She smiles at me. “Of course.”
“We’ll be in the kitchen, boys. Holler if you need us,” I say and then head for the kitchen with Franny. Once we’re a reasonable distance away, we hear one of the guys mumble something about putting a tracker on us. I’m tempted to say something, but decide to let it go. There’s no way in hell they’re putting a tracker on me. I’m not a freaking animal.
Nine
Darius
I watch her luscious ass as she heads off into the kitchen. Fuck, I am the luckiest man in the world. If I were a musical man, I’d write a song about that ass. Nah, never mind. It’d just draw other’s attention to her ass, and I can’t have that.
“That was awkward,” Jason says, chuckling.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t see your girl,” I reply, knowing that’s what I’d be concerned with. “However, you might want to get a tan on that pasty white ass of yours.” I can’t help but laugh.
“I’ll be sure to look into it,” he says, laughing. As his laughter dies, his face turns serious. “What is your plan to protect my sister?”
“I put a tracker in the engagement ring I gave her,” I tell him straight-faced.
“Good thinking. I can’t believe you asked her to marry you after such a short time.”
“When it’s right, you just know. There’s no magic formula telling you when the time is right. How long have you been dancing around Franny?” I ask, raising a brow at him.
“About three days longer than you’ve known my sister.” He grins.
“What are you waiting for? Are you still forming your opinion of her? Do you not love her?” I’ll never understand a man who fucks someone without being in love with them. When did the world change? From a young age, I knew right from wrong. Watching the example my parents and grandparents set ensured I’d be waiting for my wife, decades if I had to.
“God no. I knew I loved her the second I saw her. I just didn’t want to seem crazy as hell,” he says, running his fingers through his hair.
“Chicks dig crazy,” I say, chuckling.
“You think?”
“I definitely do.” I know for a fact that at least my girl does.
Jason shudders. “Don’t tell me shit about you and my sister. There are things I don’t need to know.”
We talk for a little while about what my team is doing to find the fucker who won’t leave Stacey alone. Jason accepts what I tell him, but I can tell he’s still concerned. The not knowing is driving us all crazy. I take the bourbon Jason pours for me, but it sits untouched on the coffee table, as I keep one ear on the kitchen while we talk. Cabinets are opening and closing as well as the ding of what I assume is the oven being preheated. A few minutes go by, and I realize that I can no longer hear the girls laughing and talking quietly in the kitchen. Instantly, I am on alert. Standing, I check the clasp on my holster. Flicking it open, I walk toward the kitchen with my hand on my weapon.
“What’s wrong?” Jason asks, coming up behind me, following my every step.
“Maybe nothing,” I respond, continuing my slow walk into the kitchen. As I push open the swinging butler door that separates the dining room from the kitchen, I immediately notice that no one is in the room, and the back door is hanging wide open. A quick glance shows me that there is another box from Stacey’s stalker sitting on the counter. Forgetting protocol, I grab the box with my bare hands and rip the fucking thing open. Inside is a picture of her and I kissing outside my shitty apartment earlier today. It has a giant red X over my face. “What the actual fuck?” I say, shoving the picture at Jason.
“Stace? Franny?” he calls out frantically for them even though we both know it’s futile.
“Jason, it’s no use, man. They’re gone. Taken on my watch. God damn mother fucking piece of shit!” I curse, slamming my fists on the counter. “I vow I will get them back or die trying,” I tell him, looking him directly in the eyes.
“I’m coming with you,” Jason demands. “Who the fuck does this guy think he is, coming inside my house like that? Shit, where the hell is the back yard security detail.”
Closing my eyes, I breathe through my nose to calm down my racing heart, hoping to God, this isn’t as bad as I fear. Moving to the open door, I see that there are no lights on outside the house. I flip the switch, illuminating the yard, and see the three guards lying on the ground. I rush out of the house to the first guy and press two fingers to his neck, just under his jaw. Alive, just knocked out. Same with the other two. Thank fuck. Pulling my phone out, I call my tech guy, Rolando, to initiate the tracker and send it to my phone. A few seconds after I end the call, my phone pings as the tracker’s app starts working.