“Okay,” he said suspiciously. He had to rein in his Daddy instincts. She’s not your Little. She hasn’t consented to being your Little.
Your job is just to keep her safe.
Fucked if he didn’t find himself wishing for more though.
7
She was so freaking nervous.
She shifted around in her seat as Joe drove them to the concert venue. Bain shot her a look. How come he always ended up riding in the back with her? Why couldn’t Dominic sit back here? Dominic’s gaze was far less penetrating.
Sometimes, it felt like Bain could see straight through her, right to the heart of all her secrets. Christ, wouldn’t that be the icing of the cake? She’d already embarrassed herself enough in front of him.
Hiding from him under her desk. Calling him an ogre. Running to the point of collapse. Nearly tripping over her own feet as she ogled him.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
She nodded. They were on their way to the concert and she was so nervous, it was taking all her control not to vomit.
You can do this.
“Fine,” she managed to say.
He gave her a skeptical look. She didn’t blame him. She was far from fine.
“No questions about anything?” he asked as they approached the venue’s secure parking lot for the performers.
“No.”
Joe pulled up into a park.
“Good. Wait there until I come around and get you,” he ordered.
She sighed. Dominic turned to give her a smile. “I know he can be abrupt and grouchy; our boss doesn’t usually send him on these jobs. He’s not exactly a people person. But Bain is the best there is. You’re safe with him.”
She smiled at Dominic. “It’s okay. I know I’m not easy.”
She winced. She’d been told what a nuisance she was all her life.
Dominic’s eyes widened then he barked out a laugh. “I’m sent on most of the more high-profile cases we take, and you are the easiest person I’ve ever had to work for. Hands down. My last bodyguard job like this, the person I was guarding thought it was my job to go out each morning and get their breakfast. Which was a smoothie consisting of kale, banana, avocado and beets.” He shuddered. “And they tried to make me drink it. That stuff went through me quicker than a bobsled flying down a luge.”
She let out a surprised giggle as Bain opened the door.
She was incredible.
The music wasn’t to his taste. He was more of a rock ’n roll man. But even he could appreciate how beautiful her voice was.
She moved around the stage like she was born to this. Surprisingly, he saw she was right. As soon as she started singing, the nerves disappeared. The crowd was lapping it up.
He stood backstage with one eye on the crowd, the other on her. Dominic was on the other side. They had comms set up so they could speak to each other as well as the concert venue’s security.
Arianna hadn’t received any further threats. Which surprised him. He was still suspicious of the head of security at her building. But the guy had a squeaky-clean background and he had no evidence of his involvement.
At least this venue only held six hundred people on the upper level and a further three hundred downstairs in the bar.
Still, he’d feel much better once her set was over and they could take her home.
He forced himself to concentrate on the crowd. Everyone had been checked at the doors for weapons. There was plenty of security around. It was as safe as they’d been able to make it. So why did he have this impending sense of doom?