Billionaire Protector - Alexa Hart Page 0,59

I’d go that far...” I began to protest weakly.

“Of course you wouldn’t, but that’s because you’ve never been in love before. I have, Penn. I know it when I see it. You’re falling in love with Anne. Hard and fast, the way it sometimes happens.” He seemed to space off a little then, and I knew his thoughts had travelled to my mother.

“Okay... Well I’m just gonna leave that one alone for now, cuz I’m not exactly sure what to say to it... But, Dad?” As much as I’d been angry and frustrated about my father knowing my business, I was mildly relieved right now that he knew (a little) of my business.

“Yes, Penn?” He steepled his fingers together and rested his chin on them patiently.

“I think – I think something bad happened to Anne back... out east, or wherever.” I let the words drop heavily in the silence.

“And?”

How in God’s name did the man always know when there was more? It was uncanny.

“And I’m worried that... I think she might still be in some type of danger.” There. I had said it out loud. Something wasn’t just off, something was wrong.

“Well, you know I can easily have a guard set up to keep an eye out for her. But that might be a bit hard to hide in a town like Corydon. A person can’t blend in if there isn’t a crowd to blend in to.” Dad’s face was serious now, and I knew he was worried as well.

“Let’s not go that far yet, Dad. If Anne sees some shady dude following her around she’ll freak out. And if I tell her we sent him there, she’ll never speak to me again.” I shook my head fervently. “Can’t go that far.”

“Have you considered using our P.I.?” A straightforward, simple question. Didn’t every American family keep a private investigator in their back pocket?

“I dunno, Dad. That feels extreme, too,” I was backpedaling and I knew it. I’d already expressed extreme concern. In my father’s eyes, that called for immediate, extreme action.

“You might at least be able to ascertain what exactly is going on with the young woman. We can’t help her until we know that. It’s simple logic, really.” Dad tilted his head and waited for my response.

Shit. He’s right. But it would still upset Anne. Not that she’d ever know. But if she found out... Shit.

“Maybe... I’ll think about it, okay? Maybe I’ll try to just talk to her super directly one more time tonight.” I was mostly thinking out loud at that point, but my words caused Dad to chuckle.

“Still here, is she?” He chortled some more. “And I assume she’s staying the night. Her and her little boy?”

I nodded. There was no point in denying it.

“Wonderful. At the very least, you know she’s incredibly safe in this house.”

Dad had a point. State of the art surveillance, alarms, police triggers – the entire ranch was outlined in security measures, let alone the house, which basically turned into Fort Knox at night.

“Yeah. That’s true. I dunno. I’ll think more about... this talk. Options. I just need to know she’s okay. I need to know she’s safe.” I ran a frustrated hand through my hair.

“Yes. That is because you love her.” Dad was smiling again, and I gave a weak grin while I stood to leave.

“She’s probably got Murphy to sleep by now. I don’t wanna leave her stranded in the Hardick Labyrinth.” I had my hand on the doorknob when my father got his last, completely unpredictable comment in.

“Murphy. Such a delightfully strange name for a little boy. I quite like it. I may have to use that in one of my books. Excellent!” He was tapping away again instantly.

I shut his door quietly and padded back to my wing, down my main hall, and discreetly stuck my head into the guest room doorway. Sure enough, little Murph was passed out cold and Anne was tucking him in the way only a mother would or could.

She’d secured the heavy silk spread over him with pillows on either side, not to mention the two he had for his head. She’d then taken the rest of the pillows (all of our guest rooms had a ridiculous amount of pillows, but this was the first time I’d been thankful for that) and made giant “fall piles” on either side of the bed.

“Just in case,” she whispered, grinning sheepishly. “Is the intercom on?”

I nodded and pulled her to me. “Everything is just as