“But he’s so busy.”
“Not busy enough, apparently.”
She cursed. “You’ve gotta be kidding. What could he possibly want from me?”
“Kerri, you know he doesn’t explain himself. I just found out that my PIs were fired this morning when I got a note from them.”
“Tell him he can’t fire them.” A headache started, little hammers pounding at her temples. She pushed the rising panic back into its proper place. Only cool, logical thinking could help her figure out what to do. “You hired them.”
“Riiight. He’s Barron frickin’ Sterling, and he can fire whoever he wants.” Justin lowered his voice. “Look, I know you don’t want to see him. But you can’t run forever. You already gave up your job at Goldreich to avoid him. What more do you want to sacrifice?”
Kerri found that she didn’t have an answer.
“Hey, I’ve got a meeting. Just wanted to warn you. Think about it.” Justin hung up.
As she drove through Arlington the SUVs stayed in her rearview mirror. Maybe everyone was just going in the same direction. Or maybe they were Barron’s goons.
Could he have found her this fast?
If so, why send someone instead of coming himself? He’d said he wanted to see her, and that probably hadn’t changed. He couldn’t possibly expect to intimidate her by sending some men after her. What would he threaten her with? He couldn’t withhold affection when he’d never given it in the first place. Money? She had enough to be comfortable on her own. Sabotage her attempts to get jobs? She had a great résumé, and he couldn’t block her from earning a living. She’d sue the bastard.
She pulled her car into the underground parking lot of Natalie’s glitzy high-rise. The black SUVs followed. As she climbed out of her car, the SUVs’ doors opened and several men in black hopped out. Crisp suits, dark sunglasses and earpieces marked them as bodyguards.
What. The. Hell.
One of them walked up to Kerri. “Miss Wilson?”
Must not panic. Must not freak out. She arched an eyebrow. “Who are you?”
“Your security detail.”
“What?”
He inclined his head. “Mr. Sterling sent us.”
Oh god. Barron had found her already. “Why?”
The man frowned. “I believe the idea is to keep you safe, ma’am.”
No. She resisted the urge to run her clammy hands over her denim-clad thighs. This wasn’t about keeping her safe. This was about demonstrating who had the power in the relationship—him.
The old, incompetent PIs had warned her things would become more complicated for her if she didn’t agree to meet her grandfather in Hong Kong. One way or another, Barron always got what he wanted.
But she’d never once imagined he’d send “bodyguards.” She studied the men. They looked respectable and clean-cut, like some kind of heroes ready to put their lives on the line for her, but she knew the truth. They’d follow her everywhere until she did what her grandfather wanted. She wouldn’t be able to pee in peace.
“What does he want?” she asked the leader of the group.
“It’s like I said, ma’am. To keep you safe.”
She narrowed her eyes. “That’s it? No other instructions?”
“That’s it.”
“Fine. I’m going up to see my friend. It’s a private conversation, if you catch my drift.”
“Don’t worry about us. You won’t even notice we’re around.”
She looked at the three black SUVs with their complements of completely black-garbed men. “Riiight.”