AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, sir,” Victor replied, standing straighter and looking Havel in the eye. “The premise of her reasoning is flawed. She used to live at the mansion where there were safety checks in place. She is now established here at Zmatek where there are clear deficits in our security. As her assigned security agent, it was my duty to keep her safe until her primary bodyguard arrived to take over. I failed in my duty and will take responsibility.”
Well, there was no helping a man determined to dig his own grave.
Havel surprised her by saying, “Not entirely your fault. As you pointed out, there are deficits in building security. You will earn your way back onto guard rotation by outlining a series of corrections that should be made to both building security and the security of my family. You will also hunt down whoever delivered this package and have them in my office by morning.”
“Of course, Sir.”
“Dismissed,” Havel grunted and Victor left.
“That was remarkably gentle,” Leeza murmured. “I thought you might shoot him.”
“It was my first impulse, but HR says I need to stop doing that,” Havel said, his gravelly voice deep as he looked Leeza up and down, worry wrinkling his thick eyebrows. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Just shaken. You have a Human Resources department?”
“Yeah, me.”
She laughed, the sound bubbling out before she could stop it, pulling a lopsided smile from Havel. Even at the most horrible moments, she still felt his love and protection down to her soul.
Before she could say anything else, Ayaan, Shuan and Fatima came rushing through the door. Ayaan had her gun out.
Leeza swallowed a sigh of irritation. What she needed were fewer people in her space until she sorted out what exactly had happened. Was the head in the box real? Of course it was. Who would send her a fake head? But who would send her a real head? And could it really be Adam who sent it? If so, why?
Fatima rushed to check on Kris while Ayaan and Shaun surrounded Leeza. Ayaan peppered her with questions. “Who gave you the box? Did you recognize the face?”
Shaun took hold of Leeza’s wrist, pinching it between her thumb and fingers, lifting her own wrist to look at her watch.
“I think you’re in shock,” Shaun said in her most doctorly voice. “You need to sit down. Do you have any juice? Something with a little sugar will help.”
“I’m fine.” Leeza pulled her wrist away and stepped toward Havel who reached for her, pulling her into his side and wrapping his hand around her hip.
At his touch, she relaxed, her breathing returning to normal for the first time since opening the box. She looked up at him and he seemed to read the desperation in her gaze.
He turned to Jozef and signed, she needs to know everything.
What did she need to know?
Her gaze switched to Jozef as he responded. Agreed. Do it. I’m going down to the club for a look around. The package would’ve been dropped off down there. I’ll see if the staff noticed anything strange.
“C’mon, we’re going downstairs. I need to show you something.” Havel turned to Shaun, his expression grim. “Can you and your mother stay with Kris? He could probably use some extra care.”
“He didn’t see anything,” Leeza rushed to clarify. “He was freaked out by my screaming.”
“Of course we’ll stay,” Shaun reassured them. “Mom adores him and will want to spoil him after his shock.”
Havel jerked his head at Ayaan. “You’re with us. From now on, you don’t take your eyes off Leeza for any reason.”
“Yes, sir,” she agreed, determination in her tone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Do you think it’s him?” Leeza asked in the elevator as she, Ayaan, and Havel made their way down to Guard Dog Securities.
“Yes.”
The blood drained from Leeza’s face for the second time that day and leaned against the side of the elevator to keep her legs from collapsing. “But how? Why? And why send me… that?” She lifted a hand to ease the ache in her chest as she thought about the poor woman whose head that had been. The terror and pain on the poor woman’s face would haunt Leeza. “I don’t understand.”
Havel framed her face with his hands as he towered over her. “I fucked up, sweetheart, and I’m so fucking sorry. I deserve to be shot for this as much as the guy who put the head in the box. I underestimated Horácek and overestimated my ability to find him. I haven’t been protecting you right, but that ends now.”
