Bennett - Milly Taiden Page 0,2

said. “I thought you looked familiar.” She had definitely seen the blonde on a few magazine covers over the years.

She smirked. “This grumpy lion has to find someone to look over a few clients while we head off to Las Vegas for my wedding this weekend.”

“Cool, congratulations.” Dakota didn’t know what else to say.

“Blake,” Nick snapped. “Could you please let me conduct this interview as I see fit? Or I am cutting your holidays in half. Try to have a honeymoon then.”

Blake rolled her eyes again. “Go, then. Be the grumpy lion interviewer, but I am warning you. You are going to hire someone today, so help me.”

That boded well for Dakota. She felt bolstered by the company’s desperation. She had a shot after all. At least, she thought she did. Her hope died as soon as Nick opened his mouth to begin his questioning.

“Why should I give you this job?” He looked down at her colorful resume. “Won’t you just quit like you’ve done with your college education? And every job you’ve had since then?”

Blake gasped, but Dakota was used to that kind of talk. She shrugged and shook her head. Any other reaction and Nick would have sensed it. Dakota knew better than to piss off the man who could give her a job.

There were more important things than pride, goddamn. She needed to be able to pay rent next month. Dakota was not going to beg her perfect little sister for a loan. Not again. The first time had been too painful.

She really believed she could do this job well. It felt like this could be the one to stick.

“I’m not so good at sitting down for hours, taking notes, and all that stuff. Those are skills that skipped me entirely, and my little sister got a double dose. I’ll level with you, Nick. I’ve been aimlessly wandering, looking for what I’m good at. I enjoy working in gyms, but office works make me itch to shift and take a lap around the nearest woods. I know I don’t have the best track record, but I think this is what I need to do.” She told him all about the grabby handed office manager and how the taste to protect others had been developed recently.

She wisely left out the part about not having the desire to study for her PI license. That wouldn’t help her in the least.

“You are so hired,” Blake squealed. She turned to Nick. “She is perfect. Hire her.”

Nick reshuffled his papers. “Would you…? I will kick you out of here.” He took a deep breath with his jaw clamped down hard. “I don’t like your history of quitting. Things get weird here.”

“Good,” Dakota interrupted. “Weird means that every day will be different. There will no time to be bored.”

Blake was busy typing furiously on her phone, her fingers flying on the keys. “I am telling Shanti we found someone.”

“Don’t,” Nick snapped.

She turned the screen toward him and beamed at him. “Too late, cousin. It’s done.” Her eyes slid to Dakota. “You’re hired. This one has been grumpy since the day he walked out of the womb as an old man. Your tasks are pretty simple. You have to keep an eye on one of our clients’ place. The man just happens to be my fiancé. One of his buddies will be staying at the house to use Gray’s lab while we’re gone.”

Dakota inhaled deeply. “Nick?” she asked.

He threw his hands up in defeat. “She’s already told Shanti. I’ll hire you for seven days. The duration of this trip. If you fuck this up, you will never work in protection. Do you hear me?”

“Crystal clear, boss.” Dakota wasn’t able to contain her smile. “I swear, you won’t regret this.”

“I can sense that this is going to be good,” Blake laughed.

Nick’s eyes were watching Dakota intently as if she had already let him down.

She vowed to prove him wrong.

Chapter Three

Bennett

Bennett pulled into the laneway, scanning the road. This had to be a mistake. The houses out here all sat on huge swathes of land. They were obviously owned by the very wealthy. Even with his family’s money, Dr. Gray Hart had to be doing well for himself to own a place out here.

In all fairness, Bennett hadn’t seen Gray since the other man had graduated from his doctorate. Gray had actually been a few years older than Bennett. Everyone was always older than Bennett.

It wasn’t his fault.

He had graduated from high school at fourteen, got