“Clear!”
“Clear!”
“Clear!”
That was it, we were done.
“Let’s get Kid and the girl and figure out who’s going to be taking watch for the night.” I considered the words as soon as I said them. After twelve hours in the car with Victoria, I was ready for some peace and quiet. “Actually, I’ll take it. Now, let’s get settled in, boys.”
6
VICTORIA
Ifelt like crap. All I wanted was to get inside Blanc Mont, crawl under the covers of my bed, and sleep until this whole horrible thing was over.
There was no way it’d be that simple. I’d be foolish to think otherwise.
“There they are,” Kid said, nodding toward the front of the car. “That’s good!”
“What would be bad?” I asked.
“Oh, I’d say if any of them came out with bullet holes or missing limbs.”
“Funny.”
Kid grinned. I had to admit, he was good-looking. Ivan or Kid or whatever they called him was tall,reallytall so that he had to sit at an angle in the car so there was enough space for his head. He had long, toned arms, and he was muscular and lean like a swimmer. His features were boyish and handsome, his eyes dark. Although he looked Slavic, his accent was American. I couldn’t help but wonder what his story was, and I was curious about the fact that he was bilingual.
He turned around, draping one of his long, sexy arms over the back of his seat.
“Listen, I know this isn’t how you planned on spending your summer. I get it.”
“You don’t get it.” My words came out coated with venom. I wasn’t quite sure why I was being so bitchy to him. The other guys were rough and crass, but Kid at least seemed to have a warm side to him. All the same, I couldn’t simmer down my anger.
He looked away, nodding as if thinking it all over. “You’re right, I don’t get it. I’ll never know what it’s like to be a princess stuffed away in a castle. Or, a chalet, in this case. But I can empathize. Never forget that our job is to protect you, and to get you back to your family as quickly as we can. You might not like us, and that’s fine. But don’t forget that we’re on your side.”
I didn’t get a chance to respond. Pyke, the blonde, tattooed guy, came over to the car and banged on the hood three times in rapid succession.
“That’s our cue,” Kid said. “Let’s go.”
He opened the door, warm summer air flowing into the car. Kid hopped out and came over to my door, opening it for me.
“We’ll get your bags, your majesty,” Hud said, a tinge of sarcasm on his words. “You just get in there and get comfy.”
Hud was big and brawny and so Scottish that it hurt. If you couldn’t tell where he was from by his red beard and wild mane of hair, his accent would’ve done the job. His green eyes were brilliant, and his body was built like a wrestler. So far, he struck me as the group’s resident smartass. He was also strikingly attractive.
I hopped out of the car. The weather was perfect, and if I were at home, I’d surely be enjoying it on my balcony, a glass of wine in hand.
“You two have a nice little chit-chat? Ajax asked. “You guys are pretty close in age, bet you’ve got a lot in common, all kinds of TikTok’s and memes and whatever to show each other.” He laughed, Hud joining in with him.
Ajax was all kinds of brash, his Boston accent only adding to the effect. Like the rest of the guys, he was built solid, possessing the kind of body that looked like it got things done. He had tattoos like the rest, a few black ink designs here and there on his arms. His hair was silver, which one couldn’t help but wonder about, considering he couldn’t have been any older than his mid-thirties. He had a handsome face, his cheekbones sharp and his jaw strong, with blue eyes and a cocky smile.
“Come on,” Pyke said. “Got a lot of shit to carry in. And you all need to get some rest.”
Pyke was…unusual. He was as tall and strong as the rest of the guys, with bright blonde hair and arms covered in colorful tattoos. He was also stupid hot, with piercing blue eyes and striking features. Unlike the rest of the guys, he was quiet, less ready to crack a joke or lighten the mood. He seemed to have a sense of humor, but it rarely came out as openly as it did with the others.
All the same, I liked his quiet strength. He seemed in control, capable, and always ready if something were to happen.
I didn’t like being forced to be in the company of these men. However, I had to admit that I felt safe around them.