they had a chance with her. But then she realized that she wasn’t still dealing with relationship issues. She really did want something stable and good. Being at Thomas’ wedding had reminded her just how much she wanted that connection with somebody too. She just hadn’t found the right somebody yet.
“I could have handled security for your store,” he said so seriously that it almost knocked her over.
“How? You work thirteen hour shifts; there’s no way you could take this on too.”
“I would have given it all up for you.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Then you’d be broke. Trust me; you’re better off where you are.” She needed to change the subject—fast. “So what are you doing down this way?”
“After the last incident down here our department got some pressure from the mayor to make our presence known. Guess the big guy finally got around to putting a couple officers on the watch as requested.” He nearly laughed as he shook his head. “Maybe he realized the mayor was going to call every single day until somebody did as he said.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “So you’ll be patrolling?”
“Yeah, I’ll be patrolling…and another unit as well,” he nodded. “We’re not full-time security here, but we’ll be through, keeping you all safe. And you know I’m going to look out for you, beautiful.”
“Well I should hope you’ll be looking out for all of us.” She really wasn’t sure she liked how his conversational tactics had changed. He had always been subtle with his pursuit, which is why she had always been subtle with her rejection, but if he pushed any harder she was going to have to shut him down McGregor style. She didn’t want to have to do that. She had too many issues to deal with right now and aligning herself on a cop’s bad side wasn’t something she needed to add to all the rest of the chaos.
“I will be. But you have to be more afraid than Petrof down at the Bistro, or Gary at the art shop. You’re a woman,” he said as if she didn’t know that already. Well thank you, Sherlock, for the reminder. “What happened to that woman down at Shatrel’s Spice of Life could happen to you.”
“God forbid,” she said sharply. She didn’t even want to think about anything happening to her. She also couldn’t understand why he would relegate Shatrel to “that woman” status. Maybe it was a cop thing. Maybe everybody was simplified down to just a case number for them.
“It could. You’re here, alone, and you live above the store. What if he breaks in and comes up there to hurt you?”
“Well then I guess the world should feel sorry for him because my brothers would hunt the bastard down and rip his beating heart out of his chest.”
“I’m just saying,” he stepped closer to her. She wouldn’t be intimidated, not by the bastard robbing the Row, and not by the man in uniform before her. “You’re here all alone at night. Something bad could happen to you.”
“That’s what she has me for,” Shane interrupted Craig’s intimidation tactics. “And I can assure you anybody who tries to get to her won’t be getting out of here unless it’s in a body bag.”
His uninhibited admission had knocked Alyssa off balance. He had just, and in front of a cop, said he’d kill the man—well, he hadn’t said it in those exact words, but she hadn’t missed the meaning and she was sure Craig hadn’t either. Shane was like her brothers; maybe worse, she couldn’t tell yet. Good Lord, who had she just hired?
“Yeah,” she nodded and pointed to Shane, “what he said.” She could fight. Gavin had taught her some moves, and she had picked up a few from Thomas. She might not be an expert, but she wouldn’t go down like some deer caught in headlights either. “Anyway, Craig, I have to show Shane around and get him acquainted with the store. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
He looked her over, one long languid visual inspection that spent far too much time focused on her breasts. She was wearing her aqua blue satin button down blouse with a pair of white slacks that hugged her curves in all the right places. Right now she wished she were wearing full body armor because with just one look the man was practically undressing her where she stood. She cleared her throat, yet he still hadn’t bothered to move.
“In other words,” Shane’s voice