Page 46 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Bodyguard

Nadine looked like she desperately wanted to laugh, but she held it in.

“What are y’all doing here?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“We’re coming to tell you that you’re making a terrible mistake,” Reynolds burst out. “We can’t lose you in West Bay, man. It won’t be the same without you.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Hell. I won’t be the same without you. You’re the closest thing I have to family. Besides Nadine,” he said quickly, anticipating her reaction.

“Well, you’re in luck,” Dad said drily. “He just told me he’s staying in West Bay and moving the headquarters of St. James Security there. He wants to marry Carmen Salazar, so I guess I understand.”

“Carmen?” Nadine looked deflated and collapsed in a chair. Then she forced a smile. “That’s great, Byron.”

“I’m not marrying Carmen,” I said. “I’m in love with Jess,” I said.

“Who the hell is Jess?” Dad had dropped three curse words now. I was afraid for his blood pressure.

“My sister,” Nadine jumped out of her chair and launched herself at me.

I laughed, catching her in my arms.

“This is the best news ever,” she cried.

“You have a sister?” Dad asked Nadine.

“I do. She’s my half-sister, and her name is Jessica Fletcher Walker.”

“Jessica Fletcher?” My mom walked in, and I wondered how much she’d heard. “Like the character on…”

“Murder She Wrote,” Nadine finished proudly. “She was held captive by a motorcycle club in Shitty Wilkins for years until Byron rescued her.”

“Motorcycle club?” Mom asked, literally clutching her pearls and collapsing in the nearest chair. “ShittyWilkins? Is that the real name of a town?”

Nadine laughed. “No, it’s just the worst town in the world, so that’s what everyone from my town calls it. To be honest, they beat us at everything—all the sports, they got the county courthouse and all of the municipal buildings. It’s a rivalry thing. But it has spread. A lot of people in Wilkins call it Shitty Wilkins now.” She got a slight frown on her face. “But they seem to think it’s kind of an honor.”

“I’m a bit confused,” Dad admitted, tossing back his whiskey and pouring some more.

“Why don’t we talk some more over dinner?” Mom asked. “It will be served in about an hour. That will give you kids time to talk for a bit.”

I loved that she still called us kids. Reynolds and I were solidly in our thirties. Nadine was in her mid-twenties, but that’s still not exactly ‘a kid.’

We left my parents in the study, and I motioned for Reynolds and Nadine to follow me out to the training course. I knew Reynolds would like to see it. I wasn’t as sure about Nadine, but I figured she didn’t want to hang with my parents in their study.

Instead of walking, because I noticed Nadine’s heels, I opted for one of the rugged ATVs my dad had in a large garage. We drove around the course, and I explained some of the process for an agent to graduate the program and get an official certification as a St. James Security field agent.

“This is amazing,” Nadine said, staring at a few trainees working with Marschall on the course.

When we approached a climbing wall, she asked me to stop. I did what she said even though I wasn’t sure what she wanted. Then, when she kicked off her heels and hiked up her dress, I had a clue.

She bounded from the ATV, before Reynolds could grab her.

“Nadine, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I called walking after her. She was running, presumably to keep Reynolds from stopping her from doing the course.

He was out of the ATV and watching her while shaking his head. “If she wants to do it, we’re not going to be able to stop her without physically restraining her,” he called out. “She’s stubborn.”

“I can hear you!” she called.

Marschall saw what was going on and jogged over. “Ma’am, I can’t allow you on the course. You haven’t been cleared, and there are safety protocols we have to follow…”

Nadine waved him off. “I’ll be fine. I’m athletic, you know.”

He looked at her doubtfully. Some of the trainees had jogged over to watch.