Page 35 of The Billionaire's Temptation

The doorbell startled Clarissa out of her reading. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was reading anyway. But whoever was at the door was a good enough excuse to set the complicated accounting data aside.

She didn’t really want to understand this stuff. She feared that, if she interfered with the running of the corporations under her father’s global empire, she’d mess something up. From what she could gather from these reports, the companies were all doing well. The commercial and residential buildings that she owned were well cared for and at full or nearly full capacity. Apparently, her father had a good sense for where people wanted to live.

Her thoughts drifted back to her idea of buying the apartment complex she used to live in. She really didn’t want to be one of those bored rich people that flitted from one day to the next, searching for entertainment. She’d always wondered how she could make the world a better, fairer place. Now she had the money, and she could do this!

Pulling open the heavy, wooden door, she peered out to find…a man not quite as tall as Levi standing on the stone steps.

“Can I help you?” she asked, intimidated despite herself.

The man stepped back, easing some of her worry. “I’m Lance Peterson. I was hired by Levi Harris as a bodyguard and security expert.”

A bodyguard? Levi thought she needed a bodyguard? At the mention of Levi’s name, her heart soared. But then everything inside of her plunged into cold terror at the thought ofneedinga bodyguard.

“Would you prefer to discuss this outside?” the man offered, stepping back again.

She glanced over at the black SUV sitting parked in front of the house. The man could easily pick her up and stuff her into the back of the SUV.

“Would you mind if I called Levi first?” she asked, not wanting to offend the man, but not sure what was going on.

“Go right ahead. I’ll just wait over here while you make the call.” And Mr. Peterson walked over to the SUV, leaning against it as if he had nothing better to do than hang out in the warm sunshine.

Shutting the door, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number Levi had given her. He answered on the first ring.

“Are you okay?” he demanded before even greeting her.

“I’m fine,” she replied, quick to reassure him.

“Good,” he said, and was there a small sigh of relief in his voice? “Has Lance arrived yet?”

Clarissa rubbed her forehead, still trying to make sense of all of this. “Actually, that’s why I’m calling. Yes, a guy named Lance Peterson arrived, he said he’s my new bodyguard and security expert?”

“Exactly.” There were some shuffling sounds in the background, then he came back. “I apologize for leaving so abruptly earlier this morning,” he announced, soothing the hurt she’d felt at his departure. Goodness, she was a sucker! “I got some news and I had to move fast. Unfortunately, you left before I could organize someone to get to your place to escort you around.”

“Levi, I don’t need a bodyguard.”

There was a small silence, then he said, “Will you trust me? I know that last night complicated things between us, and I didn’t help anything leaving the way I did. But if you could just trust me for a little longer, I can explain.”

“Why can’t you explain now?” she asked, irritated by the lack of information.

“Because things are…complicated. Tonight? Will you have dinner with me? And let Lance go through your home and recommend ways to tighten up the security system? I don’t want Chad or Blaire getting into your house as easily as they have been able to over the past several days. I don’t trust them, and after that stunt they pulled with the party and tipping off the police about the drugs, I just…I don’t think you should let them anywhere near you. And they definitely shouldn’t have access to the house either.”

Chad and Blaire had organized the police raid? Sure, it had seemed a little too convenient, for the police to just show up like that, but was she really so naïve that she trusted the very people who were trying to hurt her?

“Okay. Fine. But you’ll explain more tonight?”

“I will,” he assured her. “I’ll give you much more of an explanation tonight.”

“Then I’ll…uh…let Lance do his thing.”

“Good. I have to go, but don’t leave the house without Lance.”

Before she could reply, he’d ended the call. She didn’t like how mysterious he was being. And she seriously didn’t appreciate being dismissed so abruptly. First this morning, and now again on the phone. The man needed to learn some manners! She wasn’t going to take that kind of treatment!

Pushing away from the door, she opened it to find Lance typing on his phone.

“All good?” he asked.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the man. “I’m not sure. Yes, Levi confirmed he’d called a security firm because he wants me to update the security systems here at the house. However, I don’t understandwhyI need a bodyguard. I don’t know why the security system here at the house isn’t adequate, and I don’t know what’s going on.” She lifted her hand to stop the man’s reply. “However, I have been abruptly dumped into a situation in which I am not familiar, and that means that I need to rely on others to explain how to handle it.” She looked the man up and down, irritated that she didn’t find him attractive. She’d like to find someone,anyone, who could make her feel like Levi did. But the spark just wasn’t there. Not even a glimmer of interest.

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