Hold Close (Biker Daddy Bodyguards #2) - Sue Brown Page 0,23

have to sit through nights of him crying again and feeding him to make sure he doesn't starve, then I'll do it. And so will Jamie. But you understand me, you hurt that man again and we are done, finished. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Craig said quietly. "I understand, Vera."

The door opened, and Vera’s expression changed from fierce determination to a sweet smile.

“Is that for me,” she cooed to someone over his shoulder.

“Of course. Don’t I always bring you a chai latte?” Louis said.

Vera made grabby hands. “You’re an angel in leathers.”

Louis handed her the cup and looked at Craig. “Ready to meet Mr. Holden?” At Craig’s curt nod, Louis turned to Vera. “Have you finished tearing him into strips?” He laughed as Craig stared at him. “I’m not stupid. You just remember that.”

He and Vera shared evil smirks.

“Wait,” Craig said. “You knew she was going to do that?”

“Duh!”

“You could have warned me.”

Louis grinned at him. “Where would be the fun in that?”

Craig stomped out of the kitchen, feeling decidedly under siege. His mood wasn’t helped by the sound of Vera giggling at something Louis said.

Jace handed him a cup when he reached the bar. “Louis said you’ll need this.”

Craig huffed because he was the one being manipulated here. His boy was going to get a spanking if he carried on like this. But he took the coffee. He wasn’t stupid. He inhaled the aroma and sighed with pleasure. Louis always made sure the coffee was the best at the club.

Louis appeared by his side, his eyes twinkling. “Feeling better?”

“Much. Okay, Holden now.”

Louis picked up a tray with a coffee pot and four cups. “Let’s go.”

Craig knocked at Jamie’s door as Louis had his hands full. At Jamie’s, “Come in,” he opened it and beckoned Louis to go in first.

Jamie sat behind his desk, smiling at Louis. His smile dropped a bit when he saw Craig, but he nodded. Then Joseph Holden turned, his sharkish smile at Louis morphing into something altogether different when he spotted Craig, his eyes lighting up. “Daddy Craig. It’s wonderful to see you again.”

Oh shit!

Chapter 7

Louis

Louis didn't drop the tray, but it was a close-run thing. Daddy Craig? Who was this man drooling all over his Daddy, his bodyguard?

“Mr. Holden,” Craig said behind him, his tone neutral.

Louis put the tray on Jamie's desk and, deliberately ignoring Holden, he smiled at Jamie. "Coffee for you."

"Thanks, Louis," Jamie said. "You’ll remember Joseph Holden?"

His tone implied Louis was lucky if he hadn’t had that pleasure. It was clear Jamie did not like the businessman sitting opposite him.

Summoning all the inner strength he could manage, Louis turned to smile at Holden, and judging by the way Holden pulled back, he’d managed to infuse all the shark he could into his smile.

"Holden, it’s good to meet you again."

"Romero," Holden said coolly. "I heard you were in hospital."

"I was," Louis agreed just as coolly. "But I’m fine now."

"Well, maybe we'll be able to get further into negotiations now you've arrived."

Louis shook his head. "Jamie is the manager, and my suppliers will be working with him from now on. I’ve decided to take a backseat." If he thought that was going to upset Holden, he was wrong.

Holden sat back in his chair. "I can understand that. It must be hard coming back to the club when your own staff were responsible for leaving you for dead."

Louis didn't give any indication how upset he was at how close Holden's remarks were to the truth. "Yes, it was a shock to find out my security team were unreliable. But I have a new, full team in place guarding my back. So if anyone tries to get near me," Louis fixed his gaze on Holden, "they’re dead."

Again, Holden didn't seem bothered. Either he had an excellent poker face, or he really wasn't involved in Louis’s attack. Louis was inclined to believe the latter. Holden was a shark too, but he saved his blooding for the boardroom, not for dirty tactics in dark alleys.

"You have one of the best bodyguards with you," Holden said.

"You know Craig?"

"Oh yes," Holden purred.

Louis was tempted to throw his coffee in Holden’s smug smiling face.

He’d been going to stay for the meeting, but suddenly he realized just how tired he was. He wouldn’t add anything and would probably hamper Jamie’s negotiations. He’d said Jamie was the manager. It was time he treated him like one.

“Well, I’ll leave you in Jamie’s capable hands.”

Holden inclined his head at Louis, then he looked at