Chapter Fifty-Eight
Nothing else was said about the bunker. In fact, for the next two weeks, hardly anything was said at all. Sam thought it would get easier dealing with this new phase of her relationship with Garrett, but so far, it still hurt.
Her father sent her a tablet loaded with all her favorite books. He’d called twice to check on her and make sure Garrett was being a marshal and not a sexual predator. She assured him that their fling was over, and Thorne seemed pleased.
He’d also delivered the results of the DNA test.
She was, indeed, Josiah Thorne’s daughter.
Not that she hadn’t believed him from that first day. He looked like her, and everything he’d said seemed sincere. Besides, what possible motivation could he have for lying about it?
But it was good to have absolute proof. Unlike so many other things in her life these days, it was a reality she could trust.
When he called, they tried to talk about everyday things, but it was a struggle. He was her father, but she’d never had one before, so she didn’t know how she was supposed to relate to him. And since he’d never been a dad before, he didn’t seem any better prepared for it than she was. Despite her best efforts to remain protectively indifferent, she found she liked him.
“How long have you known my dad?” she asked Garrett one evening after their silent dinner.
“Dad? You’re calling him ‘Dad’ now?” He smiled in approval.
“My father,” she corrected. She didn’t want or need Garrett’s damned approval.
“Thorne recruited me out of the Marines. One of my first assignments was your junior prom.”
Her jaw dropped in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“I was told to go make sure you were okay. When I reported back that the subject had left the prom and went to a hotel room to have sex, it was pretty obvious by his outraged expression that I’d completely missed the objective of the assignment.”
She covered her heated face with her hands. “You were there the night I—?” God, how embarrassing. “How many other times were you assigned to watch me?”
“Quite a few over the years. Your class trip to Paris. Your new apartment. I checked it out before you moved in. Everyone on our team referred to it as being on ‘princess detail.’”
If he thought she would think this was funny, he was wrong. “Incredible,” she muttered.
“I didn’t mind.”
“Sure, you didn’t.”
“Easy assignments,” he said with a shrug.
She went back to silence as she did the dishes. When she turned to go to her room, he was standing right behind her.
“I thought I knew you because I watched over you. But I didn’t.”
“You still don’t.” She didn’t really know herself. She remembered the old Sam Hutchinson, but this new person emerging from her recent decisions and their consequences was still an unknown.
He stepped closer and put his hand on her cheek. He bent down close. His lips mere inches from hers.
“Don’t do it,” she whispered as her heart crashed against her chest.
“Why not?” His blue eyes studied her.
She repeated the words he’d said to her months ago. “It’s not a good idea.”
“Maybe I don’t care.”
She could feel his warm breath against her lips, and she almost swayed in to kiss him.
But she didn’t. She had to let him go. “Please, don’t.”
He pulled back as if she’d slapped him. “What do you want from me, Sam? I don’t know what you’re expecting.” He actually looked like he was in pain.
“I’m expecting you to get me to the courtroom alive,” she said. “That’s your assignment, right?”
“Yes. That’s my assignment.”
She left him in the kitchen, unable to help him past this. She couldn’t even help herself.
In her room, she thought about his other assignments. How many other princesses had he been assigned to watch over? Maybe some of them were honest-to-God princesses and not just the secret daughter of his boss.
Had his entire career been guided by her interest in Paris or her invitation to a party? No wonder he’d been so adamant in the beginning that he didn’t do babysitting. He had to be royally sick of her by now.
Maybe she should talk to him. Ask him where he’d rather work. She had some pull with her father. She could put in a word for him, because he’d given so much of his time to her.
It was late when she went to his room. She stood by his door for a few minutes, playing over in her mind what she wanted to say.
He would most likely insist he didn’t mind babysitting her. He would want to see this through, because he was honorable and responsible, and he didn’t give up.
Instead of knocking on Garrett’s door, she went back to her room and called her dad.
When the call was over, she went to sleep. The pain would end soon. It had to.
Except, it didn’t.
The next morning, she sat at the table for breakfast, promising herself she wasn’t going to be upset. She wasn’t.
“Why did you come to my door last night?” Garrett asked.
Naturally, he’d heard her. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“What is it?” He glanced up at her before taking a big bite of cereal.
“I’d like to move to another safe house. With a different protective detail,” she told him steadily.
His face actually paled. “If this about the princess thing, I didn’t mean it as an insult. Your safety is the most important thing to any of us on the team.”
“I understand that. But you’re being reassigned. They’re coming to get me this afternoon.”
“This afternoon? Wait. No! I want to see you through this. I want to keep you safe.”
“My father said he’d give you some time off. Go on vacation, or relax at one of your houses.”
Anger flashed across Garrett’s face. “Vacation? Are you kidding me? I don’t need a fucking vacation. I need—”
She held up a hand. “It’s already done, Garrett.”
His expression turned wounded. “You’re punishing me for what happened between us, aren’t you?”
She had to harden her heart against the pain. “No. I just think you’ve spent a lot of time watching me, and could probably use a break. I know I would take a break if I could.”
“Please don’t do this,” he said quietly.
“I’m sorry. I’m going to go pack.”
“Sam—” He was interrupted by his phone ringing. He grabbed it and barked, “What?”
No doubt his orders coming in.
His jaw flexed as he paced. “Okay.” He listened. “Okay.” Another pause. “All right. I guess we’ll be there at one.” He ended the call and looked briefly up at the ceiling. When he lowered his gaze to her, it was arctic. “We leave in an hour.”