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“Okay, Mr. Cantrell. Bobby Cantrell.” She took a step toward me. “I need another bodyguard for when I’m out and about. Jake will still be with us most of the time. But he’s got a few things to do while we’re here, and since my back-up is going to be preoccupied with his daughter, I need an extra set of hands. Two good hands.” She flashed those dimples at me. “And since Jake has only one now, I figure you owe me yours.”
“You still got the other guy.” I jabbed a finger at Ryan, and then gestured to the other suits. “And all of them. Take one of them.”
Carly glanced at the hotel suits. “I can’t. They're with the hotel. I need my own personal security when I leave here. That’s why I want to hire you.”
This whole situation was making me antsy now. Skimming a hand back over my hair, I looked from her to the security detail, to Ryan and Jake, and then back at her. “Okay, I’m not getting it. Just why the hell do you need bodyguards? Three of them? Or two and a half. Whatever. Are you Princess Diana’s long-lost daughter or something?”
Carly rolled her eyes, the gesture making me want to laugh. “I wish. Maybe then this circus might be a little more fun.” She shook her head. “This is...bizarre. You’ve seriously never heard of me.”
“No.” I shook my head, drawing the word out. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”
She blew out a breath and then sighed. “My name is Carly Prince.”
I lifted a brow, waiting for the rest.
“My father was Phoenix Prince.” Those lovely blue eyes fixed on me and she smiled just a little. But it wasn't a nice smile. It was more like resignation. Like she was sure things would change as soon as things clicked.
And then – click – they did and I felt like somebody had just hit me across the head with a sledgehammer.
Phoenix Prince. “Son of a bitch.”
Chapter 3
The one thing I’d never imagined was that one day I’d find myself standing face-to-face with the daughter of the man who’d written “Crying Angel.” The song my mother had sang to me almost every night up until I was too old for her to sing to.
Then, as she'd lay dying, I sang it to her.
“Crying Angel” might not have seemed like a kid’s lullaby, but my mother had been a die-hard Phoenix Prince fan, and the song had been playing when I was born. It had also been playing the first night she brought me home, and according to her, it was the only song that had been able to get me to sleep.
Even now, the sound of it soothed me. Bittersweet memories always came with it, but it was my go-to when I needed out of my head.
“Son of a bitch,” I whispered again.
“Well, some people say he was.” She laughed a little. “I honestly wouldn’t know.”
My face went red. “That’s not…I wasn’t…”
“I’m messing with you.” She waved a hand dismissively as she took a seat at the table, leaning forward in a position that put her ample breasts on display.
Dammit.
I kept my gaze on her face.
She was Phoenix Prince’s daughter.
“I know that wasn’t what you meant.” A sad smile curled her lips. “I take it you’re a fan.”
Feeling like an idiot now, I glanced around. Finally, I moved over to the seat across from hers. “Yeah,” I said. “My mom...” I shrugged, trying to keep my own emotions in check as I spoke, “She loved him. Got me into his music...well, all music, but especially him.”
“Loved...” Carly studied me. Her voice softened. “She’s gone, isn’t she?”
“Yeah.” I jerked a shoulder. “Cancer when I was in high school.”
“I’m sorry.” The words weren't rote. They were sincere.
Nodding, I focused on anything and everything but her. I couldn't take seeing pity on her face. I swung my knee back and forth, too much energy coursing inside me. I wanted to get up and pace. “Well, I guess I get why you need bodyguards.”
She smiled and I saw it then.
She had his smile. And his eyes, I realized. Those deep, vivid blue eyes were her father’s eyes. I didn't know why I hadn't seen it before.
My brain kicked in then, and I began to remember things I'd heard about her. There had been attacks on her life. Multiple attacks. Somebody had tried to kidnap her. Not once, but twice. There had even been something with a teacher. It'd been this elaborate scheme. The teacher had gone through the whole deal, applying for a position at the girl’s school, biding her time.
When she’d ended up in Carly’s class, she’d asked Carly to wait for a few minutes after class one day, and she’d attacked the girl. It had been a passing teacher who’d saved Carly's life.
I hadn't been following news about her, exactly, but because of my mom, I tended to absorb whatever I heard about Phoenix Prince. Including...
“Your mom. She still batshit crazy?”
Even as I said it, I wanted to kick myself. My stomach churned, and I felt like I was going to be sick. Fuck. Why had I said that?
The hotel suits looked appalled, but Ryan started to laugh and Jake looked mildly amused.
Carly reached across the table and caught my hands with hers. “Oh, honey, I think you and I are going to get along wonderfully.” She squeezed my fingers and then pushed back from the table. “You’re taking the job. Say you’re taking the job.”
She stood and walked past me. I forced myself to think and not stare at her legs.
The apology tripped out of me. “I...look, my head – I mean, my brain and my mouth, they aren't always co
“Oh, please.” Carly rolled her eyes and shot me a rueful look. “Trust me. I’ve said much worse. Or at least, I’ve thought worse.”
That stopped me.
“What?”
Her eyes widened. “You think I don’t know what my own mother is like?”
For once, my brain worked and I said nothing.
Carly winked at me and then turned away. “Julio, if you could take your crew out, I want to talk with my new employee.”
Her new employee? When had that happened? I didn't remember agreeing to this. “Hey...hold up a minute.”
Nobody paid me any attention.
Julio started ushering his men out while Carly turned to Ryan. “We need to get Jake to the hospital. Can you take him while I go over things with Bobby?”
Ryan gave me an uneasy look, and my estimation of him rose. “Carly, I’m not so sure...”
“Now everybody just wait a damn minute!” I raised my voice so they'd listen.
To my surprise, everybody stopped and looked at me.
“I’m not taking the damn job.” I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the whole stupid lot of them.
“Don’t be silly.” Carly waved a hand at me, like I was some kid who'd said there was a monster hiding in the closet.
“Silly?” Lowering my voice, I took a step toward her. “You think I’m being silly? Sugar, you don’t know who in the hell it is you’re trying to hire to guard your cute ass. You might as well be hiring the fox to lie down with the chickens.” My accent thickened as emotion took hold.
Her forehead wrinkled. She looked confused. And adorable. I wanted to shake her.
And kiss her.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
I curled my lip at her. “You want a bodyguard, maybe you should get somebody a little more trustworthy, sugar.”
I turned and stormed towards the door.
“And just what’s wrong with you, Bobby Cantrell?” she called out after me.
I kept on walking. At the elevator, I stopped and looked for the down button. Then I scowled.
All I saw was a slot for what looked like a keycard.
Damn rich people.
Frowning, I looked over at Julio who was watching me with a slightly amused expression on his face. “You mind?”
Carly cut between us. “I mind.”
I leaned down so my face was only a few inches from hers. “Sweetheart, there’s a word for keeping people against their will.”