Watch Me (Dark Obsession 1)

Prologue

“Name your price.”

Chance Valentine slowly looked up and met the bright blue stare of the man seated across from him.

“You know I can pay it,” Will Hawthorne said, leaning forward. “So let’s cut through the bullshit and get this job done.”

Chance kept his face expressionless. “You have your own security team. I really don’t see why you need me anymore.” Will Hawthorne was one wealthy bastard—with bastard being the keyword. The man had enemies that stretched for miles, rivals that he’d stepped on—no stomped on—as he climbed to the top of the business world. The guy was also Chance’s ex-boss.

“She doesn’t trust anyone else on the team. She ditches the guards as fast as I put them on her.”

Her.

It got a little harder for Chance to keep that expressionless mask on his face.

“Gwen trusts you,” Will said. His blue eyes narrowed. “Use that trust. Get close to her. Stay close.”

The guy had no idea what he was asking. “Your daughter has plenty of—”

“My daughter barely talks to me right now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what the hell is going on in her life. Remember that asshole she hooked up with a few months back? The one with the damn shady past that still gives me nightmares?”

Beneath the desk, Chance’s hands clenched into fists. Yeah, he remembered the man. He also remembered how badly he’d wanted to rip the guy apart. Chance had seen what the fellow had done in the past—and he hadn’t been about to let Ethan Barclay hurt Gwen.

No one hurts Gwen.

Well, that had been Chance’s mantra. Then he’d been the one to break her heart.

“I’m worried about her. Gwen hasn’t been the same since that jerk Barclay.”

Chance cleared his throat. “Just because she had a bad break-up, that doesn’t mean the woman needs a twenty-four hour bodyguard.”

“What about the fact that someone is after her? Does that mean she needs protection?”

His body tensed. “You should have led with that shit, man.” And not come storming into my new office, telling me I had to take your job. Throwing your weight around and pulling your usual SOB routine.

Will nodded. “I think it’s Barclay. I think he’s the one who’s been tailing her. Some men can’t let go, know what I mean?”

Unfortunately, he did. “Do you have evidence that it’s him?”

Will’s lips thinned. “No, but someone broke into my daughter’s house. Someone has been calling her so much she’s had to change her phone number twice in the last two months. Like I said, she’s not talking much to me, but I am not about to let her be put at risk. I want you on the case. I want you close to my daughter.”

But that might not be what Gwen wants.

“With Barclay’s history…” Will sighed. “I won’t take risks. I can’t. Gwen has to be protected.” He inclined his head toward Chance. “You want this business of yours to succeed, right? You and your friends want to become the most sought after bodyguard agency in D.C.? I can do that for you, and you know it. I can talk to the right people, I can give you more clients than you can even handle.”

Yes, he knew the guy could. Just as he knew the wrong word from Will would have folks running away from his business.

Chance had been in security for years. Once upon a time, he’d even protected the president. He knew exactly how to stay close, how to shadow a client while looking for every possible threat. Hell, he’d been Will’s chief of security for three years. Like that had been an easy job.

Protecting the president had been a cakewalk compared to life at Hawthorne Industries.

But Chance had finally branched out on his own. He and two of his closest friends had put all of their savings into this business. In D.C., the personal protection business was booming, and he was all set to tap into that boom.

The right words from Will…oh, yes, he’d be tapping in to that boom, all right.

And what about Gwen?

Her image flashed into his mind, an image that came to him far too often. Beautiful Gwen. “I didn’t think you trusted me with your daughter.” His words came out rougher than Chance had intended.

“I don’t. I’ve seen the way you look at her.” A muscle flexed in Will’s jaw. “But I know…I know you’d keep her safe. She won’t let anyone else stay close. Gwen’s too smart. Like I said, she ditches every guard I put on her.”

“And you think she won’t ditch me?”

“I know you won’t let her,” Will said with certainty.

No, he wouldn’t. Chance rubbed his jaw and felt the scrape of his five o-clock shadow. “I’ll investigate,” he finally said. “I’ll see if anyone is after her or if you’re just being a paranoid bastard.” He didn’t pull his punches with Will. Others did. Chance didn’t.

Because he wasn’t intimidated by the guy’s money or power. Never had been. Never would be. “But let’s be clear…I’m doing this for her. If she’s in danger, then I will eliminate any threat. This isn’t about you or any damn promises that you think you can make to me.”

Looking satisfied, Will rose to his feet. “I am a paranoid bastard, but in my world, it pays to be that way.” He lifted a brow. “You’re taking the case?”

“I’m agreeing to watch Gwen.” Chance had known he’d be taking the case the instant Will had uttered Gwen’s name. He’d screwed up with her before, but this time…

Maybe I can get things right.

“Good, good.” Will adjusted his already perfectly straight suit. “I want you to stay with her, twenty-four, seven. Keep the pr

otection in place until you and your team find and stop the guy doing this to my daughter.” He hesitated. “And just one more thing…don’t tell Gwen about me, got it? I don’t want her knowing I came to you.”

Uh, that was quite the “one more thing” to ask. The guy wanted him to lie to Gwen?

“If she thinks you’re working for me, she’ll ditch you just like she has the others.”

“I’m not exactly an amateur.” And he’d watched Gwen before. She hadn’t even known he’d been there.

“Don’t tell her. Not unless it becomes absolutely necessary.” The lines around Will’s eyes deepened. “We both know she already hates me enough without adding this to the list.”

Gwen and Will had a…contentious…relationship. Mostly because Will thought he should be able to control everyone and everything around him.

And Gwen didn’t want to be controlled.

“Protect her. Find out who the hell is harassing my girl. And…” Will reached for his coat. “I’ll make sure you have more clients than you can count.”

“I can get my own clients.” He didn’t need the guy’s help. But…Gwen…if she was in danger…

“Don’t knock the help I can give you.” Will held his stare. “Gwen’s safety is priority one for me.” He hesitated. “You’re on the case?”

“I’ll protect her.” As if he’d ever be able to turn away from Gwen. Not her.

“Good.” Will inclined his head toward him, then headed for the door. He slipped out of Chance’s office and then Chance heard Will talking to someone else in the lobby.

Chance didn’t move to follow the guy out. Gwen. Hell, was he really about to jump right back into the fire with her again? He’d barely walked away from her before. And as it was, every single night, the woman came to torment him in his dreams.

A light knock sounded at his door. He glanced up and waved in one of his partners, Lex Jenson. Lex came in and shut the door behind him. “So that’s the big bad-ass.”

Chance exhaled. “He just hired us to protect his daughter.” He ran a hand over his face. “Or tried to.” But I’m not taking his money. Not for Gwen.

Lex’s eyes widened. “Gwen? Your Gwen?”

She wasn’t his. That was the problem.

Or at least, she hadn’t been…

“He thinks someone is after her.” Chance reached for his coat. Why waste time? He knew where Gwen lived. He could start this case right now. “He wants us to find out who it is…and he wants Gwen to have twenty-four, seven protection until the guy is eliminated.”

Chance brushed by Lex.

Lex grabbed his arm. “You told me how things went down the last time you two were together.” His green eyes searched Chance’s face. “I thought she never wanted to see you again. Isn’t that the whole reason you agreed to jump ship and start this agency with me and Dev?”

No, that hadn’t been the reason.

“Gwen is important.” He stared grimly at his friend. “So let’s not screw up.”

Chance passed Lex. He grabbed for the door—

“As long as you don’t screw her,” Lex murmured. “I think we’ll be golden.”

His teeth snapped together. Buddy, that’s one promise I can’t make.

Because he’d already kept his hands off Gwen for far too long. She was the one woman he wanted the most. The one who tempted him and who could rip his control to shreds with just a look.

Twenty-four, seven protection…it was going to be hell.

Or heaven.

Chapter One

The music was loud, pounding. The crowd was thick. And Gwen Hawthorne danced right in the middle of that pack, waving her arms and trying to shout to her friends. She felt good right then. No worries. No fears. For just a few minutes, she was able to pretend that she was just like everyone else round her.

Even if she wasn’t. Not really.

Because everyone else truly was happy. They weren’t wearing a mask. Gwen…well, she knew she specialized in deception. It was a family trait.

Her dance partner—of the moment—pulled her close, smashing her body right against his. And, yes, the guy was good-looking, in a pretty-boy, too styled way. He was trying hard to grind against her hips and Gwen knew what the fellow was hoping would happen next.

A quick hook-up. Hot sex in the dark.

Not happening.

Gwen put her hands against his chest. “I need a break.” She had to shout those words twice, then she pried herself out of his grasp.

“I can break with you, baby,” he offered at once.

She shook her head. “Keep dancing.”

His features tightened.

“I’m only here for the music,” she told him, her voice firm. “Really, keep dancing.” And look for another hook-up partner.

He nodded and, for a second, anger flashed in his gaze. But then a pretty redhead came by. She rolled her hips and the guy turned away from Gwen.

Sighing with more than a touch of relief, Gwen pushed her way through the crowd. It wasn’t that she had anything against hot sex, but…well, she’d sworn off sex after her last disastrous experience. Or at least, she’d sworn off sex for the time being.

One hot hook-up had cost her too much. She wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

She had almost reached the bar when she felt eyes on her. It started as kind of a vague awareness, an itch at the base of her neck and Gwen knew…someone was watching her.

Unfortunately, Gwen had experienced this same feeling all too often lately. It was seriously starting to creep her out.

She turned her head, sweeping her gaze over the men seated at the bar and then—

A pair of dark eyes—so dark they almost appeared black—caught her attention. Deep, dark eyes.

For a moment there, Gwen actually forgot to breathe.

He can’t be here. He can’t be here. He can’t be—

Chance Valentine rose from his bar stool. He stalked toward her. Oh, crap, he most definitely was there. And he was coming right toward her.

As a general rule, courage had never been Gwen’s strong suit. And since she’d pretty much made an absolute fool of herself the last time she’d crossed paths with Chance, she figured turning and running would be a good option for her.

So she turned.

She tried to run.

The crowd was too thick. The dancers too drunk. They were in her way and some guy caught her wrist, pulling her toward him because he must have thought her frantic moves were a cry for a dance partner.

They weren’t. She just wanted to escape.

“You smell so good,” her dance partner told her as he leaned in close. “You smell like—”

“Back the fuck off,” a low, growling voice told the fellow as Chance stepped forward. Only Chance must have decided the guy wasn’t backing off fast enough, because he grabbed the man’s shoulder and shoved him away.

“Hey!” The younger, smaller man snarled. “What gives? You can’t just—”

Chance, all six feet, three inches of him, glowered at the guy. “She’s with me.” Considering that Chance was seriously muscled and had to outweigh the other guy by at least fifty pounds, Gwen wasn’t particularly surprised when the would-be-dancer backed away and disappeared into the crowd.

If only she could disappear so easily.

Instead, she decided to bluff things out. “Liar, liar,” Gwen accused softly. Their bodies were far too close—courtesy of that crushing crowd. She was almost touching Chance and touching him would be a serious mistake.

The last time she’d touched him, Gwen had gotten burned.

His lips—a little cruel and far too sexy—curled a bit. “Running, were you?”

“I was simply going back to dance.” She could lie, too. Besides, Chance—follow-the-rules, obey-orders-all-the-time Chance—he wasn’t going to dance with her. Not in that pack. Not anyplace. “So if you don’t mind…”

He caught her right hand in his. Looped his left behind her back and

pulled her close. “I don’t mind at all.”

She stared up at him, totally lost. His dark hair was thick and a little long, brushing against his collar. A light line of stubble darkened his jaw. His face was just as handsome as she remembered—dammit—in a hard, almost brutal way. He had those dangerous looks that attracted women who should know better.

Women like her.

Deep, dark, let-me-fuck-you eyes. High cheekbones. A hard, square jaw. A faint scar sliced through his left eyebrow, but even that white line was sexy. Unfortunately, everything about Chance Valentine was sexy to Gwen.

And he was…dancing with her. Moving slowly. Sensuously. The music had changed. It wasn’t some wild, blaring beat now. It was softer. Smoother. All about seduction. And his fingers were just above the curve of her ass.

“What are you doing?” Gwen asked. She hated that her voice sounded like a squeak.

Chance smiled. Her heart broke a little then. His smile did that to her—twisted her up and made her want things she knew she couldn’t have.

“If you have to ask,” Chance murmured, his voice a low rumble, “then my dancing is even shittier than I thought.”

No, it wasn’t. He was moving fluidly, holding her easily, and she wanted to get closer to him.

So she stepped away or, rather, she tried to step away. Chance didn’t let her go far. He rejected you once, Gwen. Don’t give him the opportunity to do it again. “What are you doing here?” Gwen rose onto her toes, trying to see over his shoulder. “This isn’t your kind of place.”

“Now how would you know that?”

“Because you don’t exactly scream dance party scene.” No, he screamed danger in big, red letters.

His head cocked to the side. “You really don’t know me very well, Gwen.”

Right…like that was her fault. She’d tried to learn his secrets. The guy wasn’t the sharing sort.

“I saw you when I came in.” His hold tightened on her. “The blond on the dance floor was nearly fucking you right there.”

He’d been watching her that long?