“I’ll be yours all night, either way, Juliana,” I promise.
I hear her breathing hitch before she hangs up and grin. She can pretend to be unbothered, but I remember how her eyes dilated, how she trembled when I touched her, the way her breath caught when our eyes locked.
And I’d be crazy not to want a little more than that. Fifteen minutes later, Juliana interrupts the terrible article I’m reading. She promises to be down in thirty minutes to go out, but we have to pick up her friend on the way.
Not a problem at all. I’m nearly whistling to myself, planning the clubs I can take them to that have a good balance of safety and fun. At least two ways in and out with the ability to get Juliana out if a problem arises. Not to mention giving me the ability to grease the right palms to keep us in the V.I.P area behind other guards who have the incentive to protect her.
She gives me a five minute warning and I get comfortable. I know five minutes means fifteen. I’ve had enough partners and dated long enough to recognize the need to give a woman time.
What I don’t plan for is for Mr. Giovani to walk into the lobby. He smiles at me. “Max.”
“How are you?” I shake his hand.
“Better seeing you here. I know my daughter is in good hands. This favor to me makes us even.”
“Glad to hear it. I’m not a man who likes to be in debt.” I stuff my hands into my pockets.
“You’re looking rather casual today.” He looks me over and takes a step back. “Jeans?”
“Makes it easier to blend in when you don’t look like security.” I shrug. “Especially since no one looks twice at me while I’m dressed like this.”
He shrugs. “You do it your way.”
Tony sighs and looks at the marble flooring. “How long have we been friends, Max?”
“Going on fifteen years now.”
“Fifteen years. A good long time.” He chuckles.
“Is time on your mind tonight?”
“Time, what we do with it, what it’s worth. Just think. We could have billions and if we only have ten minutes left, what’s it really worth?”
“Depends on what you do with those ten.”
“I have plenty of money and hopefully plenty of years, but if I lose my daughter it’s all worthless.”
“I know, Tony.” I pat his shoulder. “I do. Anyone who looks knows how important she is to you and knows that you’d give up everything to keep her safe and happy.”
“She doesn’t see it.” He chuckles. “She thinks this is a power trip. But everything I’ve done since the moment she was born was to prepare her for this life. I’ve made mistakes, but I know when I’m doing the right thing.”
“You don’t have to convince me.”
He doesn’t say anything for a moment but exhales slowly. “She won’t even see me unless I ask her to go to an event. She ignores my calls unless it’s about work. I feel her trying to run away. I feel her fighting. How do you tell a woman who was promised the world that she’s safest if she gives it up?”
“You can’t.” My eyes flick over his shoulder as the elevator dings. “You have to trust that you’ve taught her enough to safely navigate the time she has.”
“I suppose you’re-” The rest of his words fade away when I see Juliana.
She’s in a little excuse of a dress, barely more than a slip. It’s pure purple lace except over the necessary bits where it covers as needed. In her black bag are both dogs from earlier, but they can’t hold a candle to her.
Not when her dress is painted on, her hair cascading down her back and away from her face. As wild as a jungle cat with steps that are measured and sure, like she’s stalking her prey. Juliana is everything a runway model wishes they could be with the addition of a last name that makes others shake.
All day, I’ve had to remind myself that she’s off limits, that I can look, but can’t touch unless her life is in danger. And I definitely can’t touch half the places I want to. But something about the shine on her lips and the way her cold blue eyes dare me to try something makes me feel like taking a risk.
“Max.”
I turn my attention back to her father. I know better than to be caught staring at his daughter. It’s luck he didn’t notice her at all.