The Billionaire's Bodyguard Bride

by Weaver, Lisa

  Exhausted, he took a seat in the chair by Lauren’s bed. His father had explained how he’d begun selling proprietary design specifications to Mendacci. When he’d had second thoughts and tried to extricate himself from the deal, Mendacci had Brian killed as an example of what he’d do to him if Philip didn’t cooperate. When that hadn’t worked, Mendacci had threatened Philip’s family.

  Rafe was still reeling from his father’s confession, but he wasn’t angry at him. Yes, his dad had made some bad choices, but he understood why he had. He’d been held prisoner to the blackmail scheme because he’d been driven to protect the ones he loved. They would make it through this mess and come out stronger for it, he thought, as his eyes drifted shut.

  A feather-soft caress against his cheek roused him. His eyes opened, tangling with the emerald-green gaze of the woman who owned his heart. “Lauren! Thank God,” he exclaimed with a heartfelt sigh of relief.

  “It’s about time you woke up,” she teased. “Stop looking at me like I have one foot in the grave. I’m fine, thanks to you. I’m so relieved you weren’t hurt. Are Stephanie and Frank okay?”

  “Stephanie’s fine, and Frank will be. Stephanie was heading in to visit him when I left his room earlier. She’ll make sure he follows doctor’s orders.”

  “So you’ve noticed she has a vested interest in him, hmm?” Lauren smiled.

  “They’ll make a great couple once they give in to the attraction between them instead of fighting it.” Reaching for her hand, Rafe gave it a gentle squeeze. “We could make a great couple, too, if I’d quit sabotaging our relationship with my stubborn pride and lack of trust. When I saw you lying there injured after the accident, I was terrified I’d never get the chance to make things right. I don’t deserve it, but I’m hoping you’ll forgive me.”

  “I’m just as much at fault for messing this up. I wasn’t honest with you.”

  “At least you didn’t let your past experiences color your judgment like I did.”

  “Melanie?” Lauren ventured.

  Rafe nodded. “Her betrayal went deeper than the affair. We’d been engaged for about a month when some of my business deals began to fall through. Each time, Milton Payne won the contracts. I suspected someone in my office was feeding him information. Then I saw him leaving a restaurant with Melanie, and I realized she might be the leak. When I confronted her, she admitted everything. That’s when she went running to Milton. When I saw your story and the photograph you took of my father, I was determined to believe you’d betrayed me, too; that you’d played me exactly as she had. I’m sorry for that.”

  “You don’t need to apologize. And you weren’t wrong, entirely. I wasn’t hiding anything from you in Greece, other than my photojournalism work being a cover for my assignment with Sentinels. But I did keep things from you this time around, and I regret that. I really need to tell you about your father.”

  “It’s okay. I already know. Liz stopped by with flowers for you earlier. She explained everything.”

  “She can never mind her own business,” Lauren grumbled good-naturedly, before her expression turned serious. “Are you okay? Philip was backed into a corner. He tried to do the right thing.”

  “I know. I’m not going to say I’m not disappointed in him, but I also understand why he let things get so out of hand. He was being blackmailed, and he was trying to protect his family.”

  “And you get now why it’s crucial you accept protection until the authorities gather the proof they need to bring Mendacci to justice?”

  He nodded. “I’ve been giving that some thought, actually.”

  “And?”

  “And I think it might be a wise idea for me to have a security expert on permanent retainer.”

  “That sounds like a very shrewd move. Do you have anyone in mind for the job?”

  “As a matter of fact I do. I was hoping I might be able to convince you to take the position. You’d be head of my personal security. I have to warn you, though, that I’m a demanding boss. I’ll expect exclusive around-the-clock protection, seven days a week.”

  Lauren placed a finger on her chin, pretending to mull over his proposition. “Hmmm. And what kind of a time frame are we talking about for this contract? A year? Two?”

  “I was thinking a lifetime would be a good place to start.” He reached for her hand, squeezing it as he searched for a way to express the depth of his feelings for her. How could three simple words ever embody the true measure of what he felt for her; how could they relay how completely she possessed his heart and soul? He gave voice to them anyways, hoping they would be enough. “I love you, Lauren, and I don’t want to live without you. I want nothing more than to make our marriage agreement a permanent one, if you’ll still have me.”

  “Of course, I’ll have you! My heart has belonged to you from the moment we met. Now let’s see about getting me sprung from this place so we can go home. We can negotiate the finer points of my contract later. Deal?”

  “It’s a deal, agapi mou.” He sealed it with a kiss that was at once tender and passionate, ardent and heartfelt. It was a kiss that promised a lifetime of love.

  Thank You!

  I hope you enjoyed Lauren and Rafe’s journey to happily ever after. There are more romantic adventures to come! Luke and Brianna’s story, “Her Private Protector”, is next up. Though each book in the Secret Sentinels series can be read as a stand-alone, the stories are also interconnected. They novels share a common thread, following the brave men and women of Sentinels as they seek to bring Lawrence Mendacci to justice. And, of course, the Sentinels agents find love along the way!

  You can keep tabs on upcoming books by visiting my website at www.lisaweaverromance.com, where you can sign up for my free newsletter.

  If you enjoyed “The Billionaire’s Bodyguard Bride”, I would so appreciate it if you would leave a review at Amazon or Goodreads to let others know about it.

  Thanks for reading!

  Lisa

  Acknowledgements

  The realization of a dream isn’t a simple feat. A huge cast of characters played a role in bringing the book you’re holding to life. Topping the list of those wonderful people are the Kindle Scouts who sampled “The Billionaire’s Bodyguard Bride” during its campaign period. Thank you for placing your faith in a wet-behind-the-ears novelist. Your nominations helped make this book possible!

  Heartfelt hugs go out to the phenomenal Caroline Carr and her team at Kindle Press. Thanks for pouring your time and energy into this project, and giving it wings! Thanks, also, to my amazingly patient and insightful copyeditor, Beth Potts. You made my manuscript shine!

  And while I’m doling out hugs, I owe bunches of them to my fellow writers. There are too many to list, but you know who you are. You didn’t have to take time out of your hectic schedules to answer a newbie’s questions and share an encouraging word, but you did. It made all the difference in the world! So did the tireless support of the man who is the inspiration behind all of my fictional heroes, my husband Duane.

  Last, but by no means least, I am enormously grateful to the uber talented Jimmy Thomas of RomanceNovels.com and cover artist extraordinaire Ramona Lockwood. Their work is nothing short of magical.

  About the Author

  Lisa Weaver loves living in Maine, although she occasionally fantasizes about moving to a locale with milder temperatures. On the upside, the long, cold winters give her plenty of time to plot her next romance.

  She also loves books, and can't imagine a world without the written word to enrich us, inspire us, entertain us, and touch our hearts. She's thrilled to make a small contribution to the treasure trove. She began her writing career penning articles and short stories, but it has long been her dream to write romance novels. Thanks to the Amazon Kindle Scout program, that dream is now a reality.

  Lisa is the first to admit her romances aren't serious literature. She thinks of her stories as fluffy, fun, romantic romps—like decadently rich cupcakes, heavy on the
frosting.

  She loves to hear from readers! Please drop by and visit her anytime at her website, www.lisaweaverromance.com. You can also keep in touch with the latest Weaver Romance happenings via her Facebook and Twitter pages.