“Look, if Louisa doesn’t accept your offer, there’ll be nothing you can do to help when that animal comes back for the money. What are you going to do, stay here and be her bodyguard twenty-four seven?” she says, glaring at him. Poor Bryce, none of this is his fault. He’s only trying tohelp.
“No, Louisa is going to come stay with me and my brothers, so we can look out forher.”
“What?” Nisha looks agape at usboth.
“I didn’t agree to anything,” I say quickly, before turning to Bryce. “Thank you for the offer, but I won’t leave Nisha on her own. If Smithy comes back,whenSmithy comes back, he will hurt her to get to me. I’m not putting her in harm’s way, Iwon’t.”
Bryce clenches his jaw, clearly biting back some kind of comment. “Then you both come. There’s roomenough.”
“But…” Istart.
“Bloody hell,” Nishasays.
“Bryce, we can’tjust…”
He holds his hands up. “This is what’s going to happen, Louisa. As you won’t take my offer of money as a gift I will employ you as a personal assistant at the Brothers Freed Corporation. We always need more assistants in the office. Between us we have one personal assistant and she is run ragged. We pay the debt, you work for us while earning a decent wage. Over time you can pay that loan back should you wish. That is the solution and you are going to accept it. Oh, and before you even mention it, you arebothgoing to pack your bags and come with me back to the home I share with Max and Hudson, at least until this all blows over. I’m not convinced that prick won’t come back even when he’s got themoney.”
I slump back into my chair in shock, completely lost for words. After a while, Nisha startslaughing.
“Well, hell. I’m not going to say no. I hope your place is posh, Bryce. I’m thinking it must be, given the Gucci suit you’re wearing. Which, by the way, is ruined now from the rain,” she says, pulling aface.
Bryce shrugs his shoulders. “I’ve got plenty more suits. Now, where do you keep your cases?” he asks,standing.
“In the airingcupboard.”
“Great, I’ll grab them. Nisha, I shall pack Louisa’s things if you’ll show me to her room.” I move to stand but he rests his hand gently on my shoulder. “Stay here, I’ll doit.”
“But what about myunder…”
“Don’t worry, Louisa. I won’t go rummaging through your knicker drawer,” Bryce grins, striding from theroom.
“Oh, my fucking god, Lou. Who would have thought it?” Nisha beams, her china white teeth startlingly bright against her mocha skin. “I’m pissed at what’s happened to you, but blimey, this is one hell of a silver-lining. I can’t wait to meet the other two hotties.” She practically skips out of the kitchen afterBryce.
I stare after her back. What the hell justhappened?
* * *
Forty-five minuteslater we are sitting in the back of Bryce’s top of the range Mercedes 4x4. It oozes money and style and I can’t help but feel slightly inferior. Nisha, on the other hand, is enjoying herself immensely. This is like something out of a fairy tale for her. She doesn’t know the brothers’ upbringing because I didn’t tell her that part. Nisha assumes they have all come from a privileged background which is as far from the truth as she canget.
“This is the latest model, isn’t it? I mean, this car alone has got to be at least fifty grand, right?” she says excitedly. “It’s even got under-seat heating. My arse is nice andtoasty.”
Bryce laughs. “It’s a bit flashy. I prefer my old Range Rover, but it’s in the garage getting a service rightnow.”
“How many cars do you ownexactly?”
“A few,” Bryce says offhandedly. I can tell he doesn’t like showing off. It’s not really in his nature. When we first met he was a bit of a bighead but underneath all that bravado is a nice guy. I smile at him from the seat in the back. He glances at me in the rearview mirror and winks. Inside, a warm feelingblooms.
Nisha chats away for the rest of the journey and Bryce answers all her questions. He’s sweet with her. He didn’t have to offer her a room at their place, but he did it for me. I will always be grateful for his kindness. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened toher.
“So, where exactly do you guys live?” Nishaasks.
“Esher,Surrey.”
“Oh, very la-de-da,” she says, affecting a poshaccent.
“It’s quiet. Near enough to London for business but far enough away not to feel caught up in the rat race. When we’re home, we want to forget about work. Trouble is, traffic sucks on a Friday evening. It’ll be a little while yet until we getthere.”
“Ah, don’t sweat it. If you haven’t already noticed, I’m enjoying relaxing in thisbeauty.”
Bryce laughs. “I can tell.” He stops at a set of traffic lights and takes the opportunity to turn around and talk to me. “You okay? How’s thepain?”
“It’s better, thanks. Just a dull throb now. I could do with a bath or something, though.” My gaze catches his and a spark of desire lights in his eyes. I know he is reminded of our intense make out session in the shower back in Petite Cabane. He coughs, clearing histhroat.
“That can be arranged,” he says softly, before putting the car into gear and pullingoff.
I lean my head back against the seat and watch London whizz by, my thoughts returning to our time together in the mountains. It had been intense, erotic, wonderful. Despite what Bryce said, I’m afraid Max and Hudson won’t be happy to see me. Especially Hudson, given he has taken my leaving so badly, it would seem. Pushing those thoughts aside, I close my eyes and try not to think about it.