cast in our direction, and every woman who asks too many questions is a threat.

It is exhausting.

Still, he is family, and when push comes to shove, there is no one I’d rather have by my side. So I give Cory a clap on the back and push the door open. Once outside, I inhale the crisp night air. I take in the scent of smoke and firewood before I kick the car door shut. Seconds later, I hear Cory do the same, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.

“Anyone ever told you that you need to relax?” I ask.

“Anyone ever told you that you’re too calm?” Cory shoots me a dirty look and adjusts the folds of his dark leather jacket.

A few of the streetlights on either side of us flicker. In the distance, there is a shriek.

I chuckle. “High blood pressure isn’t going to do anyone any good, and it’s not gonna help me figure out the clues of the game.”

Cory scowls. “Who said anything about high blood pressure?”

After casting a quick glance over my shoulder at the other two cars parked in the shadows with the headlights off, I turn my attention back to Cory. “Come on. I’m sure they’re waiting for us.”

“Whoop-de-fucking-do,” Cory mutters. “Considering they sent us all the way out here, they can wait for a few minutes while we decide if we’re going to go through with this.”

“Pierce is going to follow us inside.” Without waiting for him to respond, I shove my hands into the pockets of my jeans and walk toward the warehouse. “Besides, you’re the one who wanted a more immersive escape room experience, remember?”

As I approach, the wooden doors blow open and a musty smell leaks out into the night air. Cory falls into step beside me. Pierce emerges, his footsteps eerily silent. Once we step through the door, the three of us exchange a quick look. My eyes are lingering on the sleek brown suitcase Pierce is carrying.

Inside, it is pitch black, with only a few patches of silver moonlight illuminating the space here and there. It stays that way until someone snaps their fingers and a bright light comes on. I wince as spots dance in my field of vision, but don't stop walking.

On the far side of the warehouse, I see them first. There are four men in total, all hunched over a circular table. All of them are wearing jeans and leather jackets over dark shirts. The bulges of their fake guns are visible. By the time I reach them, they close ranks around the guy in the middle, a short but angry-looking man with a pulsating vein in his neck, a bald head, and a Sanskrit tattoo wrapped around his neck.

It doesn’t matter how many times I deal with him. Matias French always gives me the creeps.

Like if he wasn’t in this business, then he’d be on the wrong side of the law.

I’m not even sure he isn’t, but I know my cousin and Cory is nothing if he isn’t thorough.

Even now, a shiver of unease creeps up my spine as Pierce and I exchange tight smiles before I gesture to Pierce to set the suitcase down. Wordlessly, he steps back and takes up a spot behind me. I see him and Cory glancing around the room while I keep my attention focused on their leader.

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