right?” I asked, “Or do you and I need to step outside?”
He snorted, “I’d never harm blondie. She knows that.”
Aimee squeezed my hand. “See? ‘S all good,” she declared.
Once more, I appraised Fields and then glanced back at her. “I’ll just be over there with Ray.” I inclined my head in the direction of my security guard.
She nodded. Then, her and Fields began to walk down the hall while deep in conversation.
*****
Ray had not seen any action that day— no surprise, there . Reynolds wasn’t stupid enough to try anything in public. A fact that didn’t sit well with me, for experience told me he was waiting for an opportunity to arise. We had to be one step ahead of him, diligent in our mission to keep everyone safe. Although there was no doubt in my mind Aimee was his target. The sooner I married her, the sooner she would be safe from him. Hopefully she would see that. However, I was getting to know her pretty well; she would not take this lightly. Just like I knew she’d blast me for the incident with Keshaun a few minutes ago. Aimee Taylor was definitely not a damsel in distress. She was already furious she needed my help. A proposal of this magnitude would be met head-on with her determination and tenacity. What I needed to find was her Achilles' heel. I decidedly opened the door to Renée’s room. Time to get some answers.
I approached with gentleness and made myself known by rubbing her hand. One eye blinked several times before focusing. The other, was swollen shut. I greeted, “Hello.”
“Hi,” she responded back.
“Do you remember me?” I inquired as I took a seat in the chair next to her bed.
“Yeah. Nik, right?”
“That’s me,” I confirmed.
“So, she told you?”
Hold on, told me what? “Not sure I know what you’re talking about.”
She blew out a breath. “Figures. That girl doesn’t wanna accept the danger she’s in.”
No joke! “Tell me something I don’t know.”
She attempted to smile but then winced from the pain in her lip. “Listen. I shouldn’t betray her trust. However, she needs you. Stubborn girl won’t admit it though.”
I sort of chuckled and sort of snorted, “Reynolds is behind this.”
“Got that right. Asswipe had his goons send Aimee a message via me.” She waved a hand over her body for emphasis.
“Any words involved?” She had definitely piqued my interest. And I had a whole lot of respect for her, knowing that she loved Aimee enough to keep this part from her.
She snarled, “Oh, yeah.” She attempted to imitate the thug’s voice that attacked her. “‘Tell Aimee, either she marries Caleb or else.’ ”
“Douchebag.”
“Couldn’t agree with you more.”
“Don’t worry about her.” I apprised, “I have a plan.”
“Do you, now?”
I actually did half-smile at that. “Yeah. She won’t like it,” I warned.
“We’ll make her,” she scoffed. “Lay it on me.”
I took a deep breath and said, “I’ll ask her to marry me.”
“Oh, shit! Look handsome, that ain’t gonna fly with her.”
I leaned forward. “Sure it will. You’re gonna help me convince her it’s for the best.”
She attempted to nod but I could see the pain the motion caused. “I didn’t say I disagreed with you. It would be for the best.” She added, “But honestly, I’m not sure we can make her see that clearly.”
I shrugged. “Clearly or not, it’s the right answer.”
“Okay. I’ll do what I can.” She acknowledged, “Just know, you’re in for an epic battle.”
“I’m a champion when it comes to a good fight.” I patted her hand.
“Good thing.”
All of a sudden, Keshaun reentered the room. My sign it was time to leave. I glanced back down at Renée and asked, “Wish me luck?”
She softly laughed, “Baby, you need prayer, not luck.”
I nodded, “True.”
Keshaun floored me when he held out his hand. “My apologies for earlier.”
I shook hands with him. “Forgotten.”
Then, I headed
He snorted, “I’d never harm blondie. She knows that.”
Aimee squeezed my hand. “See? ‘S all good,” she declared.
Once more, I appraised Fields and then glanced back at her. “I’ll just be over there with Ray.” I inclined my head in the direction of my security guard.
She nodded. Then, her and Fields began to walk down the hall while deep in conversation.
*****
Ray had not seen any action that day— no surprise, there . Reynolds wasn’t stupid enough to try anything in public. A fact that didn’t sit well with me, for experience told me he was waiting for an opportunity to arise. We had to be one step ahead of him, diligent in our mission to keep everyone safe. Although there was no doubt in my mind Aimee was his target. The sooner I married her, the sooner she would be safe from him. Hopefully she would see that. However, I was getting to know her pretty well; she would not take this lightly. Just like I knew she’d blast me for the incident with Keshaun a few minutes ago. Aimee Taylor was definitely not a damsel in distress. She was already furious she needed my help. A proposal of this magnitude would be met head-on with her determination and tenacity. What I needed to find was her Achilles' heel. I decidedly opened the door to Renée’s room. Time to get some answers.
I approached with gentleness and made myself known by rubbing her hand. One eye blinked several times before focusing. The other, was swollen shut. I greeted, “Hello.”
“Hi,” she responded back.
“Do you remember me?” I inquired as I took a seat in the chair next to her bed.
“Yeah. Nik, right?”
“That’s me,” I confirmed.
“So, she told you?”
Hold on, told me what? “Not sure I know what you’re talking about.”
She blew out a breath. “Figures. That girl doesn’t wanna accept the danger she’s in.”
No joke! “Tell me something I don’t know.”
She attempted to smile but then winced from the pain in her lip. “Listen. I shouldn’t betray her trust. However, she needs you. Stubborn girl won’t admit it though.”
I sort of chuckled and sort of snorted, “Reynolds is behind this.”
“Got that right. Asswipe had his goons send Aimee a message via me.” She waved a hand over her body for emphasis.
“Any words involved?” She had definitely piqued my interest. And I had a whole lot of respect for her, knowing that she loved Aimee enough to keep this part from her.
She snarled, “Oh, yeah.” She attempted to imitate the thug’s voice that attacked her. “‘Tell Aimee, either she marries Caleb or else.’ ”
“Douchebag.”
“Couldn’t agree with you more.”
“Don’t worry about her.” I apprised, “I have a plan.”
“Do you, now?”
I actually did half-smile at that. “Yeah. She won’t like it,” I warned.
“We’ll make her,” she scoffed. “Lay it on me.”
I took a deep breath and said, “I’ll ask her to marry me.”
“Oh, shit! Look handsome, that ain’t gonna fly with her.”
I leaned forward. “Sure it will. You’re gonna help me convince her it’s for the best.”
She attempted to nod but I could see the pain the motion caused. “I didn’t say I disagreed with you. It would be for the best.” She added, “But honestly, I’m not sure we can make her see that clearly.”
I shrugged. “Clearly or not, it’s the right answer.”
“Okay. I’ll do what I can.” She acknowledged, “Just know, you’re in for an epic battle.”
“I’m a champion when it comes to a good fight.” I patted her hand.
“Good thing.”
All of a sudden, Keshaun reentered the room. My sign it was time to leave. I glanced back down at Renée and asked, “Wish me luck?”
She softly laughed, “Baby, you need prayer, not luck.”
I nodded, “True.”
Keshaun floored me when he held out his hand. “My apologies for earlier.”
I shook hands with him. “Forgotten.”
Then, I headed
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