CHAPTER 29

I wake with a start, breathing heavily. Crap, it was only a dream. A cold blast of reality hits me. I’m in Australia and my life is still a mess.

I try to focus my thoughts. My head feels heavy. I can’t lift it. I’m clammy and weak. God, I feel awful. Why do I feel awful?

I open my eyes.

Oh shit.

This doesn’t look like my room.

Where am I?

I sit up. My eyes widen. Graham Carson is stretched out asleep on the small sofa in the bedroom. Oh no, what did I do last night? I lift the blanket. My clothes are gone, everything but my panties and bra. He’s still wearing his black bodyguard attire from the night before.

Why am I half-dressed and he’s still fully clothed?

I look at the clock. Twelve noon. My insides turn over and then my heart starts to race frantically. Twelve freaking noon. There is no way I can sneak into the penthouse without my dad knowing I slipped out last night.

Fudge.

I quietly climb from the bed and grab my clothes from the chair. The stench makes my nose crinkle. There’s vomit on my dress. My face scrunches up as a hazy picture of throwing up on Graham rises in my memory. These clothes are gross. I can’t wear them.

I search the room. There. A t-shirt lying across a suitcase. I pick it up. Sniff. Clean. Definitely better than my dress. I pull it on and the hem hangs mid-thigh level. Thank God, Graham is taller than I am and a beast of a man or this would be a no bueno solution.

I make a fast check of my bodyguard. Good, he’s still asleep. I step toward the door.

“Stop.”

I freeze.

Fuck.

I turn.

He’s wide awake from dead asleep, standing alert and ready in front of the couch he was just snoozing on and, damn, I don’t know how I woke him.

I stare up at him, wide-eyed. “I’m just going back to my room. I promise. You don’t need to go with me.”

He smooths his hair with a hand. “Yes, Kaley, I do. It’s my job. You’re never alone outside of your hotel room.”

I groan.

“Can’t you see that it would be better for you if you don’t come with me? By the way, who gave you permission to undress me?”

He rolls his eyes. “Your clothes were damp. They smelled. I didn’t want you smelling up my sheets. And that’s why I left the shirt lying across my bag for you to find this morning.”

I blush. “You had no right to take off my clothes—”

“I didn’t look, if that’s what’s bugging you.” He grins. “Not that you are not beautiful, but really, you don’t do anything for me.”

My cheeks warm even more.

Well, that was rude.

His gaze shifts from me in a way that says he’s done with this discussion. He tucks in his shirt and grabs his room key and cell from a table.

He gestures with an arm. “Come on. I’ll escort you back to your room.”

We go into the hallway and then the elevator. My body nervously bounces against the wall as I wait for him to insert the key and hit ‘P’.

The doors close.

I study him.

I frown. “Aren’t you worried about showing up in the middle of the day with me dressed like this?”

He smiles. “Not in the least.”

It sounds like he means it.

I arch a brow. “Well, you should be. I never know what my dad is going to do these days. Extreme about everything like he’s trying to make up in these four months having not been there. So ridiculous. I’m eighteen. I don’t need a dad or jailor.”

Graham shakes his head. “From where I’m standing you need both.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

He shrugs.

I stare at him expectantly. “No, I’m not going anywhere until you explain that last comment.”

His gaze softens in a way that puts me on notice that I’m not going to like this. “You’re a smart girl, but you’re hurting and really confused right now. That makes you a danger to yourself. I know it and so does your dad and so does every guy you meet. An easy mark for any asshole on the prowl. Lots of guys dream of finding a girl who looks like you with a giant chip on her shoulder. That’s why we’re both very protective with you. Neither of us wants anything to happen to you. Your dad because he loves you. Me because I like you.”

I flush. That was way harsh—and sweet. Harsh and sweet in a way that makes it impossible to get angry at him or ignore that his insights are damn near perfect every time.

“If you like me, how come seeing me nude doesn’t do anything for you?” I ask flippantly to cover my emotional unsteadiness.

His brows hitch up. “I didn’t see you nude. Not completely.” The dimples appear in his cheeks. “Besides, your dad picked me to head your security for a reason.”

Really? Interesting. I can’t imagine what unique criteria would appeal to Alan in a bodyguard.

“And what would that be?”

He leans in to me and brushes my cheek with a thumb. “You have the worst instincts of any girl I’ve ever known. The way you flirt with me is cute and flattering. But you should stop it, since it’s something we both don’t want. You’re still hung up on your boyfriend. And I was selected to head your security detail for the sole reason that I’m gay.”

Oh shit.

I do have the worst instincts of any girl on the planet. And jeez, can my dad be any more obvious in what he thinks about me than with this?

I’m drowning in a tidal wave of embarrassment.

Graham shakes his head. “You’ve got to love how crazy the world is at times. I never thought I’d live to see the day when Alan Manzone wasn’t every father’s worst nightmare, but instead the number one father from hell. Still, I don’t hold anything against him. It’s what I’d do if I had a daughter as beautiful as you.”

My entire face burns. “God, this so humiliating.”

He makes a slight, sympathetic pout. “No, it’s not. It’s nice. Like I’ve already said, you don’t know how lucky you are. A lot of girls wish they had a father like yours. He cares. He’s here. He wants the best for you, Kaley. Whatever happened in the past is past. Meet him halfway. You won’t regret it. Give the guy a break. He’s trying.”

The metal doors open.

Graham motions for me to step out and I head toward the suite, wait as he opens it with his key card, and then step in.

Empty.

Not what I expected.

Where is everyone?

I turn toward Graham. “You can cut out. I can take it from here.”

Graham nods. “Think about what I said.”

“I will. Or at least I’ll try to.”

He shakes his head at me.

I lift my brows. “I said I’d try to. OK?” I smile. “Thanks for being such a cool guy last night. I’m pretty sure none of what went down in your room was in your job description when you were hired.”

He grins with full dimples showing. “Beautiful girls getting into trouble and vomiting into trashcans. Of course it was. I’m security for a hard rock band.”

I laugh and watch him leave the room.

Once the door closes behind him, I drop my things on a chair and try to figure out where everyone is. I expected my dad to be waiting, ready to pounce on me. But nope.

Maybe he doesn’t know I’ve been gone.

Maybe he’s still out doing whatever it was he went to do last night—I cut off that thought since the endless possibilities of why he went MIA yesterday are not things I’m close to being ready to deal with.

I’m heading toward my bedroom when I hear voices from the terrace. The doors are open and a light breeze is rustling the curtains…and damn, is that my dad’s laughter I hear?

My emotions grow more jumbled and my anger spikes.

He’s here so he must know I was gone all night.

He didn’t even look for me.

He doesn’t care, no matter what Graham says.

More laughter. More voices from the balcony. My brothers and sister. Everyone sounds so freaking happy. It’s like they had a fucking party because I wasn’t here.