in front of him as he read the morning news, a cup of hot tea at his elbow. Her mother, dressed in a pretty spring dress and her hair now up, nibbled on toast while typing in email replies for her insanely busy social calendar.
When Fallon cleared her throat, her mother looked up.
Her father did not.
“Fallon? Good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?”
Awkward. And anxious. Hopeful to the point of desperation. Fallon said only, “I’m fine, Mom. Thanks.” She helped herself to tea, cautiously watching her father.
“No residual effects?”
“No. Except that I’m hungry.”
Her mom laughed, but her father continued to ignore her.
Fallon let out a sigh. “Dad.”
“Good morning,” he said, his gaze still on the tablet.
“Dad,” she complained as she took a seat beside him.
Frustration visible, he finally looked up. And waited.
Put on the spot, Fallon cleared her throat again. “I’m sorry about last night.”
He nodded, and went back to reading.
“Really?” Fallon narrowed her eyes. “That’s all you have to say?” She waited for his reciprocal apology.
After a deep breath, he pressed a button on the tablet to shut it down and gave her his undivided attention. “There’s no reason to apologize, Fallon, and no reason to discuss it. Your mother and I talked and we both understand that you haven’t had much opportunity to spread your wings. Last night was an aberration, better forgotten.” He smiled. “We’ll put it behind us as a lesson learned.”
Incredulous and insulted, Fallon sucked in a breath. “I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true.” He reached out and patted her hand. “I officially dismissed Mr. Wallington first thing this morning. You don’t need to worry.”
Fury gathered as Fallon stared at her father. “Now I know you’re joking.”
Her mother interjected, “Unfortunately, Fallon, you know your father rarely jokes.”
She flattened her hands on the tabletop. “You already called the agency?”
“And spoke with Ms. Silver herself. She, too, sends her apologies and offered a full refund.”
Fallon shoved back her seat. “Call her back!”
“I’ll do no such thing.” Throwing down his napkin, her father pushed back his chair and he, too, stood.
Her mother quickly circled the table and positioned herself between them. “I know Sahara Silver quite well. Lovely lady. Very shrewd. I’m sure she’ll give the situation time to cool down before actually acting—”
“I told her my decision was final.” Her father’s expression pinched. “I also told her that her man had gotten you drunk to the point that he had to carry you in, and that he’d engaged in violence in your presence.”
Fallon saw red. “The bar was my idea. I picked the place. I chose to drink. And Justice did exactly as you asked—he kept every other person a mile away.” Hoping for a smidge of understanding, Fallon snapped, “I even had to dance alone! Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Her father ignored most of what she’d said to focus on one thing. “Justice?” he repeated with a scowl. “Now you’re on a first-name basis with the man?”
“Clayton,” her mother reprimanded. “Of course they’re on a first-name basis. This is a more casual assignment—”
“An assignment the two of you insisted on!” Fallon said, more than ready to fight her own battles. “I didn’t need a bodyguard to be a normal person.”
“Fallon...” Her father reached for her, but she stepped back.
“The fight wasn’t his fault either. He was the perfect protection. I didn’t even see what happened, it was over with so quickly. I only know that no one got near me because he didn’t let them.”
Not budging an inch, her father said, “What’s done is done.”
Giving up, Fallon realized that she wouldn’t be able to reason with him. Whenever challenged, the inimitable Mr. Wade dug in. “Fine,” Fallon said. “You don’t want to hire him, then don’t. I’ll take care of it myself.”
“Oh, dear,” her mother whispered. “Fallon, honey, he’s quite expensive.”
“I have more than enough of my own money.” Breathing harder, Fallon said, “I’m twenty-four and it’s time I lived my own life.”
“I forbid it!”
Her eyes flared at her father’s vehemence. “Why? Because then you won’t have control?”
Silence fell around them. After several tense seconds, her father removed his reading glasses and rubbed at his forehead. “I’ve never yelled at you before. Not in anger.”
Fallon saw his remorse. “I’ve never yelled at you either.”
Using that as an opening, her mother said, “This is important to her, Clayton. Surely you see that.”
Once again, the silence stretched out...until Fallon couldn’t take it anymore.
“Dad, I understand how you feel. I really do.” But she’d let that understanding isolate her to the point that her parents thought she needed a bodyguard just to go out. “The thing is, I’m doing this with or without your blessing.” She clasped his hand. “I’d prefer it with.”
Defeated, he nodded, and even managed a dim smile. “And I’d prefer to be the one who hires him.”
Fallon almost groaned. Somehow, some way, she needed to gain her independence. “Dad—”
“I’ll go call the agency now.”
* * *
DISGRUNTLED AFTER A sleepless night filled with regret, Justice slouched in a seat in his boss’s office at the posh Body Armor Agency. He’d only been on the job for four months. First he’d worked part of a case with Leese—a case that ended with Leese getting engaged. Then he’d had a longer stint with a movie star cast in an MMA movie roll. The duties of that job had been twofold: protect the client from rabid fans during the local shoots and teach him how to portray a fighter during the action scenes.
The first part was a piece of cake compared to the second. The dude, talented at acting but not so much at throwing punches, had a hell of a time catching on. He’d been too arrogant to really learn, determined to think he could overcome the physical aspect of the role—the right stance, the proper moves—with added drama. Justice dreaded seeing the movie, since he knew the actor was going to end up looking like a fool.
Or
