Arabella thought it was just awful. And she truly respected what her mother and the others in the Senate were trying to do to protect the public from hyena terrorism. But she wasn't going to let it stand in the way of finding love. And she wasn't going to let her secret stand in her way either. She was done being in the dark and she was done being alone.
The first matches loaded, and she saw that she had a 75% match. An 82% match. The percentage of the matches grew as she scrolled up the screen. An 87% match. A 93% match. And then she saw it. The hundred percent match. A man named Burly Bear. With bright blue eyes and a big smile. He had to be one of the largest men Arabella had ever seen in her life and her eyes went wide at the sight of his full profile. She hadn't uploaded a photo of herself, wishing to remain anonymous as a world-famous rock star on a dating app. But as she gazed at Burly Bear's eyes, she didn't feel scared anymore.
Something in his eyes told her that he would always protect her, that he would understand, that she could trust him with her deepest secrets. She was about to put down the phone to go back to her practice session when it dinged with a new text message from mate.com. Her heart fluttered in her chest with excitement.
"Hi, Songbird, I'm Burly Bear, your mate. I'm so happy we've been matched.”
Chapter 3
Titus couldn't believe that it was really happening. After all these years, he'd finally been matched with his fated mate. He stared at his phone for long moments, unable to fully comprehend what was happening. She hadn't uploaded a profile picture and her profile was only partially filled out. But there it was in black and white. A woman who went by the name Songbird was his fated mate.
Mate.com didn't make mistakes. And if the website said that they were meant to be, he knew that it was true. He gulped and his finger hovered over the ‘message now’ button on the app. He had so many questions, so many hopes and dreams waiting to be fulfilled. He felt like this was the first day of the rest of his life.
"Hi, Songbird, I'm Burly Bear, your mate. I'm so happy we’ve been matched.”
He waited, his heart pounding in his chest. What if she didn't respond. What if she didn't want to meet him. Everything he'd been hoping for and waiting for all this time would never happen. But then his phone buzzed, and a message came up on the screen.
“I'm happy to be matched too, Burly Bear," the message said.
His heart leapt and he was so excited he didn't quite know how to respond. “I've been waiting for so long to find you, it's hard to believe that it's happening.”
"I know how you feel," she said.
Something told him that she really did. He didn't know how, but he just knew that Songbird would understand him. He wanted to meet her more than anything he'd ever wanted in his life. And he could barely contain his excitement.
“Why didn't you include a profile picture?” he asked her.
“I'm a secret agent and I have to stay anonymous," she said.
He laughed out loud when he read that. As members of a clandestine military operation, it wasn't easy for any of the guys in the Justice Squad to be totally honest about their work.
“Your secret's safe with me," he said with a wink emoji. “Can we talk on the phone?"
“Sure, I don't see what it could hurt. I’ll call you in two hours. I have some secret spy stuff to do right now.”
He gave her his number and two hours later, his phone rang. His face burned and his heart buzzed with excitement.
“Hi, Burly Bear," she said.
She had the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard. He felt like he'd heard it somewhere before but had no idea how to place it.
They talked all night and into the morning, when she finally said she was tired and needed to go to bed. He grabbed a few hours of sleep before his phone rang again, this time from his CO Hawk.
"I need you over at my place for a debriefing. I've got a job for you."
When he arrived at Hawk’s, he found his CO waiting for him at the door. They slipped inside and through Hawk’s house and into the secret office behind a bookcase. He sat down at a table in front of a massive computer screen. A beautiful woman who he recognized as Senator Fernandez was before him.
"Titus Sawyer," she said. “We have a special mission for you. My daughter Arabella Fernandez is a popular singer who is currently on a national tour. I am going to be introducing a bill to the Senate that will increase the security protocols for hyena shifters. And there is sure to be backlash. My daughter is stubborn and refuses to call off her tour. So we need someone with your expertise to protect her.”
Pictures of Arabella Fernandez filled the screen. When he saw her face, his heart leapt, and his inner bear growled. He didn't know why he was so attracted to the pretty young singer. Especially since he had spent the whole night talking to his fated mate. He tried unsuccessfully to suppress the guilt rising in his chest while he listened to the rest of the senator's instructions.
"Her act is going to be coming into Denver in the next few days and that is when we would like you to join her crew. She knows you're coming and has agreed to the additional security detail. Please do everything you can to protect my daughter. She might be the most stubborn girl I've ever known, but she's also everything to me. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to her. And the hyenas know that. We can't let them use her against me in an attempt to stop this bill. The people of this country deserve security. And rogue hyena shifters shouldn't be allowed to steal it from them.”
"I'll do everything I can, ma'am," Titus said, taking his brief from Hawk.
“The safety of my daughter and the country is in your hands, Officer Sawyer. Don't let us down."
Titus returned home, feeling confounded. The photographs of Arabella Fernandez had sent his bear into a tizzy, but he had just met his mate on mate.com. Having these stirrings for another woman made him feel as if he was being disloyal to her.
Whenever he spoke to Songbird, he felt a deep flutter in his chest. He told himself that he was attracted to Arabella because he was overexcited about finding his mate, even though he hadn’t seen her picture. He had to believe she had her reasons. And he was willing to wait for her to decide when the time was right to show him. Mating with a shifter could be hard for a human. Especially with all the drama with hyenas lately.
After the Great War ended twenty-five years ago, shifters had been known far and wide as heroes, and finding a mate had been easy. But now the old suspicions had resurfaced, and it was as difficult as it had ever been for a shifter to find love.
He found his bag and began to pack, checking his guns and knives. In all his years with the Justice Squad, he had never served as a bodyguard. But with everything happening in the Senate, he understood why his services were required. The hyenas had made a real mess of things for shifters and humans alike and Titus wanted to do his part to put an end to it.
He packed up his clothing, his bulletproof vest, and his high-tech spy gear. The perks of working in a secret operation like the Squad was that when he wasn't called to duty, he lived a normal civilian life. He hadn't been called out on a mission since last Christmas when the whole squad had gone to the Caribbean to put a stop to the insidious pirate called the sea witch. Things had been quiet ever since, and he'd had time to rest and reflect on his life and what was important to him. It had become clear in that time that what he wanted more than anything was a mate and a family of his own. And now that he had found Songbird, his dreams were within reach.
He grabbed his bags and made his way downstairs to his car. He threw his stuff in the backseat and got behind the wheel. This was the first time he'd been out of Fate Rock in six months and he had to admit to himself that he'd been getting complacent. But all the work he did in the gym had kept him in top form and he should be prepared for whatever this mission had in store.
He took the Highway North toward Denver, listening to the radio along the way. The beautiful forest passed outside his window as the classic rock blared through his spe
akers. The songs about love and loss always got him a little misty-eyed. And he was grateful he could wipe the tears away without anyone seeing.
He made it to Denver by late afternoon and pulled into the parking lot of the auditorium where Arabella was playing that evening. He’d been instructed by her crew to meet her there. His heart fluttered at the idea of meeting the beautiful petite popstar. He grimaced at himself, feeling unfaithful to Songbird.
He walked into the auditorium and saw her up on the stage performing her latest hit single, ‘Love Me Tonight’. Her voice echoed through the auditorium, rising like a rocket through the air. He walked down the aisle toward the stage, his heart pounding and his mind awash with questions. The most enticing scent hit his nose, and his inner bear reared up on his hind legs, screaming, "Mate, mate, mate!”
Titus was dumbstruck. He nearly stumbled as his bear’s intense growling grew stronger. He caught himself and sat down in the front row, looking up at the beautiful tiny woman belting out her song on the stage. He had never seen anything so exquisite in all his life. She was every fantasy of beauty he had ever had. And he was so shocked by the realization that Arabella Fernandez wasn't just the daughter of a senator, she was his mate.
Chapter 4
Arabella lifted her voice on the final notes of ‘Love Me Tonight’, her voice filling the auditorium. A thrill passed through her and she smiled as she lowered the microphone. It was always the most exhilarating feeling, despite how little she related to the words of the song. Singing brought her more joy than anything else ever could.
As she looked out at the empty auditorium, her eyes locked with a burly man sitting in the front row. She nearly dropped the mic when she realized who it was. Burly Bear…
He was there, staring at her. She didn't understand what was happening. She'd never told him her name or given him any clue to her identity. What was he doing here? How did he find her? Her mind raced. Arabella grew more and more confused as the seconds ticked by. Their eyes locked. She turned off the mic and turned to her stage manager, Vanessa.
"Vanessa, who is that man? How did he get in here?"
"I believe he's your new security guard. We knew he would be arriving today. I'm sorry if he startled you. We'll get him to his post.”
"Good," she stuttered.
She had been enjoying her interactions with Burly Bear through text and on the phone, but she never expected him to show up at her rehearsal, suddenly somehow her new bodyguard. She didn't know how to respond. Vanessa was about to escort him away when he approached the stage with a look on his face that told her he was as confused as she was.
Her body was on fire with feelings she'd never had before. A warm rush of excitement ran down her spine and into her core. His body was so big and masculine, the look in his eyes so tender and passionate. When he looked her up and down with the most penetrating eyes she'd ever seen, she suddenly felt exposed in her skimpy costume. She wanted to run and hide.
“Songbird?" His voice cracked as he inched closer to the stage.
She gulped, knowing she'd been found out. "Burly Bear?"
"When they sent me on this protection detail, I never expected…"
"There must be some kind of mistake.” She was barely able to speak.
"There's no mistake. I was sent by your mother, the senator.”
"Is there a problem, Arabella?" Vanessa asked. “Should we have them send someone else?”
"No. It's fine. There's no problem." She turned to Burly Bear. "What’s your name?”
“I’m Titus Sawyer," he said, his eyes never leaving her.
"Show Mr. Sawyer around the tour and give him the rundown of his duties. I'll be in my trailer, taking a break. We’ll finish rehearsal in an hour."
Arabella hurried from the stage, her heart pounding and her body flushed with heat. She felt like such a fool. Like an immense, ridiculous fool. The heat between her legs hit her like a tropical storm. It was embarrassing and enticing and so completely unexpected.
She had no idea what to think or feel or how to behave. She'd never expected this to happen. Seeing him here like this caught her so off guard she was no longer in control of herself. Being a world-famous popstar on her second world tour meant she'd had to learn to run things, to be in control, and to know how to call the shots.
But right now, all of that experience flew out the window and she was just the scared, inexperienced virgin she was underneath all of the glitz and glamor of her career. She slammed the door of her trailer and collapsed against the door. A tear of frustration slid down her cheek and she stared at the ceiling, lost and confused.
"What's happening to me?" she said, wiping the sweat from her brow.
One look at Titus and she was completely undone. She had never had feelings like this ever before. It was unraveling the carefully constructed world she had created for herself. What was she to do now when one look from her bodyguard made her quiver like Jell-O?
She couldn't function like this. She would probably have to send him back to wherever he’d come from, just to maintain her professionalism. But that was the last thing she wanted to do. The depths of his eyes and the shape of his body gave her feelings that she wanted to explore. She wanted to feel more, she wanted to understand, she wanted to let him do things that she'd never let any man ever do to her before. No matter how much she loathed to lose her composure in front of her crew, the curiosity of her budding desire was stronger than anything.
She picked up her cellphone and sent a text to Vanessa between chugs from an ice-cold bottle of water.
"Please send my new bodyguard to my trailer. I would like to interview him."
"I'll bring him over right away."
She sat back in her chair, her heart pounding and sweat threatening to bead again on her forehead. She turned the air conditioner up to max, but the heat didn't dissipate. A few moments later there was a knock at her door.
"Come in," she croaked. She cleared her throat and spoke again, louder this time. "Come in!"
Vanessa opened the door and Titus stood beside her. Her production manager looked concerned as Arabella waved Titus inside.
"You need anything else, Arabella?" Vanessa asked.
"I'll let you know," she said.
Vanessa nodded once and closed the door behind her. They'd worked together long enough for Vanessa to know that something was wrong.
Something was definitely wrong. Arabella was having feelings she'd never had before, feelings so profound and all-consuming that she barely knew who she was.
She motioned for Titus to sit across from her at the table. He stared at her like a starving man looks at an all-you-can-eat buffet. She cleared her throat again, having the sense that she was doing the same thing to him.
"How did it happen that my new bodyguard was matched with me on a shifter dating website? Is this some kind of joke? Or a prank?"
"It's fate, Songbird," he said, his voice all choked up.
"Fate?" She laughed. "I am a world-famous popstar with millions of raving fans. I'm worth millions of dollars and my mother happens to be a well-known senator who is petitioning for tougher legislation against shifter terrorists. If I didn't know any better, I would think that I was being set up.”
"How could you think that after everything we’ve shared?" he said with genuine shock in his voice.
Arabella let out a deep sigh, feeling guilty the minute she made the suggestion. She knew Burly Bear wasn't a terrorist trying to hurt her. She didn't know how she knew, but it was as clear to her as anything ever had been. She was just so confused by the storm of emotions in her body and soul that she would say just about anything to make it stop.
"If you were sent by my mother, then I have to trust that she has vetted you adequately. I will allow you to stay on my security detail until the bill is passed and the threat is over.”
"What about us, Songbird?” he asked, and she could see the emotions in his eyes. His lip quivered when he spoke.
It broke
her heart how harsh her words had sounded, but she didn't know how to stop it. What she wanted to do was reach out and take him in her arms, hold him tight, climb on his lap and press her lips to his. The vision of it filled her mind and she dropped her water bottle on the table, spilling it across the floor.
He jumped back, avoiding the splash and grabbing the bottle before it spilled all over her sheet music. She was so off her game it was unbearable.
"I honestly do not know if this arrangement is going to work. The fact that we were matched on a shifter dating website is a distraction. And I can't afford to be distracted right now.”
"Don't you feel anything?" he asked.
She felt so much it was obscene. It was torture. It was unacceptable. She wanted to make it stop. But she also wanted more. She felt like a fool. She didn't want to hurt him. She wanted to draw him closer, but it felt like the only solution was to push him away.
"I feel…" She didn't finish the sentence. The words caught in her throat. She wanted to say, "I feel like I want to eat you up, drenched in honey and covered in strawberries.” That vision came into full focus in her mind.
But instead she said, “I feel distracted. That's all. We need to keep this whole dating website under wraps. I don't want rumors going around the tour. We have far too much work to do and far too much at stake for that. While you're here, you will function as my bodyguard. That's all. Do understand?”
"I understand," he said. There was so much pain in his voice it broke her heart.
A tear formed in the corner of her eye. It was requiring every ounce of her self-control not to jump into his lap and lavish him with kisses. Holding back was more painful than anything she'd ever experienced except maybe the shoulder she’d torn two years ago during a stage accident.
Bodyguard Bear (Justice Squad Book 3) Page 2