Chapter
13
Lola sat in the SUV with Rob right next to her
on the way back to Blackrain’s office. She was very conscious of where Rob’s
leg was because it kept brushing against hers. Each touch would heat her
stomach and make her feel longing deep in her core. She felt butterflies at
just the sight of Rob. She had never experienced anything close to this before.
Sure she had guys rubbing up against her when she danced, but never in her life
had she ever felt this emptiness mixed with fluttering in the pit of her stomach,
this longing for a man to be inside her, filling her up, like she felt for Rob.
They pulled in front of a small, non-descript
two-story brick building that housed Blackrain Security. High-tech security
cameras followed them. The inside was much like she expected. The downstairs
had a few fake plants in a few corners and there were cubes that each held
desks. She walked past the kitchenette on her way to the stairs. The kitchen
contained a small table and three chairs, a microwave, a stove and oven, a refrigerator,
and a coffee pot. It was a complete setup. Often, the men stayed overnight;
they needed a working kitchen. The staircase was on the outside of the wall and
led to a closed glass door. She imagined the upstairs was where they held their
meetings. She didn’t see any conference tables in amongst the cubes. They made
their way up the metal staircase and entered through the glass door. The
upstairs was much more modern, with Impressionist paintings adorning the walls.
Again, she saw the same fake plants she saw downstairs.
Someone liked their
greenery. Rob stopped outside of another door, this one frosted glass. The name
on the door read ‘Tyrrell Greenwood.’ Rob knocked twice and heard, “Come in.”
Rob placed his hand on the small of Lola’s back
and led her into the office. Lola’s father was seated at the large conference
table. He stood and rushed to hug her. She hugged him back with all her might.
She was happy to see the relieved look in his eyes. As soon as they finished
with the embrace, Mr. Sardeson stepped back to look at his daughter. She was
still wearing the white negligee and coat from the previous day.
“Can someone get her some clothes for Christ’s
sake?” Mr. Sardeson bellowed through the office.
“Of course, sir. Aaron, please get Ms. Sardeson
some clothes from the locker room.”
Tyrrell motioned for Aaron to move quickly.
Rob found Mr. Sardeson in three long strides. He
grabbed the man by the collar of his expensive suit and bunched it up at the
neck. “How could you?” Rob spat into his face. He was so close to Mr. Sardeson
he felt the huffed breath from the man on his face.
“What are you talking about?” Mr. Sardeson
accused acting tougher than he felt.
“You could have gotten her killed. All over
money,” Rob yelled. “They came after us. Your guy, who pulled the money, didn’t
wait long enough. You know what? Forever won’t be long enough. They want her.
She is worth three hundred and seventy five grand to them. You think they are
just going to let her walk away?”
“I only provided three hundred and fifty
thousand. Where did the other money come from?” Mr. Sardeson’s only question.
“That’s not your concern,” Rob responded. He
really didn’t want Lola to know he put up the remaining amount.
“Wait just a second. What do you mean he pulled
the money?” Tyrrell asked looking to Rob.
“He gave us about a twenty-minute window from
the time the auction closed to the time he pulled his money. Thank God we were
already in the SUV when Ortiz’s men started after us. We barely made it back
alive. We had a good, old-fashion shoot out in the streets of some Mexican
town.” Rob looked directly at Mr. Sardeson. So much for Lola’s father liking
him.
“Mr. Sardeson, is this true? Did you pull your
funds?” Tyrrell asked moving to pry Rob’s hand from his expensive collar.
“There was no way I was paying some criminal for
the return of my own daughter. That is what I hired you to do. And I see I made
the wise choice.”
“Mr. Sardeson,” Tyrrell said in his most
patronizing voice. “Rob is right. They consider
Lola their property. They are
going to come after her.”
“I plan on having her back under my protection
this afternoon. She will no longer be attending Harvard. She will have around
the clock body guards . . .”
“I’m not going back with you, Daddy,” Lola
interrupted in a low-pitched voice. “I will continue to go to Harvard. I will
continue to have my own life.” She raised her chin and met her father’s
calculating eyes. She stood solidly waiting for his tirade. Surely, he wouldn’t
cause a scene in front of people. Nevertheless, she stood rooted to her spot,
spine straight, eyes focused on her father’s.
“You, young lady, will be coming home with me.”
“I will not. I will find my own protection.”
“With what means? I will cut you off so fast . .
.”
Inhaling deeply through her nose, she responded,
“Good. I’ll use what I have in my trust fund. I’ll find a job like everyone
else. I don’t want you to hate me, Daddy. I just want to have my own life. I’m
tired of you controlling me.”
“And how are you going to afford protection? You
need me.” He was looking straight into her eyes begging her to defy him.
“Around the clock protection isn’t cheap. It will eat through your trust fund
in a couple of months.”
“I will be her protection, sir.” Rob moved to
stand beside Lola.
“See, Daddy. It’s settled. Rob will protect me.”
“I forbid it.”
“You don’t have a say, sir,” Rob’s steel grey
eyes met dark, menacing ones. “Your daughter is an adult. If she doesn’t want
to go home with you, she doesn’t have to. But rest assured, I will die before I
let anything happen to her.”
“Lola,” Mr. Sardeson resorted to begging.
“I’m sorry, Daddy, but my mind is made up.”
“If I provide funding for this protection, can
we make sure he has backup.” Mr. Sardeson could never refuse his daughter
anything. It was his fault she was still in danger.
“We can work something out.” Tyrrell looked at
Rob. “Care to tell me where the additional funds came from?”
“I’d rather not,” Rob responded.
“That wasn’t really a question.”
“Fine. I put in the twenty-five grand, or we
would have lost the auction,” Rob said lowering his head embarrassed.
Lola’s mouth dropped open. “Why?” she whispered.
“I couldn’t lose you,” Rob said looking into her
beautiful sea-foam colored eyes. All of the men in the room exchanged glances. What did he mean?
“I will pay you back,” Mr. Sardeson said
reaching into his breast pocket and removing his checkbook.
“Lola, do you mind if I talk to my boss and your
father for a minute, alone?” Rob asked aware that damage had been done, aware
that he had revealed too much.
“Perfect timing. Aaron, will you show Ms.
Sardeson to the ladies’ room so she can change?” Tyrrell asked.
Aaron opened the door for Lola, and she followed
him down the hall. When Rob could no longer hear footsteps, he spoke. “I do not
want my money back. I don’t want payment for this job. I’m protecting her
because I want to. If you want to pay the company for the other men’s
involvement, that’s fine, but I will not take a penny of your money.” He looked
at Tyrrell, and Tyrrell knew he was serious.
“If you aren’t doing this for the money, son,
then why are you doing this?” Mr. Sardeson asked cutting through the bullshit.
“I care for your daughter. Nothing will happen
to her. No one will touch her, not as long as I am around. That’s all you need
to know.”
“Tyrrell, I guess that leaves you and me to talk
business,” Mr. Sardeson said, dismissing Rob and turning his attention back to
Tyrrell.
Rob waited outside the Ladies’ restroom for
Lola. He wanted to be the one to tell her the good news. She would get what she
wanted. She could go back to Harvard. But he also had to explain his new role
in her life. She exited the bathroom dressed in men’s jeans at least two sizes
too big for her and a man’s plain white V-neck undershirt. She had to keep a
hand on the pants or they would fall down.
“Thanks for that. With my father. No one has
ever stood up to him for me before.”
“You don’t have to thank me. You deserve to live
your own life. I do need to talk to you though,” Rob said, trying hard to avoid
looking at her perky breasts covered by the thin fabric.
“Sure,” she said joining him in his walk down
the hallway.
When they reached his cube, he pulled out his
chair and offered her a seat.
“Thank you.”
Rob leaned against his desk and crossed his arms
over his chest. “Listen, I know we just met, but this detail I signed up for
means you and I live together - twenty-four seven. You are never out of my
sight.”
“What about classes?” she inquired anxious to
get some resemblance of her old life back.
“I will escort you to your classes, and I will
be waiting for you when you leave.”
“What about your life?”
“Until this is over, you are my life.”
“What about your girlfriend?” Surely he had to
have a girlfriend, a man as gorgeous as he was. She let her eyes wander down
his toned neck, over his Adam’s apple, down to his broad, muscular chest. Her
eyes traveled further still, subconsciously, down to his narrow hips and his
strong, powerful legs to the tips of his work boots. She liked everything she
saw. She took her time working her eyes back up his body while she waited for
his response.
He felt it. He felt her eyes as if they were a
soft caress. Her eyes pierced his body and heated him. His groin pulled. She
wanted him. His heart actually fluttered in his chest. She made her appreciation
of his body known. He liked that. She was bold and brave. He admired that about
her. She was also honest. He thought about it and realized he had been
completely honest with her about everything. Even with how he was feeling,
although under the guise of protecting her. He told her she was his life, and
he meant it.
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” he said suddenly
feeling sad. His thoughts were turning back to Lizzie. He started to feel the
guilt of forgetting his Lizzie for as long as he had.
Lola had taken his mind
and cleared it of everything but her. How could he forget the love of his life?
Could he ever forgive himself for forgetting her? Whatever this pull Lola had
over him was, he would have to fight it. She was his mission. He would protect her
because, if he was being honest with himself, he cared about her. She affected
him, relieved his scarred mind. But he would never forget his Lizzie again. She
deserved better than that.
“Oh,” she said in surprise.
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