Page 5 of Bossy Wicked Prince

“Caitlin Daniels,” I reply, taking his warm, callused hand into mine. He squeezes firmly, his hold on my hand lingering just a second too long.

I gulp and pull away. “But mostly people just call me Cat.”

“Cat,” he says, as if trying it on for size, and I shiver.

He flicks his key card to the reader again and presses the lobby button. Is this really happening?

Is this rich grump actually going to walk me to the bus stop?

When the elevator comes to a stop and the doors open, someone’s standing in front of them.

Harry’s eyes are glazed from the drinks he had after his shift, but they spark when he sees me. He must’ve seen me run into the elevator after all. And he’s been standing here, waiting. Like a total creep.

“There you are.”

I shiver for an entirely different reason now, and when Harry takes a lurching step forward, I freeze. My muscles go tight, my knees lock, and I can’t speak. It’s the same way I reacted yesterday.

Goddamn it. In a battle of fight or flight, why does my body always have to choose fawn?

Next to me, Prince Frowning clears his throat. I peer up at him and see that he’s glowering at Harry. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t give him a name—it’s pretty damn obvious who’s harassing me.

“That’s far enough,” he says in a stern baritone that makes Harry slow his approach.

I try to will myself to speak but nothing comes out.

“You’re the new chef, right?” my new bodyguard asks, his voice cold and rough.

“Yeah,” Harry answers, his lip curling. “Who wants to know?”

“I live in the building. I need a word with you.”

Oh no.

If Nate picks a fight, this only ends one way. With Harry on his ass and the both of us fired for causing an issue with one of the residents.

Cold dread pools in my stomach as he stares down Harry. Ihateviolence.

I open my mouth to say something—to try to defuse the situation—but Nate surprises me again.

“I wanted to discuss the menu for our poker night next Thursday,” he says. He claps his hand on Harry’s shoulder hard enough to make the chef flinch. “I have some requests.”

Harry’s eyes widen, his expression shifting from aggressive to pleased. One of the building’s wealthiest residents is making a personal request.

In the blink of an eye, I’m all but forgotten.

The two men walk toward the couches in the atrium, making muffled conversation.

Nate turns to give a look that says ‘go’ as loudly as he can with his eyes.

Thank you,I mouth to him before slipping back into the restaurant to get my purse, eager to put as much distance between myself and can’t-take-a-hint-Harry as I can for the night.

2

CAT

“Harry’s gone? Just like that?”

“That’s what Javier said. Beau asked him to work doubles all week to cover.”