“Penelope, can I offer you a drink?”
Jackson’s question pulled my attention left, only for it to snap back to Dante when he shot to his feet.
“I’ll get one.” He strode from the room before I could answer, leaving an air of tension in his wake.
I glanced back to Jackson and grimaced. “Wow, someone doesn’t handle early mornings well.”
He chuckled and folded his massive height into the chair adjacent to me. “He’s still adjusting to civilian life. It’s not easy, trust me.”
A little understanding softened the hurt deep inside. Hell, I’d been through a lot over the last four months and was definitely not the same woman I’d been in Vegas. I’d left the old Penelope there, shed and forgotten like an outgrown skin.
“Hey, he’s not that bad,” Jackson added, misinterpreting my frown and silence. He rested his forearms on the desk and softened his voice.
“Jokes aside, how are you today?”
I liked Jackson. He was commanding, yet friendly, and I was beginning to understand why my father had hired Cole Security in the first place. They sure beat the “mutes in suits” now standing on either side of the front door at my parents’ place.
Paul’s touch on my arm snapped me from the thoughts. “Bunny? Are you going to answer him?”
At my father’s soft request, I looked up from my sparkly black nail polish and found Jackson’s gaze.
I faked a smile. “Oh, uh, I’m doing okay. Still a bit shaken.”
He pursed his lips and gave me a poignant look. “It’ll take you a little while to relax again. Give it time.”
The drama in my life was a common stain now, ever since the scandal of the paternity results mysteriously appearing on my car. It destroyed our family, and I’d hardly spoken a word to either of my parents since it all blew up.
I’d moved in with Lydia and Vivi soon after our trip to Vegas, and a month later, Lydia announced that she and Caleb werefinallygetting serious. She’d moved in with him not long after that, leaving me and Vivi as roommates.
She and Lydia visited me briefly last night, and I was thankful that Vivi had her brother staying with her until I returned home. The thought of her staying there alone gave me anxiety.
Movement behind me created a wave of prickling heat down my back, and Dante’s reappearance was solely to blame.
While Paul and Jackson continued their cordial conversation, a bottle of water was placed before me.
I looked up into Dante’s penetrating gaze and stilled. So breathless. So affected by his attention focused solely on me.
He may have had himself fooled with the “I don’t give a fuck” vibe he was giving off, but his sharp inhale and flaring nostrils didn’t fool me. The more his narrowed glare lingered, the more I shifted under the weight of it. I offered a small smile, only to receive, well,nothing.
In the end, I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Jackson. “Are we waiting on anyone else?”
“Just us. Unless Cynthia is coming?”
My father shook his head. “I asked her to stay home where I know she’s safe. I’ve filled her in on the plan.” His eyes darted sideways at me, and I narrowed mine in suspicion.
“What plan?” I crossed my arms and divided a skeptical glare between the three men.
All eyes drew to Jackson, who sat steadfast under the scrutiny. He linked his fingers and leaned forward to set his forearms on the table.
“Penelope, your father believes it’s in your best interests if you head away for a few weeks. I’ve organized for you and Dante to be relocated to my private residence in Virginia Beach.”
I snapped up a hand. “Excuse me.What?Virginia Beach, as inVirginia?Across the whole entire freakingcountry?And relocatedtogether?”I hadn’t seen this coming and was completely blind-sided.
“Dante has been tasked with your personal security for the duration of your father’s campaign,” Jackson explained.
“And when do I get a say in this?” I turned on Paul. “I have a hair appointment tomorrow, and you told me this meeting was for Jackson to get a sketch for facial recognition!”
“Thatispart of the reason, bunny. As for Virginia, it’s in your best interests,” he urged.