Slater

I ignored the look Colton was giving me as I watched Isabelle disappear down the hallway of what could be seen as quite a modest home, given that she was a Rutherford.

“Man…what the hell are you thinking? You know better than that—and you cannot go there.” Colton shook his head, looking at me like I’d lost my mind. “Not only is she a client, she’s way out of your league. The girl is probably used to dating Ivy League trust fund billionaires. And the Blackthorns may have money, but ours was earned, not inherited—and in their world, that makes a difference.”

“I know I’ve only known Isabelle for a few days, but I swear, I don’t think she’s like that.” Though maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part. “If anything, I’d bet that mother of hers doesn’t let her out from under her thumb long enough for her to date anyone.”

Colton shrugged. “You’re probably right. I doubt there are many people who’d win an argument with that woman. And after a lifetime of that? You saw what happened. Even when the poor girl mustered a bit of fight in her, she didn’t stand a chance. Clearly, whatever Mommy Dearest says, goes.”

I hated that for Isabelle. Everyone should have the freedom to live the life they wanted for themselves, without having another control or belittle them for those decisions. And though I should probably reserve judgment, given that I hadn’t been with the Rutherfords long, I’d met plenty of people like Elena, and controlling others was how they got their kicks and made themselves feel good about themselves.

I’d been lucky enough to have great parents, despite the fact that my father had lived his life skirting the law. Yet they’d loved me and my brothers and had only ever wanted our happiness—and that made the difference between Isabelle’s mom and my own all the more drastic.

Lost in thought, I hadn’t been paying attention to the amount of time that had passed, but the moment I saw Isabelle come down the hallway, I pulled myself up, standing taller, mesmerized and transfixed as she approached us.

By the gods, the woman was stunning—and I didn’t even think she knew it.

The dress she wore hugged her curves perfectly, and though it was a fairly simple sleeveless cocktail dress, it looked like someone had dipped her in starlight, as the fabric shimmered from silver at her shoulders, down to navy, where the dress ended just above her knees, showing off her long legs, made all the longer by the heels she wore. She was wearing makeup, but it was done with a gentle touch, so she looked perfectly kissed by nature, instead of overdone, while her hair was simply pulled back into a ponytail, leaving her face framed by shaggy bangs that made her look both sexy and adorable.

I had to bite my tongue not to tell her how gorgeous she looked, knowing that I’d have a hard time masking the need she was stirring in me. It’s not as though I hadn’t been with my fair share of women, and there were more than a few who’d happily keep me company at a moment’s notice. But they weren’t who I wanted. Not at the moment, anyway. Because for now? I was far too intrigued by the woman standing before me—and it went well beyond her looks.

Colton took the lead, after a quick glance in my direction that held far too much scrutiny—not that my cousin was usually much better about these things. “We’re ready to go when you are, Isabelle. The car is still waiting for us around the front.”

“Please call me Izzy. Isabelle always sound so formal.” She looked perfectly poised, and though it was subtle, she seemed a bit awkward and uncomfortable all dressed up, as if she’d rather be back at the lab than heading off to some fancy event. “I promise, we won’t stay long. I hate these things. We’ll only stay long enough to make my mother happy, and then you can head home for the night. You two have had a long day.”

I took a step toward her, as if pulled by some unseen force though I resisted the urge to reach out and take her hand, wanting to reassure her. “It’s our job, Izzy. And as far as clients go, you’re not exactly taxing us with your demands or your schedule, and we have more than enough men in our security firm to watch you, and your mother, around the clock.”

“Will it be the two of you again tomorrow?”

Did she sound hopeful? Or was it just wishful thinking on my part?

“Yes. Colton and I will be back in the morning to relieve the night shift. It’s best to keep things consistent. Makes it easier to learn your routine. That way, we can easily pick up anything that might be out of the norm.” Sometimes it was the tiniest of details that might alert us to a potential danger—a detail that might easily be overlooked by someone who didn’t know the client well enough. And though there was always a learning curve at the start of the job, we would do all we could to get up to speed as quickly as possible.

She gave us an easy smile that lit up her green eyes. “That makes sense. And I’m glad that the two of you will be back tomorrow. I like to get to know the people wandering in and out of my life, and that’s easier to do if people stick around. Shall we go?”

“As you wish.” Colton nodded and led the way to the door, stepping out into the night air and making sure everything looked okay before checking in with the driver and then grabbing the car door. He held it open so that we could make a quick entrance, leaving her exposed for as little time as possible.

I didn’t know how real the threat was, but we weren’t taking any chances. Threats had been made, and whether or not anyone followed through on them didn’t matter. We treated it as if each threat was viable and that whoever was making the threat would follow through on it. It was the only way for us to keep our clients safe, and their lives depended on our competency—which meant that I really needed to get my head screwed on straight and not be distracted by the pretty girl I was supposed to be guarding.

Not that it would be an easy feat to accomplish. Something about her had gotten under my skin, and with me guarding her nearly every day for the foreseeable future, it’s not as though I’d be able to stop thinking about her. I just need to find a way to distance myself from her mentally and emotionally, while being available to her on a professional level.

At least that was the plan.

Yet it seemed to me that my best laid plans always went to shit, so only time would tell how this would all play out. It would be stupid of me to mess this up, given that I worked with family, and it was a damn good job too.

But people didn’t exactly think things through when it came to love, sex, or money. And though I had no interest in her money, and wasn’t necessarily interested in falling in love, I wouldn’t be a hot-blooded male if I wasn’t interested in sex.

So I sat by Izzy’s side and did my best to behave myself, even though she was just a heartbeat away and looking devastatingly gorgeous.