Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“We’re not going to let someone kill Daisy,” her uncle said. Ian Taggart wasn’t related to her by blood. Or rather not the kind that normally made a family. She’d heard the stories. The men and women of McKay-Taggart had bled for each other over the years, and they’d formed bonds as tight as any family. It meant she had a ton of overly protective aunties and uncles. One of them seemed to finally be getting serious. “Ruby, I would appreciate you sharing anything you find out with us, but know we’re going to work this from our end, too, and we’ll obviously handle getting her a bodyguard.”
Ruby seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Mr. Taggart.”
“Yes, my dad will likely chill if he knows you’re handling it.” There was a bitterness to Harlow’s words. Maybe her relationship with her dad was worse than she’d thought.
Daisy could work on that. She was good with parental units. Perhaps Mr. Dawson simply needed to see how competent his daughter was. If anyone knew how to handle an overly protective father, it was her. She was already thinking of ways to help out her boss.
“She should probably move home for the time being,” her uncle said.
She loved her parents, but the thought of leaving her house made her sad. And there was the issue of her employment. She knew he wasn’t talking about simply sleeping in her old bed at night. Her da would go for the full lock-down. “I can’t. I have to work.”
“About that,” Ruby began.
Daisy felt tears well. Not again. She’d tried so hard. She’d been good at it. Mostly. Sort of good. She could be better, but she needed time. “But I just started.”
Harlow’s head shook. “Sorry, man. It was a hell of a first day, so it needs to be your last day.”
Tears pierced her eyes. She’d worked so hard to afford the down payment on her ramshackle little home. “But I won’t be able to afford my house.”
She expected her da to tell her to move back in, but he reached out and put a hand over hers.
“Don’t worry, me darlin’. You’ll come to work right here. We’ll find you a place,” her da promised.
“I’m getting the Scotch, babe.” Aunt Charlotte was on her feet in an instant.
Uncle Ian had gone pale, and a distant look hit his eyes. Like he’d gone someplace else.
It was weird. She often saw that look in men’s eyes.
But her natural positivity was already taking over. This could be good. Maybe she was too extra for what was essentially a two-person show. Here at McKay-Taggart she would be joining the big time. “I can help you, Da.”
Now her da paled. “Or you can work at reception. Or bookkeeping. We’ll find you a place. Don’t worry about it.”
And she would work her way up.
It would be okay. Although what had they said? “What did you mean I need a bodyguard?”
* * * *
Nate Carter had been working at McKay-Taggart for exactly one week, and he was fitting in well. It was good to be around the men and women of the bodyguard unit, good to feel this brotherhood thing they had going.
It wasn’t the lightning bolt he wanted, but it was enough for now.
He was about to finish up his first week on the job, and tonight was his first night at The Hideout. He planned to spend his weekend settling into his new space.
“Hey, I thought I’d come down and hang with you while my sister is being interrogated for her latest adventure.” Aidan O’Donnell strode up to the desk Nate had been assigned. “It’s a doozy.”
He’d heard a lot about the ball of chaos known as Daisy O’Donnell. “What’s she up to this time?”
She was a mystery. He hadn’t seen a picture of her since he didn’t do social media, and Aidan was packing up to move in with his fiancée, so his part of the house was looking pretty sparse. He hadn’t seen his other roommates yet since Cooper McKay and Tristan Dean-Miles were… He had no idea where they were since it was classified.
He’d worked with both young men on a CIA op in Sydney a few months back, so he was certain he could hang with the guys. Though everyone had thought Tristan would be moving out with Aidan since they’d been involved with Carys Taggart since they were kids. For reasons he didn’t understand, Aidan was marrying Carys in a few short weeks, and Tristan was out of the relationship.
It was a lot of drama, but they were all blokes so they dealt with it by drinking beer and not talking about anything but sports.
“So my sister recently took a job as a receptionist for a private investigation firm.” Aidan sat in the chair across from Nate’s assigned desk. He was in the back of the floor, fairly close to the boss’s office. He and Aidan had fallen back into an easy friendship. Like the years between them hadn’t mattered at all. It was comforting to be around Aidan.