To Love and Protect (Must Love Diamonds 4)

You’ve got no fucking say who she dates.

He switched his focus to her reaction in the lobby. “Why don’t you like him?”

A slight frown dipped her eyebrows. “What makes you think I don’t like him?”

“Your face when you first saw him. The way you kept easing away.” Not to mention her swift jerk backward when the guy had reached for her arm.

Speculation filled her brown eyes as she raised her gaze, and he realized what he’d revealed by letting her know how close he’d been watching.

“You shouldn’t have been out there alone,” he said to redirect her attention.

“I have tons of family around,” she protested. “It’s not like I’m in any danger with this many people here.”

He shook his head at her naiveté. “Your guard is completely down, Shelby. With the wedding and all the drinking, it’s a perfect opportunity for someone to make a move.”

Someone like that Chad guy. From the moment he’d seen him watching her, Dev’s radar had been pinging like crazy. Maybe his buddy had had a work thing, but unless they were trust-fund kids, The Piñon Hotel was not a place guys in their mid-twenties would choose to hang out. Hell, even if they had millions burning a hole in their pockets, it still wasn’t the place to knock back a couple of beers after work. Unless you’d just completed a multi-million dollar real-estate deal. Or stock trade. Or some shit like that.

Shelby crossed her arms over her stomach, her expression now haunted. “God, I hate this. The police can’t do anything, and Dad’s private investigator hasn’t turned up anything in the past couple of weeks. And what happens if he doesn’t? How long am I supposed to live with a shadow? How long am I supposed to look over my shoulder, jumping at every little thing?”

Though he hated the anxiety and unhappiness in her voice, he didn’t sugarcoat his answer. “As long as it takes to make sure you’re safe.”

She turned away with a shake of her head, then swung back to challenge, “And what do you care, Dev?”

He gave a slight shrug. “We pretty much grew up together, Shelby. Of course I’d never want to see you get hurt.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing you walked out of my bedroom that day, isn’t it?”

He stiffened at the not-so-subtle confirmation he’d hurt her. “I did that for your own good.”

“You’re such a hero. Because every sixteen-year-old girl needs a good dose of humiliation to help her grow up.” Before he could respond, her attention shifted past him and she lifted her chin. “Since you’re all about what’s good for me, you can go now. Blake’s back.”

Dev twisted around to see the bodyguard had just rounded the corner. The guy was in the middle of tucking in his shirt under his suit coat. His step hitched when he spotted them in the hall, but then he straightened, ran a hand through his dark hair, and gave a tug on the sleeves of his coat while puffing out his chest.

“This guy bothering you, Ms. Diamond?”

Dev stepped between them. “Don’t even bother, buddy. You’re fired.”

Blake halted, his head doing a comical little surprised jerk. “For what?”

“Fucking around on the job. Literally.”

“Dev,” Shelby protested.

The guy’s cheeks flushed even as he scoffed. “You can’t fire me.”

Shelby’s blond cousin strolled around the corner. She tossed her long locks over her shoulder and put a little extra sway in her hips as she sauntered past with a grin for the bodyguard. Then she shot her cousin a smirk. “Thanks for the borrow, Bells.”

Dev arched his brows at Blake. “You want to explain that one to Senator Diamond or are you just gonna go?”

The guy clenched his jaw and strode forward to shoulder past with a hard jolt to Dev’s. A quick step back to keep his balance had him fighting a wince, even as he was relieved that was the extent of the confrontation when the jerk headed for the lobby exit.

Though the guy had a good half-inch on him and a solid build that would make most guys think twice, three months ago Dev would’ve taken him down without blinking an eye. Now, he was still dealing with the limitations of his injury, and hated to admit the bodyguard might have had a chance.

“That’s just perfect, Dev. He picked me up this morning. How am I supposed to get home now?”

He turned to find Shelby glaring at him, head tilted, eyes narrowed, hip cocked. Her crossed arms pushed her breasts up to display a healthy dose of cleavage, and it took some effort to keep his gaze on her face.

“You don’t have a room here for the night?”