Falling_A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Read online

  As soon as the town car pulled up, Colton and Slater escorted me outside, the day absolutely stunning for November, albeit a bit brisk, with the sun high in the sky, unobstructed by clouds. Slater got the door and took my hand, helping me into the vehicle, before taking a seat next to me, while Colton got in the front passenger seat.

  That meant I had Slater all to myself while we drove into Seattle. Not that it mattered when I’d never muster the courage to do anything more than smile at him.

  Lucky for me, Slater wasn’t at all shy.

  Chapter Three

  Slater

  Damn, the girl was stunning. But Isabelle was also a client. Not to mention under my protection. This was not a job I could afford to screw up. Not when it was my cousins’ company and their reputation at stake. That meant I needed to keep it in my fucking pants, and stay focused on the job.

  She was a client, and this was a job. Nothing more.

  Not to mention, I half suspected she was way too innocent for the likes of me.

  Still…guarding her would at the very least keep me entertained.

  “Tell me more about you, Isabelle. You never know what detail might help us figure out who’s behind the threats.” Not that we were actively searching for whoever was behind the threats. That had been left to the authorities.

  “Honestly, there’s not a whole lot to tell you. I spent most of my youth in London and here in Seattle. And now I’m here for the foreseeable future, working on this project of mine.” Isabelle had a lovely lilt to her voice, so she didn’t quite sound British, nor did she sound like she was from the States. It just added to her intrigue.

  “What’s your project on?” Gorgeous and smart. But way too shy. It took no more than a simple glance in her direction to have her blushing—which I was finding quite charming at the moment.

  Maybe I could work on getting her to come out of her shell a bit.

  She waved her hand through the air, dismissing my question. “I don’t want to bore you—and honestly, my research is a long way off from being a reality. How about you? Have you been in security for long?”

  “No. Not really. Just a year or two—though I have plenty of experience dealing with brutes and thugs, and keeping people safe.” My family’s business currently revolved around Blackthorn Whiskey, but prior to that, my family’s work as fixers had the tendency to veer toward the more unsavory. And though I was glad that we’d moved away from anything that might land us in jail or get us killed, especially when we’d already lost my father to that life, running a distillery was just a tad low-key for my tastes at the moment. “I’ll keep you safe, Isabelle. I don’t want you worrying.”

  She nodded, giving me a hesitant smile. “I know you will. Although I swear, I don’t know why anyone would want to hurt us.”

  Maybe not Isabelle, since I doubt she’d hurt a fly. But I wasn’t sure the same could be said about her mother, though I’d reserve judgment until I knew the woman better. “What about your mother or your father—before he passed?”

  Her face fell, her green eyes darkening with a sadness that unleashed every one of my protective instincts. “My father’s been dead nearly ten years now. And I swear, he was the sweetest man I’ve ever known. As for my mother, I know she can be a bit...difficult, especially if she doesn’t get her way, but I can’t imagine her doing anything that would make someone want to kill her.”

  “Could there be a business deal that went wrong? Did anything happen to stir up trouble for any of your businesses or your family?” There was little chance the death threats were random. Someone wanted something—money, revenge, power, fear. But who? What was the driving force behind the threats—and why now?

  “Given that my family’s companies do business all over the world, and in a variety of industries, there have always been threats. But…I’m trying to work on a few innovations. Some that might help with supplying clean water to areas where water isn’t easily accessible or is too polluted to drink. Or modifying food sources to withstand drought and maximize local resources to better the quality of life for people who don’t have access to a lot. My father was always experimenting and trying to push the envelope. And despite what some people may think, it wasn’t to make a profit off his inventions—it was to make the world a better place.” For the first time since I’d met her, she seemed animated, with a fire in her eyes, though it was short-lived and soon replaced by a look of disappointment. “Unfortunately, I’m nowhere near as smart as my father was and I haven’t been able to move the needle forward as fast as I’d like, despite having access to some of the smartest scientists.”

  “I’m sure you’re being hard on yourself. It’s never easy to live up to our parents. Especially when they were accomplished in their own rights. I have no doubt that your father probably seemed larger-than-life in so many ways and that he was a brilliant man, but I think you’re underestimating yourself and what you’re capable of.” In fact, I was sure she was just as brilliant as her father, if not more so. And one thing was also clear—she was a determined woman and I knew she’d eventually find the breakthrough she was looking for.

  She blushed at the compliment, though her smile reached her eyes, lighting them up from within. And it made me realize that if my simple words could have such an effect on her, then I was sure no one had showed her kindness in quite some time. “It’s really kind of you to think so. And though I’d love to think that I’ll eventually figure out the problem I’m currently working on, I’m not so sure I’ll manage it. Maybe if I had my father around to bounce ideas off of, I’d find a way to solve this problem…but I lost him when I was just a teenager.”

  “Losing a parent you’re close to is never easy.” Yet before I had a chance to say much more, we were pulling up in front of a glass building, bigger than I’d anticipated. “Looks like we’re here.”

  It was just a short walk from the car to the front entrance of the building, but as I stepped out into the open air and gave her a helping hand out of the vehicle, my gaze scanned the crowd, looking for any threat. With a hand on the small of her back, I escorted her into the building as Colton walked ahead just a few paces, acting as a human shield. And luckily, everyone on my team had been outfitted with keycards to allow us entrance at any of the Rutherfords’ businesses, so there would be no delays while guarding our clients.

  We escorted Isabelle through the massive building, and before long, Colton and I found ourselves standing outside her lab, guarding her as she worked. And though this was a closed environment with extensive security, we weren’t taking any chances. And…I liked the fact that I could glance through the glass windows of her lab and watch her working.

  Of course, leave it to Colton to notice. “Like that, is it?”

  I laughed, shaking my head. “Like nothing of the sort.”

  And that better be the truth, since there was no way I could pursue this.

  Sleeping with a client? That was not an option.

  Yet with each day that passed, it was damn hard not to become smitten, even if our schedule didn’t change that first week we were with her. From home to the lab. From the lab back home. Stolen glances and touches, and snippets of conversation. Nothing more.

  I was trying to behave myself, but there was something about Isabelle…and she made me want to misbehave.

  Chapter Four

  Isabelle

  I forced myself not to race through my work just to get to spend time with Slater. Yet I’d spent the last week doing just that. It was silly that I was completely smitten with the man, especially when he was only hanging around because he was being paid to do so. And it didn’t matter that I’d only known the man less than a week. In that week, Slater had managed to completely charm me.

  Yet I knew better than to let myself get distracted by fantasies best reserved for romance novels and women who actually knew what to do with a man. And that certainly wasn’t me, given that I must be the only twenty-six-year-old virgin on the entire West Coast.
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  After spending my teen years at an all-girls school, and being shy to top it off, I was hopeless by the time I got to college. I’d never developed the skills needed to be able to flirt without looking like a fool, and then there was the added stress that someone might show interest in me, but only because of my name and money, rather than because they actually liked me. It was something my mother constantly reminded me of, which was just a little ironic, since my mother had certainly “married up” when it came to money and social status.

  Still…I knew she had a point. I might be relatively naïve, but I wasn’t stupid. Not that I had a lot to worry about. Few men had ever shown me much interest, even with my massive fortune. And why should they? I’d never been anything but a plain Jane, and the freckles certainly didn’t help matters, despite the fact that I personally liked them. My mother, on the other hand, had left me no doubt as to what she thought of my unseemly freckles, even going as far as to buy me products to bleach my skin, though I never did.

  I glanced over at the door where Slater and Colton were standing, though I couldn’t see anything but glimpses of their broad backs. So I forced myself to focus on my work, and even managed to get several productive hours in until the clock finally ticked over to an acceptable hour, so I could wrap up for the day. With my heart racing in anticipation of getting to spend a few moments alone with Slater during the ride to my home, I grabbed my things and headed for the door.

  “I’m ready to head home, though I swear, I’ll be fine on my own once I’m there.” These poor men couldn’t stay with me twenty-four-seven and we were heading into the weekend. Surely they must have better things to do than watch me.

  “We’re not leaving you on your own, Isabelle.” Slater shook his head no, his blue eyes locked on mine, and his dark hair just a little disheveled, making him look even more handsome. And when he spoke, I swore he made me feel like there was no one else in the world but the two of us—an ability I’m sure he’d used countless times, and had no doubt resulted in many a woman getting naked and ending up in his bed. “You’ve hired us to protect you, and that means someone will be with you at all times until the threat against you and your family has been found and neutralized.”

  We started walking down the hall, with Colton taking the lead and calling ahead so that my vehicle would be waiting for us, while I tried to voice my concerns. “You do realize that it could take forever to figure out who’s behind the threats.”

  Slater laughed, shaking his head as he tossed me a sideways glance and a charming smile. “Then I guess we’ll be growing old together, because I’m still not going anywhere until I know it’s safe for you.”

  Not that I really expected him to just walk away and leave me unguarded. I’d already gotten used to the changing of the guard, with a different group of men guarding me through the night hours. “Well then, I hope you’ll at least get a few days off for the weekend. You’ve been with me practically the whole week.”

  He shot me a smile that sent my heart racing, his blue eyes alight with a smoldering heat, even if his words were all business. “We take days off from time to time, though you’ll likely have me or Colton for a good portion of this job. We may switch off, and a different team might be assigned to you, but you’ll always be protected, and if any changes are made to the schedule, we’ll be sure to notify you.”

  The thought of having him around for the near future sent my stomach fluttering with nerves of anticipation, even as I chastised myself for being foolish. I was acting like a smitten schoolgirl with her first crush—and this was a professional man who was only being kind to me because he was being paid to do so.

  It didn’t matter how nice or how handsome he was, and I was nothing but a fool if I thought anything would come of our time together. For him, this was work and nothing else—no matter what fantasies I had running through my head.

  Little more was said during the ride to my home, given that Colton was the one who sat in the back of the town car with me. And though he was nice, I still couldn’t help but be a little disappointed that I hadn’t gotten to spend a bit of time with Slater.

  We drove through Seattle toward my home, the traffic lighter than I’d expected. I knew my mother would prefer that I stay with her, and though I loved her, she always made me feel like a naïve and stupid fool who would never measure up to her expectations.

  At least in my own home, I could ignore my supposed failings and just be myself. Because the truth of it was that without my mother’s constant scrutiny and without her chastising me about everything I was doing wrong or should be doing differently, I actually felt pretty good about myself, even if I lived in my own little cocoon of a world.

  Despite my home being locked behind a gate, and having the utmost security, Slater and Colton still took every precaution to make sure the area hadn’t been compromised in any way.

  “It’s all clear.” Colton stepped aside and let me in, as Slater followed behind, guarding my back. “Will you be attending the gallery showing tonight?”

  Crap. With a groan, I cursed under my breath, having completely forgotten about the event, since it certainly wasn’t something I had wanted added to my schedule. I debated my options, knowing they were few if I didn’t want to incur my mother’s wrath. “I suppose I must, though to be honest it’s the last thing I want to do.”

  Slater walked over, his brow furrowed as his blue eyes darkened. “I know it’s not my place to say anything, but if you don’t want to go, then don’t. Like Emerson told your mother, that sort of event isn’t safe. There are too many variables we have no control over, and if you don’t have a pressing reason to be there, then I don’t see why you should go, given the circumstances. I could see if this was necessary to your everyday life or if it was a controlled environment, so we could limit the threat, but we can’t, and I’d rather not see you taking any chances that you don’t need to take.”

  “But my mother…” I let out a weary sigh, knowing how ridiculous it sounded, given that I was a grown woman. I should be allowed to make my own decisions, and I’d tried to in the past, but when all was said and done, it wasn’t usually worth it, since I’d eventually have to deal with my mother and incur her wrath. Sometimes it was just easier to go than deal with the aftermath. “She’ll be expecting me, and if I don’t show up, she’ll make everyone’s lives miserable. Though I promise not to stay any longer than I have to.”

  Slater started to say something, but Colton jabbed him with a sharp elbow, and was the one to respond. “No matter what you decide, we’ll be here to escort you and do all we can to keep you safe. But it’s not our place to comment on what you should or shouldn’t do. You have our apologies.”

  I didn’t want Slater getting into any trouble, when he was clearly just looking out for me—which was damn nice for a change. It felt good to know that someone had my back, and they weren’t scared to speak their mind. And frankly, Slater was right. It was stupid to take such risks, and at the moment I was feeling emboldened with him at my side. “You know…I think I’d rather just curl up with a good book and a cup of tea.”

  That earned me a smile from Slater, making my heart skip a beat—and not just because of the effect he had on me, but because I was feeling damn proud of myself for not letting my mother dictate what I would or wouldn’t be doing with my evening, which was what she normally did, every chance she got.

  I put the kettle on to boil, and then texted my mother to let her know that I would not be joining her for the gallery showing—and then knowing she would try to convince me otherwise, I turned my ringer off.

  Not that something that simple would deter my mother—especially when I was sure she was fuming with anger that I’d have the audacity to disobey her, even though I was an adult.

  The landline in my home rang, and was then followed up by an angry message demanding I pick up the phone and come to the gallery. I looked over at Slater, trying to draw confidence from him, though it took all the strength I had
not to answer the phone.

  But then she called yet again—and again—until I could take it no more, and finally answered.

  I didn’t even have the chance to say hello.

  “I don’t know what game you’re playing at, Isabelle, but I’m expecting you here at the gallery, and not showing up is not an option. Do you hear me?” My mother continued to rant and rave at me, yet I held firm. But when that clearly wasn’t going to work, she pulled out the big guns, and started to guilt trip me. “Here I am trying to deal with threats to my life, and yet you can’t even be bothered to show up to a gallery showing that you know I need you to attend. Instead, you want me to deal with all of this on my own, when you know I have no one else but you, Isabelle. You would think I was asking the world of you…and you…my only child…”

  I could take no more. “Fine. I’ll go. But I’m not staying for long.”

  I groaned, hating myself for giving in, though I should have known better. Of course my mother would win in the end, because she had no problem with playing dirty.

  I shook my head, letting out a weary sigh as I turned to face Slater and Colton, not wanting to guess what they must think of me. “I’m so sorry. Looks like I’ll be going to the gallery after all. Though I swear, I won’t be staying long. The moment I can get away, I will. I’ll just need a few minutes to get myself ready.”

  Slater grabbed my hand and gave it a quick squeeze for no more than a second. “Don’t go worrying about a thing. We’ll be right there with you, Isabelle.”

  Chapter Five

  Slater

  I ignored the look Colton was giving me as I watched Isabelle disappear down the hallway of what could be seen as quite a modest home, given that she was a Rutherford.