Grounded (Up in the Air #3)(4)

"For the love of God, at least hook it on your arm. If I see you wearing it cross-body, I may just scream."

I took the bag from her, gave her a very unfriendly look, and strode out of the room. I had to return to our bedroom briefly to put all of my things in the bag before rushing downstairs, now late.





CHAPTER TWO

Mr. Violent





I descended the stairs, rushing to the elevators. A security team awaited me at the elevators. A team …

I blinked at the three austere men in suits and the one woman who managed to be the most intimidating of the bunch.

Blake nodded at me, speaking first. "Ms. Karlsson, let me introduce you to the rest of your security detail." She pointed to the man closest to her. He was massive with muscles and obviously armed under his finely tailored suit. His dark hair was cut very short and his features were severe but appealing. "This is Williams."

"Ms. Karlsson," he said, nodding at me politely.

I nodded back, trying to file the name into my memory. I was apparently going to need to learn a lot of them, with this much security.

The elevator car arrived and Blake waved me inside. I walked in, trying not to feel intimidated as the four of them flanked me.

Blake cleared her throat. "We need to hurry. Mr. Cavendish won't be pleased if you're late." She quickly introduced the other two men.

One was shorter than the others, at least an inch shorter than me, if I wasn't wearing three inch heels. He was still intimidatingly swollen with muscles though, and his short blond hair made him look unquestionably ex-military. Blake introduced him as Henry.

The last one was my height almost exactly in my heels, with medium brown hair and smiling brown eyes. He was less severe than the others, and more attractive, but he still held himself in that disciplined way that had law-enforcement written all over it. Blake introduced him as Johnny. 

I thought it was odd that some of them used their first names, and some their last names, but I didn't ask them about it. I had been conditioned from a very young age not to pry.

It was late June, and hot as hell in New York. I was thankful for my lightweight clothing, since the heat and humidity instantly attached themselves to me the second we stepped outside. My security flanked me closely as we moved from the elevator to a swank limo that was lined up directly with the lobby entrance.

I tried to act as though I wasn't uncomfortable with my extremely affluent settings and my ridiculous overabundance of security, but I felt very stiff as I moved from the elevator to the car.

My security team arranged themselves as though they had choreographed it, which I supposed they had. Blake and Johnny joined me in the cab of the vehicle, Henry taking shotgun, and Williams driving. The short ride to the Cavendish property was a strange affair. Blake maintained complete and utter silence, and Johnny seemed almost too friendly to fit in with the rest of the security guards I'd met so far.

"So, Bianca, how are you liking the move to New York?"

I blinked at him, nonplussed. I'd gotten so used to how the other bodyguards were professional to a fault that I hadn't been prepared for even idle chat. And the question …

"I haven't really moved here. I'm going back and forth from Vegas. But I do like New York. I've had a route here for years, with no plans to change it."

Johnny shot me a bewildered look. "You're keeping your job? You're staying a stewardess?"

I eyed him suspiciously. I wasn't one to pry, but Johnny apparently was. "Well, yes. It's my job. Why would I quit?"

"Um, maybe because Mr. Cavendish is spending four times what you make a week on security for every single one of your flights-"

"Enough," Blake interrupted him harshly. "You know better, Johnny. If you upset Ms. Karlsson, Mr. Cavendish will fire you. Hell, he'll fire all of us."

The car grew painfully awkward after that, as I had no idea how to respond to such an unexpected outburst from a stranger, and of course I wouldn't, since I didn't owe anyone any explanations about my life. The nerve …

I brooded all the way to our destination, staring out the window, my face a blank mask.

I had never been inside the Manhattan Cavendish Hotel, but I recognized the colossal building. The blue, modern reflective glass windows that lined the entire building made it stand out as a new and sparkling gem amongst skyscrapers.

My security detail moved into their well-choreographed formation as I stepped out of the car, escorting me into the lobby as though I were a threatened head of state. I felt ridiculous.

I had no idea where to go, but luckily I didn't need to. Blake led me unerringly through the sumptuous marble lobby.

We were nearly to a bank of well-guarded elevators when I heard a female voice call my name. Surprised, I turned to see who it was, and stiffened.