I WANT YOU

CHAPTER 8

“Because you are—” Arthur grabbed Anna’s arm and stopped walking, glancing around. If the guy said “like a daughter,” Anna was going to walk over to the lamppost and bang her head into the metal. She'll never wanted to become his daughter. She always wanted more than that.

But Arthur's sudden action stopped her wayward thoughts. Anna stilled, watching as Conrad moved in closer. “What’s going on?”

“Hush, pup,” Arthur held his hand up. Anna canted her head to the side. Arthur had never called her that. Why did the guy call her a pup? Was she that scrawny and needful? Was that how King Knight looked at her, like some peasant who needed a handout? That stung deeply.

“I’m not a pup,” Anna said tartly. “Thank you for helping me at the hospital, but I think I can make my own way home.” Her pride was crushed. After all this time she’d thought Arthur looked at her differently, not some needy girl who required anyone’s charity.

She turned and begun to walk back toward the hospital when Arthur suddenly grabbed her by her upper arm and walked Anna quickly down the street.

“Hey!” She protested as she tried hard to keep up. “My legs aren’t as long as yours.” Anna was panting and feeling a bit lightheaded.

When Arthur stopped, she thought the guy was considering her protest. But then she caught sight of two men emerging from the side of one of the buildings. They began walking toward Anna, Arthur, and Conrad.

“Get Anna out of here.” Arthur shoved Anna at Conrad. Anna slammed into the bodyguard’s chest and nearly toppled to her ass. But Conrad caught her and turned her around. “Guard her with your life!”

If Anna hadn’t been so terrified, she would have questioned Arthur's demand. But she didn’t have time to think of anything as Conrad hauled her back the way they’d come. If she thought Arthur had long legs, that was nothing compared to the bodyguard. Anna’s feet barely touched the ground she was walking so fast.

“I can’t keep up,” Anna said as she became winded. Instead of slowing down, Conrad turned and scooped Anna off her feet, slinging her over his shoulder like a large sack of potatoes.

This is so undignified.

“Put me down!” Anna felt emasculated being carried like this.

“Hush,” Conrad said irritably. “Too much noise.”

“Are we going to just leave Arthur, like that?” Anna asked as they rounded the corner and lost sight of Arthur. Her heart thumped wildly as she thought of leaving Arthur with those strangers.

“Yes.”

Anna struggled to get free, but Conrad's hold was like a vise grip. The guy’s fingers were crushing into Anna’s thighs. She was going to have bruises, she's sure. “We can’t just leave him,” She protested as she shoved at Conrad's back, trying to get the bodyguard to release her. “We have to go back!”

What if those two men had been muggers? Some bodyguard Conrad was. He’d left his boss to fend for himself. “You brute. Put me down, or I’ll start screaming that you’re k********g me.”

Anna had to get back to Arthur. She wasn’t sure what help she could do, but she couldn’t leave the guy alone to fend for himself.

Conrad grunted but didn’t slow down. The guy had called Anna’s bluff. Conrad knew that Anna wouldn’t call attention to them—no more so than a mountainous man carrying someone over his shoulder down a dark street. No, there’s absolutely nothing suspicious going on here, Mr. Officer.

As Anna pushed herself up and gazed around, she noticed the bodyguard cut through the visitors’ parking lot of the hospital and head toward the car. Maybe they were going to retrieve the car so they could go back and run those muggers over.

Anna’s eyes widened when she spotted Catherine standing by Arthur's black BMW.

Catherine's jaw dropped. “What the hell is going on here?” she barked. “Why are you carrying my best friend like you’re about to carry her away to your troll cave?”

Anna lost her grip and flopped back down. She smiled at Catherine's indignity even though she couldn’t see her.

“What are you doing here?” Anna asked as Conrad slowed. “I thought your dad sent you home.”

“Do you think I’d leave you with Mr. Knight? I like you too much to subject you to him.”

If only Catherine knew how much Anna liked being alone with Arthur. “Yeah, god forbid I get stuck with a parental figure.”

She inwardly winced. Again, Anna did not want to look at Arthur in that light but had to play things off with Cristina.

“Just call me your hero,” Cristina said to Anna and then added, “Put him down.”

Anna was finally lowered. She fixed her shirt with her good hand and glared at Conrad. “Next time a cab will do just fine.”

“Okay, Ann,” Cristina said as she leaned against her father’s car. “Spill it. Why was Conrad carrying you like that, and where is dear old dad?”

“Being mugged,” Anna snapped and then shoved a finger in Conrad's direction. “And this guy just left him.”

“What!” Cristina lurched off the car and moved quickly to Conrad, stabbing her finger into the man’s chest. “Take me to him right now, you worthless oaf!”

Conrad clenched his jaw, but he didn’t say a word, and he didn’t budge. Cristina paced in front of the man. “How could you leave him like that? You’re paid to protect him and you up and run at the first sign of trouble?”

“No,” Arthur said when he approached. “He did exactly as I instructed.”

Anna hid the smile at seeing Arthur. There wasn’t a hair out of place, and his clothes were as pristine as ever. She wanted to run over to the guy and hug him, glad that he was safe, but she stayed rooted to the spot. Hugging her best friend’s father would be an awkward thing to explain.

“What happened to those muggers?” she asked instead.

“Muggers?” Arthur's dark brows dipped low and then rose high. “Oh, those two men? Nothing at all.”

Evasive.

“But how did you get away?” Cristina asked.

Arthur stepped closer to his daughter. “The better question is, what are you doing here after I sent you home?”

Cristina jutted her chin in defiance. “Did you think I was going to leave Anna after she’d been hurt?”

This seemed to take the wind out of Arthur's sails. He opened the back door to the car and waved for Anna and Cristina to climb in. Arthur closed the door and began to talk to Conrad as Cristina sagged back in her seat. “This has been one hell of a night.” she bumped shoulders with Anna. “But at least you’re all right. Had me worried when you didn’t wake for two days.”

“Two days!” Anna rubbed a hand over her forehead. “I was out for two days?!”

Cristina's smile faded. “Yeah. Your fever spiked, and the doctors were at a loss of what to do.” Her bestie frowned. “Father was at your side the entire time.”

It was Anna’s turn to frown. “Why?”

Cristina threw her hands up and made the bimbo i***t face that she was known for. “Because he cares about you, dork. You’ve been with our family for a long time.”

To know that the older man had stayed at her side touched Anna. She glanced toward the door to see Arthur's back, and then her eyes wandered to the guy’s sculpted body.

“Wow. Did you just check out my dad?” Cristina asked. When Anna turned to her friend, Cristina's eyes were wide, and her mouth was hanging open.

“No,” Anna said a little too quickly. “Why would I do that?”

Cristina eyed him critically. “You know, now that I think about it, you do get all weird when he’s around.”

“Do not,” Anna said a bit defensive. “And if I do, it’s because I’m not used to such a strong and powerful man.”

Cristina shoved a finger toward her. “There’s that look!” She frowned and then began to laugh so hard she nearly fell off the seat. “You have a crush on my father. So gross.”

Anna shoved at Cristina's side. “Knock it off. I do not. I just respect the guy.”

When Cristina settled back, wiping at her eyes, she said, “Right. You want him. Admit it.”

They both fell silent when the back door opened, and Arthur climbed in. He sat across from them, eyeing Cristina. The man didn’t look the least bit happy. The car began to move, and Cristina cleared her throat.

“I think Anna has something to tell you.”

Anna wanted to fall through the floor. Her eyebrows shot up as she looked from Cristina to Arthur and then back to her best friend, giving her a murderous glare.

But Cristina just appeared unrepentant as she grinned at Anna.

Anna was too terrified to turn back to Arthur. She glanced down at her hands as Conrad drove them to Frost Manor. When they arrived, Anna bolted from the car before it had come to a complete stop. She had to get away before Arthur grilled her. How could Cristina do that to her?

“Hey, Ann,” Cristina said when she caught up to her inside the house. “Stop panicking. It’s okay.”

Whirling, Anna glared at Cristina. “How could you do that?”

Cristina blushed, grinned, and then laughed. She slung her arm over Anna’s shoulder. “Come on. Tell me you don’t find it the least bit funny that you are into old dudes.”

“And you aren’t repulsed that I like your father?” Anna chewed her lower lip as she stole glances at Cristina from under her lashes.

“Sorry, Ann,” She said. “That wasn’t really a secret. I only teased you all the time so you’d finally tell me and get that burden off your chest.”

“You’re an ass.” Anna elbowed Cristina as she smiled. She should have known that Cristina would be cool it. Nothing seemed to ruffle her—nothing but heated debates with her father.

Wiggling her brows, Cristina said, “Let’s head to my room, and I’ll see if I can find some p**n for you to study.”

Anna’s cheeks heated to nuclear levels. “You really are an ass.”

“Anna,” Arthur called to her when the older man walked through the front door. The guy sounded calm as she turned. “I would like to see you in my study.”

Anna blinked. What was it this time?

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