Page 9 of Single Mom’s Undoing (Lucky Lady Reverse Harems #1)

CARTER

I ’m nervous and excited.

Any minute now, Clara is going to walk through the front door of Vanguard, ready for her first day on the job.

Two days ago, we reconnected in ways I didn’t think were possible. Damon has been walking on a cloud ever since. Jace is yearning to join us. And I’m still reeling, preparing myself for the inevitable push.

Because that’s what Clara does. As soon as she gets close, she starts pushing us away.

“Good morning,” she says as the front doors open wide for her.

She looks stunning. Motherhood has certainly brought out her best features, though I know she carries some deep insecurities on the matter. I intend to shatter each and every one of them.

“Good morning,” I reply with a broad smile, feeling my cock twitch at the sight of her. My body temperature is quick to rise in her presence. “Glad to see you, Clara.”

“Thank you for the opportunity,” she says.

Her red hair is combed into a neat bun at the base of her neck. Her makeup is minimal and flawless. The soft green pantsuit she’s wearing hugs her figure in all the right places while her low heels click defiantly across the marble floor of our lobby.

“I hope you didn’t have any trouble finding the place,” I say.

“Kind of hard to miss this palatial mastodon, even in a constantly developing region like Blackthorn Falls. You kind of stand out.”

“Good. That was the whole point.”

She looks around, eyes wide with wonder as her designer mind registers every detail.

I know she appreciates the mix between the old colonial architecture and the more modern elements.

The minimalist, brushed brass wall sconces catch her attention, as do the luscious black tables against the silk wallpaper.

“It’s huge,” Clara says.

“And this is just the lobby,” I chuckle. “Would you like a tour?”

“If I’ve got time before I need to report to the boss,” she replies with a wink.

“It’s your first day. There’s no rush. Besides, Damon and Jace are still out on the training grounds with the new recruits. They’ll be joining us for the operational briefing in about an hour. ”

I guide her across the lobby and into the eastern hallway that leads into the office wing of the mansion. The floor-to-ceiling windows give us a full view of a sprawling back garden that extends into the company’s training grounds.

“Oh, I can see them from here,” Clara says, pausing by one of the windows.

I follow her gaze to where Damon and Jace are delivering their onboarding speech to a line of new recruits. I know every word that’s coming out of their mouths. I can only hope the candidates register everything that is being said and are able to rise to our level of excellence.

“We worked hard to build this place and to be able to deliver the services we provide,” I tell Clara. “We expect a high level of distinction from our recruits.”

“Private security, right? Like glorified bodyguards?”

I can’t help but smile. It’s her way of teasing. Her gaze is warm as she looks at me, but there’s a subtle coolness in her voice, an attempt to keep her distance.

The push.

“Glorified bodyguards for some, ethically sound mercenaries for others,” I reply. “We’re recruiting from the VA’s rosters, mostly men and women who don’t want to wage wars in the interests of others anymore, but who still feel like they would be able to make a difference, to protect and defend.”

“What kind of difference are we talking about here?”

“We tend to avoid crossing paths with the government, though we do have contracts with them, albeit of a more covert nature; intelligence experts, analysts, that sort of thing. Jace helped us bring our portfolio into a balance that allows us to steer clear of most potential conflicts of interest.”

“It’s all a game played in the shadows, isn’t it?” Clara shakes her head slowly.

I nod in agreement. “But it matters if you know how to play it right. And that’s what our recruits must understand.

We’re not sending them to force democracy down anybody’s throat.

We’re not sending them to kill innocent people either.

Most of our missions revolve around protecting key figures on the world’s political stage.

“In some cases, those key figures also happen to be highly valued by the CIA, so we get a bit more access to otherwise unattainable intelligence in order to keep our targets safe,” I add.

“In other cases, our clients are hunted by guerillas and violent militia leaders in parts of the globe where we don’t have easy access.

In those particular cases, we have to fly under the radar.

Yet in other scenarios, we simply send crews in to protect specific locations or people at the behest of the ridiculously rich and well-connected. ”

“Do you like what you do?” Clara asks.

“I do. Very much. We handpick our clients and assignments. We reject those that do not align with our ethos. It may cost us a bit in the short term, but we’ve built a strong reputation over the past couple of years.

We’re attracting the right kind of people now, mostly human rights and green energy advocates who pissed off the establishment in their countries. ”

“The world is quickly changing, isn’t it?” she mumbles, gazing out the window.

I move close enough to catch a whiff of her floral perfume. “Change doesn’t come with songs and white flags, though. Unfortunately, there’s a less savory part, as much as we despise violence.”

“Does that strategy work?”

“For the most part.”

“And when it doesn’t?”

I take another step toward her. Clara turns around just in time to see me coming. She holds her breath, eyes wide with anticipation, lips parted, waiting, perhaps hoping.

“When it doesn’t, we bring in the big guns, the weathered soldiers, those of us who are able to get the greater point across. That strategy always works, whether we like it or not. Fortunately, we’ve only had to resort to such extreme measures a handful of times over the years.”

“And now, you’re expanding,” Clara replies.

“We are. More and more veterans have seen what we do and how we do it. Many of them are interested in adding value to their lives and their service to this country. What we do isn’t as hardcore or as intense as regular military service.”

“What are you doing?” Clara asks as she sees my hand slowly come up, reaching for her warm pink cheek.

I smile. “Nothing.”

“I disagree.”

“Am I not allowed to touch you, Clara?” She pulls back, a frown shadowing her features.

“I told you and Damon that what happened that night can’t happen again, and certainly not here. I came here, Carter, to work. Not to?— ”

Before she can finish, I catch her by the back of the neck and pull her to me. She gasps and stills, yet she doesn’t pull away. I can almost hear her frantic heart beats echoing mine.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep things professional while we’re out here,” I whisper in her ear, nibbling on her lobe for good measure. She shudders, and I know I’ve got her right where I want her, right where she truly wants to be.

“Carter, we can’t do this.”

I let her go, and she wobbles for a split second before taking a couple of steps back. She reaches for the window in an attempt to keep herself upright while I watch her, slightly amused at how hard she’s trying to stop herself from unraveling.

“Let me show you the offices,” I say, getting back into business mode as I escort her through the eastern wing.

Once we’re done with the tour, and Clara seems focused on the professional side of things again, I take her to my office.

As soon as we find ourselves alone and in a private space, however, I see the tension gathering in her shoulders again, a flicker of concern in her wild green eyes. While Clara takes a seat in one of the guest chairs, I fix myself a cup of coffee.

“Would you like some?” I ask her.

“Yes, please.”

“Milk and sugar, right?”

“Yes.”

I can’t help but smile as I steal a glance just in time to see her face light up. “I remember every little detail about you, Clara. I didn’t forget a thing. ”

“So, how long before Damon and Jace join us?” she asks, quick to change the subject. “I would like to go over your expansion plans and chosen locations before I get started.”

“A few more minutes, I think.”

She takes the cup with two gentle hands.

The slightest touch of our fingers is enough to reignite the fire inside me.

Damn, she’s as dangerous to me as always, and I love it.

These are straw fences she’s putting up, though, easy to tear down.

I can’t wait to feel her quivering in my arms, one orgasm after another, until she remembers that’s where she belongs.

“We’ve got six locations pinned down already,” I tell her, taking a seat behind my desk.

“Three in California, two in Washington State, and another one here in Oregon. Each will have a similar layout as the Vanguard Mansion: one part living quarters, one part offices and logistics, and one part training base with exterior grounds.”

“Wow, six more properties already,” Clara nods slowly. “That’s quite the expansion, and in a relatively short period of time.”

“What can I say? We’ve been growing like crazy over the past few years. Catching a few Saudi and Dubai contracts helped, of course. I had a crew escort the royal family of Jordan across Italy last year. That was exceptionally lucrative, and it opened up new channels with Asia, too.”

The door opens and in walk Damon and Jace. Damon softens his gaze when he sees Clara, while Jace keeps watching her like a hawk, eager to swoop in.

“Good morning, Clara,” Jace says.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” she replies .

They take their seats, flanking her. The balance of power shifts across the room. Suddenly, Clara is the green-eyed doe, quietly and shyly seated among us.

“How’s the new batch of recruits coming along?” I ask them.

“I think we’ve got some people to work with,” Damon says. “Personally, I estimate a seventy percent graduation rate for employment. I’d say another ten percent would have a chance to enroll again next year, provided they meet a few additional qualifications.”

“What do you think, Jace?”

“I’ve already spotted a couple of potentially brilliant intelligence analysts. One of them is a CIA retiree. He’s got tremendous experience in the field and in live ops.”

I give Clara a wide smile. “And we keep growing.”

“I’m glad,” she says. “You deserve this. Hard work always pays off.” She pauses, and I notice the hesitation before she asks the key question that almost everyone who knows us usually asks. “What did your family have to say about this whole thing?”

Jace chuckles. “Oh, that’s right. The last time Clara was here, we were just getting the business off the ground.”

“They’ve made their peace with it,” I tell her. “My sister runs the corporation alongside my father.”

“And how is Margot these days?”

Damon shakes his head slowly. “She could be better. Her husband disappeared a couple of years ago.”

The blood drains from Clara’s face. There’s a mixture of emotions swirling in her eyes, but I can’t identify what they are.

“Emmanuel disappeared?” she asks softly.

“Yeah. Credit card receipts put him somewhere in Mexico, last we checked,” I reply. “But we haven’t been able to physically locate him. He’s a slippery bastard.”

“Margot filed for divorce,” Jace adds.

Clara lowers her gaze. “And your father?”

“Still in France. I don’t know when he’ll be back, but he trusts Margot with the business side of things.”

Relief washes over her as she releases a heavy, slow breath. There is a lot that Clara keeps to herself, and I can’t help but wonder what she’s not saying.

Jace places a large, white folder on the desk in front of her.

“This contains a summary of each of the six properties we purchased. There is also a brief from the architects, along with schematics and blueprints for the future construction. I also added copies of the original sketches and blueprints for this place. You’ll need them for reference. ”

“Thank you. I’ll need a few hours to go over everything,” she says.

“That’s fine. Once we’re done here, I’ll show you to your office. You’ll have everything you need in there,” he replies.

Clara looks surprised. “My office?”

“Yes, and we have a daycare downstairs, just so you know,” I answer. “Certified staff, a nutritionist and a chef for the kids’ meals and snacks, playtime activities, the whole nine yards.”

“Oh, wow. ”

“We take care of our people, Clara.”

I need her to understand that this is real, need her to shed the last sliver of doubt she might have about us. I don’t know what happened the night before she left, but I intend to get to the bottom of it.

I intend to make sure she never runs off again.