Home For The Holidays

“Oh, really! Thanks for the advice. I haven’t been able to figure out what he likes and doesn’t like since he tears it off of me as soon as I put it on.” Now I turned to look at her, all smiles behind my mask. “But you’ve had time to figure it out.” Three blind mice could see the dig in that one, and she didn’t miss it if the way her face grew red with misplaced anger is any indication.

“You… You think you’re so special, you’re not the first tart to try climbing into his bed, but he always comes back to me.”

“Really, how often have you been to his home? Not the apartment he bought to hide you in, the home where he sleeps.” Oh, she so wanted to lie. But because she didn’t know how much I knew, she was stumped.

“What does that have to do with…wait, are you saying that you’ve been to his home?” I think there was some hurt in her tone, and I would’ve felt sorry for her if she hadn’t been the one to start the attack. So I didn’t pull my punches with my reply. “It’s just as I thought. You were just a sinecure. Do you know what that means? No? look it up. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

I turned away from her, dismissing her from my thoughts. That wasn’t as fun as I thought it would be. I was more embarrassed for her than anything, to be honest. The truth is, she hadn’t done anything to me, hadn’t harmed me, not like Tessa had done to my family. I could even understand her insulting words; no one wants to lose the guy they’d set their hopes on.

In all honesty, I’d all but forgotten about her in the next ten minutes, storing away the encounter to regale Jared with later, adding some embellishments, of course. And then she was back even more pissed than before. I guess from the crap she was screaming that she’d taken my advice and looked up the word.

She came steaming over to me, hand raised as if to slap me across the face…and that’s how I learned that I had a security detail. Before I could say or do anything, like knock this idiot on her fine ass, this big burly dude came out of nowhere and grabbed her arm, while his sidekick, I’m guessing, had his phone to his ear in the background.

My phone rang five seconds after he hung up, and all I heard was, “go with those men.” It was Jared, and before I could ask what the heck was going on, he hung up. She got a phone call too and was looking rather pleased with herself. One of them hustled me out of the store empty-handed while the other kept his body between her and I.

On the way down in the elevator, I was steaming mad as the whole situation replayed itself in my head. What the frig yo, now I’m going to have to deal with Jared’s shit because this twit has abandonment issues. She was pestering the two men like a ninny while I was trying to get my story straight for Jared. He’s of the say nothing and walk away sect. I’m of the knock them on their ass and ask questions later sect. It’s why I’m a damn expert in Krav Maga, for cripes sake.

I did perk up and paid attention at her next question, though. “So, did you two use to follow me around like this as well? How rude, I never knew…”

“No, she’s the only one outside of Mr. Macalister’s immediate family with a personal detail.” If looks could kill… thanks bruh, have me secluded in an elevator with this nut and tell her that crap. If she wanted to kill me before, her look now says she wants to eat my liver when she’s done.

I smirked at her just to send her blood pressure soaring. Hey, I can use this as practice for Tessa since now that I’ve seen her, she isn’t much different than her, other than the fact that she might be slightly prettier. With the two buffers between us and nowhere else to look in the enclosed space, I took her in, and a few things came to mind. One, Jared had a type. As I said, there wasn’t much difference between Lisa and Tessa in the overall looks department.

Ted Bundy wanna be that he is; he goes for the statuesque model type with mink brown hair, cut to shoulder length, and blue eyes. I have no idea what Bundy’s type was, just saying. And two, I’m nowhere near either of those two things. I’m blonde and barely five-two. Snort, I fucked up his program.

* * *

JARED

* * *

I’m a bundle of nerves waiting for them to get here, for her to get here more precisely. Carl had said that she was unharmed, but I need to see for myself with my own two eyes that she’s untouched. Realistically I know that with her training, she’d come out the victor in pretty much any fight that’s hand to hand combat with a layperson. But that phone call is the last you want to hear no matter what.