Page 4

Adler

“Fucking hell,” I muttered under my breath, my eyes glued on Linzey’s delicious ass as she took off toward her bedroom after tossing around another dose of her mouthy attitude. My fingers flexed, my desire straining against the iron hold I kept wrapped around it.

One of these days, I’d snap. Faster than she could gasp out No , I’d turn her over my knee and spank the brat right out of her.

Linzey was having a CPSTD episode. While it didn’t look like what was shown in books, television and movies, she was suffering the effects which changed her moods and emotions as fast as lightning splitting a tree.

She thought I was oblivious to her emotions.

I wasn’t. She just chose not to talk to me.

So even if I wanted to take her in hand, more than anything, I couldn’t. She was under my protection. Off limits. And dare I say, my job.

She didn’t have to be.

I owned the company. Through wise decisions and good connections, I’d accrued enormous wealth through my business and investments, making me a billionaire who could live a life of luxury and leisure.

With a single phone call, I could entrust Linzey’s care to one of the men I employed and walk away from the day to day.

Theoretically.

In reality, Linzey bound me to her the moment I’d seen her chained to that wall in the abandoned building where she’d been kept. I freed her, but I would never be free. I just couldn’t bring myself to leave her. I couldn’t assign her care to anyone else. Linzey was mine.

So I spent my days with my obsession and my nights with my hand.

Until I could claim her.

If I ever could.

If she was ever ready.

If I was sure she was safe from the dangers of my past. With the information from this morning, that hope faded. I could take care of Coval and his men, but how many might come behind this threat.

I huffed a humorless laugh. That was the catch wasn’t it. If she knew about my past in the SEALs, the morally gray things I’d done for our country, she’d never want me. Even if I could fully assure her safety.

Knowing she wouldn’t emerge from her room without my notice, nor would she escape through a window since we were twelve floors up, I returned to my office.

Almost immediately, as if sensing me, my computer trilled with a facetime request from Booker. I settled back in my chair and accepted the call from my closest friend.

“Your Highness, how can I help you today?” I said, teasing him with the title he rarely used. My lips quirked as I bit back a grin.

“Oh fuck off with that,” he grumbled, also trying not to smile.

I chuckled. “What’s up?”

“Checking in. How are things over there on the other side of Central Park?”

“Same as usual.”

“Which means Linz is going toe-to-toe with you again, yes?”

I’d never spoken to my friend about my attraction to his sister-in-law, but I was sure he suspected. Though she was twelve years younger than me, she gave me a run for my money and then some. The woman was smart as a whip with an equally sharp tongue.

And that was without mentioning I wanted to pin her to a wall. With my dick.

“We’re having a small difference of opinion about the level of protection she needs,” I hedged.

“Oh. Is that all?”

Yeah, my friend knew exactly how it was. He was nearly feral when it came to his wife.

“Everything okay with your personal protection detail?” I asked, changing the subject. “Do I need to speak to anyone?”

I’d been the head of his protection until I’d rescued Linzey from the asshole who’d grabbed her. That day had changed everything for me. For all of us.

“Oh, please. You know they’re fine. You and your ex-special forces crew wouldn’t let a mosquito bite my ass. The only one better than my team is you—or maybe Connor.” Connor being my second in command and the only person I let cover me when I couldn’t be with Linzey.

“Good. So…”

“I’m calling to see if you want to grab a couple beers.”

“I—”

“You never take a break, Adler. It’s not good for you. Trust me. I’m a doctor. I know these things.”

“You’re a pediatrician.” Yeah…could the guy be more perfect?

He was a doctor, a billionaire and a prince.

Me, I’d joined the military my senior year of high school, just to get away from the inner city slum where I’d grown up.

Worked my ass off to get a degree so I could qualify to be an officer.

Then worked even harder to become a SEAL with a specialization in tech.

I’d still be there if not for my last op.

Silver linings, I supposed.

“And that’s still a doctor. Plus I’m your best friend. I know you.”

“I am…resting,” I said. He knew I had trouble sleeping, and lack of sleep acerbated the mild symptoms that remained from my TBI. It was a fucking lose-lose, since the TBI was the cause of the insomnia.

“It’s not only that,” I continued. “I got a call this morning about Coval.”

“Fuck… What is it? I thought he’d gone to ground after what happened with his brother. He claimed he didn’t have anything to do with it.”

I frowned. “We never believed it. Just couldn’t prove it. Not me—the government, the UN. You know I was out after Xavier’s rescue. Anyway, Coval and a small contingent landed in Jersey yesterday. Intel lost eyes on them.”

“So they could be here in the city?”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “So…I should probably double up your protection.”

“Fuck that.”

“You sure you’re a kid doctor? That mouth.”

“Whatever. I’m not changing everything because of these assholes. Marigold and I have plenty of protection already.”

“You want to stay in tonight then?” I asked, figuring he’d change on that point anyway.

“No. Look,” he sighed. “We’ll be fine. Linzey can come over here to spend time with Marigold. My wife wants to talk to her about something anyway. God knows what. I think it’s to do with one of this spring’s fund raisers or something.”

My brain clicked through the logistics for having an evening out with the prince, while at the same time ensuring Linzey was safe.

“Sure,” I conceded, my head buzzing through everything I’d have to slide into place. It wasn’t as if we were just two schmoes going to an out-of-the-way dive bar. “I’m sure Linzey would like to spend some time with her sister anyway. God knows she’s annoyed with me. When are you thinking?”

“Tonight? Seven?”

I glanced at my watch, seeing it was only eleven. I could arrange things by then. “I pick the place?”

He laughed. “I never doubted you would. Tell your guys not to scare the staff when they do a safety sweep—and don’t you dare tell me that isn’t your intention.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. How long have you been a prince? You know the drill.” There hadn’t been a day in his life that he wasn’t protected, which made his job a bit of a logistics nightmare, but who was I to complain? I got paid for the headaches.

“Ha.” He pointed at me through the camera. “I wouldn’t be shocked if you bought a place, so you can clear it out whenever we want to grab drinks.”

I raised an eyebrow. “That’s not a bad idea—”

“Don’t you dare!” he laughed. “The atmosphere is half the point of going.”

In the background, I heard one of his nurses telling him his next patient had arrived.

That was my friend. A prince, a doctor and the biggest news in all the most popular social papers and gossip shows.

Between Prince Booker from Zenderland and Prince Harry from the UK, the country couldn’t get enough of royals on American soil.

I even heard there was a crown prince attending school in Michigan right now.

“Got to go,” he said.

I nodded, grabbing a notepad to jot a list of things that needed to be done to make the evening happen. “I’ll see you tonight. Have a good rest of your day.”

We disconnected, and I leaned back in my chair, running my hands over my face then spearing my fingers into my short hair as I groaned.

I already had a headache, and Booker was up to something—he never wanted to just grab drinks .

I hadn’t a clue what plan tumbled around in that royal brain of his, though.

Surging out of my chair, I headed through the great room then down the west hallway toward Linzey. At the door to her bedroom suite, I rapped quickly. “Linzey.”

“What?” she called, sounding far away and out of breath. I hoped she wasn’t on the room’s balcony. The idea of her out there made me uncomfortable, though this high up, it should be safe.

Aside from snipers. Twelve floors would be nothing—

I shut down the thought. No one wanted to shoot or kill my woman. Though Coval and his men might if they thought she was mine.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yep,” she said so fast I knew she was lying.

What the fuck was she up to now? With her, it could be anything from contemplating base jumping from her balcony to cutting off all her gorgeous sable hair to masturbating for Only Friends, which I would spank her ass for in a hot second.

Or it could be anything in between. God alone knew.

Linzey was completely unpredictable, and while some of her ideas stopped my heart, I actually loved her volatility.

“Can I come in?” My hand was already on the knob.

“No!” she exclaimed, sounding panicked.

“Linzey—”

“Just give me a minute. I’ll be right there.” I heard a soft thud and a shit, ow!

“Linzey, I’m coming in,” I warned, my hand tightening on the metal. Any other protectee, I probably wouldn’t, but Linzey… Linzey was different, even if I couldn’t have her and she’d always be outside my grasp.

“No,” she cried again, her voice closer. “Damn it, I said I’d be right there.”

The door swung open just enough for her to look around it, revealing her face and one slim shoulder, now in a silk robe and not the sweater she’d worn earlier.

Her flushed, perspiring face concerned me.

Her big, chocolate-brown eyes were narrowed, her brows drawn in pain.

Damp tendrils of her dark-brown hair clung to her face.

“What?” she demanded quietly.

“Are you okay?” I asked in concern, studying her.

She rolled her eyes, and my fingers flexed.

Every time the little brat bratted at me, I wanted nothing more than to give her a little of the dominant discipline simmering inside me.

But she didn’t need that from me, not with what she’d been through four years ago.

Which was yet another reason I could never have her.

I craved her submission to me, and if we were together, I wasn’t sure I could restrain that part of me and not scare her.

“I’m fine,” she huffed. “I just finished running.”

My gaze scraped over her again. She looked exhausted. Beyond exhausted, and as we stood here and she cooled down, her face turned shockingly ashen. She clutched the door frame, and I steeled myself from diving in and lifting her into my arms. My body tensed, at the ready.

“Did you eat today?”

That was an issue I’d noticed more than once. I didn’t think she was anorexic, but she’d go long periods without eating, almost as if punishing herself for something. Then at other times, less unsettled times, she ate normally.

Then the exercise… It always occurred after nightmares, and she’d run until her legs could barely hold her up anymore. Was that what had happened now? All signs pointed to yes.

“I’m fine,” she repeated, not answering. “Is that all? I need to shower.”

My hand flattened on her door as she started to close it. I didn’t try to push it farther open. I just held it in place and didn’t allow her to shut me out.

“No. That’s not all. You’re going to your sister’s tonight.”

A delicate brow lifted. “Excuse me?”

“You’re going over to Marigold and Booker’s for the evening.”

“Why? What did you do? Make a play date for me so you can have the evening off? I don’t need—”

“No,” I interrupted. “Booker called me. Marigold wants to spend some time with you.”

“And where will you be after you dump me at my sister’s? You have a hot date or something? You don’t need to send me someplace, so you can go fuck—”

“No.” God, she was a brat. Didn’t she have some idea— any idea—that she was the only one I wanted to fuck?

She stared at me, waiting, but I didn’t give her brattiness more to chew on. Her lips pursed, eyes challenging me, and I fought back a groan. If I ever lost my grip, no wall, no damn surface in this place, would be safe.

“We’ll leave at five-thirty,” I announced then pivoted away before I did something rash. Almost immediately, I turned back, though. “Unless you want to go out to dinner first?”

Where the fuck did that come from?

I mentally kicked myself. I’d just invited Linzey out to dinner? Like on a date? What the hell was I thinking?

That I wanted her, obviously. And my big head wasn’t the one doing the thinking. The head inside my boxer-briefs was totally behind the question.

Every man had more than one breaking point, and apparently, we’d just found one of mine.