“What? I don’t need a driver.” She stops walking completely and faces me. “I’m perfectly capable of driving.”

“Not if someone is chasing us, you’re not.”

“You never mentioned this inside. Did you clear it with my father?”

I suppress my eye roll, kind of impressed she’s so on the ball. Taking my phone out, I dial her father. He answers in that upper crust voice of his.

I put him on speaker. “Can you clarify for Carolina that we discussed the need for a driver?”

“Yes, darling. Sorry, my fault; I should have told you.”

Carolina grits her teeth but simply says, “Fine, Daddy.”

I hang up. “You happy?”

She shakes her head.

What the hell? The woman is annoying me already. This is the downside of protection work. I’m not a patient man when it comes to dealing with people.

Put me in a room with my rifle and my own thoughts for a week, and I’m fine. People, though? Annoying.

She purses her mouth and stares at me.

I had thought this woman bland when I saw her photograph for the first time in Greece, when I was offered the job of guarding her by the company that is paying me. Then I saw her on television and realized she wasn’t bland at all. Now, having her in front of me in the flesh, I can’t believe I ever thought such a thing. Her expressions are so interesting, she could never be boring.

“You agreed with your father just now. I assumed that meant you’re okay with this.”

“What else can one do? My father won’t back down on this. Lord Henningborne does not change his mind once it is made up.”

I nod and say nothing. I’m not here to get involved with family politics.

“Please tell me of things in the future before they happen,” she demands. “I don’t like being blindsided.”

“Of course,” I say easily.

Path of least resistance and all that. The minute she wants to do something that puts her safety in jeopardy, she’ll come up against the brick wall of my no. I work for her father, not her. More importantly, I work for and with Konstantin and Andrius. I’m now a part of the operation the two ex-Spetsnaz officers set up to provide high-level security for the world’s wealthiest people.

Carolina is my client to keep safe; her father is my employer.

His request was clear as day.

Keep my daughter safe. Don’t take any crap from her. She’s headstrong and demanding, but put her safety first at all times. Don’t let her drink too much either, as she gets somewhat uncontrollable.

I informed the man it wouldn’t be an issue to keep her safe, and it won’t.