Chapter Eleven

Ambrose

“Meet me in my office. We need to talk. I need to make sure Sierra isn’t around first.”

Wade, Jackson and Roman nod, going to my office to wait for me. I call the others over for the meeting. I head upstairs, checking into Sierra’s room. I find her in bed, sound asleep. Hopefully, she will be out for a while. She can’t hear our conversation or plan. I quietly close the door behind me and return downstairs to my office, locking the door behind me. I sit at my desk.

“I want to know exactly who they are. Yes, we know the family they belong to, but I want names and addresses. We need to make sure we know as much as possible so we can be a step ahead.” I snarl and ball my fists in frustration.

“We will get the best we have on it.” Roman replies.

“Wade, did you notice if the two guys in the car were the same ones from the bar?”

“It was not the same men, sir.” He sighs.

That means they have multiple people following her. I don't know how they keep finding her. They must be young and new because if not, they would have disappeared the second they saw me. They must not realise who I am.

“I want to know every single new member. I need to know who I am dealing with. I may have to visit a few of them myself if they don’t back the fuck off.” I hiss and slap my hand against my desk.

“Yes, sir, we will require everything you need,” Jackson replies.

“Do you want security upped for Miss Vance? What about the house? Do you need any other security measures put in place?” Wade asks.

“Yes, I want two visible to her and another two close by, especially at her work and campus. I also want a tracker placed on her car. The house is secure enough. I can take care of her here.”

I am more than capable of protecting my home, Sierra and myself. I don’t back down from anyone. I have firearms hidden all around the house.

“Anything else, Sir?” Roman asks.

“Find me a self-defence coach for Sierra, preferably female. If not possible, a male coach will have to do.”

They nod. I dismiss them after their orders are given. I would teach Sierra how to handle a gun, but she isn’t ready for that. I don’t believe it would be something she would willingly do. If she doesn’t want to use a gun, then she can at least learn how to fight and defend herself.

I pour a scotch and down it. I sigh and rest back in my office chair. I hope Anthony is keeping himself safe. He hasn’t called again, but I did receive an encrypted email from his friend yesterday, stating that Anthony is okay. I know where he is, but I can’t tell Sierra. It is too dangerous for her to know. I just hope we can find a resolution to fix it so he doesn’t have to be in hiding for too long.

Once I have all the information I need, I will handle the people responsible, even if I need to reach out to the people who can help me who I don’t want to. My estranged family. It will be a last resort. My main priority is to keep Sierra safe.

I get up from my chair and go to my room to change into my workout clothes. It will be a good way to release some of my frustration. I stop in at Sierra’s room on the way. She is still sound asleep. She must be exhausted and overwhelmed. I enter and pull the blanket up, which has slid off.

I watch her for a moment. Even with everything going on today, the kiss we shared last night is still firmly on my mind. I didn’t expect a kiss between us to be so damn hot and intense. I still can’t fully understand how and why it happened. All I know is that it can’t happen again. I can’t let myself be distracted.

If Anthony knew, he would kill me. As much as we get along and are close, he would hate me for getting involved with her. Yes, he trusts me with his little girl’s life, but he knows me well enough not to trust me with her heart. I am not a good man.

I shake my head and exit her room. I go to mine and change. My gym is in the basement. Once I've had my session and shower, I'll make some lunch for us and wake Sierra up. She can go back to bed afterwards if she wants, but she needs to eat.

After what happened today, I hope Sierra will think twice about sneaking off alone. I panicked when I realised she was gone. Thank God she took my car with her, or it would have taken me longer to find her. They could have snatched her up if I took longer. I swear I need to attach a tracker to her coat, bag, shoes or all three. I pray she has learned her lesson.

If I need to, I will make sure one of my guys goes into her classes and works with her. I could easily pay someone at both places to make it possible. Something I am sure she would not appreciate. If I need to, I will until she learns. I push all other thoughts to the back of my mind and concentrate on my workout.

***

I am just out of the shower after an hour at the gym. I sit on my bed to change, but before I have a chance, I hear loud whimpering from Sierra’s room, follows by a scream and the word no.

I grab my gun from the drawer and rush through, barging into her room, holding the gun up. I realise there is no one in the room. She is sitting up in bed, sweating and breathing heavily. It must have been a bad dream.

“Sierra, you are okay. It was only a bad dream.” I say softly.

I hide the gun behind my back. There is nowhere else to hide it since I am only in a towel.

Sierra looks up. She has both fear and tears in her eyes. “Did you come in here with a gun?” she whispers.

I nod and set it down on the bedside unit, “Yes.”

I sit on the edge of her bed, handing the bottled water she has to her to take a drink.

“You keep guns in the house?” she asks and takes a sip.

“I do. I have some hidden around the house and also locked up in a cabinet. Have you ever held one or used one at a shooting range?”

She shakes her head. “No. I don’t like them. They scare me. Why do you have so many?” she asks softly.

“For protection. They are legal. I have a permit for them all.”

It isn’t entirely true. Some of them are not legal, but she doesn’t need to know that.

“Oh, okay. Can you please take that one away? It makes me nervous.”

“Sorry. I am going to make lunch. You have to eat. I need to put some clothes on. I will meet you downstairs.” I say.

“Okay.” She whispers.

I lift the gun and stroll to the door to leave, but before I do, I stop and look over at her.

“Sierra, you are safe here with me. I promise. No one can get to you.”

She nods. “I believe you.”

I sigh, leaving her room. I put the gun away. I pull on some joggers and a tee. I hear Sierra go downstairs. I will follow soon. I clean up my mess and head down to join her. I find her in the kitchen making some coffee.

“Do you want one?” she asks.

“Yes, please. Is there anything you fancy for lunch?”

“Um, do you have the ingredients for a chicken salad wrap?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“I can make them.” She suggests.

I shake my head. “Take a seat. I will make them.”

Sierra doesn’t argue with me. She pours us each a coffee before she takes a seat. I rustle up lunch for us. I sit across from her and slide one of the plates over to her. She thanks me with a smile. She eats in silence. I am not used to her being so quiet. She has a lot on her mind.

“I am getting you a self-defence coach.”

“I know how to defend myself.” She says.

“Yes, but learning more will be good for you. They should be here next week at some point.”

“Hey, at least I won’t need to go to the gym.”

She laughs, but it doesn’t seem real.

“Always a bright side.” I chuckle.

I will get the coach here three times a week. It can happen at my home gym. She won’t be going to a strange place to do it.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“I will do what is needed to protect you and for you to be able to protect yourself.”

“Ambrose, what would they do to me if they did get me?” she whimpers.

“Don’t worry about it or even think about it. You are fine. No one will get to you. I promise.”

I reach over and squeeze her hand.

“I hope so.”

I give it another squeeze before I let it go. We fall silent once again as we eat. I am worried about her. She doesn’t seem herself. She has finally realised what sort of danger she is in. I will need to keep an eye on her. It is a lot for anyone to take in.

“I am sorry I ran off this morning. I needed time alone.”

“I understand. I know this isn’t easy, Sierra, but I am not doing all of this to punish you or to be an asshole.” I reply.

“I know. I promise I won’t do it again without someone being with me,” she says, gathering our empty plates.

“Thank you. I still want you to do the things you enjoy, but you just have to have someone with you when you do.”

She nods and cleans up. She is saying all of this now, but if she sticks to it, that’s another story. I am prepared either way.