Page 67 of Protector Unmatched

“It’s not me I’m worried about.” Then she sighed. “They’re all in the command center, waiting for you. But you can’t bring her.”

“I know that. So, why don’t you show Daphne to the kitchen and see if she wants something to eat or drink?” He turned to Daphne. “I won’t be long. I’ll meet you there when I’m done, and then I’ll show you my private quarters.”

Despite Pearce’s reassuring words, Daphne felt uneasy about leaving with the redhead, who clearly didn’t like her, or at the very least, didn’t want her to be here. But Pearce was already walking down another corridor, and Winter stood there, waiting.

“This way.”

“Thanks.”

While they walked in silence, Daphne wondered how much Winter knew about her. Had Enya told her what had happened the previous night and earlier today? Perhaps that was why Winter had been so startled. It had to be the reason.

At a nondescript door, Winter stopped. She opened it and motioned Daphne to walk inside ahead of her. The room was huge: an open-plan kitchen with a massive island. Adjacent to it was a large living room with a TV mounted on one wall, and a sectional that could seat at least ten. Several armchairs completed the seating arrangement.

When Daphne entered followed by Winter, they weren’t alone. Two women sat at the island, nursing a bottle of wine and chatting. They turned their heads and fell silent. To Daphne’s surprise, she recognized one of the women. She looked like the mayor of Baltimore. But that wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. Maybe the woman was just her doppelgänger.

“This is Daphne,” Winter said, and pointed to the two women at the island. “That’s Kim, and that’s Tessa.”

Tessa. Same first name as the mayor. It had to be her. “Tessa? As in the mayor of Baltimore?”

“That’s right,” the woman said.

“Wow…” Daphne was speechless.

“So you’re Pearce’s Daphne,” Tessa said.

“We heard about you,” Kim, the woman with the long black hair, added.

Apparently, Enya had told everybody about Daphne and Pearce. Had she told them that she’d caught them having sex at the safe house? Daphne felt heat rise to her cheeks. She wanted to sink into a hole in the ground, embarrassed. But no convenient hole was available. She would just have to pretend that she didn’t know that these women knew pretty much everything about her sex life with Pearce. It wasn’t something she was used to. She didn’t even have a BFF with whom to share stories about her love life. And now three strangers—no, make that four with Enya—knew about her sleeping with Pearce a day after meeting him. No wonder they were scrutinizing her with eyes that seemed to escape nothing.

“Hi,” she said hesitantly. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I can just go to Pearce’s quarters…”

“No, no, stay,” Kim said. “We’re just winding down after a long day. Would you like a glass of wine?”

A glass of red wine sounded relaxing. “Actually, yes, that would be nice.”

Kim jumped off her barstool, opened one of the hanging cabinets, retrieved a glass, and poured the wine. “Here you go.”

Daphne took the glass and sat down on one of the barstools that Tessa pointed to.

“Winter, how about you? Wine?” Kim asked.

“I’ll make myself some tea.” Winter started getting busy with the kettle.

“So you’re Daphne,” Kim said.

Before Daphne could reply and ask what she meant by that, if she even had the courage to find out, the door opened again. A woman with long, dark brown hair entered, blowing out a breath.

“Finally, the twins are asleep. Thanks for reading to them earlier, Tessa.”

“Sure, you know I love them.”

Only now did the woman notice Daphne. “Oh, we have a visitor?”

“I’m Daphne. Pearce brought me—”

“Oh, you’re Daphne. I see.” She ran her eyes over Daphne, then came closer and stretched out her hand. “I’m Leila. I checked out your brother. He’s doing fine. No concussion. And Ryder’s blood is working wonders. He’ll be like new tomorrow.”

Daphne shook Leila’s hand. “I’m so grateful to you and to Ryder. To everybody who helped.” She let her gaze roam over the women and checked for their reactions. They seemed apprehensive, and Daphne couldn’t shake the feeling that they were prejudiced against her. Had Enya’s tale about the sexual encounter soured the women against Daphne? Did they see her as a hussy, as a woman not worthy of the affections of a Stealth Guardian?