Saving Serena (Hawk Security #1)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Duke

“Hold on,” I yelled. Tapping the brakes, I whipped the wheel to the right, then the left, and then right again, the tires complaining loudly. “Fuck, that was close.”

The tiny car that drifted across the center line missed us by about a foot. Only when the horn got her attention did the young girl behind the wheel finally look up from her phone and swerve back to her side of the road. She probably pissed herself. Good.

“Fuck,” Serena screeched, looking behind us. “Do you think that was…?”

“Not unless your attacker was a teenage girl watching her phone more than the road.” When I glanced over, her eyes told the story.

She was hyperventilating. “Almost killed twice in one day,” she gasped. “That has to be a record.”

Shaking my head, I gave her the truth. “We would have been fine, but that girl would have…”

“Died,” she finished for me.

I nodded, letting out a slow breath. “A toy car like that, head-on against this big truck only ends with bad news for her.” I hoped the incident had scared some sense into that kid.

The near miss had rattled Serena terribly. Her telltale leg twitch reappeared, and the hand she put on the console shook.

I should have kept a professional distance and resisted the dangerous invitation for physical contact. But I was only human, and seeing her in distress hit a weak spot in my armor. She might be a spoiled brat, but she was mine to protect and to console.

“I understand that scared you, but trust me, I’ll keep you safe.” I laid my hand over hers again.

She relaxed, which had been my intention. Her skin was soft and warm, and my mind quickly wondered what other parts of her would feel like, which had very much not been my intention.

“Thank you.” She clasped her other hand over mine, trapping me, unless I wanted to be rude and pull it away.

“For what?”

“For understanding.” A few seconds later, she added, “You believe me about the guy, don’t you? The guy who attacked me?”

“Yes, I do.”

I led Serena into the sheriff’s substation and let myself relax. Inside here I didn’t need to worry about protecting her from an anonymous man only she could identify. Black pants and a black leather jacket weren’t enough to rule anyone out.

“Hey there, Cobra,” Deputy Noreen Skagmont purred from behind the counter. “It’s been too long.”

It had been a year since her first come-on, and a month since I’d last been in here. She wasn’t giving up yet.

I nodded rather than agree with her. “Hi, Noreen. This is Serena Benson.”

Noreen didn’t give Serena a glance. “As I recall, you owe me a dinner, big guy.”

“It was lunch,” I corrected.

“My goodness,” Noreen exclaimed, finally noticing Serena’s cuts. “Did he beat you up? I can arrest him for that.”

“Really?” Serena asked, bringing a finger to her chin.

“Yeah, but he might like the cuffs.” Noreen giggled.

I leaned against the counter. “Serena was in an accident up in the hills today,” I explained, trying to get us off the crazy train. “They transported her to UCLA. I’m told you have her belongings?”

“On North Sepulveda,” Serena supplied.

Noreen’s brow scrunched. “You know, with interest accrued, lunch should now be dinner.”

Serena shifted, an amused look on her face.

Noreen didn’t move to her keyboard, as I’d expected. “Do we have a deal?” she asked.

Serena nudged me.

I wrapped an arm around Serena’s waist and looked down with my best smile. “What do you say, honey? Will you let me go to dinner with Noreen?”

“No.” Serena melted into me, playing it beautifully. “Sorry, Deputy,” she said with syrupy sweetness. “He’s taken.”

Noreen eyed us suspiciously.

Serena’s warmth against me ignited an urge to pull her closer, an urge I gave in to, telling myself it was only a subterfuge to get out of a dinner with Noreen. It made sense.

Serena looked up, and I swore a hint of desire lit her eyes. She lifted up on her toes to press her lips to mine.

I leaned into the kiss, feeling the softness of her lips, the slightest moan as my tongue slid across them. I then brought my hand up to run my thumb along the underside of her breast.

Serena’s whimper as I teased her breast was Oscar-worthy. Her hand locked behind my neck, giving her leverage as she deepened the kiss, seeking more, exploring more, the ultimate temptress. Noreen’s exaggerated cough reminded me to break it off. This was just for show. At least that’s what I told myself as my heart sped into full-blown attraction speed.

Serena blinked rapidly as I pulled away. Had she only meant the kiss to throw the deputy off, or had she wanted to follow up on that note from years ago?

It didn’t fucking matter. She was a client now and nothing more, acting and nothing more, the daughter of the man who’d ruined my dreams and nothing more. Nothing the fuck more.

Noreen huffed. “You could have just said she was your girlfriend.” She clicked her mouse furiously. “North Sepulveda?”

“That’s right,” Serena said.

I kept a possessive arm around her.

“The make of car?” Noreen asked.

“I don’t remember. White sedan, government plates,” Serena answered.

Noreen checked her screen and stood. “We did get a government car in today.” She held her hand out. “ID?”

“My purse was in the car.” Serena stated the obvious. “That’s why I’m here.”

Pulling my mind away from the kiss and back to the case, I volunteered, “I’ll vouch for her identity.”

Noreen scowled. “Your credibility is zilch, big guy. Let me check the box to see what we have, but if her ID isn’t in there, I can’t release anything from the car.” She wandered away, muttering under her breath.

I released Serena from my arm. “Thanks for the save.”

She elbowed me. “If I don’t get my stuff, I’m going to send you on that dinner date.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You owe me big time,” she said, tugging my earlobe—hard. “You hear me?”

I rubbed my ear. “Loud and clear.”

Another deputy, a man I didn’t recognize, arrived at the counter and eyed Serena. “Can I help you, miss?”

When his gaze lingered way too long, I answered for her. “Thank you, but my girlfriend’s already being helped.”

He didn’t leave until I gave him the glare that said she was mine.

Noreen returned with a plastic box and set it on the floor behind the counter. “I gotta make sure this is really your stuff. You understand? Describe your purse.”

“It’s black leather,” Serena said. “A Gucci shoulder bag with a horse bit on the side.”

The handbag that cost a month’s rent was more confirmation that she was a spoiled little rich girl.

Noreen rummaged in the box. “And the phone?”

“An iPhone in rose gold.”

Noreen rummaged around. “And what do we have here? What’s the title of the book?” Noreen prodded.

Serena turned beet-red. “ Secretary to the Bazillionaire ,” she mumbled.

I smirked with just the shortest chuckle.

Serena elbowed me. “Don’t judge. It’s a good book.”

Noreen held it up. A bare-chested guy on the cover confirmed what I’d suspected from the title. “You say it’s good?”

“If you like spicy, yes,” Serena said. “The author is terrific.”

Now, I was getting uncomfortable.

“I’ll order it,” Noreen said, hefting the box onto the counter and putting the book away. “I still need to verify your ID.”

Serena opened the purse, retrieved a wallet, and pulled out a driver’s license.

After a signature, a smiling Serena lifted the purse to her shoulder. “Thank you, deputy.”

Noreen nodded toward me. “If he gives you any trouble, let me know, and I’ll cuff him faster than you can say mighty fine ass .” Her eyes moved over me again.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Serena said, opening her wallet again. “For the lunch he owed you.” She dropped a twenty on the counter and turned to me. “We need to go, honey, if you want to have time to try page two-oh-eight when we get home.”

I noticed Noreen writing the number down.

As we walked out, Serena squeezed my ass. That had to be for Noreen’s benefit, right?

I waited until we’d cleared the door to ask, “What’s on page two-oh-eight?”

“You’ll have to read the book.”

Fat chance. Real men didn’t eat quiche or read that stuff. I also knew better than to ask about the kiss. She’d gotten me out of a jam, and I owed her—end of story.

She checked her purse and let out a relieved sigh when she found a faded photo that she quickly stuffed back into its spot.

I scanned the parking lot for threats as we walked to my truck.

She started scrolling on her phone.

I held out my hand. “I need that.”

She held it out of reach. “No. Why?”

I bleeped the locks on the truck. “To check for clues in your message and call history.”

“No,” she huffed out.

“Yes,” I insisted.

Her face hardened. “Remember the ground rules. I get to keep my life, and right now I have to return my dad’s three calls and call work. You can have it when I’m done.”

I walked her around to the passenger side of the truck and opened the door for her.

She climbed up. “Until then, you just sharpen your knife or whatever bodyguards do.”

I shut the door more forcefully than was called for, but that’s how this opinionated woman and her constant arguments affected me.