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| Val from Ryan's Guardian by Regina Paul. |
Val’s blue eyes twinkled at him before he answered for John. “That’s easy, Ryan. We’re going to tell them I’m your new manny.”
“My new what?”
“Your new manny. That way I can stay close to you and Megan, and your ex if he sees me shouldn’t be suspicious.”
“He’s a psychopath, Val. Trust me he’s going to be suspicious. I haven’t dated anyone in the years since the divorce and I know even from prison he was tracking me.”
“What do you mean, Son?” John asked, his voice sounding as if he’d swallowed gravel.
Ryan sighed. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry, but there has been the occasional out-of-place looking guy watching me from time to time. They never approached me, but they weren’t hard to spot. Michael clearly still has connections on the outside and he has been using them to keep tabs on me.”
“Oh, Son, you should have told me. We would have gotten a bodyguard sooner.”
The disappointment in his dad’s voice nearly killed him, but Ryan knew that making too much of the weirdos watching him from time to time would have just alerted Michael to the fact he’d noticed them, and he didn’t want to give his ex the satisfaction. As long as it was just the occasional watcher, and nothing else happened he was willing at least for the time being to let things be. Now though? He didn’t have a choice. It wasn’t just the occasional unsavory watcher watching him, now Michael was out and he had to protect Megan.
“I’m sorry, Dad, but I didn’t want to alert him that I knew and suddenly having a bodyguard or bodyguards would have alerted him. They never did anything, just watched me and I’m sure reported back to Michael.”
“Actually I think it’s a good thing you waited.” Val spoke to ease some of the tension.
“What do you mean?” John asked.
“Ryan has a good point. Since he didn’t do anything, his ex will assume he didn’t see them. He’ll think Ryan’s guard is down. I’d rather have him think that than we’re on to him. He might try something crazy if he thinks you know he’s planning something. I’d rather have him think you’re ignorant. It gives us the upper hand.”
“Alright, but I don’t have to like it.”
Ryan watched a slow easy smile form on Val’s face. When he turned it on him, Ryan could feel his cheeks heat.
“No John. You don’t have to like it. But as I said it gives us the upper hand.”
That smile should be declared illegal.
Ryan cleared his throat. “So, let’s sign a contract.”
“Yes, lets.”
(c) Copyright 2023 by Regina Paul. All Rights Reserved.
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