The door swung open with a bang and for a few seconds he was at a loss for words. Today she wasn’t the scared little girl or a victim. Something had clearly pissed her off to the point where she was ready to fight even a potential stalker.
Anita Brown stood with a challenge in her stance, five-foot-seven worth of stunning gorgeous female teetering on gold stiletto heels, a graceful hand on her hip, sunglasses masking her lovely eyes but not hiding her frown. A belted, ivory linen pants suit hugged her fantastic curves, a gold bra showing in the deep plunging neckline. Chestnut brown hair cascaded over her shoulders and a glistening mouth pouted as she finally crossed her arms.
“These people get on my last nerve, Zach.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, peering around her at the man in the living room and trying to keep the personal nature of their relationship off radar.
“They’re trying to pull a contractual fast one, saying your firm is too costly, and denying me security— and I’m not having it,” she said, full of attitude then turning away and walking back to the man she’d been arguing with.
Zach stepped just inside the door and closed it, manning an observation post by the door.
“I don’t care what Jonathan said and I don’t even know why you’re here!” she shouted, pointing at the poor man who’d obviously been sent to deliver a message she didn’t like. “This could have been done over the phone and the security detail is part of my contract. Tell him to read page thirty-five, section G, paragraph five,
all right? It says that he has to pay for them when on tour for his label, and since the USO tour was booked on his label, not mine, then this is his dime.”
“You never used to go here, ’Nita,” the nervous man said, glancing at Zachary, who hadn’t moved a muscle. “This isn’t good business, it’s pure feminine spite. You used to be fine with Jon paying your brothers and your father to do your security detail. Why all the changes? Why all the drama? Don’t you want them to benefit from your success?”
“Don’t try to play me, Ron,” she said, circling him and making him turn to keep her in front of him. “The good cop/bad cop thing isn’t working this morning. You had a lot of nerve trying to get my brothers up to my temporary apartment this morning, like nothing would be wrong and I’d change my mind. You set them up to get stopped at the doorman, not me. Who told you it was all right to hire them and try to void my contract with SWAT International?”
“I can’t believe you actually did that to your own blood, girl . . . damn . . .” Ron hung his head and fingered his baseball cap. “You’re really still that mad at Jon?”
“You tell that sorry son of a bitch boss of yours that he’s done taking advantage of me. I deserve real top-notch security— and going into freaking Baghdad, that’s what I want!”
“But we could get two or three outside hires to go with your brothers and—”
“What did I say? Are you deaf? I don’t want my brothers or my father siphoning another penny off me. I’m also not going to make it easy for Jon to do anything on the cheap like he had been doing— skimming expenses because I’m his so-called woman. News flash, I’m not! So that’s what’s business, Ron. Take a memo. The cosmetics endorsements, TV appearances, new clothing line I’m launching, and every movie script I’m reviewing all come under my new label; he still owns the recording deals, and with that comes the guaranteed coverage of promotion and security.”
She smiled a beautifully wicked smile and took a breath. “Fool did that when he thought I was still in love, I suppose— and thought I’d never wise up like the others he’d run in circles. That’s not my problem. So, no, I’m not using some company he chooses— which will probably be some jackleg goons he knows from his old thug life. Tell the bastard to read the contract, and if he reneges, he can talk to my ass, and to my attorney! I am not afraid of him.”
Zachary stood at attention at the door, watching the argument, watching the beauty before him rip into the messenger. He liked her fire, but it also made him wary. He was glad she’d found her fight, but having seen the lioness in her, he was now also aware that she had claws and teeth. The transformation was both alluring and unsettling. That was the thing he was never quite sure of— a woman could be one way when she was trying to enter your heart, and then could flip and crush your heart right under her stiletto heel the way Anita was carrying on now.
“All right, ’Nita,” Ron finally said, and released a long sigh. “I’ll let Jon know . . . there’s no reasoning with you when you get like this. I’m out. But, just remember, Jonathan has a mean streak, too, and there will definitely be consequences, if you keep pushing him like this.”
“Yeah, well, life has consequences— I guess Jonathan learned that lesson, too,” she said addressing Ron’s back.
Zachary stepped aside and opened the door for the man who was leaving. He didn’t even acknowledge him with a nod, which was cool, because what was there to say? The man had been humiliated in front of a complete stranger. Zachary listened to the door close.
“My bags are in the other room,” Anita said, walking over to a small side table that held her Prada purse. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
For a moment he didn’t move, just watched her fidget with her handbag and then extract a tube of lip gloss. After she quickly applied it, she tilted her head to the side. “So, where’s the Delta Force dude . . . is that the last person we’re waiting on?”
“There has been a slight personnel change that I thought you might want to be aware of before we went down to the limo.”
“No more contract flubs today, Zach . . . c’mon. You just heard me light into Ron and company.” She shook her head. “There was supposed to be some ex-Delta Force dude with all the medals and what ever. Please tell me this isn’t some bait-and-switch bullcrap, because I know Jonathan will dig into your company’s paperwork and try to sue your company into—”
“I appreciate the concern, ’Nita, but it’s no bait and switch,” Zachary said, carefully coming closer to her. “The primary came down with influenza—”
“In May?”
“In May,” Zachary said, using his most practiced monotone military response. “It’s going to be fine.”
Anita snapped her purse shut. “Jonathan Evans believes everybody’s got game, so why not you. I just don’t want to see you take the fall if your firm isn’t completely airtight.”
She had a right to be worried; Lowell or someone from the firm should have informed her before now. But he also understood why no one had. His buddy couldn’t afford to lose this contract, and it was evident now just how complicated Anita Brown’s business relationships were. Zachary dug into his vest pocket and produced his security stats sheet as well as his passport.
“Evans can’t touch Lowell Johnson for breach of contract. Current Delta Force, still employed by the U.S. military— on leave and on assist, ma’am.”
To his surprise after a moment of reading and scrutinizing his documents, she laughed and then handed him back his papers, looking him up and down.