Chapter 3

Three

Roc

Istole a sideways glance at the woman sitting next to me in the limousine. When Jack had said I would be protecting his daughter, I’d assumed he meant his younger daughter. I’d been fully prepared to escort a child star to a shoot that I’d thought would be with Disney or maybe Nickelodeon. I hadn’t been prepared for the bombshell brunette who’d opened the door.

From her wide eyes and dangling jaw, I guessed she hadn’t expected me either, but being part-orc, I was used to that kind of reception. She’d recovered quickly, stammering something about her dad not mentioning that I’d be her bodyguard before she practically bolted for the waiting vehicle.

How could I have forgotten Jack’s older stepdaughter? I gave myself a mental scolding as I shook my head in disgust. It had been years since I’d seen Jack and his growing family, but my last memory of Harlowe had been of a slightly gawky, shy teenager. Nothing close to the long-limbed beauty whose jeans-clad legs were stretched in front of her as we rode to the airport.

I allowed my gaze to drift to her again, but this time I lingered. Her eyes were closed, and her head was tipped back on the headrest, so I could size her up without worry of being caught. Gone were the braces, gone were the purple-rimmed glasses, and gone were the plump cheeks. In their place were bow-shaped lips, long lashes fanned across creamy skin, and high cheekbones.

Also gone? My belief that I couldn’t be rattled.

Even though my breath had steadied as I’d taken my time to wheel her suitcase behind her to the limo, my heart still felt as if it had been squeezed like a rubber stress ball. I jerked my head away and closed my own eyes, letting my fingers drum gently on the leather seat. I needed to get my head in the game and my mind focused on the job. It didn’t matter what my client looked like or that seeing her had been akin to jamming a metal prong in a light socket.

You’ve been too isolated, I told myself. The only reason you reacted was because it’s been so long since you’ve encountered a beautiful woman in real life.

I huffed out a breath. That was it. I’d shut myself off from the world for too long, and this was what happened. I would adjust to being around humans again. My gut clenched as I thought about the coming week. I had no choice.

“I should have known.”

I opened my eyes to find Harlowe staring at me, her blue eyes narrowed. Had her eyes always been so blue, or had I simply not paid attention to her because she was a teenager? I fought to keep my gaze locked on her face. She certainly wasn’t a teenager anymore. Quick mental math told me she must be in her early twenties, not that it mattered. She was still Jack’s stepdaughter and my client. Both made her entirely off-limits. Being my friend’s daughter made her radioactive.

Her eyes narrowed more, and one eyebrow arched in question. She’d said something. I cleared my throat and folded my arms across my chest to give myself an extra beat to remember. “You should have known what?”

She fluttered a hand at me, her pink-tipped fingers dancing through the air. “My dad said he was hiring the best bodyguard for me. I should have guessed that he’d get you.”

Her tone was accusatory, but I didn’t know how this was my fault or why Jack hiring me to guard her was a bad thing. “He called in a favor.”

Her brows leapt higher. “I’m a favor?”

I scowled, not enjoying how rapidly this conversation was unraveling. Where was the shy girl who’d run from the room when I appeared? Where was the coltish teen who’d snuck peeks at me around the door frame before her mother shooed her away? Grown-up Harlowe didn’t seem to back down from anything, which did nothing for my pattering heart rate. Orcs—even ones who weren’t full-blooded—loved nothing more than a challenge. Not that she was a challenge I welcomed. “I do not personally provide security anymore. I have a sizable team who handles clients.”

“But my dad wanted you to handle me personally?”

I doubted anyone handled Harlowe, but I pressed my lips together to keep from saying that and felt the bite of my sharp tusks. Instead of answering her, I asked my own question. “Jack told me you don’t want security. Why not?”

She sighed and her shoulders sagged as if all the air had been let out of them. “You mean, why don’t I want someone dogging my steps every moment of every day?” She held up a hand. “And don’t say that it’s all part of being a celebrity. I’m fully aware of what I signed up for when I decided to become an actress, but I did not sign up for harassment.”

“I would never say that. The reason I’m here is so you won’t have to deal with anyone bothering you.”

She choked back a brittle laugh. “What if having you around bothers me?”

I ignored the flash of pain that had been my constant companion when it came to acceptance in the human world. I couldn’t help it if Harlowe didn’t like the idea of having an orc around. I’d made a promise to her father. A promise I wasn’t willing to break, even if it ripped open every tenuously scabbed-over wound. “My presence is non-negotiable. I’m here at your father’s request to keep you safe. It would be helpful if you cooperated, but I will do my job regardless.”

I ground out the words through a tight jaw, only stealing a glance at her as the limousine glided to a stop on the tarmac of the private airstrip. Harlowe’s expression was stricken.

“I didn’t mean—”

“You do not need to like me or like the fact that I’m here. I’m not here to be your friend or to make you comfortable. I am here to protect you.” The door opened, and I stepped from the car before the woman could respond.

It didn’t matter what she said. I’d promised to keep her safe. End of story.

I slid on a pair of dark sunglasses to shield my eyes from the bright sun as I scanned the tarmac, which was deserted save for the sleek, private jet steps away. When Harlowe emerged, she’d slipped on a pair of sunglasses as well—oversized ones that concealed the top half of her face. She didn’t spare me a glance as she strode past me and toward the white plane, her shoulders thrown back and her chin raised.

I exhaled, almost relieved that she so clearly despised me. It would be easier to do my job if there was nothing between us, and if Harlowe’s reaction to me was any indication, the only feelings she had for me were laden with irritation.

“Just the way I like it,” I growled as I grabbed her suitcase and followed her onto the plane.