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But not while he was there, watching her And not until she’d called Megan

‘I am contracted to stay by your side and ensure your safety, ma’am’ His face remained expressionless, as if itas it didn’t interfere with his pay cheque

Bethany took a deep breath, and gazed around the suite Despite its elegant decoration, it lacked the one thing she truly wanted Doors

Oh, there was one between the h Bethany would bet money it didn’t have a lock – no need, really, in a suite like this But the lounge area, with its low table in front of the uncoue, was open to the bedroo-sized bed, covered in a ant, expensive, luxurious… and open

She considered Dylan again There had to be so enough for her to call Megan She had no doubt that he would try to make himself unobtrusive, just as Neil had pro drawn back to hi there,her?

‘If you wish, I could wait outside the door,’ Dylan offered, face still impassive ‘Once I’ve checked all the s at least You’re at the front of the hotel here, and the gaggle is still out front, waiting for you’

‘Of course they are’ Bethany sank down onto the chaise longue It was every bit as unco her forearms on her knees she looked up, directly into thetable Her cosmetics and personal items had already been unpacked and laid out in front of it Her , her photo fraan, circa 2008 Before her sister got married, anyway

And there, above all those things that looked like ho et away from him, can I?

She could send hi, but her ingrained randmother – just wouldn’t let her But as the other option?

‘Or I could just take advantage of the second bedroom,’ Dylan added and, for a second, she almost saw a hint of a smile as he pointed towards a doorway she hadn’t noticed This one had no door either, but Bethany knew that even if it had, he wouldn’t have closed it He’dher out of his sight

Where you go, I go I can’t protect you if I can’t see you

The words had sent a shiver down her spine, or maybe it had been the way those dark eyes locked to hers to make sure she understood

She understood She was stuck with this guy And, even if he was hot as hell, that wasn’t a good thing

‘You chose this suite on purpose didn’t you?’ she asked, peering into the second bedroole bed in it No elaborate decoration, no luxury That wasn’t a bedroouest It was a room for staff – or, in this case, a minder

Dylan’s expression remained blank ‘It makes sense to have a space where I can protect you’

‘Spy on me, you mean’ Bethany kneas unfair, but she couldn’t help it The frustration of being constantly under observation fro able to be alone in her own bedrooht

‘It’s like I told you,’ Dylan said, irritatingly unruffled ‘I can’t protect you if I can’t see you’

Bethany stared at hiument she could make, that she could just throw a diva fit and demand he leave But she wasn’t that sort of actress, that sort of person, and she had no desire to develop a reputation as such – especially when it would get back to a director and production teaain

So instead, she sighed and got slowly to her feet, the weight of the day heavy on her shoulders

‘I need to ht privacy of her own bedrooan from the bathroom… ‘Try not to eavesdrop’

‘I never do, ma’am,’ Dylan replied

Bethany wasn’t entirely sure she believed him

Chapter Two

Dammit He had a bolter on his hands, no doubt about it She looked sweet as honey, and the boss had assured hi, but Dylan’s instincts had never been wrong before – and right now they were screa to run

Oh, ht now She wasn’t stupid She’d n tiredness and a desire for an early night, probably And then, when she thought his guard was down, she’d try and slip out

Clearly, she didn’t know him very well yet

He’d had plenty of bolters before Young, party princesses whose parents wanted hi habits they were trying to keep from the press – and their bosses Even an ambassador, once, desperate to see his mistress and too eo out at three in the

That was the crux of it, of course They never seemed to realise that Dylan didn’t care about who they were, what they did, what their weaknesses were All he cared about was keeping them safe And he would do that, however hard they tried to stop him

Dylan Blaise didn’t make mistakes He’d built his whole career on that fact, first in the aruard He was trusted

‘Meg? It’s me,’ he heard Bethany say in the other rooh to monitor the situation He didn’t need to know her issues, even though it was patently obvious that the pack of hyenas outside already did, and wanted

more for their papers and websites None of his business

His own phone buzzed in his pocket, and Dylan pulled it out, scanning the screen with one eye still on Bethany’s bedroo

The text was an update fro him that some new revelations about Bethany Lord’s family had just hit the headlines and the press would be et close As if he hadn’t already noticed

‘…what the hell is going on!’ Bethany’s tone was more than exasperated, Dylan decided It was the tone of someone at the end of their tether, pushed past frustration Whatever was going on with this Megan, Dylan would place h to ht

Shifting on the spot to settle his weight more evenly over his knees, Dylan slipped the phone back into his pocket and clasped his hands behind his back

Whatever she had planned, he was ready for her

Bethany loved her sister, she really did She just found it necessary to remind herself of the factutterly stupid

‘Okay, just fillanswered the phone with a fast-flowing streainning and go slow It’s been a really long day’

Megan’s laugh rang with bitterness ‘Oh, I’ over you, fetching you drinks while you travel first class Not to raphs and photos I can see hoould wear you down’

She’s in a bad place, Bethany tried to remind herself She doesn’t mean it Probably

‘I didn’t call to talk aboutjust saying his name Guilt, perhaps? Responsibility, yes But no closer emotion, not any more That, at least, was a relief of sorts

‘Oh, of course you called to talk about him’

Bethany tried not to grind her teeth as she replied ‘Since he’s the one thing every single reporter who has caught sight of ood idea to find out what the hell is going on’