you’re a strong woman. Don’t let a prick like Caleb scare you.”
She mumbled, “No, I’m not, Nik.” She glanced up at me as tears streamed down her lovely, rounded cheeks and confessed, “I’m terrified he’s going to win.”
Before I did something stupid and kissed the moisture from her face, I put some space between us. I kept my hands on her shoulders and reiterated, “I will protect you.”
Out of desperation, she shook her head. “I just don’t see how you can do that.” Her voice was soft and defeated, which tore at my soul— or what was left of it .
I vowed, “I will do whatever’s necessary.”
Her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t…?”
I chuckled darkly. “Don’t worry, little one.” Her head popped up with bewilderment on her face. I swallowed hard—w hat’d I say to cause such a look? —and continued, “I’m not going to do anything illegal.”
That seemed to mollify her. She stepped out of my hold. “Let me go check on Renée. Then I’ll go home with you,” she stated while she turned and walked away.
*****
Shit! What a clusterfuck. I ran my hands through my hair and began to pace. It wasn’t long before the idea I’d once had to fix this problem resurfaced. Marriage. Really, what other choice was there? Yes, I could hire a top notch security team to watch over her twenty-four/seven; however, Reynolds was crafty, and it wouldn’t take him long to hire his own henchmen to get around me. As it was, a team watching over her family and friends until he found a new obsession would be necessary. Would he find a new one? Or could Aimee be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life? I didn’t know. Rachel died, end of story. Caleb had no choice but to move on. Like me—if you call this husk of a man moving on. I shook off the morose thoughts bouncing around in my head. Time to man-up and do what needed to be done. I had to convince Aimee this was the best solution. Right, who was I kidding? Marriage wasn’t exactly something I ever wanted to do again. Surely she’d want hearts and flowers. Romance was not in my vocabulary. It was once , Rachel’s voice whispered in my mind. Yeah, maybe, but not anymore. Let’s face it, I was screwed. Yet there were no two ways about it, this was the answer. I strode with determination and went outside to make a call. Yeah, this was happening whether we wanted it to or not.
*****
When I returned to the corridor outside of Renée’s room, my eyes alighted on the scene playing out. Aimee was having a heated debate with one very tall, very famous basketball player. Holy shit! Keshaun Fields stood there arguing with her. About what, exactly? Only one way to find out. I strode towards them and possessively wrapped my arm around Aimee’s shoulders. It didn’t go unnoticed by either one of them. She raised her brows at me. What the fuck written across her lovely face. I bit back a chuckle and squeezed her tighter. I looked up at Keshaun, which unnerved me, considering I’m a big guy. I stand six-foot, four-and-half-inches, and I was not accustomed to looking up at many people. All six-foot, nine-inches of him radiated hostility. I held my ground and challenged, “Problem here?”
As Aimee shook her head in denial, Keshaun glowered. Finally he spoke, “This is between me and her. Butt out.”
Hell, no. Did he just say that? The dickhead obviously didn’t realize who I was. I firmly pushed Aimee behind me and then stood toe to toe with Fields. “Beg pardon?”
He studied me for a moment, taking in all two-hundred-and-forty pounds of solid muscle that faced-off with him. Aimee placed her small hand on my shoulder and whispered, “Nik.” I leaned down to hear her. “Everything’s fine here.” She continued, “Keshaun and I simply disagree on what’s best for Renée. He won’t hurt me.”
Not convinced of that, I stared at Fields—hard. He didn’t back down, which impressed the hell out of me. “Does she have it
She mumbled, “No, I’m not, Nik.” She glanced up at me as tears streamed down her lovely, rounded cheeks and confessed, “I’m terrified he’s going to win.”
Before I did something stupid and kissed the moisture from her face, I put some space between us. I kept my hands on her shoulders and reiterated, “I will protect you.”
Out of desperation, she shook her head. “I just don’t see how you can do that.” Her voice was soft and defeated, which tore at my soul— or what was left of it .
I vowed, “I will do whatever’s necessary.”
Her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t…?”
I chuckled darkly. “Don’t worry, little one.” Her head popped up with bewilderment on her face. I swallowed hard—w hat’d I say to cause such a look? —and continued, “I’m not going to do anything illegal.”
That seemed to mollify her. She stepped out of my hold. “Let me go check on Renée. Then I’ll go home with you,” she stated while she turned and walked away.
*****
Shit! What a clusterfuck. I ran my hands through my hair and began to pace. It wasn’t long before the idea I’d once had to fix this problem resurfaced. Marriage. Really, what other choice was there? Yes, I could hire a top notch security team to watch over her twenty-four/seven; however, Reynolds was crafty, and it wouldn’t take him long to hire his own henchmen to get around me. As it was, a team watching over her family and friends until he found a new obsession would be necessary. Would he find a new one? Or could Aimee be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life? I didn’t know. Rachel died, end of story. Caleb had no choice but to move on. Like me—if you call this husk of a man moving on. I shook off the morose thoughts bouncing around in my head. Time to man-up and do what needed to be done. I had to convince Aimee this was the best solution. Right, who was I kidding? Marriage wasn’t exactly something I ever wanted to do again. Surely she’d want hearts and flowers. Romance was not in my vocabulary. It was once , Rachel’s voice whispered in my mind. Yeah, maybe, but not anymore. Let’s face it, I was screwed. Yet there were no two ways about it, this was the answer. I strode with determination and went outside to make a call. Yeah, this was happening whether we wanted it to or not.
*****
When I returned to the corridor outside of Renée’s room, my eyes alighted on the scene playing out. Aimee was having a heated debate with one very tall, very famous basketball player. Holy shit! Keshaun Fields stood there arguing with her. About what, exactly? Only one way to find out. I strode towards them and possessively wrapped my arm around Aimee’s shoulders. It didn’t go unnoticed by either one of them. She raised her brows at me. What the fuck written across her lovely face. I bit back a chuckle and squeezed her tighter. I looked up at Keshaun, which unnerved me, considering I’m a big guy. I stand six-foot, four-and-half-inches, and I was not accustomed to looking up at many people. All six-foot, nine-inches of him radiated hostility. I held my ground and challenged, “Problem here?”
As Aimee shook her head in denial, Keshaun glowered. Finally he spoke, “This is between me and her. Butt out.”
Hell, no. Did he just say that? The dickhead obviously didn’t realize who I was. I firmly pushed Aimee behind me and then stood toe to toe with Fields. “Beg pardon?”
He studied me for a moment, taking in all two-hundred-and-forty pounds of solid muscle that faced-off with him. Aimee placed her small hand on my shoulder and whispered, “Nik.” I leaned down to hear her. “Everything’s fine here.” She continued, “Keshaun and I simply disagree on what’s best for Renée. He won’t hurt me.”
Not convinced of that, I stared at Fields—hard. He didn’t back down, which impressed the hell out of me. “Does she have it
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