Chris Redding

He licked his lips and then looked at hers. She resisted the urge to mirror his movements. He looked as if he wanted to kiss her.  
She held her breath because the idea of Penn kissing her sounded like a good one. She wouldn’t resist, but would she regret it when they were done? Life was short and she should probably encourage him.
***
Penn Wharton, a former cop, is due to take over his family’s company since his father’s death, and now he needs some time to think about his life. He discovers the remnants of a murder near his house and catches a glimpse of a woman, then follows the trail to a seedy part of town where Brooke Madison, a romance writer, lives. Penn rents the apartment next to her to watch over her because he knows the assassin will show up eventually and the police can’t protect her.  But when real feelings start to develop between them, can he keep them both safe?
The Billionaire Next Door is created by Chris Redding, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author.

The Billionaire Next Door

Brooke went out for a walk with Roger trailing along. She promised Penn she would stay on the estate, but she needed to walk off some frustration. 


Penn decided to work in his home office instead of going in. He was equally unsettled about the attempted abduction, too. He couldn’t get it out of his mind. Brooke hadn’t wanted to leave him. She was more loyal than some of the partners he’d had when he was a cop.


The doorbell rang, but Penn knew that Jeeves would get it. Penn couldn’t imagine who it was and sent a text to Roger to keep Brooke away from the house for now. Whoever it was had the code to the gate because he’d made sure that was closed after they came through it. He wasn’t taking any chances that they’d been followed.


Jeeves appeared in the office doorway. “The former lady of the house is here to see you, Mr. Wharton.”


Penn mouthed those words to himself. Then he understood. “My stepmother.”


Chapter 41: The Stepmother Visits