Her Bodyguard: A BBW Billionairess Romance (8 page)

Awesome. Just frickin’ awesome. She had to go and fall for the British G.I. Joe. How in the world would that even work? He wasn’t going to stick around just because she was cute. Granted, she was, but he had the whole world blowing up out there to go save. That sounded a heck of a lot more fun than sitting around playing babysitter to her. It was just as well. She was a busy woman. Too busy for a relationship anyway.

“When he’s done with his job, or as he calls it, favor for you, is he leaving to go back to England?”

Tom shook his head. “I don’t know. He’s a freelancer, and with his kind of training and experience, people pay top money for him. I was lucky to catch him between jobs and in a good mood, but I was prepared to blow the budget to get him here.” He chuckled. “As it was, I had to pull the pity card. Low blow, huh?”

“No way. You did what you felt was necessary, Tom.” She smiled. “I have to admit you were right. At least now I feel like we’ve done something to help things on our end.” She didn’t want to think of Andrew leaving, but he would. Soon. How many more times would she have to kick him in the balls before he felt she did a good enough job? “I’m sure he’s got a lot coming up. We’re doing good here. You’ve changed up our entire system. Things will be fine once he leaves.”

She might not be so fine, but what the heck? Nobody told her to like the annoying, pushy, sexy jerk. So what that he had a great body and could fuck like porn star? They were different people. He was an adventurer, and she was boring. She’d never be able to compete with all the excitement in his life. She guessed she’d just have to enjoy the sex while she had it. Her emotions would have to take a backseat. Figuring those out without turning into a crybaby was going to be hard. Already she felt things for him that she shouldn’t. He wasn’t just good at his job; he was a good man. That made things even harder for her. Why couldn’t he just be a good lay? At least then she’d have reasons to not want to see him again once he left. Stupid honor and shit.

“So what do you have planned for us next? You’re doing a great job with things. I guess he can go soon, huh?”

“Soon, yeah.” Tom crossed his arms over his chest, his brow furrowed. “I’d rather we could keep him here permanently. There’s no price on that kind of firepower in our armory, but he’s put some robust measures in place.” He smiled a little. “And I guess former Special Forces bodyguards on the payroll are a little excessive. I just... Your family wigs me out. I never could shake the feeling they were going to try something, but I guess if they haven’t by now, they’re never going to.”

He sighed and shrugged his shoulders, like he was shaking the bad feeling off. “Anyway, we should hop to it. You have a meeting over at Carillon, Inc. this afternoon, don’t you?”

Chapter Six

Amy carried her bag in one hand and held her cell phone up to her ear with the other.

“Hey, Mercedes. What’s going on?”

“Hi, Amy. I wanted to ask what you’re up to. Feels like I don’t see you lately.”

“Ah, well. Right now I’m about leave Carrillon. I was here for a meeting. Sorry it’s been so long, but my bodyguard has been teaching me some self-defense so it’s taking up a lot of my time.”

“Is it working?” Mercedes asked with interest.

“I kicked his ass, so I’d say that’s a yes.”

“We should get together soon, prima.”

“Yeah. I’ll set something up soon. Promise.”

“Well, let me let you go. I’m sure you have a lot more interesting things going on than talking to me. Adios, Amy.” She said, hanging up again before Amy got to say anything.

Amy followed behind her escort from the Carrillon building. The bodyguard appointed by Drew should be inside the car, playing the role of her driver. The Carrillon chief of staff had assured her that their security was top notch and had greeted her with four guards to escort her up to the meeting. Now, only the chief of staff led her back to the car. She should be focused on the contract in her bag. She’d nailed it and gotten everything she wanted. Instead of being happy, though, she couldn’t stop thinking about Drew.

Four of the Carrillon security guards headed to meet them at the garage, the silent, grim-faced men a reassuring presence. She snuck a glance or two at them, but they avoided her gaze. Odd. A small prickle of unease lifted the hairs at the back of her neck. But that was stupid. She was safe here, surely? No way would anyone get through the Carrillon group’s security.

But they weren’t Drew. She didn’t know these men. They could be anyone, and, as Drew had pointed out, men could be bought.

All hell broke loose. The air erupted into a blaze of noise and bullets as two of the guards coming toward them started shooting. At them. She managed a gasp and ducked instinctively. What the hell? Her panicked gaze scanned around. The car was still too far away for her to make a run for it, and they were too far from the door to head back that way. There was no cover, nowhere for her to hide. The chief of staff shoved her in front of him. She didn’t get a chance to be outraged. He ran back the way they’d come, leaving her to fight the fake guards on her own.

Her driver was under fire from the other two guys, shooting back at them from behind the car door. No help there. Shit. Fighting down her panic, she looked at the two men approaching her. They wore grey suits like the rest of the Carrillon security team, but their expressions were hard and unforgiving.

“Oh my god, no. Please,” she wailed as they approached, overacting her panic. Inside though, a strange calm settled over her. She’d gone through scenarios like this with Drew—everything from being taken in the parking lot to a kidnapper in her own bedroom. She knew what to do. She could do this.

“Grab her and let’s go.” The one on the left grunted, still aiming at the door the useless chief of staff had disappeared through. The other locked his gaze on her and approached. She backed up, hands out to fend him off as she let tears stream down her face. Tears were good; they were less likely to think of her as a threat. The longer she could make this play out, the better.

“Come here, bitch,” the guy snapped, reaching out to grab her wrists.

She twisted them, staying just out of reach, but managed to stumble toward him. As soon as her body made contact, she jerked and brought her knee up sharply, just as Drew had taught her. It connected with his groin, and he grunted, folding over in half. Body working on automatic, she slammed her knee up again, right into his face. Something cracked, and warm wetness exploded over her leg. Oh, ew. Not waiting to find out what it was, she ran for it, heading toward the car.

She didn’t get far. The other guy grabbed her by the hair, yanking her to a harsh stop. Dammit! She should have tied her hair up. She tried to fight the guy at her back, but he was clearly smarter than the last guy. He kept his crotch far enough that she couldn’t kick back at him.

“Fucking bitch,” he hissed, yanking her up hard by her hair. “You’ll pay for that.”

Before she could answer, a van screeched around the corner to a halt in front of them. She moaned in fear as the door opened and she was bundled in. Her two assailants clambered in after her, the one she’d kneed alternately rubbing his crotch and wiping blood off his face from the nose she’d obvious broken. His eyes, already displaying black bruises beneath them, glittered malevolently.

He leaned forward, “When my boss has what she needs, bitch, you’re all mine.”

“Fuck you, asshole,” she snarled back, glaring at him so she wouldn’t show how shit-scared she actually was. Assholes like this were like dogs. One hint of fear and that would be it.

And that was so not happening.

***

Drew looked up as Tom walked into the office. From the foreboding look on the guy’s face, Drew knew he was about to get the hands-off talk he’d been expecting ever since Tom had caught them in the gym the other day. Luckily, the way they’d been angled from the door, Tom hadn’t seen Amanda’s lips wrapped around his cock. He had no doubt that if Tom had, they’d have been having this conversation with fists. It wouldn’t be a long conversation, but it would be with fists.

“Afternoon. You alright, mate?” Drew asked, by way of greeting, his attention between Tom and the crackle of the radio bud in his ear. He’d brought in a new team to replace Tom’s rent-a-cops, all ex-forces veterans with the kind of training he wanted surrounding Amanda. He still didn’t think it was enough. Hell, an
army
wouldn’t be enough. He wanted to lock her up so she was safe from all threats.
And no other man could look at that luscious ass of hers
, the little voice in the back of his head added. He ignored it. Being possessive over a woman that way lead to one thing...and he so was not even thinking the ‘L’ word.

“I’ve been talking to Amy.”

“She talks a lot.” Drew’s answer was non-committal. The chatter in his ear was minimal and professional as his team waited for Amanda to finish her meeting. They’d researched her exit routine until the guys could do it in their sleep, and Drew had tested all of them personally.

Tom raised a brow. “She’s not talking my ear off about lingerie shopping, if that’s what you mean. She was asking about your family. And if you’re going back after this job.” He folded his arms over his chest. “She denied it, but I’m starting to think she’s got some feelings for you. What do you think?”

Shit. That’s what he’d been worried about. Drew schooled his initial reaction, and instead of freezing, he shrugged one shoulder.

“I would say that’s a bad idea. I’m not the cuddly type, am I?” He snorted, flicking a glance at the screens on the desk. They showed the different entrance and exit points for the building. “The soldier and the billionairess doesn’t exactly work does it? This isn’t the movies.”

Tom placed his palms flat on the desk, leaning in to stare him down. “I don’t care how it ‘works.’ She’s not the kind of person you hurt because you got your rocks off and are ready to move on. We go way back, man, and I owe you my life, but I won’t let you break her heart. She’s too special.”

Drew blinked. Something in Tom’s voice prickled at him. “You’re in love with her.”

“Don’t be stupid. She’s like a sister to me. Would you want someone to break your sister’s heart?”

“I’d break the bastard’s legs if he did.” He and his brother had actually threatened to do that to one of their sister’s boyfriends once. Before they’d both gone into the services.

Tom nodded. “So you understand where I’m coming from? Amy needs someone who’s going to be there for her, who’s going to make her his priority. Not someone who will put her off to the side for a job.”

Drew’s lip quirked. “Or I get my legs broken?”

“Glad we understand each other.”

Drew nodded, his attention on the screens as the silence stretched out between them. Amanda was due to finish her meeting soon, but from the chatter of the team on her car, there was no sight of her. He flicked a glance at the time. Odd.

“So, if I was considering getting out of the game… Settling down, perhaps with a curvy CEO... Would you still break my legs?”

A smile broke over Tom’s face. “Never thought I’d see the day. I don’t think Amy would let me live it down if you stayed here with broken legs. Maybe bust up that ugly mug of yours some more.”

Drew slid him a sideways smile. “You and whose army, mate?”

Tom opened his mouth to retort, but Drew held up his hand as the bud in his ear exploded with sound. Men shouting. What sounded like gunshots.

“Shit,” he exclaimed, out of his seat and heading for the door in a heartbeat. “Saddle up, someone just hit the Carillon building.”

***

“You bugged Amanda?” Tom blinked in surprise, sliding Drew a sideways glance as he gunned the car through the busy city streets.

“Yeah, several times.” Drew frowned as he checked his phone; the GPS was active, and the blip onscreen should be where they were holding Amy. Panic rolled in the back of his mind, but he kept it locked down, nice and tight. Mission first, emotions later. “Looks like they got most of the bugs. There’s only one still active. Pull up here. We need to approach on foot.”

Tom slowed down, pulling the vehicle to a stop behind what looked like an abandoned warehouse. “Just one. Where the hell did you put that?”

“You really want to know?” Drew slid him a sideways look before shoving the door open and climbing out. “I bugged everything. Figured if they took her they’d ditch most of her belongings.”

“Yeah, the police picked up her briefcase and purse a couple of streets away from the Carillon building.” Tom paused, looking at him directly over the roof of the car as Drew hauled the back door open to grab his kitbag. “Please tell me you didn’t bug her underwear?”

“That’s for me to know and you to never find out.” Drew concentrated on the bag, ripping it open to access the contents. He pulled free a tactical vest and slid it on. Lightweight but hardy, it wouldn’t hamper his movements but would give him the extra storage he needed.

He reached for an assault rifle and slung it across his body before adding a pistol in a holster and another one in the back of his waistband. Not the safest, but he didn’t intend to slow down to reload. He was going in balls out, death-or-glory style. Taking no prisoners.

“Tom. Load up,” he ordered. “I’m gonna need some cover, but make sure you stay out of the line of fire. Got it?”

Tom looked pale but nodded, his lips compressed into a thin line as he selected weaponry from the back of the car. Drew had loaded everything he had, just in case, so there was more than enough to choose from. Drew glanced up from checking his primary weapon and assessed the guy’s condition as Tom joined him at the front of the car. Tom had obviously kept himself in shape since they’d served together, but it wasn’t the hardened muscle of a professional soldier anymore. He’d have to go light on the guy.

“Let’s go. First right, it’s the building at the end of the row. We’ll duck around the back, case the place out. Then we hit it before they can move her. As soon as I’m in, guide the rest of the team in, then hit the front of the building. Okay?”