Read Online RYDER: A Standalone Military Romance (Blake Security Book 1) by Celina McKane - Free Book Online Page A

Lee.” He rolled his eyes.
    “I’ll just bet her parents named her that.” I didn’t say it out loud, but if he was going to be the one protecting her, I’m glad he was going out of town. “Anyways, I’ll put Leif on her. She gets into town tomorrow, and she’ll be here for two weeks. I’ll have Abrahem take the office and put him on the senator next week. If anything comes up while he’s busy with that, Lucy might call you, but she’s pretty good at figuring things out on her own. I’m sorry, but I’ll need to ask you to take the Bransons twenty-four seven, can you do that?”
    “Yeah, I mean, I might need a place to sleep at night, but of course I can handle it.”
    He nodded. “I’ve already spoken to Matt Branson. He’s still being an ass about the baby’s mother, but he agreed to put you in a room across the hall from the nursery.” That meant across the hall from Alicia. For a second, I considered telling Blake about the feelings I was having for the nanny. I decided quickly that he had enough on his plate. I could be a professional. It wouldn’t be easy, but I could do it.
     
     

CHAPTER SEVEN
    RYDER
     
                  Leif stayed with Alicia and Celia that entire day while I got caught up on some sleep. Before I went back to the mansion, I took Blake to the airport. On the way there he said, “I forgot to tell you I got a text from Abrahem while you were home sleeping. As soon as they let the Russian out of custody, he was on a plane back to the Soviet Union.”
                  “Immigration?”
                  “No, they hadn’t gotten to him yet. He went on his own.”
    “Well, that’s going to make following him a little more difficult.”
    “It would, if we didn’t have Vlad. He’s already got his men on it. So far the guy got off the plane and has been holed up at his mother’s place in Georgia. I gave Vlad your number, he’s going to stay in touch.”
    I nodded. “Good.” I laughed and said, “Between him and Alicia, by the time you get back I might be speaking Russian.”
    He smiled. “You going to be okay sleeping across the hall from that girl?”
    “Of course,” I said, innocently. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
    He rolled his eyes. I should have known Blake was too perceptive for me to get anything past him. “I knew you when you had your first crush. You still get that same goofy look on your face when there’s one you really like.”
    I didn’t bother trying to deny it. “I’ll be a consummate professional.”
    He chuckled. “I’m sure you will. Be safe, too.”
    “I will; you too.” I expected him to laugh that off. He was going to California to see the sister of a kid killed in Afghanistan and a struggling nineteen-year-old actress.
    Instead, he lost the smile and a serious look crossed his face. “I will,” was all he said, but I got the feeling there was something he wasn’t telling me.
    After I dropped him off, I went home and packed a small bag and then called Granny. I was pleasantly surprised when she answered the phone.
    “Hello, cher . How’s my boy today?”
                  She always put a smile on my face. “I’m good, Granny. Thank you for answering the phone.” She grumbled something, and I laughed and said, “How are you?”
                  “A little down in my back. Ol’ Sly came around early this mornin’ and I hadda chase him off.”
                  I rolled my eyes. “Ol’ Sly” is a seven-and-a-half-foot gator that lives in the swamp right out in front of Granny’s house. He’s lived there for years, chasing away anything else that tried to inhabit that space. He used to stay in the water and sun himself on a rock about twelve feet out from the shore. He never came up in the yard or near the house until recently, but over the past several months, Granny says he’s been doing it a lot.
    I tried to get her to let me get a permit to get rid of him. She