Chapter 292 - Claimed By My Stepbrother (Cadell Security Series)
Hallick’s POV
‘Hallick’ I grunt, my usual greeting.
‘Hey man’ Harrison replies tiredly, ‘how is everything?’
I glance back at Seona who is now laughing at something her brother is telling her. ‘Good’ I reply shortly, ‘Seona just filed for divorce from the ass wipe.’
‘Glad to hear it’ the older Cadell twin growls back, before launching into the real reason he’s called me. Harrison Cadell is not one for small talk, a man after my own heart, just say what you got to say. ‘Look Hallick, there is no way to sugar coat this’ he tells me curtly, ‘we need to look at alternative options for Seona’s protection.’
My chest tightens at his words, I knew it was coming but I didn’t expect it to be now, today.
‘She just filed for divorce man, she’s going to have a target on her back, pulling out now is f.ucking dangerous’ I argue hotly.
‘I’m not leaving her out to dry Hallick’ my boss barks back at me, ‘but I can’t pretend I don’t need you back in the office. Gage, Callan and I have been talking and we think we can swing a rota of guys to watch her during each day whilst you are here then you can head back to the bakery at night.’
‘Harrison . . ‘ I growl warningly.
‘I get it, you don’t trust anyone but you’ Harrison cuts me off ‘but it’s been over a month Hallick, and we have jobs piling up that need your input.’
I snarl of disagreement leaves me, as I clench my fist around the phone so tightly I hear a distinct cracking sound.
‘Hallick, I know you don’t like it’ my boss snaps, ‘but at some point, Seona is going to have to take care of herself, you can’t be by her side forever. At least this way she’s protected properly but she’s also being given the chance to fend for herself a little. She’s spent a long f.ucking time reliant on that asshole husband of hers, she needs to be given the opportunity to start relying on herself. The bakery has been great for her, Mackenzie has said about how great she’s doing, how much more confident she is just in the last week of working behind the counter.’
The Marine sighs heavily, ‘I get it, I struggled to let Eden out of my sight after the whole Iris shit, wanted to be on her sixth even after the psycho got put away. The thing was, I wasn’t helping her by being her bodyguard twenty four seven, I was just making her feel like she wasn’t safe, my fear was feeding hers. You gotta give the woman some room man, she has started to find her feet, realised that she can survive without her douche husband, so our job is now to keep building her up and that means you stepping back.’
I suck in a deep breath, trying to calm the terror raging through me at the thought of leaving Seona’s side, even for a few minutes let alone all day.
‘Yeah, I get it’ I agree grudgingly, ‘send me over the list of guards, I wanna vet them though’ I add grudgingly.
Harrison’s chuckle vibrates down the line to me, ‘yeah, it’s already in your inbox’ he replies in amusement, ‘you think I didn’t know you would demand that?’
‘Asshole’ I retort, but there is no heat to my words, as it’s kind of nice that there are people around me know that know me that well.
‘Monday’ Harrison tells me, back in business mode, ‘oh eight hundred, in my office.’
‘Got it’ I mutter, before cutting the call and checking the screen that now has a crack sliced diagonally through it. Swearing under my breath, I shove it into my jeans pocket and head back to the trio who are now sitting around the table, talking about a new fudge flavour that Seona wants to try.
‘You need to make some for me’ Daisy moans, ‘God! I remember your dad’s fudge, I would come up with excuses to come over just because I knew it was baking day.’
Seona smiles, ‘I’ll make you some tonight and you can come pick it up from the bakery tomorrow’ she promises.
‘You are the world's best friend ever’ the café owner declares emphatically.
‘I also make fudge you know’ Noah huffs, crossing his arms over his chest, ‘dad taught us both.’
Daisy rolls her eyes, ‘yes, you did indeed make fudge as well playboy, but yours was always a burnt mess of sludge. Seona and your Dad’s fudge was to die for, yours was just well, a slow painful way to die’ she quips back with an evil grin.
'You always took a piece of my fudge woman, so don't even try to lie' the football star argues frowning.
the cafe owner sighs dramatically, 'so as not to hurt your little itty bitty feelings' she replies, pressing her hand to her chest as she bats her lashes at him, 'I threw it in the trash as soon as you turned your back.'
Noah's face falls as Daisy laughs at him, raising an eyebrow in challenge as the quarterback looks for a way to verbally hit her back.
Tuning both of them out as they start to argue again, Seona turns to me, her smile falling slightly as she stands up, closing the gap between us.
‘Is everything OK?’ she asks in concern, searching my face for answers as I force my features to relax.
‘Sure’ I nod tightly, ‘everything is fine love, how about we order some lunch though? I’m starving.’
The blonde’s gaze flicks over my face for a few more seconds before she slowly nods, taking a step back from me. ‘OK’ she agrees faintly, smiling uncertainly before retaking her seat as I take the last one available across from her, grabbing the menu so I can hide my face as I try to get my emotions back under control.