Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 131651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 658(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 658(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“My job is keeping you safe. Whatever form that takes,” he says. “I hope we’re both mature enough to appreciate that.”
“Whoa.” I throw up a hand. “Okay, stop right there. Your job is to keep the egg safe.”
“The egg and its owner. You.”
“That doesn’t involve interfering with my life. Or my choices. Just so we’re clear.”
There’s a faint, almost imperceptible scar slashing through his left eyebrow. I wonder if it helped make him the biggest dick alive.
“As long as you’re not making choices that jeopardize your safety, knock yourself out, Miss Blackthorn. However, let’s get one thing straight—we’re both here for Leonidas. For some unholy reason, your grandfather wanted us to work together.”
Flipping ouch.
The guilt trip stings.
The sad part is, I don’t disagree. It makes sense.
Just like it makes perfect sense that PopPop would leave me Holden when he was his head of security for so long. I never understood why he learned to trust this guy so much, but that’s not what matters.
Gramps did, and now I’m stuck with this asshole.
A sign from the universe that I should give him a tiny chance.
I exhale through my nose slowly, trying to be reasonable. Trying.
Logically, having someone like Holden around to help with this should be a relief. We get along like oil and water, but he can organize stuff I know nothing about.
He can also watch for threats I’m blind to. I’m not exactly used to looking behind my back at all.
Also, having someone else sharing the weirdness of this inheritance makes me feel a smidge less alone. It’s not like Dad would ever understand.
He’ll want me to pawn the Hera Egg off on one of his rich art collector friends ASAP.
Absolutely not.
Holden keeps watching me with those fierce desert dark eyes, still leaning against the table.
Age hasn’t softened him a bit. If anything, it’s only made him harder and meaner.
His giant arms stay folded over that Spartan shield of a chest.
When I look at him like this, if I tilt my head and squint really hard, I can see how some unlucky lady tolerated his existence just long enough to produce a kid with him.
Shame he doesn’t have a personality to match the whole Hercules vibe.
There’s also something oddly magnetic in his eyes, the intensity of his irritation.
I look away from the hard line of his chin and back to his dark-brown eyes, a satellite hell frozen over.
I can’t imagine his love life.
I shouldn’t imagine his love life.
If he isn’t married anymore, he probably has his pick of hookups. Some poor girl who hasn’t experienced his riveting conversation skills might be tempted by the scary-hot look, assuming she doesn’t have to stick around for pillow talk.
That air of danger is tempting.
The aura of a man who’s seen some things. I know he’s former military, and no one can take that away from him.
His eyes narrow slightly.
My heart gallops.
So ridiculous.
Here we are, having a staring contest, and I’m losing because he knocks me off-kilter with a look. He’s very good at that.
Another chill zings up my spine.
I’m not intimidated. I know he wouldn’t hurt me.
My stomach twists. It’s having him around, I think. This unwanted chaperone and the ugly possibility that I even need one.
PopPop’s letter was nice and vague, after all. Just how much danger am I in?
“Where’s Kit?” I ask, mostly to distract myself from the simmering tension in the room. “She seems like a sweet girl.”
“Gone. Not your problem.” His mouth presses into a hard line.
“Um, okay.” I’m a little taken aback and I shouldn’t be. “Seeing how you’re doing your whole bodyguard thing now, I figure it wouldn’t hurt to ask. God forbid you take a compliment, father of the year. Will she be hanging around with us? I bet it can’t be easy finding a babysitter on short notice.”
God, I hope so.
She’s definitely the fun one in the Verity family.
He sighs, dragging a hand through his hair. Muscles bulge again, and I do my best not to look.
“My parents will look after Kit as long as this godforsaken job takes. I ran her over to their place,” he says. “Now, do you have any idea where you want to start, or is it too early for that?”
I stiffen. Rhino prick.
“Well, since I’ve known about this treasure and had my life turned upside down for a grand total of two hours, I’d say yeah, it’s a tad early. Like, give a girl a day or two.”
“It was just a question.” For a faint second, he sounds apologetic.
“Yeah, a dumb one.”
He stares at me, obviously unwilling to say the magic words. My emotions fizz like champagne, gently shaken, not stirred.
“You don’t have to be on sentry mode all the time, you know,” I snap. “You obviously haven’t changed. At all.”
“Funny, I noticed the same thing, Nile. Gimme a damn break.” He sighs. “Really, the only one who never changed was Mr. Blackthorn.”