Deadly Intentions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 1) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Lily Harper Hart
her. You know, just so someone doesn’t try to break in while she’s asleep. I could even stay in the bed with her to make sure she’s really safe.”
James bit the inside of his mouth to cut off the curt response lingering on the tip of his tongue. “I’ll check out her apartment.” He was on his feet and moving toward the office door, but he didn’t miss the knowing look Finn and Grady exchanged.
“Okay, bro,” Grady said. “You make sure she’s safe.”
“He’s the one she’ll probably feel safest with,” Finn added. “He was the one she always had a crush on.”
Grady caught on to Finn’s game quickly. “Didn’t you ask her out when you were a senior, Finn?”
“I did,” Finn acknowledged. “Alas, I don’t think I was the Hardy brother she was interested in.”
James stiffened. “This is a job,” he reminded his brothers. “Nothing else. I’m going with her so she doesn’t have to put up with you two hitting on her all afternoon.”
Finn held up his hand in defeat. “I wasn’t suggesting anything.”
“I was,” Grady said with an evil smile.
James cuffed the back of Grady’s head. “I know you’re having fun,” he said. “She’s a client. We’re here to make sure she’s safe. Once she’s safe, we’re done.”
James moved out of the room, leaving Grady and Finn to their dirty thoughts. Once he was gone, Grady smirked in his brother’s direction. “If she’s a client, why didn’t he make her sign a contract?”
“Or talk about money,” Finn added.
Grady pursed his lips. “I’m thinking James might have finally realized she’s not a little kid anymore.”
Finn nodded. “I think he noticed that the minute he saw her. This might be fun.”
“It would be more fun if I was the one she had a crush on,” Grady lamented.
“I hear that,” Finn agreed.
“Still, it’s wrong to push him on this,” Grady cautioned. “He might Hulk out or something.”
Finn’s smile was wide and eager. “I would never tease him.”
Grady forced the smile from his face. Kind of. “Me either.”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah.”
The brothers rested in silence for a second.
“Twenty bucks says he has her naked inside of a week,” Grady said.
“Fifty says it only takes him three days,” Finn countered.
“You’re on,” Grady said, extending his hand for Finn to shake.
Three
Mandy gave James her address before leaving Hardy Brothers Security just in case they got separated during the drive over. James programmed it into his GPS, but he followed Mandy closely as she traversed the busy highways between the brothers’ Sterling Heights business location and her Clinton Township apartment.
When he pulled into the parking lot, James immediately didn’t like what he saw. This wasn’t the type of place he envisioned her living. It wasn’t rundown or anything, but it was still one of those big apartment complexes that had more residents than security.
Mandy was standing beside her car when he killed the engine to his Explorer. He couldn’t help but marvel at the woman she’d grown into. Again. Dammit , James thought, running his hand through his hair haphazardly. He had to stop thinking like that. She was a client and she was in trouble. That meant she was off limits for any other ideas that might be running through his busy mind.
He climbed out of the truck and moved to her side. “Where is your apartment?”
Mandy pointed to a door and then moved in front of him. His attitude was off-putting. He acted eager to help, but he also seemed like he was agitated by her very existence. This wasn’t the same guy who had bought her a bag of M&Ms when she was a depressed teenager, or driven her home during a snow storm so she wouldn’t freeze. Still, he’d gone into the Marines after high school, she reminded herself. That had to change a person. Maybe he was just a different guy than she remembered. She hadn’t known him all that well, after all. He was Ally’s older brother.
James bit the inside of his mouth to cut off the curt response lingering on the tip of his tongue. “I’ll check out her apartment.” He was on his feet and moving toward the office door, but he didn’t miss the knowing look Finn and Grady exchanged.
“Okay, bro,” Grady said. “You make sure she’s safe.”
“He’s the one she’ll probably feel safest with,” Finn added. “He was the one she always had a crush on.”
Grady caught on to Finn’s game quickly. “Didn’t you ask her out when you were a senior, Finn?”
“I did,” Finn acknowledged. “Alas, I don’t think I was the Hardy brother she was interested in.”
James stiffened. “This is a job,” he reminded his brothers. “Nothing else. I’m going with her so she doesn’t have to put up with you two hitting on her all afternoon.”
Finn held up his hand in defeat. “I wasn’t suggesting anything.”
“I was,” Grady said with an evil smile.
James cuffed the back of Grady’s head. “I know you’re having fun,” he said. “She’s a client. We’re here to make sure she’s safe. Once she’s safe, we’re done.”
James moved out of the room, leaving Grady and Finn to their dirty thoughts. Once he was gone, Grady smirked in his brother’s direction. “If she’s a client, why didn’t he make her sign a contract?”
“Or talk about money,” Finn added.
Grady pursed his lips. “I’m thinking James might have finally realized she’s not a little kid anymore.”
Finn nodded. “I think he noticed that the minute he saw her. This might be fun.”
“It would be more fun if I was the one she had a crush on,” Grady lamented.
“I hear that,” Finn agreed.
“Still, it’s wrong to push him on this,” Grady cautioned. “He might Hulk out or something.”
Finn’s smile was wide and eager. “I would never tease him.”
Grady forced the smile from his face. Kind of. “Me either.”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah.”
The brothers rested in silence for a second.
“Twenty bucks says he has her naked inside of a week,” Grady said.
“Fifty says it only takes him three days,” Finn countered.
“You’re on,” Grady said, extending his hand for Finn to shake.
Three
Mandy gave James her address before leaving Hardy Brothers Security just in case they got separated during the drive over. James programmed it into his GPS, but he followed Mandy closely as she traversed the busy highways between the brothers’ Sterling Heights business location and her Clinton Township apartment.
When he pulled into the parking lot, James immediately didn’t like what he saw. This wasn’t the type of place he envisioned her living. It wasn’t rundown or anything, but it was still one of those big apartment complexes that had more residents than security.
Mandy was standing beside her car when he killed the engine to his Explorer. He couldn’t help but marvel at the woman she’d grown into. Again. Dammit , James thought, running his hand through his hair haphazardly. He had to stop thinking like that. She was a client and she was in trouble. That meant she was off limits for any other ideas that might be running through his busy mind.
He climbed out of the truck and moved to her side. “Where is your apartment?”
Mandy pointed to a door and then moved in front of him. His attitude was off-putting. He acted eager to help, but he also seemed like he was agitated by her very existence. This wasn’t the same guy who had bought her a bag of M&Ms when she was a depressed teenager, or driven her home during a snow storm so she wouldn’t freeze. Still, he’d gone into the Marines after high school, she reminded herself. That had to change a person. Maybe he was just a different guy than she remembered. She hadn’t known him all that well, after all. He was Ally’s older brother.