The next meeting is in another room, and I shamefully watch her ass the entire way. She doesn’t move like a girl. She’s all woman and only hours away from proving it to me. My hands ache with the need to squeeze the flesh of her thighs and bury my face between her milky legs.

"And this is where the new children’s hospital wing will be," someone says, shaking me from my thoughts. I just want to go back to my fantasy.

She’s surrounded by benefactors from the charity she works with and they’re discussing finances. She’s only seventeen. She has too much on her shoulders. People expect her to step into her father’s shoes and pick up his legacy. But all I want to do is take her away from all of this and shield her from the world. She belongs in a place where she can grow how she wants to. Not as a potted plant where she has to go where they force her. I may want to lock her away in my bedroom, but I also want to give her the Buttercup to explore. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Funny that her code name is Buttercup when she has anything but. The irony is not lost on me.

There’s chatter in my ear and my eyebrows draw together. I place my finger against my earpiece and concentrate.

"We can’t see where he exited," someone in the control room says. "Someone check the southwest corner. I want two units on the outer door."

"What’s happening?" I say, as I move closer to Sloan.

"We lost sight of her advisor. He had an escort into the restroom, but he never came out. Agent Sanders just went in and he’s gone."

"Lock it down," I growl, moving right against Sloan and squeezing her elbow. I lean in close and give her the emergency code she is trained to know. "White, Blue, and Red." The last color I say is to indicate how dangerous a situation is. Red means for her to move her ass.

Her body tenses, but she remains cool as she tells the group of people that she’s been called into a closed-door meeting. They politely thank her, and she waves goodbye as I plaster myself to her side and exit the room.

"What’s happening? What’s going on? Talk to me, Ford." She wraps her arm around my waist and I do the same.

I’ve got my body around hers in a protective hold as we move down the hallway and to the other wing of the White House.

"I don’t know, sweet pea," I answer honestly as the team encircles us. "They can’t find Chad."

"They called a code red because Chad is missing?" Her voice is bewildered and her feet slow. "Are you serious? He’s probably in the bathroom or something."

"I’m not taking that chance." My words are final, and though I see she wants to argue she keeps her mouth closed.

When we finally make it back to her wing, I have the team do a sweep of the rooms while I watch her and the door.

"I think you guys are probably making a big deal out of this. Just call him." She plops down on the couch and crosses her arms.

"Sloan, you should know by now that not everyone who appears to be safe is. And who knows who may have gotten to him. Some men will do anything for money." Or for what she’s got between her legs. But I keep that part to myself.

She looks as if she’s thinking it over. She’s been targeted before but never in the White House. We do thorough background checks on everyone that we allow near Sloan, but that doesn’t mean that situations can’t change. If Chad got himself into trouble and someone offered him a way out, he may have taken the bait.

"My job is to protect you," I say as I kneel down in front of her. I want to take the worry out of her eyes. "And I’m really fucking good at my job."

That earns me a smile and I feel like at least I’m doing something right.

There’s talking in my earpiece, so I stand up and step away so I can concentrate on what they’re saying.

"Kitchen staff reports they saw someone come through. We’re on it."

"Keep me updated," I answer, feeling frustrated. How is he escaping all of the cameras? I talk to the rest of the detail in the room. "Looks like we’ve got him spotted in the kitchen. He’s in the opposite wing of the White House right now. I want all of you patrolling until we’ve caught him. This should be quick, but everyone stay on alert."

I wait for everyone to exit before I bolt the door.

"Are you not going to patrol?" she asks as she stands up from the couch.

"I’m not leaving you," I say and take a step forward.

"I’m scared," she admits, wringing her hands in front of her.

I’m pulling her into my arms in an instant. "I’m here. Nothing will ever happen to you as long as I’m with you."

Her hands wrap around my back and I feel her trace her fingers down my spine. My own hands explore the curves of her shoulder and down to her waist. Then I find the bare strip of skin between her slacks and her top. It’s silk against my fingers and the knot in my stomach tightens with need.

"Only five more hours," I whisper, and the intent is clear.

No matter what is happening around us, I won’t wait a second longer to take what’s mine.