Cat 'N Mouse Read Online Free Page A

I am today. I’ll be damned if I’m going to apologize for my success. I’ve earned it. I deserve it. What I don’t deserve is your contempt. At least not yet.”
    Warren saw a green shadow at the corner of his eye crawling quickly toward the bedroom. Sam turned his head toward the bedroom to see what he was engrossed in. The thick green iguana stopped half way down the hallway, staring at the two men.
    “Prescott, meet Elvira. Matt’s sense of humor.”
    He turned his attention back to Sam. “You asked why I’m here. It’s simple. To protect my daughter and I’ll do so at any cost. Matt trusts you to take care of her and that’s good enough for me. Also, my daughter hates you. And if nothing else comes from this, you can get her back for wrecking your car.”
    That brought a smile to Sam’s face. He got up from the counter and sat down in the armchair across from Prescott, but didn’t respond to what he’d just said. When Warren looked toward the bedroom again the iguana was gone. At that moment he felt unsure of himself. He’d felt that way once when his wife had passed away.
    “Why go outside for help? What about your bodyguard? He seems competent. And Matt?”
    He shook his head. “Colt travels with me full time. Besides, my daughter has everyone wrapped around her fingers, including Colt and Matt. I have a feeling you may not be so easily swayed by her. She’ll be well protected.”
    He grunted.
    “I know you two got off on the wrong foot, but once you get to know her, you’ll like her.”
    Sam grunted again. Prescott couldn’t read his expression. What was clear by his attitude—he didn’t care for Alexandria. He didn’t want to have anything to do with her, but too bad. His daughter will be protected and he would do whatever it took to make it happen, even if it meant saddling her with someone she couldn’t stand.
    “She’s at the estate. She’s still a bit shaken from the car accident this morning. Come by tomorrow and we can all talk about our arrangement.”
    “Your daughter will never go for it.”
    “I can handle her.”
    “I never said I’d go beyond the week.”
    “You never said you wouldn’t either.”
    •  •  •
    White Musk.
    The scent floated off the red silk scarf filling the interior of the brown four-door sedan. Closing his eyes for a moment, he allowed his mind to wander, imagining Alexandria Prescott sitting next to him.
    Talking to him.
    Touching him.
    Kissing him.
    The engine spluttered, interrupting the warm feeling that wrapped itself around him like a cocoon. His eyes flew open and he rubbed them to focus. Hot air shot from the air conditioning vent and fiddling with the button didn’t help. The sound of crickets filled his ears when he shut off the air conditioner and opened the window. Except for a stray dog, the street was virtually empty.
    He sat across the street from the three-story apartment building. The white bricked building was at the end of a dead end street in South Orlando. He had a clear view and a quick get away if need be.
    Warren Prescott had entered the ground floor leaving Colt behind. Forty-five minutes later he watched Prescott emerge. Colt stood by the car door like a soldier on guard opening the door for his master. Warren slid into the back seat. Colt closed the door and got in on the driver’s side. He watched in the rearview mirror as they pulled away.
    There was no need to follow Prescott. He knew the man was going home to his Princess—soon to be his Princess too.
    Rubbing the scarf against the stubble on his face, he pictured Alexandria sitting beside him. Anger bubbled up inside him when he remembered the man in the black suit that came out of the restaurant and hugged her a few days ago. He slammed his fist into his leg and pain shot all the way down to his toes. That man wasn’t good enough for her. None of them were.
    Pushing the man in black to the back of his mind, he thought about Samuel O’Malley, the man he’d