Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Though none of that explained how the hell Devon had ended up trying to punch her husband.
I opened my mouth to ask approximately a dozen questions and then stopped, because a memory struck me. A single moment, pressing through the layers of my mind like a photograph developing in slow motion.
A party.
Years ago.
One of those sprawling charity events where worlds collided for a greater cause. The brightest stars in film, music, and television in one room. I’d been there with Sebastian, shortly after we’d started dating. I was still navigating the necessary balance of being somebody’s famous girlfriend on top of being famous myself.
I’d been standing at the bar a few glasses of wine deep, just enough to numb the jealousy as Sebastian flirted a woman across the room, when I’d spotted him. Standing in the shadows, but too gorgeous to go unnoticed. Dark hair. Thick muscles visible even under his tux. I’d had the fleeting thought that whoever he was, he was literally the most striking person in the entire space. And as I’d tracked his heated gaze across the room to Levee Williams, I’d assumed they were together. I’d even smiled, happy two beautiful people had found each other, before glancing back at Sebastian just in time to see him whisper something in the woman’s ear.
I’d never really thought about that man again after that night. I definitely hadn’t connected him to Devon.
It had driven me crazy when he’d first started working for me; my brain frantically trying to place him somewhere in my past but coming up short.
It had taken the addition of Levee to the equation to finally solve the problem.
But as the pieces started clicking into place, a far darker problem arose.
“You used to date Levee,” I whispered. “That’s why I recognized you when we met.”
Henry let out a laugh so loud it startled me. “In his dreams.”
Devon blew out a hard exhale and then corrected, “I used to work for Levee.”
Okay that could explain why he’d been at that party. But it didn’t explain the way he’d looked at her. I’d seen him that night. That was not a man on the job. Devon’s gaze had been so dark and hooded, like he couldn’t wait to get her home and rip her clothes off.
And I knew, because that was exactly the way he looked at me.
I shook my head trying to stop the pieces before they could form the whole devastating picture. “You didn’t just work for her, did you?”
“Lofton.” It wasn’t a warning as much as a plea. “Not here. Not now.”
Henry took a step forward, Carter moving with him. “I don’t know. Now seems like a pretty good time to me.”
“Henry,” Devon snapped.
“Look, if you aren’t going to tell her, I absolutely am. Consider it a public service.” He turned to me with the focus of someone about to deliver a TED talk. “He was her bodyguard. He fell catastrophically, head-over-ass in love with her. And then, and this is the part I truly cannot move past, showed up at her wedding and punched me in the face.”
Devon’s voice cracked like a whip. “It wasn’t her wedding.”
“No. It was a white party, but you thought—”
“It doesn’t fucking matter what I thought. None of this fucking matters at all. Let’s go.” He grabbed my arm, gentle enough not to leave a mark, desperate enough to shatter my heart.
Emotion lodged in my throat. Not tears. Not even anger. Just a whole world of hurt.
As I stared up at Devon, my mind swirling with every conversation he’d quietly redirected. Every question that had skated the top of the wall I couldn’t see through. Every time he’d tensed at something I’d said and then smoothed it over so fast I’d second-guessed whether I’d imagined it.
I thought I was slowly getting all of him. And the pieces he kept tucked away were just the natural reserve of a private man taking his time.
He’d never lied to my face.
He’d never denied the truth or twisted it into a more palatable story.
He’d just never mentioned her at all.
She was a celebrity.
He was her bodyguard.
He’d fallen for her.
And suddenly all the warmth and love I thought we’d been growing over the last two months turned out to be just a bad case of déjà vu.
Bile crawled up the back of my throat, tears stinging my eyes.
But I refused to cry.
Not there.
Not over a man.
Not ever fucking again.
I took a deep breath, plastered on my best Lofton Beck smile, and gave Devon my back. “As enlightening as this has all been, I’m exhausted and have to be back early tomorrow to finish up.” I walked over and gave Henry a friendly hug. “It was good seeing you. Let’s try not to wait another seven years next time.”
He held on for a beat. Then, very quietly, right next to my ear, he murmured. “You gotta keep an eye on that one. I heard about the break-in at your place and I’m sure you’ve been through a lot. So, the good news is, professionally, the man is untouchable. Even Levee would tell you that. As a man though, he’s a fucking mess. Don’t even try to be his friend. He pulled some seriously shady shit before Levee fired him.”