“Are you sure this is a good idea, boss? Not saying you don’t deserve it, but now’s not the time for distractions.”
I turned around so fast that Omar had to reach for the railing to catch himself.
Taking a step back up so we were eye to eye, I said, “That’ll be the last time you question me.”
He nodded. “Understood.”
Without another word, I started back down, and another member of my team opened the front doors so I could be there to welcome my guest when he arrived.
Benoit Olivier hadn’t been an easy one to pin down, and that was half the reason why I’d wanted him to join me. No one in their right mind would acquiesce so easily to someone with my reputation unless they had ulterior motives. That Benoit had turned me down not once, but twice, only upped the ante, and I’d given him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
A demand, really. One I hadn’t been sure he’d follow until I got word he’d boarded my private plane. Now here he was, willingly stepping into my world for the next month, and I planned to keep him as close as humanly possible.
The car pulled to a stop on the snow-filled courtyard, where the driver emerged and immediately moved to open the back door.
A second later, a leather-covered hand took his and Benoit emerged, elegant as ever in a pair of tall winter boots lined with fur, tight tailored pants, and, as always, his signature cape. He had on a pair of sunglasses to ward off the glare from the setting sun, and after scanning the sparse white landscape, his attention finally locked on to me.
“Well, if this isn’t a fantasy come to life.” He lowered his glasses to look me over before sliding them back up. “You’re forgiven for not mentioning we’d be vacationing in a winter paradise. If it hadn’t been for your driver suggesting I put on something warmer, you would’ve missed out on this entire look.”
I slid my hands into my pockets and walked toward him, eyeing the driver taking bag after bag after bag from the trunk. “It seems you would’ve found something.”
“I wasn’t told where I was going, so I was forced to pack for every occasion.”
The sheer amount of suitcases spoke to that fact, but I wasn’t giving away details regarding our whereabouts this month. The last thing I needed was a spy in our midst.
“I hope you also packed wisely,” I said.
“Meaning?”
“Your bags will be searched for weapons. You better hope they don’t find any.”
Several of my men exited the house to collect the luggage, and as they disappeared back inside, Benoit let out a laugh and took hold of my arm.
“Oh, Dimitri,” he said as we entered the foyer. “Are you always this paranoid?”
“Careful, am I always thiscareful, and the answer is yes.”
I steered him toward the parlor off to the right, and he removed his glasses to take in the antique, old-world interior.
“Next I suppose you’re going to tell me they’re going to come in here and searchme.” He dropped his hold on my arm and continued into the room until he realized I wasn’t following and spun back around.
I shut the doors behind me and flipped the lock.
“No, they won’t be searching you,” I said, closing the space between us. “That’s my job.”
“Oh, I see.” Benoit arched a brow, his eyes roving over my face. “Tell me,mon monstre, do you search all of your guests this way? Or am I lucky and getting the hands-on treatment from the head of the house?”
If I’d thought Benoit would balk at my announcement, I was dead wrong, as he reached for the clasp of his cape and unfastened it.
“I don’t have guests at my house.”
“And yet here I am.” The cape parted and Benoit removed it from his shoulders with a quick flick of his wrist.
The black turtleneck he revealed molded to his fit body like a second skin, and paired with the tailored pants and boots, he could’ve passed for a cat burglar on the prowl. Another good reason to search the man. Though, truth be told, if hewerehiding a weapon, I was going to have to go hunting for it.
The thought had my lips curling.
“Something amusing?” Benoit asked as he dropped his cape over the arm of the antique couch facing the fireplace.
