“Everyone can hear you.”
His smile grew wider. “I know. Maybe it will get back to that pussy Caulfield and remind him to keep away from you.” Phillip stepped back from her and she had to curl her fingers into her palms to keep from reaching for him. “It is going to happen sooner rather than later, Fyre. Fair warning. In the meantime, this is Damon, and he will be watching to make sure no one touches you.”
How was it possible for the man to make her feel so much?
The man he’d named Damon stepped forward and nodded. “Ma’am.”
“I will send a carriage for you later.” Phillip turned to the law officer only to stop and stride quickly back to pause before her. “Unless you’d like to invite me inside and we can continue our discussion there?” That damn infuriating eyebrow went back up.
Fyre knew he was goading her. She couldn’t forget his words, even if she’d wanted to. Which she didn’t.
“No, my lord. You made your point.”
“Pity.” Another wink. “Perhaps later then.” He walked away without a look back, engaging the lawman as they departed.
Then it was her and Damon along with all the onlookers.
“You will not know I am around, ma’am,” he muttered for her ears. “I am just here to keep you safe.” He stepped away and she looked at Georges and Marta, whose concern for her overflowed their expressions.
Everything had just gotten so much more complicated.
Chapter Thirteen
Phillip sighed and leaned back in his chair, staring out at the four men before him. Damon and his brothers. They were meeting in a smaller room in the back of the house.
“What do you have to report?”
Damon and his siblings were the men he’d hired to make sure no one went after Fyre again. While he had shown the town Damon, he had been very sure to make sure those in the town didn’t know there were four of them to watch her.
When it came to this woman, who did his books and ruled his heart, even if he wasn’t ready to admit it to himself aloud, there wasn’t any line he wouldn’t cross to keep her safe. Even if it meant keeping her safe from herself because she was still holding on to the belief that her brother wouldn’t really harm her.
He disagreed.
“Her brother is getting pushier about trying to get closer to her. This hurts her, not seeing him.” Phillip opened his mouth but Damon raised a hand and gave a sharp shake of his head. “I know, boss. He doesn’t get close. I know the job. I am just reporting as you asked. The sister-in-law is a real gem. She is getting some on the side while Elonne is out working. Not sure who watches the children while she is with any of the five men she sleeps with, but she has her routine.”
“And Caulfield?”
The brothers all shared a look. “He is not taking kindly to the fact Damon is with her.” This from Kolby as he crossed his arms.
Phillip stared at them, close enough to pass as the same man if one wasn’t looking for the differences. He understood why they were so good at their jobs. Well worth what he was paying them. Damon was the spokesman and typically the most outgoing, while Kolby, well, if he were to be completely honest, Phillip didn’t want to meet this man if he was pissed off at him. Any of them really.
“Good, I want him unhappy.”
“He continually tries to get me to wait out of the room when they are working.”
Anger pulsed beneath Phillip’s skin like a living entity. “I am sure he does.”
The brothers exchanged another look.
“What are you not telling me?”
“Miss Gwen is not getting a lot of sleep.”
Jealousy rose. “How do you know this?” He focused on Damon.
“Her light is on until the late hours and she is up early.”
He groaned and grabbed up his schedule purely for something to do with his hands. For it wasn’t like he needed to look at it to know where she was. She was here with him at the moment, setting up to work in his study while he finished up here.
“Okay, thank you.” He got to his feet. “Grab some food. She will be done here in about two hours.”
All four of them nodded. Damon, Archer, Kolby and Zander. He left them there knowing they would get what they needed and be ready to leave when Fyre was. Right now, he had a woman to see.
A footman was at the door to the study when he reached it and he took the tray from him before walking in. Already, Fyre was working.
Not at his desk this time but at the small desk to the side. She’d begun setting up there, even though his desk had far more space. He walked up behind her and placed the tray down at her left.