Page 18

“Sorry, Kade, but a solo gig for one chick doesn’t exactly sound like a big job. What’s the catch?”
“Did you hear the pay?”
My silence must’ve been telling. I was never one to be motivated by cash. Don’t get me wrong, I had bills like everyone else, and I liked nice things just fine, but I just wasn’t driven by a need to have more and more of the green stuff. I’d learned the hard way there was more to life than that. Loyalty. Honor. A job well done drove me more than any paycheck.
Finally, he took a loaded breath and spit out, “It’s Camden Creed’s sister.”
I blinked at that. “Creed? As in the San Antonio Spartans?”
“That’s the one.”
Now I did reflect on the massive payout. “Why does she need security? Why now? He’s been retired for a minute, hasn’t he?”
“You know I don’t ask too many questions until my team gets a lay of the land in person. He’s a good client and a friend. He called saying someone’s been bothering his baby sister and he wanted my best to handle it. That’s you.”
That cracked open a world of possibilities from crazy fans of his to bitter exes of hers, and anything in between. Nothing I couldn’t handle.
“Then I’m back to Crenshaw’s detail?”
“Already thinking positive.” I heard the smile in his voice. “I’ll forward you the details. I’ve taken the liberty of setting up a meeting this afternoon.”
“Of course you did.”
He was laughing when he hung up.
I had the initial details and my first payment within the hour.
What I wasn’t prepared for was her. Her photo didn’t do her justice at all.
Bundled up in a cream-colored sweater that looked soft enough to sleep on, her hair was the color of dark sun-kissed wheat as it curled around her shoulders. Perfect pink lips. Round cheeks with a smattering of pale freckles. Then... then she lifted her eyes to look at me. Clear as frozen honey, fringed in long, dark lashes and devoid of makeup. Innocent and sexy as hell, she was an immediate gut punch.
This tiny goddess was Camden Creed’s sister?
I bottled my shock away and focused on the meeting. There was no time for anything other than complete focus, and definitely nothing like attraction. She was cute, yes, but to allow my mind to go there would be stupid. And dangerous.
She stumbled, unsure what to make of my no-nonsense demeanor, which suited me perfectly, just before blinking those big eyes at me after I explained how I did my job. “Just like that?”
I leaned toward her so she’d get the point. “Just like that.”
Silence descended upon us as the waitress reappeared with my omelet and refilled her water. I cut my food with military precision, covered it with hot sauce, then stabbed up a bite while she studied me.
I lifted a brow. “You sure you don’t want to eat?”
She waved that idea off like it was ludicrous. “You be my guest.”
I shrugged and took the first bite while her eyes drifted out the window beside us as she spun her water glass on the table in its condensation ring.
I took this time to not just eat, but to study her. I was trained to spot liars and cheats. The enemy. This woman held absolutely zero pretense. Instead, she had an aura of quiet strength and self-determination that was almost elegant, and I’d never used that word to describe anyone before. But beyond that, there was a hollowness to her stare and the inward curve of her shoulders when she let them go that told me she was also exhausted and more than a little bit afraid. Of what, was what I needed to find out.
When I’d eaten my fill, I pushed my plate away, accepted a refill of my coffee, then sat back.
She turned her attention back to me. “So... my brother told me—”
I picked up the file I’d brought and set it on the table, cutting her off as I slid it her way with one finger. “There’s no need for small talk, Ms. Creed. I’m not here as a guest. You can think of me as an employee.” I did not flinch at her raised brow. “Your very well-paid employee.”
“Right.” A flush of pink lit her cheeks as her gaze dropped to the folder. “And what’s this?”
“That’s all the information I’ve gotten so far.” I waited until she looked up at me again. “I need you to fill in all the blanks.”