Chapter 8

NATHAN

Carrie was still asleep when I stepped onto the balcony, but my mind was anything but at rest. The city stretched before me, glittering in the early morning haze, yet all I could think about was the woman lying in my bed.

I ran a hand over my face. Last night had been a mistake. Not because I didn’t want her—I did. Too much. But because now, I was in too deep.

This wasn’t just attraction.

It wasn’t just lust.

It was her.

And I had no idea how the hell I was supposed to walk away from that.

The job was simple: keep her safe, protect her from the threats circling her like vultures. But I’d crossed a line last night, one that blurred everything I’d tried to keep professional.

The worst part? I wasn’t sure I cared anymore.

I exhaled sharply, gripping the railing until my knuckles turned white. I needed to get my head straight.

But how was I supposed to do that when every inch of me was still burning from the feel of her?

A soft sound behind me made me turn.

Carrie stood in the doorway, wearing nothing but my shirt, her hair a wild mess, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

I clenched my jaw.

She was too damn beautiful. Too damn tempting.

“Hey,” she murmured, stepping onto the balcony.

I didn’t move. I couldn’t.

Because if I touched her again, I wouldn’t stop.

She looked up at me, searching my face. “You left.”

I forced myself to stay still, to keep my hands fisted at my sides. “I needed air.”

She took another step forward, close enough that I could smell the faint scent of her skin—warm, soft, intoxicating.

I had to end this before it got worse.

Before I lost every last shred of control.

But then she reached out, her fingers brushing my arm. “Do you regret it?”

I sucked in a breath.

No.

That was the damn problem.

I should regret it. I should be telling her this could never happen again. That it was wrong.

But I couldn’t lie. Not to her.

I turned to face her fully, meeting her gaze. “No.”

Her lips parted slightly, her breath catching.

“But this changes things,” I added, voice rough.

A shadow passed through her eyes, but she didn’t back down. “Does it?”

I tensed. “Carrie, your father—”

She stiffened instantly, her expression darkening. “My father doesn’t own me, Nathan.”

I gritted my teeth. “That’s not the point. I was hired to protect you, not—”

“To want me?” she cut in.

Silence.

A long, heavy silence that wrapped around us like a vice.

She took another step forward, closing the space between us. “You already do.”

I let out a harsh breath, dragging a hand through my hair. “That’s the problem.”

She tilted her head, studying me. “And what if I want to be your problem?”

My pulse slammed in my throat.

She reached up, pressing her hands against my chest. Her touch was light, tentative, but it set me on fire.

“Carrie,” I warned, my voice barely above a growl.

She didn’t stop. “I don’t care about the rules, Nathan. I don’t care about my father, or what anyone thinks. I just care about this.”

Her hands slid lower, resting just above my waistline, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt.

I swallowed hard, my restraint hanging by a thread.

“This is dangerous,” I said, even as my body screamed at me to shut the hell up and pull her against me.

She lifted her chin, her eyes burning into mine. “Then let it be dangerous.”

I gritted my teeth.

One more second.

One more second and I was going to lose every last ounce of control.

Then—

A sharp buzz cut through the tension, shattering the moment like glass.

My phone.

I exhaled sharply and stepped back, dragging a hand down my face as I pulled it from my pocket.

Unknown number.

My stomach clenched.

Carrie frowned. “Who is it?”

I didn’t answer.

Something about this felt wrong.

I answered the call, pressing the phone to my ear. “Yeah?”

Static crackled on the other end, followed by a voice that sent ice straight through my veins.

“You shouldn’t have touched her.”

I went rigid.

My grip tightened around the phone. “Who the hell is this?”

A low chuckle. “Doesn’t matter. But you should know… you just made things a lot worse.”

The line went dead.

I stood there, heart hammering, my mind racing through every possible explanation.

Carrie stepped closer. “Nathan? Who was that?”

I turned to her, my jaw tight.

Something dark and cold coiled in my chest.

“We have a problem.”

I kept my grip firm on the phone, staring at the screen as if it could give me answers. The number was blocked, no trace of who it could be. But I already knew—this wasn’t some random threat. This was personal.

Carrie sensed the change in my energy. “Nathan,” she repeated, stepping closer. “What’s going on?”

I dragged in a deep breath, forcing my pulse to steady. “Someone’s watching us.”

Her brows pulled together. “What do you mean?”

I hesitated. I didn’t want to scare her, but I wouldn’t lie. “The call. They know about last night.”

Carrie went still. The teasing warmth in her eyes vanished, replaced by something colder. Sharper. “What did they say?”

My jaw clenched. “That I shouldn’t have touched you.”

Her breath hitched, but she didn’t flinch. Instead, her expression hardened. “Who?”

“I don’t know.” My voice was low, tense. “But they’ve been keeping tabs on us.”

She swallowed, and for the first time since I met her, I saw it—the crack in her armor. The smallest flicker of fear.

I reached for her instinctively, needing to ground her. “Hey.”

She blinked up at me, and just like that, the walls went back up. “I’m fine.”

She wasn’t. Neither was I.

I needed to figure out who the hell was behind this.

I checked the number again. Nothing. No records, no location. Whoever called knew what they were doing.

Carrie ran a hand through her hair, her movements sharp. “What do we do?”

“We stay alert,” I said. “We don’t make any reckless moves.”

Her eyes flickered with defiance. “So what, we just wait for them to make the next move?”

“No.” My voice was firm. “We make them think they still have control while I figure out who they are.”

Carrie exhaled sharply and crossed her arms. “This is because of my father, isn’t it?”

I didn’t answer.

Because she already knew.

Her father had enemies. Powerful ones. Ones who wouldn’t hesitate to use his daughter as leverage.

Carrie let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “Of course. Of course this is about him.”

I watched her, my gut twisting. This wasn’t just anger. This was something deeper. Resentment. Exhaustion.

I took a step toward her. “Carrie—”

She lifted a hand, stopping me. “I need a minute.”

I hesitated, then nodded. “Okay.”

She turned and disappeared into the bedroom, the door clicking shut behind her.

I ran a hand down my face, exhaling slowly.

This wasn’t just about last night. It wasn’t just about us.

Someone was waiting. Watching.

And I needed to find out who before it was too late.