Tyler
The fuck? She cannot be serious. “What do you mean you took the job? You went in for an interview, Mira. Places like Blue don’t hire on the spot. What the hell did you do?”
“God, Tyler! What are you insinuating?” She squirms away from me and stands, brushing past me into the living room.
Haven’t lost my touch. Except normally when women make celestial exclamations I’m doing something that gets them going, and they use words like God, and Jesus, Tyler, mixed in with a few cries of more. But that hasn’t happened in a long time, because in spite of appearances lately, I haven’t actually hooked up with a woman in forever.
I follow Mira into the other room, where she spins to face me. “Is it so hard to believe someone would want me?” Her voice comes out strong, but her eyes are all vulnerability.
She thinks no one wants her? Is she crazy? Everyone wants Mira.
I attempt to calm my anger—with her, with myself. “You can’t take that job, Mira.”
She glares at me, the fire in her eyes lighting up the room. She’s fucking beautiful. “I can. I did.”
Not what I want to hear. And I don’t need the stubborn attitude either.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. I’ve got to get a grip. There’s a solution here if I cool my head, think this through.
Mira needs a better-paying job than the one she has. I get that. I’m trying to not consider the possibility that she took the job at Blue to piss me off. Both Gen and Cali were sexually harassed at Blue, yet Mira takes a job there? She knows it’s the most dangerous place for her to work. But telling Mira what to do isn’t effective either. She’ll do the exact opposite.
I’ve got to fight Mira on her own playing field. She expects me to boss her around and act like an ass, because that’s what I’ve done so far, which, admittedly, is pretty messed up.
So I’ll do the opposite.
Which means I can’t tell her to quit her job. Goddammit, think.
I need to protect her—I mean—fuck, where did that come from? I need to make sure she’s not doing anything dangerous. The only way to get her out of Cali’s place is to make sure she’s safe.
I pop my neck and scrub a hand down my face. Fine. I’ll keep my mouth shut about her new job. But I’ve got my own plans. Good thing I didn’t waste time after she left this morning. I made a few phone calls, put some things into motion that will ensure Mira doesn’t get into trouble.
I grab my keys from the counter and slip on my Vans, tying them.
Mira’s gaze tracks me. “Where are you going?”
Hah, wouldn’t she like to know? Fine. I’ll tell her. Let her mull this one over. “Blue Casino.”
“What? Don’t you dare, Tyler. I need this job.” She scurries after me as I head to my car.
I jerk open the rusted door and turn to her, taking in the flush of her cheeks, the beautiful intensity of her eyes, which typically melt my resolve, but not today. “Don’t worry, Mira. Your job is safe. I have something else I need to do at Blue.”
Mira
I never discovered what business Tyler had at Blue, but it didn’t matter because I received an official offer letter for the assistant position. Whatever Tyler did, he didn’t ruin my career prospects.
I’ve spent the last few days preparing for my new job. I went into work and told them the situation and they let me go, just as my coworkers said they would. My boss was pretty bummed, but she understood the pay-raise aspects. Lewis wasn’t happy either, at first, but once I assured him Drake was on forced leave until the sexual harassment charges were investigated, he mellowed out. Lewis is confident that Drake will get his ass nailed to the wall. He’s not worried the guy will get off.
The only thing that has me worried now is Tyler’s behavior. He’s been dodgy, disappearing for long periods of time. It’s better if we stay away from each other, but there has to be a hitch. Tyler went from being all up in my business to letting things go. I don’t trust it. I can’t tell if he’s mad, or if he has something up his sleeve.
Tyler doesn’t get it. I couldn’t turn down the money Hayden offered. The five-grand signing bonus is almost half the amount I still owe. What sealed my fate was the salary she quoted. It’s almost double what I was making as a dealer. I couldn’t afford not to take the job.
Tyler may be worried I’m getting myself into trouble, but this will work out. I’ll have my debt paid off in no time. Then I can move out and he will be rid of me. Crap, he’ll be thanking me.
I arrive at the casino more nervous than I can remember ever being, though the interview for this job came in a close second. I don’t want to screw up, and as much as Hayden pumped up my ego with why she wanted to hire me, I can’t help worrying I’ll let her down.
I enter the elevator, and am pondering how to keep it together and not look like an idiot newbie when an arm shoots between the closing doors and a security guard steps inside.
Not just any security guard.
Tyler.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper harshly. “And why are you dressed like that?”
I’ve never had a thing for security guards—men in firefighter uniforms, why, yes, yes indeed—but security guards? No, they are not what I consider sexy among the uniformed hotties. They’re like the bottom-dwellers of the uniform hierarchy.
But Tyler’s uniform clings to his muscled shoulders and chest, his fitted shirt tucked into a narrow waist with—I peek behind him—his amazing uniformed ass on display, dammit.
He’s a hot security guard. And he works here. Obviously.
Son of a bitch, he tricked me.
“I could ask you the same thing. Wait,” he says, cocking his head to the side as the elevator doors close. “I already have.”
I bite my lip, holding back the urge to stomp my heel. “Tyler, this is not a joke. I’m in trouble, and this is my way out.”
He casually shoves his hand in the pocket of his hot security guard pants. “I told you, Mira, it’s to my advantage to keep you safe, so you can move out. Which means I’m not letting anything happen to you while we’re living together.”
All the anger melts from my body. “Why? We both know how you feel about me. Why are you doing this?”
He takes in the red wrap dress I borrowed from Cali, his gaze moving on down to my legs—where it lingers. He shrugs. “Do you know how I feel about you?”
I thought I knew, but the way he’s looking at me and the way my chest is rising and falling at the expression in his eyes… I’m confused.
Tyler may recognize the attraction I have for him, may even feel some of it in return, but he’d never act on it. He doesn’t trust me, and he’s made it clear that he’s moved on.
The floor numbers spring up the digital display before settling. The elevator doors open. “You used me, which I didn’t mind, by the way.” He winks. “But I really don’t want to live with you. No offense.”
“I didn’t use you,” I tell him, and walk into the reception area.
I wanted to have sex with Tyler, because I was young and thought I loved him. Of course, he doesn’t know that. He thinks I slept around.
Tyler was going to leave. He was being an ass to me, accusing me of sleeping with other guys—I used it as the excuse I needed to run and protect my heart. To leave him before he left me.
“Doesn’t matter if you used me or not. I was willing,” he says.
We stop in front of the reception desk, sizing each other up.
“Can I help you?” the receptionist asks. It takes me a second to register that she’s talking to us.
“I’m Mira Frasier, the new assistant to Hayden Tate.”
“And I’m Tyler Morgan. New floor guard.”
The receptionist looks from me to Tyler, her gaze skipping down Tyler’s uniformed chest in a stealthy glance. “We’ve never had guards up here, but you’ve come at the right time. They’re letting someone go this morning, and he needs an escort. You think you can handle it?”
“I’m here to serve,” Tyler says, and whips out a charming smile.
The receptionist grins, barely cracking the plaster of makeup she’s wearing.
I might hurl.
“Right this way, Mr. Morgan.” Her mouth turns down. “Ms. Frasier, please have a seat. I’ll let Ms. Tate know you’re here.”
I want to tell her there’s no need, because I remember the way to Hayden’s office, but I sit and wait. Violet—that’s not really her name, but it’s what I’m calling her in my mind from now on—is too distracted by the handsome new guard to pay me any attention.
Tyler said he’s doing this to make sure I’m safe so I can move out as soon as possible, but this is extreme. Especially when he seemed content to wile away his days on his computer and his nights drinking beer and hooking up.
I don’t care what Tyler thinks—I don’t need his protection. And forget Violet, who’s decided to go MIA so she can drool over Tyler. I don’t need her escort to Hayden’s office. Hayden’s expecting me. She can’t be offended if I show up at her door.
I stand and walk down the corridor. Rounding the corner to Hayden’s hallway, I catch sight of Tyler. Escorting Denim Jacket.
I go stock-still, frozen in the middle of the hallway.
Denim Jacket leers at me as they approach. I scoot to the side of the hall, my shoulder pressing the cold, white surface. “Back so soon?” he says as he and Tyler near.
I swallow the dry ball in the back of my throat and try to hold his gaze. He walks past me, a smirk on his face.
Tyler stops. “Hey, you okay?”
I nod, though my heart is racing. I don’t know why this bully affected me above all the others I’ve encountered in my life—kids in school, my mother’s ex-boyfriends—but he did. He does.
“You don’t look okay.” Tyler glances after his charge, who’s making steady progress toward the exit. “Is it that guy? You know him?”
It’s the look on my face, or I don’t know, Tyler is psychic, because his expression hardens. “Is that him? One of the guys who attacked you?”
“Don’t do anything,” I say in a panic, which sounds utterly weird. I never show alarm. “I mean it, Tyler. You’re escorting him out. He’s leaving. It’s a nonissue. Don’t make things worse.”
I’m so close to paying off the money. I just want this over with, and they’ve left me alone as long as I make my payments. If I turn this man in to the police, would it make things worse? Would he or his partner come after me again? Or my family?
It’s not worth it.
Tyler leans forward, his hand finding my waist. The pressure of his touch is possessive and warm. “He made it an issue when he put his hands on you.”