I Just Need You - J. Nathan Page 0,37

that freaked me the hell out. Was she gearing up to ask me about my nightmare? Because that was not a conversation I planned to have with her. I wasn’t the type of guy to open myself up to people—especially clients. And while I knew Kresley would’ve appreciated it if I did—seeing as though she was so forthcoming with what she’d been through, it was as if I wasn’t in control of my mouth when I was around her. I just couldn’t not push her buttons. Just like she couldn’t not push mine. It’s what our entire relationship had been based on. And I didn’t know how to stop.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Tristan

“She wants to do what?” I asked Marco as we stood outside of Kresley’s class the next day.

“She wants us to go bowling with her and her two friends,” he repeated.

“She’s lost her damn mind. Does she not understand our job is to protect her? How the hell can we protect her while we’re fucking bowling?”

He shrugged. “It’s her birthday.”

“Her birthday?” How did I not know that?

He nodded. “I think she’s just looking for a little normalcy. She suffered a traumatic experience. And now she’s away from home again in a new place with threats still out there. I think she’s just trying to create a sense of security with a safe group of people.”

I didn’t say anything because I understood. After I’d lost my parents, I only had my grandfather. I would’ve given anything to have more people to surround me—and distract me from the nightmares plaguing my mind.

“She trusts us,” Marco continued. “Therefore, she wants to keep us close. Our job makes it so we’re always on the outskirts but never quite in the mix. I think she needs us in the mix.”

“But that’s not part of the job description.”

“Neither is sitting inside her room.” He cocked his head. “Or taking her for target practice.”

I’d been waiting for him to broach the subject, but now that he had, I had no good response. Taking her to the shooting range had been a spur of the moment decision. Because, one, I wanted to distract her from what happened in her room when I fell asleep. That never should have happened given I was on duty. And, two, she needed to know how to protect herself. The threat against her was real. And, I wasn’t going to treat it like it wasn’t.

Kresley

“This is so Grease 2,” Alice said as Marco opened the back door when we arrived at the bowling alley.

“I love that movie,” I said as she scooted out of the backseat. “It’s totally underrated.”

“Agreed,” Alice said.

“This is gonna be so much fun!” Elodie said as she followed Alice out.

Tristan opened my door.

I stepped out with my birthday tiara and sash on and lifted my brows. “Excited?”

He rolled his eyes but I just smiled, because he and Marco were wearing jeans and dark shirts, looking more like willing partygoers than bodyguards forced to have fun with me. And, even if they hated the idea of being there, they were playing along.

As soon as we entered the bowling alley, the crack of pins being knocked down filled the air. Chatter from groups spread out on various lanes filled me with excitement. This was going to be so much fun!

Two guys in dark security gear approached Marco and Tristan, speaking with their voices low. No wonder they agreed to go bowling. They’d called in backup.

The alternate security guards, who looked to be about Tristan’s age, led us to our lane. They were both stocky with buzz cuts.

Our multi-colored shoes awaited us at our lane, so we found our sizes and slipped into them. Alice took off for the nearby bar, passing our new bodyguards with her signature curtsy. She returned before we’d even finished picking out our bowling balls with a pitcher of beer for us to share. Marco and Tristan shook their heads. Even though I’d given them the night off—kind of—they still felt as though they were on duty.

Alice filled three plastic cups. She grabbed her cup and lifted it. Elodie and I followed her lead. “May twenty-two be your best year yet! Happy Birthday!”

My cheeks heated, hating the attention, but I tapped my glass to theirs nonetheless with a smile on my face—so lucky to have found two girls who’d taken me in and made me one of their own.

I downed half my cup then sat on the outdated white and brown plastic bench as Elodie got up to