Defying Asher (Knight Security 1) Read Free Page B

night.”
    He shrugged. “The Knight charm strikes again.” Of the five Knight siblings, only the youngest was married, their actress sister, Lily. She and her husband, Jonas, had recently learned they were expecting their first baby. The four Knight brothers, all aged in their thirties, were still single and preferred it that way. Although Ash found he liked the idea of being an uncle in six months’ time.
    “If only,” Gabriel drawled dryly.
    “Fine.” He nodded. “I’m on my way to see Lissa—Miss Forsythe now.” Fuck. Two minutes into assuring Gabe he could behave in a professional manner, and already he’d overstepped the client/bodyguard line by talking about Lissa with such familiarity. “She telephoned her mother late last night. The two of them talked, but Miss Reynolds didn’t tell her what happened before she left New York. I’m going to Li—Miss Forsythe’s apartment now, to explain the situation to her.” He’d checked: Lissa still lived at the same apartment she’d shared with Stazzi a year ago.
    “Then you can also inform her I’m assigning her a bodyguard too,” his brother advised briskly. “If we now know of her existence, then it isn’t going to be too difficult for someone else to find out about her too.”
    That made sense. “Who are you sending?”
    Gabriel’s expression was mocking. “Liam has volunteered to take the first detail.”
    “I’ll just bet he has,” Ash growled, remembering the appreciative glances the other man had given Lissa last night. And his amusement at Ash’s expense.
    He and Liam had only met a year ago, when Knight Security bought out Grayson Security, the firm Liam had previously worked for. The two men were completely different in temperament, but they worked well together and had shared the occasional beer when they were both off duty. Ash had no illusions about himself, knew he was abrasive and arrogant. Liam, on the other hand, was a blond-haired Adonis who knew how to turn on the charm. All the ladies loved him.
    No doubt Lissa would too.
    She couldn’t help but like him more than she did Ash, at least. It wouldn’t be difficult when she seemed to feel the need to physically attack Ash, and not in a pleasant way, whenever the two of them were together for any length of time.
    “Ian is working with you to protect Miss Reynolds at the moment, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind transferring to Miss Forsythe, if you would prefer him to Liam?” Gabriel offered at his lengthy silence.
    Ash didn’t prefer. Ian was his cousin and even more of a player than Liam was. Than Ash had been. Because now that he thought about it, he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d been out with a woman, let alone been to bed with one. Apart from Lissa a year ago.
    Maybe that was part of the reason he’d responded so strongly to seeing Lissa again last night? He simply needed to get laid. And soon.
    He stopped scowling. “No, I’m happy with Liam if you are. Who has second watch?”
    “Ethan.”
    “Fine.” The choice of one of his twin brothers was probably the lesser of several evils. After all, he couldn’t object to all of his male relatives and friends being around Lissa—
    What the fuck was he doing? What did it matter to him who was guarding Lissa or whether she did or didn’t find them attractive? Lissa was nothing to him but a memory, and no longer a fond one at that.
    Gabriel nodded. “I’ll leave you to tell Miss Forsythe.”  
    “She isn’t going to like having a bodyguard, no matter who it is.”
    “I’m sure she’ll prefer it to being dead,” Gabriel bit out grimly.
    “Jesus Christ, Gabe, tell it like it is, why don’t you?” He gave an exasperated shake of his head at his brother’s bluntness.
    “No, I’m expecting you to do that when you speak to Miss Forsythe later today.”
    “I know what my job is, Gabe.” Although Ash couldn’t say he was looking forward to this conversation with Lissa.

    “Don’t.” Ash wedged