Page 6 of Hidden Shadows
“Oh, Jesus. Okay. She told me she’d speak to you, but I guess she’s leaving that to me.”
Unease coiled in her belly. “Nate…what’s going on?”
“She mentioned that some asshole’s been commenting on your social media posts, saying that you’re theirs. That you’ll meet at Christmas.”
She scrubbed a hand over her face. “Nate, it’s nothing. Just a stupid follower trying to get a rise out of me.”
“She told me something was left at your door last week.”
Her skin chilled at the memory, and it took her a moment to get the words out. “Yes. Mistletoe and a note saying they can’t wait to meet me.” Her pulse picked up. She hadn’t felt safe in her home since.
“Finley. This is serious, and you should have told me.”
“There have been no threats to actually hurt me—”
“It doesn’t matter. A gift was leftat your front door. They have your address. They know who you are and where you live. And they’ve escalated from social media comments to gifts. You don’t want them to escalate more.”
She swallowed. It was all true. “Nate, I still don’t need—”
“This is nonnegotiable, Fin. You’re family, even if we’re not blood related. And I protect my family.”
Some of the anger bled away at his words. How the heck was she supposed to argue with that? “Okay, let’s say I go along with this little plan—”
“Youaregoing along with it.”
“Who is my…bodyguard?” God, that sounded strange on her lips.
“You should have already met him.”
She frowned, her tummy doing a little roll as Nate continued.
“He’s an old SEAL friend of mine who now works in security. After you told me your seat number, I booked him a seat next to you on the plane.”
She gasped, her gaze lifting to Nixon at the counter.
“His name’s Nixon Reid, and he’s the best.”
CHAPTER4
“No. Absolutely not. If you wanted me to go along with this, I should have at least been part of the bodyguard decision process.”
The corners of Nixon’s mouth twitched. If the woman was trying to be quiet, she was doing a shit job of it. Her words were shouted whispers.
A part of him wanted to be offended at her insinuation that, had she made the decision, she wouldn’t have chosenhim. But then, she didn’t really know him.
“Here’s your room card, Mr. Reid. Please let us know if there’s anything else you need.”
He smiled at the woman, lifting the key card from the counter. “Thank you.”
“No.” Finley growled the word, hanging up the phone and shoving it into her pocket.
He was just heading toward the elevator when she spun toward him and blocked his way. Frustration darkened her brown eyes, and her fists slammed to her hips. The woman came to his shoulders and reminded him of an angry chipmunk.
“You knew.”
It didn’t seem to be a question, but he answered it anyway. “I did.”
The anger darkened, her knuckles whitening. “Why on earth didn’t you say anything?”
