Guarding Cindy (Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

by Paige, Victoria

  Too bad Mr. Stockman wasn’t around to defend Izabel. “Whether it’s personal or not, Izabel and her people deserve a break.”

  “I take it you’re including yourself in that statement,” Bose sneered.

  “Well, we did work past eight last night,” Cindy pointed out. The members of another project team hurriedly left the room, but the employees who worked under Izabel remained.

  Her friend touched her arm. “I got this, Cin.” Turning to Bose, Izabel said, “I think bickering about our time is petty. My team puts a lot of effort in meeting deadlines, some of them are not even entitled to overtime, but they don’t complain because they love what they do. I’m giving them the rest of the afternoon off and if you have a problem with that, take it up with Mr. Stockman.”

  “Stockman is on a damned vacation.”

  “We’re done here,” Izabel clipped and spun on her heel. “Come on, Cindy.”

  “This isn’t over,” Bose said under his breath, his face turning beet red. He’d be giving himself a heart attack if he didn’t simmer down.

  Izabel strutted out of the room, the rest of her team filing in behind their boss while Cindy brought up the rear.

  She caught Rebecca scowling at her and she arched a brow at the other woman.

  Bring it.

  In the reception area separating the wings of the company, Izabel told her staff to take the afternoon off and nodded for Cindy to meet her in the office.

  When she closed the door, her friend’s Latina temper erupted.

  “Oh my God, what an asshole!” Izabel fumed.

  In spite of her own outrage of Bose’s nitpicking their hours, Cindy had to grin.

  “What are you smiling at,” Izabel snapped. “You started it.”

  Cindy crossed her arms. “And I know you weren’t going to take it sitting down. That moron had it coming.”

  “I don’t want us to get in trouble.”

  “He can hardly fire you. You’re involved in several projects.”

  “I’m thinking about you, Cin,” Izabel mumbled. “I probably should’ve dragged you out of the room. What’s two more hours?”

  Cindy sighed. “That man raises hell every time Mr. Stockman is not in the office. I’m tired of him acting like a jerk because he wanted the company to pull its support of a project you spearheaded.”

  “He’s been a pain in the butt for years.”

  “Because people let him get away with it.”

  Cindy’s ringtone chirped. She pulled out her phone and saw the unknown caller again.

  “Still getting them?” Izabel asked.

  “Yes, it’s beginning to piss me off.” Cindy picked up the call. “Hello.”

  Static … and maybe breathing?

  There was a rap on Izabel’s door, startling them. Cindy walked over to the window while her friend opened the door to her husband, Drake.

  Waving to him before turning back to the window, she whispered into the phone. “Listen, pal, either say something or hang up.”

  Three beeps sounded in her ear and the call dropped.

  “Motherfucker!” Cindy growled.

  “Someone giving you trouble?” A familiar, deep male voice, a voice not belonging to Drake, spoke behind her.

  Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and something low in her belly flipped as she turned toward the imposing, rangy figure that blocked her view of the room.

  Marcus Harrelson.

  She always remembered him with heartbreak in his eyes, but at that moment, all she saw was concern for her.

  Her belly flipped again.

  Before Cindy could squeak out his name, he was beside her, dragging her straight into a tight hug.

  “Cin, it’s been a while,” he murmured by her ear.

  “Marcus,” she croaked. “Good to see you too.”

  He leaned back and his eyes scanned her face. “Now what’s going on?”

  Izabel answered for her, seeing she was still tongue-tied. “She has a stalker.”

  Marcus’s body tensed. “A stalker?”

  “She’s exaggerating.” Cindy finally found her voice, however acutely aware that his hands were warm on her shoulders, sending tingling sensations down her body. “I’ve been getting anonymous calls.”

  “And you answer them?” Drake stepped forward, his arms around Izabel.

  Cindy shrugged. “I have no choice given what I do. It could be a supplier, a client, something to do with a project. I’ve tried tracing it, but have had no luck. The police wouldn’t do anything without more information. They think it could be prank calls because they are so common recently.” Not to mention all the telemarketing and scam calls.

  “This is bordering more on harassment,” Marcus said. “Are you still using that dating website?”

  His question soured her initial exhilaration at seeing him. It sounded judgy, but maybe she was being too sensitive. Cindy pulled back, and after a slight tightening of his grip, it loosened as she stepped away.

  “I still need to do groceries if we’re gonna get this meal prep done,” she informed Izabel, changing the subject. “Should I just meet you at your place?”

  With a new baby, coupled with her return to work after the maternity leave, Izabel was struggling to balance home and work life. Cindy offered to cook and package two weeks’ worth of meals for her friend. Izabel jumped at the chance, but only if she paid Cindy for her time. She had no intention of accepting the money, but arguing would get them nowhere.

  She could feel the burn of Marcus’s eyes against her face, but she refused to look at him.

  “I’ll go with you,” the man in question told her.

  Exhaling in a huff, she scowled at Marcus. “Don’t you have someplace to go? Someone to guard?”

  He and Drake started a security business a year ago. From what Izabel told her, business was good. Something to do with executive protection and home security.

  “I’m in management,” Marcus replied. “But I can make an exception.”

  “No, thanks.”

  Izabel covered her mouth, hiding a grin. Cindy turned her glare on her. “Tell me you didn’t do this.”

  “I swear I have nothing to do with it.” Her friend laughed. “You’re the one caught red-handed answering a harassment call. The men have killer instincts when it comes to being protective.” She split a look between them. “And, Marcus, stop teasing Cin.”

  “I’m actually serious,” he replied and held an arm out toward the door. “You’ve earned yourself a bodyguard.”

  “What? I don’t need one and I can’t afford you.”

  “Who says I’m charging you?” Marcus shot a look at Drake. “Are we charging her?”

  Drake shrugged. “First I’ve heard of it.”

  “See? No charge. Just a favor between friends.”

  “I wasn’t asking for a favor.” Cindy’s Southern accent slipped out.

  A smile tugged at the corners of Marcus’s mouth. “There’s that accent I love. Let’s get going, sugar.” His smooth Texas drawl cloaked over her like warm maple syrup, that not surprisingly, made her weak in the knees. Damn him.

  By this time, Izabel was bent over laughing.

  Traitor. Some help she was.

  “It’s useless putting up a fight,” her friend laughed. “Marcus is every bit as overbearing as Drake.”

  Both men protested at being compared to the other.

  Knowing she was fighting a losing battle, Cindy gave an annoyed huff and marched to the door. She had no time to argue if she wanted to feed the Maddox family. “Fine. But it doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to this.”

  Marcus’s answer was muffled by the sound of her twisting the knob and yanking the door open, but she swore it sounded like … We’ll see about that.

  When she got to her desk, Cindy groaned when she saw Rebecca heading her way. But she needn’t have worried that she was in her business. The woman’s entire focus was on the man standing beside her table.

  “Marcus! Wh
en did you get back?”

  She tried not to gnash her teeth as Rebecca’s cloying perfume wafted by her as the woman threw herself into Marcus’s arms. Cindy avoided looking at them and pretended to check for items in her drawer while her laptop took forever to turn off—annoyingly deciding to install some updates on shutdown.

  “Just today.”

  “Are you staying for good?”

  “Depends.” Why did she feel that his eyes were on her when he said that?

  “How about some drinks?”

  “Sorry, but Cindy’s got me all weekend.”

  Uh, what?

  Her head whipped around, eyes sweeping over Rebecca’s petulant face before resting on Marcus’s intent regard.

  “I told you I was fine. They’re just prank calls.”

  “Oh, sweetie. I told you, you leave too many broken hearts in your wake,” Rebecca said with grating sympathy. She turned to Marcus. “I’m sure they are harmless.” She reached out and pinched his bicep. “No need for a macho bodyguard.”

  Marcus clenched his jaw and moved closer to Cindy. If she were to hazard a guess, he didn’t like Rebecca touching him, although she’d admit to herself that Rebecca’s red hair and her 1950s screen goddess proportions perfectly matched Marcus’s tall, all-American, blue-eyed, good looks.

  “I’ll decide what’s harmless or not.” Addressing Cindy, he asked, “Ready?”

  Her computer was still installing updates. “Another fifty percent.”

  Marcus perched on her desk. “You’re still using that dinosaur? You should ask Izzy for a new laptop.”

  “I have my MacBook at home. I’m good.” Her eyes caught movement in the hallway. Keith Barrows, one of their IT guys, paused mid-walk as if unsure to approach.

  “Keith, did you need something?” Fresh out of a technology college, he was whip-smart when it came to computers. Unfortunately, he was socially challenged and she imagined he preferred the company of a gaming console than people. It also didn’t help that the other guys in the IT department made fun of his weight and the cowlick at the top of his head.

  “We need to upgrade the imaging software on your laptop.”

  “Oh, yeah right. Can we do it Monday? I just shut it down.”

  Keith hesitated, and then said. “Sure.” He made to turn away.

  “Keith!” Cindy called. When he looked at her, she asked, “Do you need to have it done today?”

  He pursed his lips. “Yes. The vendor has identified that lower versions of the imaging software is causing the database to crash.”

  “I don’t need my laptop this weekend,” Cindy said. “You can take it with you.”

  “You sure, Ms. Lake?”

  “I’m sure,” she replied. “You’re saving me from waiting for the darn updates to finish.”

  Keith smiled as Cindy practically shoved her laptop to him. “Also, thanks again for your help this morning. You saved my ass when you fixed the projector.”

  “It’s my responsibility.”

  “You’re doing a stellar job.” Cindy smiled at the tech guy who blushed to the roots of his red hair. Poor guy.

  When Keith disappeared around the corner, she turned to look at the two people by her desk.

  Marcus wore a contemplative expression while there was a malicious glint in the redhead’s eyes she didn’t like one bit.

  “You shouldn’t be too nice to geek boy,” Rebecca purred. “Seems like he’s crushing on you.”

  “He’s just shy, that’s all.” Cindy turned to Marcus. “Well, I’m ready.”

  Her self-appointed bodyguard straightened from his perch. “How long has he been working here? Wasn’t when I used to work here.”

  “Just six months.”

  “Maybe he’s your secret caller.” Why was Rebecca still here?

  “Rebecca, isn’t it enough that the guys in IT are giving Keith a hard time?”

  “And you’re the only one who’s nice to him.”

  Cindy slung her purse on her shoulder and gathered her folders which Marcus took from her. “Well, that isn’t changing anytime soon. Good-bye.”

  The redhead was interrupted from replying when Izabel’s office door opened and she and Drake stepped out.

  “You and Marcus are still here?” Izzy asked.

  “I thought you were rushing to an appointment?” Rebecca said.

  “My laptop was taking forever to shut down.” Cindy started walking away. “Let’s go Izzy. You don’t want to miss that appointment.”

  She glanced up at Marcus. “We’re taking my car. I’m not leaving it here so you can play bodyguard.”

  “I rode with Drake, so yeah.”

  “I’m driving.”

  “Whatever you say, sugar.”

  “Stop calling me that. Why have you started calling me that?” She punched the elevator button and glared at him.

  His warm gaze and that hint of a smile did funny things to the center of her chest. “Trying to figure it out myself.”

  “Figure out what?” Izzy caught up with them.

  “Nothing,” Marcus and Cindy replied in unison.

  “Oh, boy,” Drake muttered.

  Chapter 3

  Cindy Lake.

  She was as gorgeous as Marcus remembered. He stole glances her way while they navigated Interstate 64 in her Toyota Hybrid SUV. He also knew she had a crush on him, and it was unfair of him to play on that crush. Marcus didn’t know what had gotten over him. Why he started calling her sugar. He’d always found Cindy attractive, but he’d been at a bad place in his life when he worked in the security department at Stockman and Bose.

  “If you don’t stop looking at me, we’re going to get into a crash.” Cindy shot him a side-eye.

  “Sorry. Can’t blame a man for admiring you.”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why now?” She changed lanes to the middle one, glancing over him while moving to the right most lane.

  “I’ve always admired you, Cindy. And before you ask in what capacity, it was as a friend. But that was then. I wasn’t capable of pursuing more than friendship.”

  He’d been a recovering alcoholic, and yet he doubted if he’d ever been one at all. Nowadays, Marcus could drink moderately—a no-no for alcoholics. It was guilt that drove him to binge-drink, but he’d worked through that guilt in the past year with a therapist.

  “I’m not sure what you mean.” He watched her fingers tighten on the steering wheel.

  “Let’s talk later.”

  “I’m not looking for a relationship right now.”

  “Later, Cin.” Panic emanated from her pores and with it was something else—sexual tension. This surprised and pleased him.

  “I’m just saying,” she groused as she guided the SUV to the exit.

  “I heard you,” he murmured.

  They arrived at the local Kroger. Marcus grabbed a cart and followed Cindy around the store. As she checked the produce section, he scanned the surroundings. Was he coming back to Virginia Beach for good? After the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing following the Exetron Oil mess, he and Drake were approached by the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit to help them develop a profile for jihadist indoctrination. Marcus stayed in DC, making the trip to Quantico as needed to help with the effort, as well as get a pulse of the security industry. Drake returned to Virginia Beach to start their joint venture of M & H Security.

  Cindy threw bunches of broccoli into the cart, followed by green onions and mushrooms.

  “What are you cooking?”

  “Beef stir-fry, lasagna, and chicken salad.” Cindy inspected several apples before putting them beside the vegetables and moved ahead.

  “You should open a catering business.” Marcus rolled the cart behind her.

  “It’s not that easy. And I think I like this better as a hobby than a business.” She put a bag under the bin of walnuts and pulled the lever. “I heard that happens a lot.”

  “When you turn a hobby into a bus
iness?”

  She angled her eyes at him. “Yup. The fun goes out of it.”

  “Do you like being a PA right now?”

  “Yes.” Cindy laughed, looping a label wire over the plastic. “As long as Izabel stays as my boss.”

  Damn, she’s beautiful when her face lights up like that.

  Marcus chuckled. “And as long as you don’t provoke that Latina temper.”

  “True that.”

  They made their way to the pasta sauces.

  “I’m surprised you don’t make your own marinara.” Marcus eyed the bottle in Cindy’s hand.

  “No time. Plus, I want it to be doable for Izzy. The whole point of this meal planning exercise is for her to do it on her own. Given a choice between store-bought and semi-homemade, I’d go with the latter one.”

  His phone buzzed in his pocket. Fishing it out, he checked the text from Maddox.

  “Drake wants you to add four New York strips to the list.”

  “What? We’re not having stir-fry tonight?”

  “Nope. We’re web-conferencing with Tex at six. He didn’t want to rush you with your prep. Have you met him?”

  “Tex?” Cindy shook her head. “No, but Izzy talks about him all the time. What’s he helping you guys with?”

  “Getting our home-security department set up.”

  Her head reared back. “Why get into that business? I thought it was saturated and companies are consolidating.”

  “Let’s just say we’re kinda anal when it comes to the security of our clients.”

  “Trust it to no one but you, huh?”

  “Yep.”

  “So, I should feel pretty special since you’re my own personal bodyguard?”

  “You should.”

  Cindy gave a wry smile as a blush stole up her cheeks. Marcus had the odd desire to kiss her bow-shaped lips.

  But not yet.

  The decision to pursue her never crystallized until that moment when he saw her again. Did she even want a man with his kind of baggage, not to mention one who was sixteen years her senior? Now that she was thirty, would that age-gap even matter?

  Marcus hoped not, but he still owed her reassurances that he was emotionally ready to take on a relationship.