Read Online Deadly Intentions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 1) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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stifling her.
“Who is that?” She asked, her voice shaking.
The figure paused, his features still hidden. “Mandy?”
Relief washed over her when she recognized the voice. “Clint?”
“Yeah.” He strode forward; only stopping when he was a few feet away and the emergency lights could verify his identity. “What are you doing here?”
“I was working late,” Mandy said. “I didn’t realize how late it really was.”
“I didn’t think anyone was still in the building,” Clint replied. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Mandy laughed, although the sound was hollow. “It’s fine,” she said. “I just let myself think the worst when I heard your footsteps. I should stop watching so many horror movies.”
Clint’s face lit up. “Oh, you like horror movies? What’s your favorite one?”
Mandy mentally chided herself for continuing a conversation she had no interest in. “ The Shining .”
“That’s a great one,” Clint agreed. “I love Halloween . Michael Myers is awesome.”
The fact that Clint identified with a knife-wielding maniac didn’t sit well with her. “That’s a good one,” she agreed before lapsing into silence.
Clint shifted uncomfortably. “So, um, did you have a good date the other night?”
Mandy’s mind shifted to James. She tried to hide her scowl before answering. “It wasn’t a date,” she corrected Clint. “He’s just a friend from home.”
Clint didn’t look convinced. “Does he know that?”
Mandy frowned. “What makes you say that?”
“He seemed a little … proprietary.”
Mandy faltered. “He’s just kind of … manly,” she explained. “That’s probably what you were sensing. He was in the Marines. He can’t help himself.”
“So, you’re not a couple?” Clint’s tone was hopeful.
She and James were definitely not a couple. Mandy didn’t want to give Clint hope. “We’re kind of feeling things out,” she said, quashing the surge of guilt coursing through her. It was better to let Clint down easy. “We’ll see how things go.”
“So he’s not your boyfriend, but he’s not not your boyfriend,” Clint suggested.
“Right.”
Clint sighed. “Okay.”
She wanted to give him some form of solace, but she didn’t want it misconstrued. Instead, Mandy forced a smile onto her face. “Yeah, we’ll see.”
Clint was hard to read. “So, um, do you want me to walk you out to your car or anything?”
Mandy refrained from saying what she was thinking: Hell no. Instead, she offered him a rueful smile. “I’ll be fine. It’s not even nine yet.”
“Are you sure?” Clint pressed.
She was definitely sure. “I’ll be fine.” She moved past him and toward the exit door on the left side of the vestibule, only stopping when a thought occurred to her. “Do you usually work nights?”
Clint shook his head. “No. I’m just filling in for Merle.”
Mandy had no idea who Merle was. “Oh, well, that’s good. You’re getting extra money, right?” She wasn’t sure what a security guard earned, but she figured it wasn’t much. Any extra money had to be a boon.
“Oh, yeah,” Clint replied. “I wouldn’t volunteer if it wasn’t good money.”
Mandy smiled. “Well, spend it on something fun.”
“I will,” Clint said as Mandy turned back to the door. “Be careful.”
“I will,” Mandy replied, refusing to look back.
Once she was outside, Mandy took in a huge, gulping breath. She felt ridiculous for freaking out because Clint was doing his job and patrolling the building. Her heart was still racing. And, she couldn’t deny it, she was mildly suspicious. Why was Clint in the building so late? He never worked nights before, at least to her knowledge.
“Don’t be an idiot,” Mandy muttered to herself. “He’s harmless.”
Now that she was outside, the claustrophobia that had rendered her helpless minutes before fled, and a new feeling was taking over. She was completely vulnerable outside. The streets of Mount
“Who is that?” She asked, her voice shaking.
The figure paused, his features still hidden. “Mandy?”
Relief washed over her when she recognized the voice. “Clint?”
“Yeah.” He strode forward; only stopping when he was a few feet away and the emergency lights could verify his identity. “What are you doing here?”
“I was working late,” Mandy said. “I didn’t realize how late it really was.”
“I didn’t think anyone was still in the building,” Clint replied. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Mandy laughed, although the sound was hollow. “It’s fine,” she said. “I just let myself think the worst when I heard your footsteps. I should stop watching so many horror movies.”
Clint’s face lit up. “Oh, you like horror movies? What’s your favorite one?”
Mandy mentally chided herself for continuing a conversation she had no interest in. “ The Shining .”
“That’s a great one,” Clint agreed. “I love Halloween . Michael Myers is awesome.”
The fact that Clint identified with a knife-wielding maniac didn’t sit well with her. “That’s a good one,” she agreed before lapsing into silence.
Clint shifted uncomfortably. “So, um, did you have a good date the other night?”
Mandy’s mind shifted to James. She tried to hide her scowl before answering. “It wasn’t a date,” she corrected Clint. “He’s just a friend from home.”
Clint didn’t look convinced. “Does he know that?”
Mandy frowned. “What makes you say that?”
“He seemed a little … proprietary.”
Mandy faltered. “He’s just kind of … manly,” she explained. “That’s probably what you were sensing. He was in the Marines. He can’t help himself.”
“So, you’re not a couple?” Clint’s tone was hopeful.
She and James were definitely not a couple. Mandy didn’t want to give Clint hope. “We’re kind of feeling things out,” she said, quashing the surge of guilt coursing through her. It was better to let Clint down easy. “We’ll see how things go.”
“So he’s not your boyfriend, but he’s not not your boyfriend,” Clint suggested.
“Right.”
Clint sighed. “Okay.”
She wanted to give him some form of solace, but she didn’t want it misconstrued. Instead, Mandy forced a smile onto her face. “Yeah, we’ll see.”
Clint was hard to read. “So, um, do you want me to walk you out to your car or anything?”
Mandy refrained from saying what she was thinking: Hell no. Instead, she offered him a rueful smile. “I’ll be fine. It’s not even nine yet.”
“Are you sure?” Clint pressed.
She was definitely sure. “I’ll be fine.” She moved past him and toward the exit door on the left side of the vestibule, only stopping when a thought occurred to her. “Do you usually work nights?”
Clint shook his head. “No. I’m just filling in for Merle.”
Mandy had no idea who Merle was. “Oh, well, that’s good. You’re getting extra money, right?” She wasn’t sure what a security guard earned, but she figured it wasn’t much. Any extra money had to be a boon.
“Oh, yeah,” Clint replied. “I wouldn’t volunteer if it wasn’t good money.”
Mandy smiled. “Well, spend it on something fun.”
“I will,” Clint said as Mandy turned back to the door. “Be careful.”
“I will,” Mandy replied, refusing to look back.
Once she was outside, Mandy took in a huge, gulping breath. She felt ridiculous for freaking out because Clint was doing his job and patrolling the building. Her heart was still racing. And, she couldn’t deny it, she was mildly suspicious. Why was Clint in the building so late? He never worked nights before, at least to her knowledge.
“Don’t be an idiot,” Mandy muttered to herself. “He’s harmless.”
Now that she was outside, the claustrophobia that had rendered her helpless minutes before fled, and a new feeling was taking over. She was completely vulnerable outside. The streets of Mount
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