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Sweet Possession
Sweet - 5
by
Maya Banks
CHAPTER 1
“You’re out of your goddamn mind!”
Pop Malone scowled at his son, Co
Co
“Pop,” Co
Pop huffed, crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against his adopted daughter’s desk. Faith stared wide-eyed at her father and brother but didn’t say a word. She was too glued to the conversation.
“If you’d stop your yammering for two seconds, I’d explain why you’re perfect for this job.”
“Oh boy,” Co
He flopped into one of the chairs in front of Faith’s desk and waited for his father’s latest harebrained scheme. Not that his father wasn’t a smart man. He was one of the most intelligent and cu
“Phillip Armstrong is a longtime friend. We go way back. Served together in the marines. He’s a big-shot record executive now and he has a big-name artist on his label.”
“What’s the name?” Faith piped in.
“Lyric Jones.”
Faith frowned.
“What’s the frown for?” Co
“You’ve never heard of her?” Faith asked.
“Does she sing country music?”
Faith chuckled and shook her head.
“Then I rest my case. So why the frown?”
“She’s a bit of a . . .”
“She’s difficult,” Pop said with no preamble. “But you’ve dealt with difficult before. She won’t be a problem for you.”
“Why is she my problem at all?”
“Because most of her security detail was fired. What was left quit. She has two bodyguards that are as useless as tits on a boar hog.”
“And I’m supposed to fix this?”
“Phillip is scrambling to hire a replacement firm. One better than the last since they sucked ass. His words, not mine. She only has one more show and then she’s going to be sort of on vacation here in Houston.”
Faith lifted an eyebrow. “Why the hell would she willingly vacation in Houston? I mean, a girl with that kind of money ought to go to Paris. Or Italy. Maybe a beach house in the Caribbean.”
“I said sort of because she’s doing a show at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo but she’ll be here a total of two weeks. She also has some signing and fan meet-and-greet at one of the downtown music stores.”
“Oh, I get it,” Co
Pop had the grace to look abashed. “Well, yes and no.”
Co
Faith made a show of blowing on her nails and whistled softly.
“Because everyone is either married or getting goddamned married and you’re the only single guy left. If I try to send one of the other guys to spend twenty-four/seven with a gorgeous pop star, I’ll have three pissed-off women on my ass. No, thanks. No offense, Co
Faith smiled sweetly in her brother’s direction.
“Don’t think I won’t get you for this,” Co
“Look, at least fly out to L.A., catch her last show, introduce yourself, see how it goes. What can it hurt? I think you’ll find it’s not as bad as you think. You’ll spend two weeks with her here keeping her out of trouble and keeping her safe.”
“Just how unsafe is she?”
“Oh, the usual celebrity shit, I’m sure. Everyone wants a piece of her. Without adequate security, it could get dangerous. Phillip is going to get a local firm to do the peripheral security but he wants someone he can trust next to her until he can go through and interview larger firms that will handle her security on the road. He’s worried, and Phillip doesn’t worry about much.”
“Why the hell don’t they just cancel the rodeo appearance, stash her somewhere private for two weeks and get their shit together for when she goes back on the road?”
“You’re asking me?” Pop said in irritation. “When has show business ever made any goddamn sense? These people don’t think with their brains. They think with their checkbooks and use dollar signs as their guides. It’s your job to be their brains for two weeks.”
Co
The door to Faith’s office opened and Angelina Moyano poked her head through. When she saw the two men, she hesitated. “Am I interrupting anything?”
Co
Angelina walked in, graceful and petite despite her bulging abdomen. Most women her size would be down to a waddle by now, but she still moved with ease.
She smiled at Co
“Is Miss Priss moving around today?”
“Stop calling her that,” Angelina said in exasperation. “Her name is Nia. Hi, Pop,” she said as she brushed a kiss over the older man’s jaw.
“Hey yourself, Angel. Where’s Micah? Shouldn’t he be working? For that matter, where the hell is Nathan? And Gray? Are we the only people working?”
Co
“I came by to get Faith. Julie offered me a pregnancy massage and Faith is going to go hold my hand.”
“More like get her own massage,” Co
“Find your own woman’s hand to hold,” Micah Hudson growled from the doorway.
Pop looked up and scowled. “It’s about time you decided to show up. What is this, come to work late day?”
Micah ignored Pop. All his attention was on the curvy Latina woman heavily pregnant with his child. It amused Co
“How sure is Julie that a pregnancy massage is good for the baby?” Micah asked.
Angelina paused and turned with one hand on her hip. “I think the point is that it’s good for the mother.”
“But will it hurt the baby?”
Angelina smiled. “You worry too much, Micah. Go do some work so Faith and I can go have some girly time. We’re going to be late, and Damon expects Serena to be home by noon.”
“Or what?” Co
Faith gri
“I’m pretty sure if she’s late, she gets a crop to her ass.”
“Something Gray needs to think about for you,” Co
“Who says he doesn’t?” she teased as she grasped Angelina’s arm and the two headed for the door.