Page 7 of Tangled Like Us

“She’s always with her family. If you don’t move out, I’ll push your ass in the fucking sand.”

I give him a hard look. “You threw your fucking back out and you want to push me in the sand?”

He makes a move toward me, and I grab his bicep so he doesn’t do anything stupid. Just then, in my peripheral, I spot Maximoff heading towards Farrow.

Leaving Jane alone. She wedges her empty bottle in the sand.

I release my hold on my brother’s bicep. “I got this,” I tell Banks.

He smacks the back of his hand against my chest. “Don’t nuke it, man.”

I nod and hike up the beach.

That phrase keeps rushing past me. Our dad would toss a football back and forth, and when Banks fumbled, our dad would just pat his shoulder and say,Don’t nuke it, kid.It was his way of telling us to not overthink it.

Jane doesn’t see me coming yet. She rises to her feet, brushes sand off her ass, and then goes to retrieve another beer. Aimed for the blue cooler near the dunes.

My stride is stringent. I pass the bonfires, heat stinging the back of my neck, and in seconds, I close in on her position.

Jane spots me, just as she crouches at the cooler and collects a beer from the melted ice. She hesitates. Frozen in place. I watch her beautiful blue eyes dart to the bonfire where her whole family congregates.

Don’t use the word “beautiful”.

I’m breathing hard through my nose, and I stop right in front of my client. Towering over Jane while she’s squatting. She stares more curiously at me and then untwists the cap of her beer.

“Jane,” I greet.

She straightens up. “Thatcher.” The top of her head barely reaches my shoulders, but she lifts her chin and looks me right in the eye.

She replied to me.

Which is a good sign.

“Can we talk?” I ask, my voice gutturally deep. All the time.

She considers, silently.

I glance at her cold beer bottle. My joints lock. It strikes me that she’s been drinking, and I should’ve factored in alcohol.Fucking unprofessional.“We should wait until you’re sober—”

“I’ve only had one beer. I’m not even buzzed.” Her cheeks are rosy, and she tentatively checks on the families again. Maybe even glancing at Farrow and Maximoff.

I don’t follow her gaze to confirm. I’m only looking at her and the empty beach on my nine. “If now’s a bad time, you can tell me, Jane.” It’s my job to alleviate pressure in her life. Not add to it.

Jane thinks for a moment. “We can go for a short walk, you and I.” She must really want to hear what I have to say.

The private beach has been secure all day and night, so I don’t need to lead the way like I would if there were crowds.

Jane is able to journey ahead, but I keep pace and flank her left side. I click my mic at my collar. “Thatcher to security, I’m Oscar Mike. Jane is going for a walk on the beach.”

Jane glances curiously at me after I release my hand on the mic, but she thinks against speaking and turns her head forward.

Yeah, I need to unfuck this.

It’s driving me insane.

Akara sounds in my ear. “Copy.”

Keeping the team informed of changes in positions is important. Only a couple bodyguards have consistent problems with this rule.