Pia crossed her arms and stomped her foot. Her father would have to do something. This was completely unacceptable. She was not going to be followed around by this oaf all day. “Isn’t there someone else? He’s just so—” She turned to look at him. She could not restrain her disgust.
“So what?” Ryder demanded. “Come on, let’s hear it.”
“So low class,” she said. There was no better explanation. He was not good enough to be that close to her. She deserved better.
“There is another option,” Matteo said. “You could just never leave the house. I’d be fine with that.”
She huffed and growled in frustration. “I have a business to run!” Never leave the house. Was he insane?
Ryder tried to hold back a smirk. She wanted to reach over and smack it off his face. What an ass. She had to think of ways to lose him or keep him away from her. This would ruin everything if he was around all the time.
Did that mean he would have to be in the car with her? Eww. He’d be there all day at work while she was trying to do business, he’d be there when she went out with her friends. He would be there all the time, just making her miserable. Unless…,maybe she could make him miserable enough that he’d quit. There had to be a way to do that.
“I do have pepper spray, you know,” she said. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Then why didn’t you use it tonight?” Her father crossed his arms and waited.
“Probably for the same reason Mr. Suxon didn’t bother to take out his gun to protect me.” There. She’d insult him with his name, which she thought was a rather clever idea. She could just call him Suxon instead of Saxon and refuse to use his first name. She would throw him under the bus and make him look bad every chance she got.
It seemed to be working. Matteo raised an eyebrow at Ryder. Ahh, she’d won. She could always get her father to give in to her. Wasn’t hard to make him back down. He wanted to appease her, and if he didn’t, she made such a huge fuss that he’d eventually cave.
“The situation didn’t call for it. It could have caused more harm than good,” Ryder said.
“Daddy. The man pulled out a gun. He could have shot me! And what did this idiot do but just stand there with his hands up and let him get away. He didn’t even chase him down or anything. Just stood there, practically waving as the man who attacked me got into his car and just drove away. I want that man to pay for what he did to me!”
“He will, my Pia. He will. But I can’t have you out there in danger. Please understand. I’m not doing this to punish you. I only want to protect you.”
“Fine.” She huffed again and turned from them.
The large double front doors were still partially open from when Ryder had carried her in, and she pushed through them, storming outside into the night.
Behind her, she heard her father say, “Go after her. You are on duty beginning now.”
Great. All she wanted was to get away from them both and now the idiot was coming after her to bring her back inside.
Pia kicked off her other heel. She took off running, but had to stop quickly. Her bare feet on the gravel of the driveway hurt too badly. She half hopped to the grass.
Behind her, Ryder’s footsteps were heavy and fast. He was running after her. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of looking back. She hit the grass and when her feet had something softer to land on, she took off at a sprint.
Maybe she could outrun him, the big oaf that he was. He was probably so out of shape that he couldn’t keep up.
She ran toward the stables. The long brick building was partially hidden in shadow. There, she could escape in the darkness and get away from him. Maybe if she slipped him often enough, he’d lose his job since he couldn’t keep an eye on her. There had to be a way to get him fired. She would find it and do whatever she had to.
But as she ran, she glanced over to a movement on her right. Ryder ran easily beside her, keeping her pace. He didn’t even seem as out of breath as she was.
“Just curious,” he said. “How long will this run be? I usually run five or six miles a day, but I like to have an idea when I start. You know, it’s a mental thing.”
She stopped. She had to bend over, panting. Clearly, he was in better shape than she was. And that really pissed her off. He shouldn’t be better than her at anything.
“Oh, are we done already?” he asked. “I was just getting warmed up.”
“Shut up.”
She stood and walked away from him, continuing on toward the stables. So he could run. Fine. But could he ride? She might be able to hop on a horse and take off.
“Just go away,” she said. “I know my father sent you after me, but I do not need a babysitter. I’m going for a ride.”
He walked close to her, his shoulder bumping into hers with every other step. She moved over to get farther away from him.
“You think I don’t know what you’re doing?” he said. “Trying to run from me, telling your father that I messed up. It’s not going to work.”
“Oh, you think you have me all figured out?”
“Pretty much. Let’s see. Rich, spoiled brat who gets her daddy to do whatever she wants. Doesn’t want someone so ‘low class’ following her around, even if it is to protect her ass, so she does whatever she can to escape him or get him fired, just to have control because her life is so utterly boring that she needs to create drama so she doesn’t feel so lonely and unlovable.”
She stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. Anger tore through her. Who was he to talk to her like this? Her father would certainly hear about it. But he was right about one thing. She’d rather be in danger than have him following her all the time.
“How dare you.” She glared at him. “You will not talk to me like that. My father pays your salary and he will listen to me if I tell him you’re mistreating me. You know nothing about me. So you can wipe that smug little smile off your stupid face and shut your mouth.”
He held up his hands in protest. “Oh, sorry. Guess I really hit a nerve there. Usually, women only freak out like that when a man is right about them and they don’t want to admit it.”
“Shut up!” She growled and stormed off in the opposite direction. She could barely think straight, she was so pissed. Her blood felt hot in her body as it surged, making her shake with fury.
Lonely. She wasn’t lonely, she had tons of friends. So many friends she could barely keep them straight sometimes. They were always texting her, wanting to hang out. And unlovable? People adored her. Wanted to be her. Took her photo wherever she went because she was practically a celebrity. She’d made the gossip mags once or twice. She got invited to the best events, wore the hottest styles, and always looked on fleek. She was more than lovable, she was desirable.
Okay, so yeah her daddy did what she wanted. That was the whole point of being daddy’s little girl. Duh. Just because he was jealous over her wealth and relationship with her father didn’t mean there was anything wrong with it. Any good and loving parent would indulge their child as much as possible. That was just what parents did. Maybe his own parents ditched him or something and he didn’t know what it was like to have parents who actually gave a damn.
And boring? Boring? Her life was so far from boring it wore her out sometimes. There was always somewhere to go, something to buy, someone to see. And now she had the shop to keep her even busier. Boring. Ha. Well, if she was stuck with him, then he was about to see exactly how boring her life was and just how lonely and unlovable she was. What a jerk. A complete jerk.
“So, can we go back inside now, or are we just going to wander around in the dark all night?” Ryder asked.
“You do whatever you want. Go get lost, go jump in the river.”
He sighed. “Pia. I’m not exactly happy about this arrangement either. I’d actually rather be out killing people than watch you all day. So, what does that tell you?”
“That you’re a psychotic asshole?”
“Whatever. Keep your princess attitude. At some point, you’ll break.”
She stopped again. “You know what? That’s it. I’m done with you. I’m getting on my horse and riding off, and you won’t be able to stop me.”
She turned and pushed against the stable door. He reached out and grabbed her wrist. She tried to pull free, but he was too strong. She yanked again to no avail.
“Let go of me!”
He spun her and pressed her back against the wall of the building. His body, thick and hot, pinned her there. She gulped. She didn’t know enough about him to know what he would do. Was he going to hurt her? Even though he was hired to protect her? Maybe he’d had enough and he would hit her. Or maybe he’d do worse.
“Now listen,” he said, putting his mouth close to her ear. “You can make both of our lives easier by going along with this. Be agreeable and give it a few weeks. When nothing happens, Matteo will see that full-time protection is no longer required. If you fight it, you’ll make it more difficult for us both. I wouldn’t count on your father giving up on this. You have no idea what’s going right now.”
She gulped. Her body trembled with fear. She still didn’t know what he might do next, but at the same time, she couldn’t help enjoying the pressure of his body against hers. Much as she loathed him, her body didn’t. She grew hot all over. He still held her wrist, pressing it against the building. She wanted to both knee him in the crotch and also press her hips against him. Was he hard? Did she turn him on at all?
She said nothing, though. He looked back at her with a hard stare in his dark eyes.
“Are we in agreement? Play nice and hope it’s over quickly?”
“Fine,” she said softly. The fight had left her. Something in the way he talked to her and touched her. He refused to obey her. Refused to give in. It infuriated her, but it also intrigued her. He was so much his own person that she wanted to know what made him do that. What him so sure of himself that he could have this attitude? That he didn’t want to bend over backwards to please her?
She looked up at him and couldn’t help the longing she felt. She wanted to punch him. But she also wanted to kiss him. She studied his eyes, trying to read him. Was he intrigued like she was? Was he as aware of their bodies pressing together as she was? Or was she being a complete idiot?
He looked down at her with an intense gaze, like he wanted to devour her where she stood.
***
Ryder looked down at Pia, his rock hard dick throbbing against his jeans. It was all he could do to not tear her clothes off right there. She was so tiny, so fragile. He wanted to break her apart from the inside out. Feel her crumble and tear around him as he had his way with her. God, he hated her. That smug little smile, that prissy attitude. Maybe he could fuck it out of her. Show her who really ran the show around here. She thought she had it all together, was so in control of everything and everyone around her. But no.
She didn’t know how people did what she wanted to shut her up, then talked behind her back. How all the staff made fun of her and talked about her. How they all hated her.
But there she was, quivering against him like a tiny, delicate animal that he could crush in an instant. He felt himself lean down. Her gaze drew him in like a magnet, and his lips drifted toward hers.
There was a loud crash behind them. One of the horses kicking the wall by the sound of it. Pia let out a little scream and he came to his senses. Had he really just been about to kiss her? What was he thinking? That would get him fired for sure.
He pushed off from the wall and let go of her. She rubbed her wrist and made a sour face at him. But under her fake glare, he saw it. The glimmer of attraction, of intrigue. She liked it. So that was it, then. She just needed to be put in her place once in a while. And apparently, he was the one to do it. Maybe this gig wouldn’t be so bad after all. Hell, maybe he could even break her in a bit for the next unlucky bastard. She’d certainly marry some rich asshole. But he could help the guy out a little. Do some of the work for him so he wouldn’t be tempted to backhand her every day.
Though, he’d have to keep his hands off her. If he messed up like that, it wouldn’t just be his job on the line, it would be his ass. Matteo was highly protective of his daughter. And while he trusted Ryder and all the other men he employed, no doubt he believed like Pia did, that none of them were good enough to date his daughter, let alone have casual sex with her. He was good enough to take a bullet for her, or get into fights for her, but not to be in a relationship with her.
He would shoot Ryder so fast if he found out they’d been together. No. He’d have to control himself. Have to find a minute to be alone and jerk off to relieve the pressure. He could fantasize about her all he wanted. That would have to be enough.
“We need to get back,” he said.
“I’m not ready to go back,” she said. But her voice was much gentler now. She didn’t scream or wave her hands around at him. She actually looked somewhat sad.
“Do you really want him to call the cops to come out here and find you?”
She thought for a minute, then shook her head. “Fine.”
Then he thought she could just text or call her father to tell him she was out here and was going to go for a ride or whatever it was she wanted to do. But she hadn’t thought of it, and now that he’d gotten her to comply, he certainly wasn’t going to suggest it.
They walked back toward the house. He hadn’t realized how far they’d come. They’d been running for a while. Her bare feet kicked at the grass as she walked. The night was growing chilly. She might be cold.
“Do you want me to carry you so your feet aren’t in the grass?” he asked.
She glared at him and her attitude was back when she said, “No.”
“Do you want my jacket? You look cold.”
“I don’t need anything from you.”
“Okay.” They walked for another few minutes in silence, then she started shivering. “Still rather freeze than forgo your pride?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m fine.”
“Sure. Is it hard work?”
“What?” she snapped at him.
“Being such a brat all the time? Not giving in to anything or anyone ever? Always having to fight? Is it hard?”
She walked faster and crossed her arms tighter over her chest. His stride easily matched hers. He needed to stay close and be within a few feet of her at all times. That was the job. If she kept trying to get away from him, he’d even drag her into the bathroom with him. She might love that.
“Is it hard being such a jerk all the time?” she asked after a long while.
“Did it take you this whole time to come up with that?”
“See what I mean? Jerk. All the time. How does anyone put up with you? Oh, right. They don’t, because you spend all your time chasing after me. You’re pathetic.”
“Well, that answers my question, then.” He nodded to himself. He was getting to her. He could hear it in her voice.
“What question?”
“It’s exhausting trying to be so fake. It takes so much of your time and effort that it consumes you. It’s all you think about. How to be better and bigger than the next person so you don’t feel so small.”
“I don’t feel small. I don’t think you even realize who I am in this world.”
“Oh, I do. You’re a scared little girl who has to hide behind her name and her money to get people to like her. How many people have ever liked the real you?”
The house was in view now. She broke into a run, her bare feet sending gravel flying out behind her. His mouth pulled into a half smile as he broke into a jog to catch up to her. He’d gotten to her. Definitely. Struck a chord loud and clear. It was just a matter of time before he cracked her wide open.