I released a dejected sigh. What my father wanted, my father got. While I worked at his office—and was still waiting impatiently for my inheritance—I loathed that his money held endless power in his life. Over me. Over Mom. Over his little plebes and political contacts. Anything he could buy, he would.
“You okay back there?”
I looked up to meet Dante’s empathetic expression.
“Sure. I’m fine. Just tired.”
“I bet you are. I’m so glad I found you. Safe, I mean,” he added, shifting his focus back to the street ahead of us.
I bit back the sting of rejection and reminded myself that Vegas didn’t entitle me to be anything more than a one night stand.
“Me too,” I murmured.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Dante
I arrived at Jackson’s office and laid a quick knock on the outside wall. “Muff, you wanted to see me?”
He looked up with a furrow between his brows. “Yep. Come in and shut the door.”
I hesitated. “Uh, okay.”
Sealed off from the other offices, I sat in the chair in front of his desk and set my elbows on the armrests.
“What’s going on?”
Earlier, after dropping Penny home to her parents, I came directly back to the office. Soon after I’d arrived, Jackson, Makka, Tate, and Lars turned up and told me the bad news: they’d found nothing to suggest who the kidnapper was. The room was completely clear apart from the cut cable ties and tape in the trash, an empty suitcase, and half-eaten snacks left as if the asshole left in a hurry, just as Penny described.
“I called Paul Prescott, and he assured me that Penelope is settled and sleeping off her ordeal. While that is great news, there was something else he wanted us to do.”
My eyes narrowed. Jackson being shady about the details made me suspicious.
“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this suggestion?”
Jackson lifted a bottle of iced coffee off his desk and kicked back his office chair.
“He wants us to provide personal security until his campaign for senator is over. Preferably in another location.”
“Another location?” I asked slowly.
“Virginia Beach.”
I straightened. “Virginia Beach? As inVirginia?”
He spread his arms wide, plastic bottle in hand. “It makes sense. Cole Security HQ is there, and so is my beachside residence. It has security features up the wazoo, and will save us accommodation costs.”
“Why are you tellin’ me this?”
Surely not. Surely not.
“I want you on this.”
I balked. Rejection sat on the tip of my tongue, but something held it back. Part of me considered telling Jackson about my history with Penny so one of the other guys could take this job. The other part of me knew that my vested interest made me the best choice to be in charge of her security. Either way, the outcome was destined to come back and bite me on the ass.
“When?” I asked on autopilot.
“As soon as possible. Taking into account you’re rolling off the back of a night shift, I’ve suggested to Paul that we put two guys on one last night of street surveillance as a precaution, then fly you both out tomorrow.”