Page 22 of Her Noble Protector
I took a deep breath. “I’m tired of the waiting game. I’m tired of sitting on my hands waiting for the next attack instead of being aggressive with my approach. I want to get a team together to go directly after the whole organization—including the nigga in prison calling all the shots. I know once I handle them, no one else would ever be stupid enough to bother either of you.”
“I am not opposed to the aggressive route. Let me get some of my contacts on the line to keep us both protected legally. What sparked this change of events?”
I rubbed my hands together. “In all honesty, I have caught feelings for your daughter. I can’t adequately do my job with my heart involved.”
His eyes narrowed. “You have feelings for Sunni?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir. The only reason I’m sharing this now is because I respect you as a man and a father. I never thought things would progress the way they did, but I want to do it all the right way.”
Mr. Stone remained silent for a long moment. His eyes bore into me like he was on a search to find something incriminating in my soul. I didn’t let my gaze waver either, though. I was surer about being with Sunni and doing what I had to get the hit removed than anything in my life. I was going to do it anyway, but the circumstances aroundwhyhad changed.
Finally, he stood and walked around to the bar in the far-left corner. He grabbed two clear glasses, dropped three ice cubes in each cup, and filled them halfway with an amber colored liquor. The aroma of the warm, woodsy alcohol made my nose wrinkle. I wasn’t a dark liquor man, but tonight I would be.
“Every father waits on bated breath for this moment. There are hundreds of thoughts marching through our minds. Is this man worthy of dating my daughter? Is he someone I can see sharing a spot on my family tree? Would he protect my baby girl through whatever life throws their way?”
Mr. Stone swirled the rich liquor in his glass and looked off into the distance. I remained silent, giving him the space to guide the conversation how he deemed fit.
“I trusted you with her life before your feelings were involved. You gave me an oath. You told me you would die for her before you let anything happen to her. I would be a fool not to trust you with her heart. Please do not make me regret this decision.”
The corners of my mouth pulled into a small, subtle smile. I nodded once. “I will not make you regret this.”
We lifted our glasses and shared a drink together.
Never in my life did I think I would have a moment like this—getting the approval from Mr. Stone to cordially date his daughter. People from my walk of life rarely got moments like this. My peers barely lived to fall in love.
I couldn’t fumble the opportunity.
“Well,well, well. Look who the wind blew in,” Venus sang as our eyes locked.
“Don’t start your shit, Vee,” I warned as I gave them all warm hugs. Instantly, my heart felt lighter with each embrace. I claimed the seat next to Georgia with Xandria across from me.
It was the first time in a long time I’d gotten to spend time with my friends. The weather was nice, the drinks were strong, and I was overdue for a girls’ day since people had ruined the last couple of attempts at quality time with my friends.
For the last couple of weeks, I’d been giving Noble the silent treatment. I didn’t want anyone else to die, but he didn’t care about my wants. I wasn’t supportive of the methods he used toprotect me, so for the last week, I had a new bodyguard assigned to me.
Foe trained under Noble with a couple of other men, so I trusted him to protect me. He was older than me—I think he said he was thirty-six or thirty-seven—and had a wife and kid on the way. He assured me he would make sure we both made it to see our families at the end of every day, and so far, he’d kept his promise.
Foe was like a fly on the wall. He was silent and blended into the background. I hardly noticed him or exchanged words with him. It was how things should have been with Noble. I should have kept my distance like he told me to in the beginning. Maybe I wouldn’t be heartbroken and terrified at the same damn time.
Noble made it clear he didn’t want to date me until he got them to remove the hit on me. However, the danger surrounding the situation was beyond anything I’d ever experienced. I was terrified. I was anxious. I wanted him to be safe, but I couldn’t be naïve about the severity of what Noble was doing.
For you. Everything he’s doing is for you.
“Who is this fine specimen of a man?” Venus asked as her eyes perused Foe’s frame.
“What happened to the other guy?” Dria inquired.
I let out a huff. “Can I have a drink before y’all start drilling me with questions?”
“No. You have been MIA for weeks. You better put on your big girl drawls and tell us what’s been going on.” Georgia’s words and her sweet smile sent me mixed signals, but I didn’t let it faze me.
I grabbed the glass from the table and held it under the fountain of the mimosa tower. I swallowed two full cups before I finally relaxed into my seat.
“That’s Foe. He’s Noble’s replacement because me and Noble aren’t seeing eye to eye right now,” I explained as plainly as possible.
Venus raised a curious brow. “You fucked that man, huh?”
Dria giggled. “You could see it in her walk. He cleared those pipes good.”
