Heartless Hero (Crowne Point 1)

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Theo in a suit. It was tailored perfectly to his tall, lean muscular build.

“Your poor bodyguard is already having to save your ass,” Gemma said.

“My—my what?” I stammered.

He still hadn’t released me, the blood draining beneath his touch.

Heat rose to my cheeks. I tried not to think about how it was Theo touching me and instead attempted to pull my arm from him. He held tight, fingers bruising.

I was above him. I shouldn’t be thinking about the delicious, spicy way he smelled, or his calloused touch. Did his voice still catch on a growl?

“You’re my bodyguard?” It came out on a whisper. “Why?”

But then Gemma laughed, Theo’s gaze snapped to her like a magnet, and I knew.

“Have fun with your new personal babysitter.” Gemma waved airy fingers over her shoulder, her laugh disappearing down the polished halls.

All at once he dropped me.

The heels I still carried clacked to the floor.

It was just me and Theo, alone.

I peeled my eyes from my manicured fingers.

Theo was watching me. I sucked in a breath. If I said something, I could get him fired. I was drawn to him, though. He looked at me with nothing in his crystal-clear green eyes save callousness. I picked at my blush nail polish, staring right back.

“Are you really my new guard?”

Aren’t there easier ways for him to get closer to Gemma? I wanted to ask.

Less… painful ways? For me.

The grandfather clock ticked away a full minute as I waited for him to respond. In the end, I caved.

“Are you back for me?” My words slid out as a confession.

Are you finally back?

He arched a dark, impassive brow. “What do you think?”

It wasn’t necessarily a no, but the way it was spoken made it clear it wasn’t a yes.

I’d waited years for Theo.

Five years I’d waited for a word from him, five years I’d yearned and tried to hate him, and only ended up hating myself.

In the end, this was how he came back, with more betrayal.

/> Down the hall paparazzi were being shuffled in by staff, getting ready for Gemma’s birthday party, one of the bigger parties this summer. It wasn’t uncommon for them to be in Crowne Hall, and I chewed my bottom lip.

Theo’s eyes narrowed on my lip right before I lunged at him, pressing my lips to his. Theo was stone beneath me, just like he’d been the night I’d kissed him, the night before he left.

He shoved me off, and I stumbled back.

Hurt ricocheted inside my ribs.

“I love when you tell me how hard you’re going to fuck me,” I yelled, eyeing the paparazzi.