Page 9 of Dreaming About Forever

“No way,” Jordan said.

“Read,” Nathan demanded.

The headline came into focus. “Alicia Carver hits rock bottom.”

He scanned the article before sliding to the next one.

“Alicia Carver: Her fall from grace?”

It seemed her parents had been stealing from her and her sister, Stacy Carver, and the articles seemed to imply her connection with her criminal parents led to a swift breakup with her fiancé, Ashton Warner.

She’d probably dodged a bullet with that one. Ashton Warner was a tool with a capital T. Word spread quickly in the security circles of the rich and famous when a client was notoriously difficult.

The incoming call popped up on the screen, and Nathan answered it.

“Hi, Lillian,” Nathan said. “Nice to meet you.”

Lillian was an auburn-haired, petite woman somewhere in her thirties, and her smile was both welcoming and professional. “Nice to meet you too. I have Alicia here, and we’re ready to get started.”

Alicia moved into the frame and sat beside Lillian. She pushed her dark hair away from her face, revealing haunting shadows beneath tired eyes.

The grip in Jordan’s chest was instant and sharp, stilling his lungs in the middle of the breath he’d been inhaling.

When her eyes lifted and met his, the clip snapped off the pen he’d been holding and went flying across the conference table.

Nathan turned toward Jordan and leveled him with a look that silently said, “Dude, get it together.”

If he didn’t release his grip on the pen, the barrel was going to shatter. How was he supposed to let go when the ghost of the beautiful Alicia Carver was staring back at him?

Lillian cleared her throat. “As you may know, the news about Alicia’s parents was leaked during the Stars last night. The breakup with Ashton Warner followed closely behind, and he wasted no time stealing her security team. Dag and Raul had been with us for years, but it seemed their allegiance was fragile.”

Nathan sat forward, linking his hands and resting his elbows on the conference table. “I assure you, we cannot be bought, Ms. Harper.”

“That is what I’ve heard, and it’s what we’re looking for. You’ve signed the NDAs and contracts?”

“Jordan has not yet, but I sent mine over this morning.”

“I’ll have it back to you as soon as this meeting is over, Ms. Harper,” Jordan said. He’d barely been able to look away from Alicia during Lillian’s rundown, and he prayed none of them noticed.

“Perfect. Can you tell me about your standard operating procedures? I’ll share ours as well so we can negotiate the terms.”

Nathan jumped into the explanations while Jordan studied the hollow-eyed woman. Dark brows swooped over big eyes without a trace of makeup. Her long hair fell over her shoulders in messy waves, and her shoulders slumped as if a weight pressed down on them.

The woman on the screen held little resemblance to the celebrity that most people in the United States adored. She was on the verge of a breakdown. No doubt about it.

Why did it gut him to see the sadness? He didn’t even know her. She could be his next client. His job was to care about her safety, not her emotional state.

Nathan’s warning had been spot on. Jordan didn’t care for entitled celebrities. They tended to be rude and self-righteous, but he kept those thoughts to himself.

Alicia’s shoulders rose and fell in bigger and bigger swells. She was going to blow, and no one was paying attention.

Except Jordan. Nathan and Lillian were talking, but Jordan couldn’t take his eyes off the train wreck happening in front of him.

A little piece of his heart went out to her. He wasn’t heartless enough to ignore her while she was silently panicking.

“Excuse me. Miss Carver?” Jordan said.

Her chin lifted, and her wide eyes turned glassy.

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