not hurt, right?’
‘Grazed chin and knees, sprained wrist,’ James replied, the muscle in his jaw ticking.
‘It’s okay, Morgan.’ Noah reached over and squeezed her shoulder. ‘She’s fine. What then?’
‘Our guys—especially Henry—are pretty tough, and they managed to subdue two of them. The other got away.’ James banged his glass onto the granite counter and splashed whisky. ‘Before the police arrived they told them that they were part of a group who were looking to exact retribution for the fact that MI are in the process of reopening an emerald mine in a remote area of north-east Colombia.’
‘Why don’t they want it reopened?’ Morgan asked.
‘The mining, trucks and security will interfere with the local drug cartel’s transport routes, and with increased population will make the inhabitants less...reliant on the generosity of the drug lords. I also suspect they are mining illegally as well,’ James replied. ‘They said that there are orders out to get MI out of the region.’
‘Really blethered on, didn’t they?’ Noah said, his voice bland.
‘Sang like canaries,’ James replied. ‘Probably because they had a knee in a kidney or a wrist about to be broken.’ James folded his arms and rested his bottom against the counter in front of the coffee machine. ‘The bottom line is that they want MI out of Colombia and they will do it by...’
Morgan saw his hesitation, the way he looked at her. ‘By...?’
‘By trying to kidnap someone else. You, me, other executives. I have told the executives in Colombia to be on high alert, and we’re doubling their security—and the mine’s. But you and I are definite targets. I want protection for you.’
Not again, Morgan thought. She hated having someone follow her around, monitoring her movements...constantly hovering.
‘I’ve called CFT. They will have someone here in two hours. So if you could just stay put until they get here?’
‘And Mum? How are we going protect her?’ Morgan asked.
‘Dad is taking her to the house in the Cayman Islands. You know how secure it is out there.’
‘Good. That’s good.’
James sent her a direct look. ‘Any chance of you joining her there?’
Was he insane? She had jewellery commissions to complete and deliver and—damn it!—with her mother gone someone had to organise the ball. Her mum couldn’t do that from the Cayman Islands or anywhere else. She needed to be here—in the city. So who was left to do it? Me... Damn!
‘I’ll take the protection, if you think I must, but I’m staying put.’
James blew air into his cheeks. ‘CFT personal protection agents will be here soon. Will you accommodate them?’
What choice did she have? It was at times like these when the reality of how different her life was from that of a normal woman her age became very clear. This was when the fact that she was a Moreau—part of a prominent, hugely wealthy family whose business interests could upset people even a continent away—really smacked her in the face.
That wasn’t normal. None of this was normal.
‘That’s not going to happen.’
Noah made sure that his voice was low, cool and utterly non-negotiable. In unison, James and Morgan turned to him, both pairs of bottle-green eyes surprised and suspicious.
James’s eyes hardened a fraction of a second before Morgan’s did. He could see that neither of them appreciated him jumping into the conversation but he didn’t care. He just folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his own eyes.
‘I’m not remotely interested in your opinion,’ James told him. ‘I’m making arrangements for my sister’s protection.’
‘So unmake them,’ Noah suggested calmly. ‘I will act as her personal protection detail.’
‘What?’
The siblings’ faces registered surprised confusion—and, really, could he blame them? They’d both forgotten that close body protection was what he did, was his business. And wasn’t he here for the express purpose of getting his company more MI business? That whole world domination thing?
That was a good reason why he wanted to be the one to protect Morgan, but there were others. Since leaving the unit he’d done lots of close protection before moving into training the new officers. He knew how up close and personal bodyguards had to get to their principals, and there was no way that he was going to allow any CFT hound-dogs that close to Morgan. Fact: the only person that was getting into her personal space in the near future was him.
And, lastly, he wanted the best for Morgan. And he was it. There was a reason why Amanda had offered to double his already stratospheric salary if he stayed with CFT. He was that valuable, that good. Morgan deserved the best, and that was him.
Fact.
‘I’m here. I’m already working for you.’
‘I didn’t realise that sleeping with my sister was part of your duties,’ James said, in a very cool, very dangerous voice.
Noah didn’t react. Mostly because he felt like punching James on his perfect nose... He didn’t like being caught on the back foot, but he had to respect James for calling him on it. If he had a sister he’d do the same. ‘Technically, I’m not employed by MI yet—’
‘And the chances of you ever getting on the payroll are decreasing rapidly,’ James stated.
Damage control, Noah thought, and fast. ‘I’m good at what I do, Moreau, and what happened or didn’t happen here earlier has nothing to do with that. Morgan and I are both consenting adults and we have an understanding.’
James looked at Morgan. ‘Which is...?’
Noah remained silent. Hey, this was her brother—if she wanted to explain, she could.
‘Well?’
‘This has nothing to do with you, big bro,’ Morgan stated, lifting her chin.
‘You’re my baby sister!’
‘But I’m not a baby! I can have sex if I want!’
Both James and Noah winced. Noah scratched his forehead and was grateful that his brothers didn’t require him to monitor their social life, because this was the social equivalent of a kick to the groin.
Time to end this conversation, he thought.
‘Moving on,’ he said briskly, ‘and back to the subject at hand. Call Amanda Cope from CFT and ask her who her best bodyguard was—ever. I guarantee she’ll say me. She hates me, but she’s inherently honest. You want and need the best person out there guarding your sister. I’m it and I’m already in place.’ It wouldn’t hurt to sweeten the pot. ‘I’ll also give you a fifteen per cent discount on my personal protection
