It’s almost as if… “You don’t like me, do you?”
He stands and heads toward the door. “I think you’re a spoiled brat who doesn’t know how good she has it.” His eyes dip to my lap. “And I think you should put on some fucking pants before we leave.”
3
MICHAIL
We aren’t even out of the city yet, and I want to turn around and dump the brat on her enemy’s doorstep. I can easily see why someone would be after her, especially if her attitude translates into her leadership skills.
I sit back in the car's seat and ignore her as she continues to complain, as she has been doing since the first moment she woke up an hour ago. She complained we drove instead of flying, complained the car was too hot or too cold. She complained she didn’t have the proper support for her back to sleep in the SUV.
Hell, I don’t think there is a single thing she hasn’t complained about—especially me.
I pound my forehead against the chilled window a few times and turn to look at her. “If you don’t shut the hell up, I’ll gag you for the duration of this trip.”
She stiffens, her back going even straighter than before in her princess posture. “You wouldn’t dare. You can’t treat me like that. I’m a—”
“Pain in my ass? Job I don’t need? One tongue too many for someone who isn’t a corpse?”
Her eyes go wide, and she clamps her lips shut.
“That’s fucking better.” I settle into my seat again and stare out the window. Only another hour until we reach the city, and I can get some much-needed sleep. It will be at the casino, but I can survive. The princess might not be able to though.
Thankfully, she gets the hint and stays quiet until we pull up outside the casino. I check my guns and pull on my ball cap. “Stay in front of me, don’t wander, and don’t gawk. The faster we get you up to the room, the safer you’ll be.”
She scans my face; hers is the picture of control. Something I can appreciate, even if it makes my job harder. “You think they will take a shot at me in a crowded casino?”
I shrug. “I have no idea what they will do, since I’m not sure who is after you yet. We’ll take this one step at a time, and the first step is getting you out of the public and secluded.”
“Why did I have to leave Chicago for that? I was perfectly secluded in my safe house.”
I shove the door open, march around the car, and yank her door open too. “You mean the safe house that I and another city’s councilmember located? Yeah, super safe.”
This time, she curls her lip, rolls her eyes, and slides out of the SUV, wobbling in her ridiculous heels. I point to them. “First thing that goes are those shoes. How can you run for your life if you can’t even move properly? You’re more likely to break an ankle than escape.”
She tosses her long dark hair over her shoulder. “Oh, honey, I can run in any shoes, heels or not. You don’t know shit about me, so stop making grand assumptions and take me to my room so I can get some proper rest.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to rebuke her for calling me honey, but I decide to pick my battles, and knowing the war I’m about to face, her nicknames are trivial.
I nod at the driver and close the SUV door. In the second I took my eyes off her, she already started into the casino. I catch and grab her arm, pulling her into my chest. “What part of stay in front of me don’t you understand?”
We make it to the room before I have to throw her over my shoulder and drag her, which I’m inclined to do if she keeps fighting me at every turn. For now, we need to get inside and have a come-to-Jesus moment.
I lock the door behind us, and she turns to look at me. “You can leave. This will do fine.”
Wow. I blink and then blow out a long breath to gain some patience. “Well, Princess, this room is for both of us. How the hell am I supposed to guard you if we aren’t in the same space?”
She waves at the windows across the room. “You think my attackers are ninjas who can climb twenty stories?”
I move in closer, finally entering the hotel room and crowding her into backing up. “No, but I think your attackers can afford to bribe a bellman, a cook, a maid, anyone who can slip in here with a knife or poison. I can’t combat threats if I’m not here. That is way more fucking explanation than you deserve, so sit down, shut the fuck up, and let me tell you the rules.”