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looked was marble, glass, crystals, and artwork, which he was sure, were originals. No dogs playing poker hanging over the fireplace.
    “They’re just things, Mr. O’Malley,” Mimi said watching him closely. “At the end of the day, they mean nothing.”
    “I guess that’s what people say when they don’t have anything.”
    “I’ve all I need. Do you?”
    He didn’t get a chance to respond. The fireworks that erupted outside the salon door took care of that.
    “Daddy, you can’t be serious?”
    Sam knew that voice. He had been trying to get that voice and face out of his head since their encounter yesterday, but clearly that wasn’t going to happen. He was here because of Prescott’s plea for help. The rich man wanted something from him and had come to him begging. Swallowing his pride that got stuck in his throat, he came to the conclusion that he needed the money. Why not do both? Earn money and protect the Princess.
    There was still something eating away at him. Of all the people Matt knew, why hire him? It’s not like he was high on Prescott’s list of favorite people. He didn’t buy that ‘I trust you bit’ from Matt either, at least not one hundred percent. Maybe he was being too cynical.
    “Princess, be reasonable,” Prescott said, with a hint of impatience in his voice. “Someone tried to hurt you.”
    “What can your rent-a-cop do other than be a thorn in my side?”
    Sam was a hired hand and now he was a thorn. Great. Not only didn’t he want the job, Princess didn’t want him around either. Rent-a-cop? Chaperoning Princess was going to be about as fun as a root canal.
    “A thorn is better than dead.”
    Game, set, and match for daddy. Sam was enjoying their heated exchange way too much. He wondered what her come back would be. He didn’t have to wait long.
    “How do I explain him? He’s my latest what? Lover.”
    That pissed him off. The disgust oozed from her voice. What? He wasn’t allowed to walk on the same planet as Princess. He grunted.
    This garnered a chuckle from Mimi just as Alexandria and Prescott entered the salon. Princess’s eyes popped wide open when she saw him. Guess she didn’t know he’d arrived. And he took great pleasure in that.
    “I’ve never had to be explained before,
Princess
, morning or night.”
    Sam came face-to-face with eyes burning with anger. She was almost shaking. For some reason he enjoyed goading her. Princess started rubbing her hand against her leg, balling it into a fist and he knew what she wanted to do. Oh, why not the devil sitting on his shoulder egged him on.
    “Go ahead, Princess.”
    Alexandria looked over at Mimi who shook her head slightly and smiled. Then she turned to her father for help.
    “Daddy, please—”
    Prescott’s cellphone rang and his forefinger went up to silence Princess. Like father like daughter.
    “Excuse me. Hello? No, Colin, that’s not acceptable,” he said and left the room. “Bring everyone back to the table. I’m not putting up any more money. That company is not worth the dirt it’s standing on,” Prescott’s voice drifted from the hall. “Mimi, bring my breakfast into my study.”
    “I’ll be right there.” Mimi followed after Prescott.
    There was a look on Alexandria’s face when her father left the room. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it but he was leaning toward disappointment. Princess didn’t really have daddy wrapped around her fingers after all. She still wanted daddy’s approval, in fact, required daddy’s approval. Interesting.
    “Okay,
Princess
.”
    “Don’t call me that.” She sprung around, glaring at him as if she couldn’t stand breathing the same air with him. And, yeah, it ticked him off. Again.
    “Why? That’s what your daddy calls you.”
    “He means it as a term of affection. You don’t.”
    “You’re a spoiled brat who probably hasn’t worked a day in your life, living off daddy’s fortune.”
    “You self-righteous bastard,” she