After closing up the barn, I started for the house. The sound of gravel crunched in the distance, and at first, I thought it was Tyla coming back, but it wasn’t her car. It was a black SUV with tinted windows. Lifting my hat, I wiped the sweat off my brow and lowered it back down. If it was Singleton, he was stupider than I thought.
Body tense, I was prepared to fight. However, when the car door opened, I couldn’t help but grin. “You’ve got to be shitting me. What the hell are you doing here?”
Logan Chandler, a good friend of mine and one of the best undercover agents I knew, waltzed toward me with the biggest smile on his face. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” he joked, extending his hand. “Please tell me you haven’t turned Brokeback on me?”
“Fuck no. You know me better than that.”
We shook hands and he chuckled. “You’re right. Last I recall, you had a new piece of ass every week, especially after things ended with Brooklyn.”
“That was a long time ago, brother,” I said, slapping him on the shoulder. Brooklyn was the only serious relationship I’d ever had. I loved her, but fucked it all up. Now she was gone and happy with someone else. I hadn’t talked to her in almost a year. “So what brings you all the way out to BFE? You’re not the type to make house calls.”
Releasing a heavy sigh, he glanced back at the car, then to me. “Can we go inside and talk? I could use a beer about now.”
I focused on the car, but couldn’t see anyone. “Who’s in there, Chandler?”
“It’s a long story, which is why I need the beer.” He followed me inside and I grabbed us both a beer out of the refrigerator. Once he guzzled his down, he looked out at the car again, biting his lip. “Whatever you do, don’t kill me.”
I lifted the bottle to my mouth and froze. “Fuck me. What did you do?”
He turned around, smile gone. “I brought you something, or better yet . . . someone.”
It didn’t take long for everything to fall into place. I should’ve known. Slamming my beer down, I pointed angrily at the car. “Take Miss Hollywood back. I don’t want her here.”
Logan lifted his hands and stepped back. “Why won’t you take this job? You’re the only one trusted and available to keep her safe.”
“Bullshit! What about you? You fucking take her.”
He shook his head. “I’m leaving on another mission tomorrow. Anyway, you’re the one Robert wants. Hadley’s dad is one of the richest men in the country and he’s willing to pay big money for your services.”
“I don’t want his goddamn money.”
“You sure about that? Think about what you could do to this place if you had ten million laying around,” he replied.
My eyes bulged. “You’re shitting me.”
“Nope. And trust me, I’d guard her body for next to nothing. She’s hot as hell.”
“Looks aren’t everything. She’s Hollywood, and this,” I said, gesturing to my farmhouse, “ain’t exactly the Ritz-Carlton. Her kind won’t fit in here.”
Logan shrugged a shoulder. “You’d be surprised. She’s not as bad as you make her sound.”
Clenching my teeth, I stormed to the window. “I’m not going to be her servant, and she won’t find any maids here. I’ll keep her safe, but that’s it. I won’t be at her beck and call. If she wants to stay, she has to live by my rules. Got it?”
He joined me by the window. “Don’t be so hard on her, Evans. Her bodyguard was just killed and her boyfriend is in critical condition. She’s in a bad place right now.”
“Since when did you turn soft?” I grumbled.
“She has that effect on people. You’ll see what I mean.”
I scoffed. “Just make sure her father pays up.”
He patted me on the shoulder. “He’s good for it. Once he hears from me, he’ll give you a call to transfer the money.”
“Good,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Do you want me to bring her in and introduce her? I have to get back to the airport.”
“Might as well,” I grumbled.
Logan marched out of the kitchen and to the car. The second Hadley stepped out and I saw her face, I knew I was in trouble.
Hadley
“What took you so long? You had me worried,” I said.
Logan shut the door and grabbed my bag out of the back. “Sorry about that. It took longer than I thought.”
“Is everything okay?”
Shouldering my bag, he sighed, looking down at me with troubled blue eyes. “You’re not in California anymore, Hadley. Things are different here. You’re going to have to adapt to this lifestyle so you fit in. People are going to look at you and think they see Hadley, but you’re not her anymore. Understand?”
I nodded. “I know. My name is Anna Sawyer and I’m a twenty-five-year-old real estate agent from North Carolina. Blake Evans is my stepbrother and I’m visiting because I just got divorced from my husband and I needed to get as far away from home as I could.” I paused and took a deep breath. “I took drama in high school. I’m pretty sure I can pull it off.”
He smiled. “Good. I think you’re all set. I put your ID’s and an untraceable cell phone in your bag, along with my number. You can call me anytime.”
I followed him to the front door and stepped inside. The house had a warm feel to it, all western-like, with deer and buffalo heads on the wall. It was just like being on the set of a cowboy movie. I half expected John Wayne to mosey around the corner at any minute.
I gazed around in awe. “This is amazing.”
“So it meets your standards?” an abrasive voice called out.
Gasping, I jerked around and found the owner of the voice glaring at me. For a second I lost my ability to speak. His brown hair was damp with sweat and he was covered in streaks of dirt on his tanned, bare chest. He was gorgeous; except for the scowl on his face. Why was he looking at me like that? Surely that wasn’t Blake.
Huffing, Logan put his arm protectively around my shoulder, speaking through clenched teeth. “Hadley, I’d like you to meet dickface. Crap, I’m sorry . . . I meant Blake. I got a little confused there.” Body tense, Blake rolled his eyes and my stomach dropped. He did not want me there. “Blake, this is Hadley,” Logan continued, squeezing my shoulder. “She’ll be your guest for the next few weeks.”
Blake pointed to the stairs. “Your room is up there, first door on the left. I don’t have servants, so if you want something, get it yourself.”
I held up my hands. “I don’t have servants.” Unfortunately, he’d already turned on his heel and stalked away. Huffing, I glared up at Logan. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me here. Why is he acting like that?”
He set my bag down. “Want the truth?” I nodded. “Basically, he thinks you’re going to be an uppity cunt. What he doesn’t know is that you’re actually a down to earth person. He’ll come around once he gets to know you.”
“Why can’t I stay with you? You can keep me safe.”
“I would if I could, but I’m leaving for another mission as soon as I leave here. You’ll be fine. You’re a strong-willed woman.” Leaning in close, he whispered in my ear. “Just don’t take shit from him. Show Blake you can handle this and he’ll turn around.”
As much as I wanted to believe I could, I doubted myself. I didn’t belong here and it was evident. “Okay,” I whispered, “I can do this.”
Logan led me upstairs to my room and set my bag on the bed. The room was all white and elegant, clearly a female’s room. It was beautiful; definitely a contrast to the masculinity downstairs.
“I have to go now. Remember, you can call me anytime.”
My eyes burned, but I refused to cry. All I wanted was to be back at home and have Scott still alive. Maybe that was why I liked Logan so much; he reminded me of a younger version of him. Opening my arms, I rushed over to him, wrapping them around his neck. “Thank you for watching over me. Be safe on your mission.”