Page 180 of Filthy Hot Billionaire
“Nay. I’m still looking, though. Whoever sent them knows where she works and where she lives.”
Yes. That was the bigger concern. I couldn’t give a shit less that someone wanted to send Emily flowers. If it put a smile on her face, who was I to stop them. However, no one should’ve known where she worked, and certainly not where she lived. I had confirmed with the concierge at her apartment that the flower delivery had come with her address complete. The only explanation I had was that I’d transferred the deed to the apartment to her name, but someone would’ve had to know where to find that detail. To follow up, I had the concierge contact the florist directly to see if they could get me a name. It was a dead-end on that front, though. The flowers had been ordered through a third-party contact, the buyer paying cash.
My lack of response must’ve put Kieran’s back up because he said, “You don’t seem too worried about it?”
“I’ve got the jet waiting to take us to Vegas after this,” I informed him. “Emmett will be joining her on Monday. I figure she can work from there for a few days until we ensure there is no threat.” I met his gaze. “And I’ve got a couple of people keeping an eye out for anyone lurking around her apartment or Delta June’s.”
Kieran’s expression relaxed.
We sat silently for a few minutes, watching Emily where she sat at the dining room table with Alice, Steph, and Hannah, the three women giggling over one of the pictures Alice was showing them. Baby pictures, no doubt. I took a sip of scotch and wondered if it was the one with Kieran grabbing his penis while blasting a gummy smile at the camera. In his defense, he’d been three months old, I believe Alice had said.
“She’s gonna know all your dirty secrets by the time we’re through,” I mused, smiling when Alice slid another picture over for Emily to look at.
“Oh, my God!” Emily shrieked, giggling.
Nowshe was seeing that picture.
“Aye.” Kieran chuckled softly. “My mother adores her.”
Yes, it appeared as though she did. Not that I’d expected anything less. Emily had a way about her that drew you in, regardless of who you were. She was sweet and caring, not jaded like most of the world. I attributed that to my mother having kept Emily as a prisoner in her own home for most of her life, sealing her off from the outside world. Sure, she was feeling her way through it, but she had plenty more to experience. I figured that was the main reason I wanted to protect her, to keep her in a bubble and ensure nothing damaged her. She was precious in every way.
Several hours later, after saying our proper goodbyes to Kieran’s family, I helped Emily into the car and informed her we would be taking a short detour back to New York.
Emily huffed a laugh. “New York via Las Vegas?”
“Yes.”
She snorted. “Only you would say that’s a short detour.”
“No better time than the present to get you settled in out there,” I told her. “Emmett will join you on Monday.”
“Oh, I’m not complaining,” she said with a yawn. “I’m looking forward to it.”
That was the last lengthy conversation we had for the rest of the evening. No sooner were we on the jet that Emily settled into one of the plush recliners and slept.
“Did you ever decide what to do about Kitty?” Kieran prompted as we sat in the small conversation space on opposite sofas.
I looked up from my iPad, setting it aside as I did. “I think you’re right.”
He chuckled. “That’s a given. But not my question.”
“I made a few calls. I don’t think there’s a reputable publisher who’ll get within ten feet of her.”
That certainly wasn’t the extent of my plan, but it was a good start. I’d had to resort to a couple of threats to buy the company and dismantle it piece by piece—money offered you that luxury—but all in all, the result was positive. No one would be publishing anything Kitty contributed to, and I knew for a fact she would not go the self-publishing route. She didn’t have the time or patience for something that required actual work.
Kieran was still staring at me, an expression I couldn’t quite decipher. “I’ll go to great lengths to protect her,” I vowed.
He nodded slowly. “Of course you will. And she’ll do the same for you.”
I held his stare.
“As will I,” Kieran added.
He didn’t elaborate, and I had to wonder if there was some sort of underlying message there or if he was merely stating fact. Either way, it didn’t matter. Kieran was the only person in the world I trusted with my life.
Surrender
“Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.”
