Close Cover (Masters and Mercenaries #16)(58)

“He deserved to know how you got a concussion, Lisa. He has to know how to take care of you and what he cannot do even if it seems like the right thing in the moment. I don’t want him locking you in for your own good. He won’t do that now. He’ll find another way to protect you. That man loves you. He deserves to know.”

She shook her head. “You don’t get to decide that. And honestly, that’s probably your conscience talking. Do you feel bad about pimping me out, brother? How did you ethically process this one? Sell my body to save my soul?”

“Oh, don’t underestimate how damn worried I am about your body, sister.” Will was a little pale. He approached her bed. “You were almost kidnapped tonight. If Remy hadn’t been so fast, that man would have taken off and god only knows what could have happened to you. Don’t even try to make me fucking feel bad that I hired a bodyguard for you.”

“I’m not upset about that, though a heads-up would have been cool.” She’d been so stupid. Had they all been laughing at her? How many people knew?

His brows came together in that way that let her know he remembered that conversation differently. “I told you I thought you needed one. We argued about a bodyguard for hours. You yelled at me to stay out of your business.”

She sat back, her whole soul weary. “Will, I’m sorry about that. I was frustrated at the time.”

“You think I’m not frustrated? Up until two weeks ago I hadn’t slept in months. I sat up every damn night waiting to find out someone had killed you. I know you think this is another funny episode you’ll one day tell your kids about, but it’s serious, Lisa. Someone wants you dead.”

She wasn’t positive that person was Biondo, but she did understand that this was more serious than she’d considered before. Someone wasn’t thinking logically, but then a potential life in prison might make a lot of criminals go a little crazy. And her brother, oh her brother had taken on all the responsibility. He’d been more like her father. How could she stay angry with him when she was alive and whole because he’d kept them all together? Everything she knew about love she’d learned from this man. Love and responsibility and sacrifice.

“All right, Will. I’ll take a bodyguard. I feel bad because I can’t afford it. I feel like I’m using you.”

“I’m your brother,” he shot back, his exasperation obvious. “I love you. You staying alive isn’t using me. This isn’t like you’re borrowing money so you can buy new shoes. This is your life.”

And there was no way out of taking on a bodyguard now, not unless she wanted to go into some kind of protective custody. But this time they would do it right. This bodyguard wouldn’t get close to her, wouldn’t sleep in her bed and whisper to her at night, his arms wrapped around her. He would do his job and she would ignore him as much as possible.

God, she was going to miss Remy.

“Can I interview a couple of candidates?” Lisa asked. “Do you know if Big Tag has some female operatives?”

“Sweetie, all of Big Tag’s bodyguards have jobs right now or they’re on personal time.”

Wow. There must be something in the water. “Okay, do we know other security firms? Doesn’t that Julian Lodge guy have some bodyguards?”

“I believe Mr. Lodge has his own personal guards. I don’t think he lends those out.” Will took a deep breath as though steeling himself for the argument that was sure to come. “There’s only one bodyguard available.”

“Are you kidding me?” She looked toward the door where Remy would be standing stalwart and unmoving.

“I am not kidding you,” her brother replied. “He’s our only option. I don’t trust the other firms.”

This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t handle being close to him again. “I don’t trust him.”

“I do trust him. I get it. You’re pissed, but I’m the one who asked him not to tell you he was watching over you. You can be reckless.”

“I’m not stupid.”

“And getting a job at a strip club where you would have to walk to and from a lonely train station after midnight was a great decision.” He held up a hand when she would have argued with him, shutting her down. “No, you don’t think properly when your pride is on the line. So I’m giving you one of two choices.”

“I’m an adult. You can’t force me to do anything.” But she could hear the stubbornness in her voice.

“I’m calling it all in, Lis. I’m calling in everything I ever did for you. Every report I helped you write. Every burn I got from trying to figure out how to feed us. Every late night I worked to have the money so you didn’t go to sleep hungry.”

Oh, he was afraid, and in the face of her brother’s love, her pride seemed a petty thing. She reached out, tears falling now. “Will, stop. You don’t have to call anything in. I’m sorry. I’m angry and hurt. What are my choices?”

She would do it for him, so he could find some peace.

“You can go with Remy to Louisiana until McKay-Taggart figures out what’s going on and comes up with a better way to protect you.”

She wasn’t doing that. “Hard pass.”

He nodded. “All right, then I’m moving you into my place. I’ll have someone from the company come out and make sure our security is as tight as it can be. But Lis, I can’t drive you to and from work. You know what my hours are like. Mitch might be able to do some of it.”