Taking Control (Babysitting a Billionaire #3)

Recently, he’d decided he wanted to spend more time with his pregnant wife and was pulling back from some of the businesses, including stepping down as CEO of Knight Securities, one of the premier security firms in London. Jess had been his second in command for two years and worked for the company for the last five, ever since they’d both left the army. She was the obvious choice for the job, but Jake was balking at making the final decision.

She wanted this job. She deserved this job.

But the desk would have to go. Ever since Kim had told her that she and Jake had shagged on top of that particular piece of furniture, she’d never been able to look at it the same way. Now she shook her head to dispel the disturbing mental image.

“Is there a problem?” Jake asked.

“Just wondering if I should order myself a new desk. I know what’s happened on top of that one and I’m not sure I want it in my office.”

“Not your office yet.” He sat forward and gave her a long, hard look. The sort of look that would have made her squirm…had she been the squirmy type. “And if the report I got from the Jennings job is anything to go by, it never will be.”

Bloody hell. She should have known Gary would tattle. He was the other person in the running for the CEO position. “Jennings is an asshole.”

“Perhaps. But did you really have to tell him that?”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Along with informing him that if he touched her ass one more time she’d shoot him herself. Life was too short to take that sort of crap.

Jake studied her for what seemed an age, and she held herself very still. “Sit down, Jess.”

She sat.

“You do know that a big part of my job is keeping the clients happy?” he said.

She stiffened her spine and sat up straighter in the chair. This conversation wasn’t heading anywhere good. “Yes.”

“Well, the problem is, I’m not even sure we’ll have any clients left if I put you in charge. Jennings isn’t the first you’ve upset. You’re too…confrontational.”

“I haven’t called anyone else an asshole.” Well, not for a while anyway.

Jake ignored the interruption. “I’ve known you a long time, and you’ve always been the same—hard as nails and pretty screwed up as far as men are concerned. It hasn’t mattered, and it was none of my business. It matters now.”

That was bad news. “It does?”

“Yes. If you’re serious about wanting this job. Whatever happened to you in the past, you need to get over it. Let it go and move on.” He sat back. “Okay, lecture over, but you get one more chance—upset this client and you’ll make Gary a very happy man.”

She glared. “You wouldn’t.”

“Just watch me. I’d rather not. Apart from the PR stuff, you’re better than he is, but I will if you don’t learn to think before you open your mouth.”

She wanted to argue, but deep down she knew he was right. Actually, not that deep down. But she’d always relished a challenge…being “nice” was just another. Taking a deep breath, she curved her lips into a bright smile. “I can do that. In fact, I’ll make you a deal: if I don’t have this next client eating out of my hand and singing my praises, then you’re welcome to give the job to Gary.”

Jake snorted.

She ignored him. “So what is this emergency job? Who’s the client?”

“Bodyguard. CEO of one of the big multinationals.”

“But why call me in? Both Dave and Steve are free since the job they were on was canceled. They’re doing surveillance but bored out of their minds.”

“Because the client asked for you.”

“Oh.” She wasn’t usually requested for bodyguard work, at least not for men. Most didn’t believe a woman could protect them. “Let me see.”

Jake swiveled the screen so she could read the report. For a second, the words blurred, as though her brain didn’t want to register the information.

Maybe she was hallucinating. Jake’s orders to put the past behind her had obviously had the opposite effect and conjured up the name in front of her. She blinked, then again, but the letters refused to realign into something more acceptable.

Could it be a different Declan McCabe? Unlikely.

“Sorry. I can’t do it.”

Jake’s brows drew together. “You can’t? I thought you’d jump at the chance.”

She gave what she hoped was a casual shrug. “I’m tied up with a few other jobs right now.”

“So reallocate them. I have an overwhelming urge to see this client eating out of your hand. I looked him up and he’s got a reputation as a ruthless bastard.”

She swallowed. “He does?”

“Yeah. Cold as ice. I’ll tell you what. I’ll make you a deal—you keep him sweet, prove you can do it, and my job is yours.”

Well, that wasn’t good news. What chance was there of her keeping Declan McCabe sweet? None, she was betting. “So why does he need a bodyguard?”

“Someone shot him this morning.”

An unwelcome jolt of shock stabbed her in the solar plexus. “Is he all right?”

“They just winged him.”

She let out her breath in a sigh. Though why she should worry about the asshole bastard who had broken her heart she didn’t know. For many years, she would have gladly put a bullet into him herself. Or if she’d ever thought about him she would have. Which she didn’t. Because she hated him.

Then something else triggered. “You said he asked for me?”