Kasey closed her eyes and counted to five. “I have a book of different buildings our designers have drawn up. Would you like to look at it to see if there is anyone’s style you prefer over another?”

“Sounds great. What do you know about the kids on the mountain and what’s happening to them?”

She handed him the book with a tight smile. “If you can’t decide, that’s fine. Just narrow it down and we can set up a meeting with those designers and go from there.” She needed to get away from the sexy ass. His cocky grin was getting to her in more ways than one.

He turned her on and frustrated her beyond belief at the same time. Why did he have to smell so damn good, too?

“I can do that, and why do you avoid all questions about you and your family?” Brannon asked as he flipped through the pages of the books, throwing glances at her with his lust-filled eyes.

The next hour passed in that same fashion; for everything she did, he asked a question. Sometimes he’d repeat an earlier question, but never once did his tone change from polite and curious to frustrated. She, unfortunately, couldn’t say the same. Her lunch hour had come and gone and still they sat, working out the details of his redesign.

She’d never been so relieved when he finally sighed and stood up. “I’ve got a meeting, so we’ll have to continue this later this week.”

“Not a problem. Have a great day,” she replied as she too stood with a smile of relief flooding her face.

“You do know I won’t quit until I find the answers to my questions, right?” he said before he spun on his heel and walked off, leaving her staring at him in frustrated horror.

Layla chose that minute to walk up. “You okay? He was here forever.”

“I’ll explain at home tonight, not here.” Kasey let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and turned to her cousin with a smile. “How’s your first day going? Everyone treating you well? No problems?”

“You were right, everyone is so amazing. This job is perfect. I love it so much, it doesn’t even feel like work.”

Kasey laughed. “Good, let’s hope it stays that way. I’m going to grab some lunch and eat at my desk while I get caught up. You going to be ready to leave right at five?” With Layla beside her, she wasn’t worried about anyone bothering her. The incident before her father’s party was nearly forgotten by now.

“Sure, no problem.”

“Great. We’ve got to make one stop on the way home. This day calls for a large glass of wine and a huge bowl of ice cream.”

When they were ready to go home, Kasey had a headache from hell. She knew it was the stress of the day combined with the knowledge that tomorrow she’d be meeting her father and Artemis for another dinner at home.

Kasey closed down her computer for the day, said goodbye to her friends and coworkers, collected her cousin and headed to her car and her much needed night of destressing. Instead, as the two women approached her car, she saw the last person she wanted to see standing there.

“Hendrix, what are you doing here?” Kasey asked quietly, praying no one noticed the big man and started asking questions. Terror rushed through her at the thought of her father knowing about the man who grabbed her on the street. Then she remembered she and her dad were interrupted by the movers bringing in Layla’s things when they were talking last. This was what happened when she put him off. He made time for her to talk with him.

“I’m here to escort you ladies home. Mr. Mercado is at your apartment waiting for you both.” He turned and opened the back door and held out his hand for Layla to climb in. “Ms. Ramirez, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Kasey fumed, but knew they had no choice. She nodded agreement for Layla to do as he asked. She headed for the passenger door, but somehow Hendrix was there first. “Ms. Sanchez,” he said with a smirk as he opened her door for her, waited for her to climb in, and shut the door before moving off to climb into the driver side.

The drive back to their apartment would be comfortable chitchat. As worried about this turn of events as she was, Hendrix didn’t deserve to be treated like a leper. He’d always been good to her.

In her purse at her feet, the cell phone rang with the special sound for her father. She leaned forward to dig in her bag then heard a crack and noticed the passenger seat in front of her jerk forward a bit.

She was about to sit up to see what was happening when the car accelerated, throwing her against the seat back, the phone gone from her mind.

Hendrix shouted, “Stay down.” His arm reached between the seats and pushed on her arm, making his point clear. “Layla, you, too.”

Kasey glanced up at her cousin staring wide-eyed at the head rest on the passenger seat. A small hole had appeared in its center, stuffing sticking out. The back window made a cracking sound and she looked back to see spider web lines running through it—the origins, a hole directly behind where her head had been before bending over to get her phone.

Hendrix yanked the car to the side. Kasey’s seat belt dug into her hips as she huddled down in the seat. She pulled on Layla since she still stared at the bullet hole in the head rest. “Get down here,” Kasey hollered, tugging on her sleeve.

Layla’s eyes were still glossed with fear. Kasey pushed hair from her frightened face. “Don’t worry,” she said, “Hendrix will take care of us.” How she remained so calm was a credit to her belief in the men her father had hired to protect her over the years.

The car dashed side to side and down darkened alleys. She didn’t dare look up to see the car chasing them. Two more bullets left holes in the windows.

“Kasey,” Hendrix said in a breathless voice. She leaned forward to hear him and saw blood coating his hand. He’d been shot.

“Oh my god, Hendrix!” She tried to reach him, but her seat belt caught, keeping her from moving.

“I’m fine,” he breathed out. If that wasn’t a load of crap, she didn’t know what was. “Both you girls stay down when we come to a stop. Kasey, call your father and tell him what’s happening.” She reached for her phone, but with the cars sporadic jerks and her shaking fingers, hitting the right speed dial buttons was nearly impossible. “Hang on,” Hendrix hollered as he spun the steering wheel to the side and a second later they slammed into something, coming to a bone-jarring stop.