Page 6 of Iron Heart

“They’re just fans, and they love me,” she argues, still waving.“They won’t do anything.”

“This area is off-limits,” I reply, reaching for the door handle.

Before I can stop her, Victoria opens her door and steps out, her face determined.“They deserve my time,” she says, moving toward the fans.

My heart jumps into my throat when I follow her, my protective instincts on high alert.“Miss Slater, please get back in the car,” I call out, but she ignores me.

One particularly eager fan approaches her, his eyes wide with admiration.I move to intervene and push him back, but Victoria beats me to it, extending her hand to him and apologizing.“I’m so sorry about my new security,” she says, giving me a sharp look.“They’re still getting used to how I do things.”

I sense my nostrils widening while she continues to autograph items for fans.The irritation she feels toward me is clearly reciprocated on my end.

I stand by, my body tense, watching her interact with the fans, aware I’ve overstepped a boundary in her eyes.My job is to protect her, but I’ve also crossed a line in her world where connecting with her fans is paramount.

As stadium security finally arrives to disperse the fans, Victoria turns her eyes, shooting daggers at me.“Don’t ever treat my fans like that again,” she says, her voice low and cold.

“My job is to protect you,” I reply, my voice equally firm.

“I don’t need protection from the people who love me,” she replies, her face set in a stubborn expression.

She glides by me, and while her perfume would normally be inviting, her foul mood taints its sweetness as she makes her way to the stadium.The tension between us hangs heavy in the air.

Within fifteen minutes, she’s on stage for the sound check.I’ve already met with Michael, her tour manager, and reviewed the on-site schematics.Everything appears to be in order.

While she’s engaged with that, I’m busy analyzing the VIP area, stage, and green room, looking for any vulnerabilities where an ambush might occur.

I find myself watching her on stage, captivated by her presence.Victoria greets her full band with an enthusiasm and energy that catch me off guard.A total contrast of how she is with me.

She seems to come alive once the music starts and she grabs the microphone.I’m not familiar with her music, but there’s no denying the soulful quality of her voice.She starts with a slow ballad.It’s a sexy, jazzy vibe, and I see a side of her that genuinely intrigues me.

A sudden warmth trails down my spine, a sensation that hits me in a place I’m not expecting.I suppress the feeling, recognizing that I’m wound too tightly around her, like I could snap.

“Right, that’s a wrap,” she announces after an hour, thanking her band, stepping off the stage where I’m waiting.

“Outstanding performance!You nailed it!”Michael says, stepping out from the production desk area at the side of the stage.

“Freaking phenomenal!”Lexy adds, beaming.

“I know, right?The sound, the stage.I can’t wait till showtime,” Victoria replies, excitement in her voice.She removes her inner ear monitors and pauses, standing right in front of me.A heavy silence descends.

Does she expect me to offer praise as well?

I love to praise, but only when women are on their knees, submission in their eyes.

“You’re in my way,” she finally says, and a part of me wants to react, but I control myself.

I give her a curt nod, my jaw set tight, and she quickly glances at a tattoo on my neck before brushing past me.Lexy follows closely behind, and I fall in after them.

Colin and Dean, the security personnel I’d outmaneuvered on my first day, join me in the staff green room as we await Victoria’s arrival.Their eyes widen, taking in the spread of food laid out before them.

“You’re not eating?”Colin inquires, noticing only a cup of coffee in front of me.

“No.”

“A man of few words?”Dean questions, piling his plate with carbs and other food that, in my professional opinion, might hinder his reaction time in an emergency situation.

“You could say that,” I respond, finishing off the last of my espresso.

“Listen, it was nothing personal yesterday.I just had to prove to her the holes in her security detail,” I explain, wanting to make my motives clear.

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