Page 122

“Do not,” I say firmly, “settle for a man who will not make you his first fucking ladyandgive youeverythingyou need.” I run my thumb along her jaw. “Whatever room you are in. You understand me?”
She nods. “Yeah,” she says softly. “I understand.”
“So now,” I say, dropping my hand and taking a deep breath. “What doyouthink about all of this?”
“I think that Torin will think it’s wonderful. I think Diarmuid will like Christian a lot. I think he’ll think I’ll be a wonderful First Lady. Even my parents will like that.”
My chest is tight and I have to clench my fist to keep from reaching for her. “I agree. I think I’m doing a hell of a job on this mission to get you dating someone who can give you everything you want and need.”
I was supposed to help her understand that she wantedmorethan what she had with Torin. To understand that she wanted to date and fuck and fall in love.
I’ve done that. Clearly.
But when I agreed to this job, I hadn’t yet admitted that I wanted her to date and fuck and fall in love withme.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I reach for it. I check the screen and my stomach knots. I curse under my breath.
“Is everything okay?” Linnea asks, frowning.
It’s Iris. So, no, everything is probably not okay.
Before I can even answer Linnea, another text comes through.
This one’s from Henry.
Then another. From Torin.
I frown. It’s ten p.m. in D.C. That makes it only seven p.m. for Iris and nine for Henry. But it’s three a.m. for Torin. What the fuck is he doing awake?
“I just need to check in with a few people it seems,” I say.
“I can go out to the car with Christian,” she says.
I don’t want her to. But…fuck. There’s no reason to say no.
Because, like it or not, thereisother security around her because of Waite. I’ve only stayed close because, well, I want to be close to her. She doesn’t need me right on her ass all the time. She doesn’t need me at breakfast tomorrow. She doesn’t need me at the gala a month from now.
She’s completely safe with him. Hell, I did the thorough background check on Waite myself. He’s exactly who she should be with.
“Okay. I’ll be out soon.”
She nods and opens her mouth as if she has something more to say. But then she shuts it and just smiles before stepping around me and heading for the door.
I watch her go before I swipe on Iris’s message.
Iris: Saw the social media posts. Linnea is looking very girlfriend-esque next to Waite. That is not the plan!
Great. There are already social media posts from tonight. I’m not shocked. Christian had his PR people there. As Linnea and I guessed, several of the people at the bowling alley were invited there by his staff if not working for him directly.
And I’m sure Iris has tags for Linnea’s name set to notify her whenever anything is posted about her.
I don’t answer and open Henry’s message.
Henry: You and Waite just going to share her then?
He’s attached two photos that also clearly come from social media. They’re both from the bowling alley tonight. In one, Waite is kissing Linnea’s cheek. It looks like it’s from when we first arrived and he was saying hello.
The other is of me and Linnea. We’re sitting close on the plastic chairs and I’m leaning over, saying something in her ear. I don’t remember the exact moment, but the look on her face has my entire body heating. She’s blushing, smiling, leaning into me, and yeah, she looks like a woman who is very into the guy and whatever he's saying.