CHAPTER TWENTY
“So, how’s the new client?” Kerry asked as she served Nathan and Corinne some steamed vegetables.
Nathan grimaced but dutifully picked up his fork and began to eat his vegetables with feigned enthusiasm. He had to set a good example for his daughter.
Corinne studied her father skeptically and turned to Tia. “Aunt Tia, do you like broccoli?”
“I love broccoli!” Tia declared and followed her brother-in-law’s lead. Kerry watched her mate and sister with narrowed eyes as they made exaggerated sounds of appreciation in an attempt to convince Corinne that steamed broccoli actually tasted better than the meatloaf.
“Eat your veggies, Corinne,” Kerry said sternly.
“Yes, Mummy,” the little girl answered glumly. She took a small bite of her broccoli and made a face. She chewed and swallowed quickly, and asked, “Now can I have some meatloaf? Please?”
“Of course! A growing wolf needs plenty of protein!” Nathan said at once.
Kerry rolled her eyes at her mate. Corinne was daddy’s little princess, and Nathan could never say no to his little girl. Kerry always said that Tia and Nathan spoiled the girl rotten.
As Nathan cut his daughter a large slice of meatloaf, he glanced at Tia and repeated his mate’s question, “Yeah, how’s your first day with the new client?”
Tia took a sip of water and said, “Do you mean Caine Taylor? Or Amanda and Sarah Taylor?”
Nathan exchanged a glance with Kerry and smiled. “Well, Caine’s the one who hired you so he’s a client of the firm. But yes, your principals are actually Amanda and Sarah.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that I was being assigned to a sweet elderly lady and a baby? You told me to report to the CEO of Treasure Hotel.” Tia put down her fork. “I thought I was going to be part of the security team at the hotel.”
Nathan shrugged. “You’re guarding his mother and daughter, so you’ll still be reporting to Caine, and he is the CEO of Treasure Hotel.”
Tia blew out a breath. “You could have briefed me on the true scope of my duties,” she muttered.
Nathan opened his mouth then clamped it shut. He pretended to concentrate on his meatloaf as Kerry leaned forward and said worriedly, “Are your duties...too tough? Can you manage, or would you like to transfer to...”
“Too tough?” Tia glared at her sister over the table. “I was a cop, Kerry. I patrolled the roughest, grittiest part of the city and I took down big, bad dangerous criminals. How hard can it be to watch over a grandmother and a baby? I was an officer of the law, and now I’m a trained, qualified security personnel of Chase Security. I worked damn hard to be a cop, and I love my job...”
“You got shot,” Kerry said. Kerry’s voice was quiet but Tia saw that her sister’s knuckles were bone white.
“The danger comes with the job. I signed up for it. But I didn’t sign up for this,” Tia answered. “I didn’t sign up to be a babysitter.”
Kerry shook her head. “I won’t let you put yourself in danger, Tia...”
“You can’t take care of me forever, Kerry. I know you’re worried for me. But I am well now. Please don’t treat me as if I still have cancer. I don’t want to live in fear, in the shadow of my cancer all my life. I’m cured, and I want to live a normal, full, free life. I want to take risks, face challenges and dangers...”
“You got shot,” Kerry repeated, her voice trembling. “You almost died, Tia...”
Tia inhaled a long breath. A hush had fallen over the dinner table. Corinne was staring at her mother and aunt with wide, anxious eyes. “Aunt Tia,” the girl said in a small voice. “What’s wrong? Are you and Mummy fighting? Why?”
Tia turned to smile at her niece. “No, sweetheart, we’re not fighting. Siblings sometimes disagree with each other, and that’s all right. I just don’t agree with Kerry about some things...”
“Oh, I don’t agree with Mummy about some things too. She thinks veggies are great but I think they taste awful,” Corinne declared.
“Veggies are good for you,” Kerry told her daughter. “And they don’t taste awful.”
Corinne smirked. “I disagree. And Aunt Tia says it’s okay to disagree.” The cheeky little girl quickly stuffed a broccoli into her mouth and said, “But I’ll still eat my veggies, Mummy. Even though they disagree with me.”
Nathan cleared his throat and said, “Caine Taylor spoke to me before I left the office. He asked if you could provide twenty-four hour security for Amanda and Sarah.”
“Twenty-four hours?”
“Mrs Taylor would like to have a bodyguard with her round the clock. She is asking for you to be in her house...even at night. She just wants you in the house. You don’t have to stay awake at night and patrol the premises.” Nathan quirked a crooked smile. “She has a spare bedroom, so...”
“Amanda’s house? I’ll be living there? Sleeping there?” Tia’s eyes rounded.
“I told Caine I’ll talk to you. But if you don’t want to do it, I’ll get another of my staff to...”
“I’ll do it.”
“You don’t have to decide now. You can take your time to consider,” Nathan told her. “See if you’re comfortable working with Mrs Taylor...”
“I am. She’s really sweet. So is her granddaughter. And...if I’m with them at night, I can help with the night feeds and diaper changes. That’s what a babysitter is for, right?”
“Tia...” Kerry began and rounded on Nathan. “How well do you know these people? Why are they requesting for twenty-four hour protection? Will Tia be safe?”
“There’s only Caine’s mother and daughter in the house. And Caine lives right next door. This is really a babysitting job.” Nathan held his mate’s hand and said, “It’s the safest assignment I could find for Tia. Basically, she’ll be helping Mrs Taylor take care of the baby. That’s all. It’s just for a few weeks. I thought you wanted this for her, Kerry,” Nathan said quietly.
“I do, I do. It’s just that...”
“The Taylors are good people. I’ve known Caine for some time now. And I’ve met Mrs Taylor. She’s a lovely lady, intelligent and considerate.”
“But...”
“This job—it’s good for me. I want to do this, Kerry,” Tia said, seeing the apprehension on her sister’s face. “I know you love me and worry for me. I’m alive because of you, Kerry. That’s a fact. You never, ever gave up on me, and you sacrificed so much for me. I know all that and I will never forget that. But I am well now. And...I’ve grown up, Kerry. I know what I want. I want to be able to do my job well, and...I hope you’ll be proud of me.”
“I am proud of you,” Kerry said fervently, squeezing her hand. “I’ve always been so proud of you.”
Tia’s eyes shone as she gave her sister a radiant smile. “I know.”