An Opportunity Seized by Donna Gallagher Page B

automatically took a step in front of her, blocking the squirrel’s path. He felt Toni’s hand on his back as she stepped up beside him.
    “Please, Charles, give me a break. You and my father knew exactly what time my plane touched down and how long it would take me to get here from the airport. Go be useful. Organize some coffee for Jason and me. Oh and, Charles, we’ll have it in Dad’s office.”
    Jason watched on in amusement as Mr. Squirrel’s eyes grew round and a big blue vein popped up on the squirrel’s head. Jason thought the guy was going to blow a fuse. Toni had given him a bit of an earful. Jason had never really heard her stick up for herself like that. She never queried waiter mistakes or got annoyed if people pushed in front of her in a queue. She was normally so calm—perhaps a little timid. But this Toni was staring Mr. Squirrel down. Jason couldn’t help chuckle when the squirrel lowered his head and scurried away, muttering something inaudible.
    “Way to go, luv. Don’t take shit from anyone. I’ve got your back.”
    Toni turned to face him. “I wish you had me on my back.”
    Jason nearly swallowed his tongue. His dick, in complete agreement with Toni, started to twitch, show its interest.
    “Antoinette… Antoinette. I thought I heard your voice. Thank God you have returned, my darling daughter, where I can see for myself that you are safe.”
    Frank Grimaldi in the flesh ,as the average height but quite rounded figure rushed up to Toni and threw his arms around her.
    “I’m so glad to see you, Antoinette. Thank you for coming here first from the airport and not home. I’m sure you are weary from the long flight but I needed to see you were safe with my own eyes,” Grimaldi gushed, and Jason swore he saw a tear in the old guy’s eye. This was not the greeting he had been expecting from Toni’s father, considering the way she had spoken of the man.
    Grimaldi finally stopped hugging Toni and turned his attention toward Jason.
    Jason readied himself, sure that he was about to hear Grimaldi dismiss his services, now Toni was safely back in her father’s arms.
    “Jason Beck, I presume,” Grimaldi said. “I’ve heard good reports about you from Mr. Haven. He says you are his best man. I’m hoping the last few weeks keeping my daughter safe have not tired you and that I can count on your continued services to keep my Antoinette out of harm’s way?”
    Jason was stunned! He nearly didn’t see the hand Grimaldi held out to him. The man wants to shake my hand—wonder if he’d feel the same way if he knew what other things I’ve done to his daughter. Jason accepted Grimaldi’s outstretched offering.
    “Nice to meet you, sir,” Jason said as they shook hands. At least he’s got a firm grip. “You have my personal guarantee. Toni is my top priority. No one is hurting her on my watch.”
     
    This is not the way my dad behaves. What the hell is going on? Toni couldn’t believe the way her father had hugged her. She couldn’t actually remember the last time he’d even touched her, let alone nearly crushed her ribs with the force of his embrace.
    And now he was shaking Jason’s hands like they were friends. Frank Grimaldi hardly ever shook hands with anyone. Toni could remember a time, at some dinner party somewhere, when her father had left the Prime Minister hanging. Yet here he was pumping fists with her Jason. Of course her father was unaware of her relationship with the man he’d just begged to keep his daughter safe.
    “Good to hear, Jason… That certainly is good to hear. Antoinette, come let your mother see you. She has been as worried as I.”
    Toni was beginning to think she’d been transported to some kind of twilight zone. Her mother was in the office? She never came here. “Mother is here?” she blurted out.
    Still finding it hard to imagine, she took off in the direction of her father’s inner sanctum to see for herself. She burst through the door and there