I blink a few times, trying to make the world around me stop spinning. Tilting my head up, I look into the eyes of my new bodyguard. A kaleidoscope of colors greets me, shades of green and brown holding me captive. I notice a scar running through his left eyebrow, making him look fierce and in control. However, I see a surprising amount of tenderness behind his gaze.
The man is a giant, taller than anyone I’ve ever met. His rippling muscles stretch out his button-up shirt, which I notice for the first time is a khaki color that matches his pants. My eyes catch on the myriad of pins and patches decorating the left side of his shirt. I don’t know much about military ranks and branches, but I assume all the bling means he’s done some admirable things during his time serving his country.
I’m surprised that my dad knows someone in the military. I’m also surprised that my father knows anyone so handsome. Okay, that’s a massive understatement. The man towering over me and offering his hand is scorching. He’s the hottest personI’ve ever seen outside of a movie screen. Actually, scratch that. He knocks every celebrity out of the water, and I just know he has an eight-pack hiding underneath his uniform.
“You’re safe,” he tells me again, softer this time. He holds his hand steady, and his eyes lock on mine, never wavering in their intensity.
I nibble my bottom lip and consider my options, which are pretty much zero. Taking a fortifying breath, I slip my hand in his, the warmth of his skin against mine causing me to shudder. My sinfully sexy bodyguard pulls me to my feet, and I sway slightly as my head throbs. I can hear the blood rushing in my ears with each frantic beat of my heart. The man never lets go of my hand, nor does he look away. His free hand gently rests on my hip, studying me even further.
“I’ve got you,” he whispers, the genuine look in his hazel eyes, urging me to trust him all the more.
Against my better judgment, I lean into his chest, resting my head over his steadily beating heart. He freezes at first, and I worry I crossed the line. Before I can doubt myself further, my bodyguard engulfs me in the warmest, most grounding hug I’ve ever received.
He crushes my body against the solid slabs of his muscles, his hands running up and down my back in gentle, steady strokes. I bury my nose into his shirt, breathing in his earthy pine scent. I can’t remember the last time I felt so safe. He’s the exact opposite of my dad and his friends, which begs the question…
“How do you know my dad?”
The man tenses slightly, then untangles himself from me and takes a step back. A chill runs through me without his warm, comforting presence, and I wrap my arms around my torso to try to make up the deficit.
“We have a mutual friend.” His eyes dart to the left as he gives his explanation, which is the first time he’s looked away from me.
I narrow my gaze in suspicion, sensing that something is off. However, I don’t know enough about my dad and his extracurricular activities to call him out on it. Plus, there’s no denying that the man standing in front of me has shown me more kindness than I’ve been offered in a long damn time.
“Did my father tell you the situation?” I ask, studying his reaction. Without hesitation, he nods, which gives me a little more confidence.
“He did, but I would like to hear it from your point of view.”
Damn him. That's the perfect answer without giving anything away on his part. Still, at the end of the day, he saved me from two men who wanted to do me harm. I’m not sure what they had planned for me, but I know that I would rather be here with this man than going through whatever torture I could be enduring right now.
I nod and let out a heavy sigh before rubbing my temples to try and clear my head. I wince at the pressure, then drop my hands and close my eyes, feeling both overwhelmed and completely, utterly drained of strength. When I open them again, hazel eyes meet mine, silently encouraging me to go on.
“Well… To be honest, I don’t have a lot of information. All I know is that my dad got mixed up in something bad, which I’m sure is no surprise to you.” I roll my eyes, but he doesn’t seem to acknowledge the jab at my father. Maybe he doesn’t really know him, and he’s doing this as a favor for their “mutual friend.”
“And now they’re after you, too.“ He’s right, of course, but that doesn’t mean he is who he says he is. Anyone could draw that conclusion from what I just said.
“It was just an email,“ I say softly. “A stupid email that I almost didn’t even tell my dad about. All it said wastell yourfather we know how to find you. When I called my dad to report the strange email, he became completely paranoid and wouldn’t even talk to me over the phone. He said I had to come in person.”
My bodyguard has had the same stoic expression throughout my entire story. It almost looks like he’s bored, but I can tell he’s logging every detail. I don’t think anyone has ever listened to me this intently.
“When I got to his house, he still didn’t give much away. His paranoia was at an all-time high, and he looked genuinely, truly afraid.” I stare into the distance, my vision unfocused as I remember the fear emanating from my father. “I’ve never seen him like that before. He stuttered out something aboutthemand howtheycan’t do this, and then he ended his fear-fueled rant by telling me he’s leaving for a bit and he won’t be able to contact me.”
My new bodyguard crosses his arms and nods to himself once as if confirming a plan in his mind. “First, we’ll go to your place, and I’ll perform a security check. After doing a sweep of the perimeter, checking for recording devices and weak spots in security…“
His words jumble together, the information too much to process at the moment. My pulse pounds against my head, each beat of my heart sending excruciating pain ricocheting around my skull. I take a ragged breath, struggling against the heavy, uncomfortable weight sitting there.
“New plan,” he says with all the authority of a military man. “We’re getting you checked out at the hospital. In fact, I should’ve taken you there first.” He says something under his breath that sounds like he’s scolding himself.
“No, that’s okay,” I rushed to say. “Really, I’m fine. Just a headache and a bit of a scare. That’s all.”
“I’m not messing around with your health. I’m here to protect you, all of you.“
Why does that sound more like a wedding vow than a statement from my bodyguard?
I look away from him, embarrassment flooding through me and turning my cheeks red. “I don’t have health insurance,” I whisper.
“What?”
I let out a frustrated sigh, trying to cover up my shame. “I don’t have health insurance,” I say again, louder this time. “And I really can’t afford a medical bill right now.“
