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“Ms. Bryant?” a deep, husky voice said. “Are you alright?”
My eyes snapped open, and I found myself staring straight into a man’s chest. Swallowing, I tilted my head back. This man, he made my five foot eight inches seem miniscule, towering over me with neat, military-type haircut and dark chocolate eyes.
Every inch of him screamed order. From the tight tie to the perfectly shaved edge of his jaw. Neat as a pin, my mother would’ve said once upon a time.
I swallowed hard.
“That’s me,” I finally whispered. I shook my head, trying to focus on the words instead of the handsome edge of his jaw.
“Are you alright?” His serious eyes never wavered from my face as he repeated himself. “You were…groaning.” He jerked his chin at the way I still held my belly.
A red-hot blush worked its way up my neck. “Oh gosh, I’m fine. Just nervous. You see, there’s this surrogate group here, and I…” I trailed off, realizing I was nervously chatting with a complete stranger.
A perfectly beautiful one, but I still didn’t need to be talking to him like this. I looked side to side. The rest of the hallway was vacant. Pushing my body off the wall, I lifted my head high.
“Wait—how do you know my name?”
The man took a measured step back, giving me the room to breathe as I stared at him again. Unease still made my skin prickle as I shifted back and forth.
“I’m with AXE Securities,” he said, his voice deep but placid.
I cocked my head. “Excuse me?”
His face is strained for a moment, as if I’m bouncing on his very last nerve. But he remains silent.
I narrowed my eyes at him. And in response, he tilts his head, watching me closely. I double down. If it’s a stare-down he wants, it’s a stare-down he will get. After a moment, he sighs raggedly, irritation clear in his tone. “It’s all in the contract. Beginning at second trimester, you will have security with you at all times.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Not at all.”
“This is required?”
“Emerson Brooks wants to be sure both his child and the woman carrying them are safe at all times.”
“I’m a preschool teacher. I don’t live a very exciting life.”
Chocolate eyes sparked as they suddenly slipped over me. “In his mind, you are the most important person in the city. Are you upset that he wants to keep you safe?”
Heat, warm and bubbling, starts in my belly. It had been a very long time since anyone bothered to take care of me. Subconsciously, I knew he was doing it because of the baby. But still. It felt…nice. But I wasn’t sure how to digest that yet, so I let my arms flop to the sides.
“What if I don't want a giant shadow guy following me all the time,” I said, gesturing awkwardly at him.
“Then you should’ve read the contract more clearly.”
My jaw dropped, and I propped up a fist on my hips. “Are you allowed to say that to me?”
To my surprise, tall, dark, and irritating leaned in close, his handsome face only inches from mine. From here I could see that his eyes weren’t really chocolatey brown. They were bright, sharp amber, splashes of unmoving gold scattered throughout. They were mesmerizing, and I wondered briefly what he saw in my plain, ice blue eyes. Then he spoke again. “I’m allowed to do nearly anything to keep you and your baby safe.”
He straightened, tugging at a cuff as he turned to face the door, completely dismissing me. I almost growled at the subtle pull of power.
I tapped my foot loudly. “Says who?”
“Emerson Brooks.”
This time I didn’t stop myself. I growled, yanking my phone out of my pocket and marching past my newfound shadow. I needed to get somewhere with really good service. I had some comments for Daddy War-Brooks. Whether he wanted them or not.
I turned, glaring over my shoulder as my new bodyguard began to follow me.
