Page 46 of Possessive Bodyguard Summer

"Maverick?"

This time, his head turned slightly toward me. Then back toward the window. And when the low growl rumbled from his chest, I knew…Maverick wasn’t just worried. He was warning me.

“Hey, Kaleigh-girl.” I found to keep my voice even. “Can you come here for a minute?”

“I’m dancing!”

Maverick growled again.

Unsure of what else to do, I stood and scooped her up in my arms. “I think I need to pause the movie for a second, silly girl. I think Daddy tried to call me and I need to call him back.”

“Oh. Okay!”

“I bet he needs me to get something from his bedroom. Why don’t we go up there for a second?” I didn’t know why I suggested it but all I could think about was getting her as far away from whatever was standing on the other side of that front door.

I sat her back down on the floor. “Race you,” I teased, praying that she couldn’t sense how scared I was.

Kaleigh took off. I moved quickly but carefully behind here, already dialing Clay’s number on my cell phone.

It rang once. Twice. A third time.

My heart pounded harder with every second.

Come on, Clay. Please answer.

The call went to voicemail.

I swallowed hard.

No. Not now.

I hung up and immediately hit his name again.

Maverick stopped at the bottom of the stairs, his growl deepened.

My stomach dropped.

Because the dog who had walked beside Clay into war zones wasn't scared easily.

Whatever danger he sensed, it was real.

I reached the top of the stairs just as my phone started ringing. I answered without even looking at the screen. For half a second, relief flooded through me.

“Clay.”

"Monroe?"

Not Clay. My stomach twisted.

"Sloane."

“Monroe. Get Kaleigh and get in Clay’s bedroom as fast as you can. Lock the door behind you and do not open it.”

“What about Maverick,” I whispered, trying not to let Kaleigh hear me. “He’s at the bottom of the steps growling. He won’t come up here.”

“Mav knows what to do. Leave him and do exactly what I said.”

“It’s him, isn’t it?” My voice cracked.