The Bodyguards' Princess

by Mayburn, Ann

She visualized the air going into her lungs. Muscles loosened up, starting from the top of her head and working their way down. Long and slow breaths relaxed her and let her mind wander. Images of the assault tried to invade her peace. Her heart started to speed up and her breath hitched in her throat. She felt exposed in the middle of the room, vulnerable. It was a mental battle to keep her eyes closed, but she used the meditation tricks she had been practicing and regained her serenity.

  *

  "Lalita, I want you to start visualizing your vase." Mrs. Yazuka's voice rolled over her subconscious, triggering the hypnotic suggestion that Mrs. Yazuka had implanted weeks ago.

  Lalita immediately lost conscious thought and became a puppet awaiting instruction. "I am the lock," Lalita intoned in a soft voice. Her breath rose and fell in her chest in a constant rhythm as her eyes darted back and forth behind her lids.

  Mrs. Yazuka darted a glance at the closed doors. "I am the key."

  Reaching back into her pocket, Mrs. Yazuka pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed a number. "She's ready for her next set of instructions," Mrs. Yazuka murmured into the phone. She took out a small hands-free device and placed it in Lalita's ear. Her hands shook with nervousness as she took her place by the door and listened to the voices of the bodyguards outside.

  "Hello, Lock," the male voice on the other end of the phone said into Lalita's ear.

  "Greetings, Key," Lalita intoned back, deep in a hypnotic trance. The movements of her eyes stopped behind her lids as she sank further into a suggestive state.

  "Have you found out where the next meeting of the Security Council will be?"

  "Yes. They will meet in Detroit, Michigan on June 21st."

  "Detroit Michigan on June 21st," the man said to someone in the background.

  A woman's voice responded, "Detroit? I know a fabulous bondage club we can visit. David plays there quite often." The woman's voice got closer and dropped to a husky purr. "I'll wear my naughty puppy costume for you."

  The man made a hushing noise and said into the phone, "What are their plans?"

  Lalita's brow scrunched as she said, "I don't know. I couldn't access those files. The only email I was able to locate was a viewing of the fireworks with local American and Canadian politicians."

  In the background another man's voice said, "Rashid, we have what we need to enact our revenge. Give her the last order and say goodbye to our little pawn."

  Lalita's hands twitched as the man said, "You've done very well. I'm afraid our time together has come to an end. I'm going to leave you with a parting gift to make your stay in jail more memorable. Consider it payment for your father--that self-righteous bastard." The man chuckled and Lalita remained motionless in the sunlight. At the door, Mrs. Yazuka glanced at her watch repeatedly. "When you hear the word 'bitch' you will become aroused. That arousal will strengthen over time until it becomes an unbearable ache. You will do anything to find relief. Nothing is taboo. You will find pleasure in whatever your partner wants you to do. Masturbation will not satisfy your sexual cravings, only interaction with another person. Do you understand, Lock?"

  Lalita twitched as a car beeped out on the street. "Yes, I understand, Key." Hearing her words, Mrs. Yazuka hurried across the room.

  The man on the phone said, "Good girl. I look forward to hearing about the scandal of your behavior in prison. Lock, you will remember none of this conversation and awaken refreshed and relaxed."

  Mrs. Yazuka removed the hands-free device and jammed the phone back into a small slit in her yoga mat. Taking a seat, she slowed her breathing and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the edge of her arm. "Lalita, you're free as a bird," she said and watched Lalita carefully.

  Opening her eyes, Lalita smiled and stretched. "I love meditating. It's so refreshing."

  Smiling, Mrs. Yazuka said, "You did an excellent job with your breathing." Standing, she motioned to Lalita. "Now, let's go through some basic exercises and stretch you out after your workout."

  *

  Nodding, Lalita rolled the kinks out of her neck and sighed. The meditation with Mrs. Yazuka had been such a help with getting her past the assault she faced nine months ago. Before she started working with her, she had suffered from panic attacks that left her crying in her closet at least five days a week. Therapy hadn't helped and Lalita was afraid she would spend the rest of her life a prisoner of her fear. When the housekeeper had suggested Mrs. Yazuka, she had jumped at the chance to try anything that would stop the panic attacks.

  She didn't know what she would have done without Mrs. Yazuka's help.

  Chapter Two

  Kent glanced out into the long hallway off the kitchen and ran a hand through his deep auburn brush cut. He sauntered back over to the kitchen counter where Asher constructed a turkey sandwich that was a work of art. The modern kitchen gleamed and the pale granite countertop sparkled in the subdued lighting.

  A much different environment than the battlefield in Asia where the men met seven years earlier.

  "Smooth move in the dojo today," Asher rumbled out in a low voice as he spread a hefty dose of mayonnaise on a thick slice of rye bread. "Why didn't you tweak those fantastic nipples of hers while you were at it?"

  Kent snorted and snatched a slice of tomato, keeping his eye on the entrance to the kitchen. "Like you should talk. I'm surprised you didn't pitch a tent in your pants with the way she was rubbing herself on your leg."

  Groaning, Asher munched on a slice of cheese. "Her little pussy was so hot against me. It felt like a buttery soft oven." Shifting, Asher tugged the dark navy suit jacket over his pants. "This is by far the best, and worst, detail we've ever had."

  "I'm going to have to start taping my cock to my leg if we keep on grappling with her." Kent scanned the dark windows at the back of the gated mansion. "Who knew we would find out that our perfect woman in the only woman on earth we can't touch."

  "We could always quit," Asher said with a grin and took an enormous bite of his snack.

  "Don't tempt me. If there was anyone out there I could trust with Lalita's safety, I would in a heartbeat."

  "I think we should have told her about the other attempts on her life," Asher muttered. "She deserves to know they're still after her. Especially after the Sanjit caught those anarchists in Canada attempting to poison the water supply before the G8 summit. That must have really pissed them off." He walked over to the hall and glanced down, watching Lalita recline on the cream leather couch and talk on the phone.

  Wiggling her shimmery emerald painted toes, she worried the ring in her full lower lip with the tip of her tongue. Totally oblivious to the torturous things it did to a male's libido. Her waist-length hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, revealing her delicate bone structure that was usually hidden beneath an inch of pale foundation and black eyeliner. Asher's chewing slowed as she sat forward and gestured excitedly to whomever she was talking to. Her full brown breasts were pushed to the max against the low neckline of her pink shirt, and his mouth went dry.

  "No need to freak her out. We just got her to the point where she feels comfortable leaving the house again," Kent whispered next to him as they watched Lalita. "I remember when she first got up the courage to go shopping. We spent twenty minutes in the parking lot of the grocery store, holding her while she cried." He sighed at the memory and rested his head for a moment on Asher's shoulder. "I'm hoping we'll help her heal enough to finish her Master's program at college this fall."

  "She's a tough little thing. I know she'll pull through," Asher whispered back and waved his half-eaten sandwich at her. "We could always make our intentions known to the Sanjit and ask for his permission to marry his daughter."

  Kent snorted out a loud laugh that turned into a coughing fit. Lalita glanced at them and narrowed her eyes, turning her back and raising the volume on the TV. "What part of the conversation with him about cutting our cocks off and feeding them to his dogs did you miss when he hired us?"

  Asher licked the
last of the mayo off his fingers and shrugged. "If we're cool with sharing our women, and our women are happy, it shouldn't matter."

  Kent rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I forget--" His cell phone rang and he answered it quickly, all traces of mirth wiped from his face. "How can I help you, sir?"

  Deep and commanding, the Sanjit shouted into the phone, "Can Lalita hear me?"

  "No, sir." He and Asher exchanged a worried look.

  "Put me on speaker phone," the tinny voice shouted, and Kent complied while backing into the kitchen.

  "I can hear you, sir," Asher said and raised his eyebrows at Kent. If nothing else, the Sanjit was composed and calm no matter what the situation. His legendary quiet strength was part of the reason he lead the anti-anarchist division of the UN Security Council.

  "Big trouble," the Sanjit breathed out and said in a rush, "Lalita's been framed for stealing secrets from the UN and selling them to terrorists."

  "What?" both men barked out.

  "Shut up and listen," the Sanjit hissed. "The police and Home Land Security are on their way to arrest her. Grab her and get out of the house. Take her somewhere safe until I can figure this out and clear her name. Leave no trail, get invisible."

  "Yes, sir," Asher said and motioned to Kent.

  "Go, now!" the Sanjit yelled before his phone went dead.

  * * * *

  Tugging at the string of her pants embroidered with little skulls and crossbones, Lalita flipped the channels and silently fumed. She had moved back into her father's house after the attempted kidnapping. To be honest, she had come straight to her father's house right after she was released from the hospital, and never left. Kent and Asher moved in soon after, living in the separate guesthouse on the estate but within steps of the main house.

  As stunning as her bodyguards were, the lack of privacy was really getting to her. Frequently alone due to her father's travels, she was used to lounging around the house in her worn sweats and holey T-shirts. Now, her feminine vanity demanded she dress to impress, even if the men seemed oblivious to her efforts. Even worse, one or both of them kept raiding her chocolate stash. Neither would admit it, but if she found one more empty Godiva box there was going to be blood spilt.

  They tried to give her some space, but it was hard to pretend someone wasn't there. Especially when that someone made her heart pound and her palms sweat. When they let their guard down, they could actually be very charming and fascinating. Her attraction to them went beyond their looks. There was something very comforting on a deeper level to be around two men who would do anything they could to protect you. Even if that protection had killed her sex life.

  She took them out clubbing with her, once. They spent the entire night glowering at any guy that tried to talk to her until she ended up dancing alone while they watched. What irked her even more was the constant stream of girls flirted with them and tried to get them to dance. They had no better luck than Lalita, but it still brought out her territorial side. In some weird and messed up way, Asher and Kent were hers and she resented any woman touching them. The fact they never talked about their personal lives and probably had scads of girlfriends was also a constant source of irritation.

  She did exchange numbers with one guy, but when she called him a few days later he said he couldn't talk to her and told her to never call him again. With a tremor in his voice, he said that he didn't need the hassle from her crazy big brother. When she questioned the men, they both looked as innocent as lambs and denied knowing anything about it.

  Worrying her lip ring, she settled on watching a reality show about women shopping for a wedding dress. She loved the joy and excitement the women had when they found the right dress, and paid special attention to the episodes that had the moms of the brides with them. Her own mother had died in a terrorist bombing in India when she was a girl, and she missed her every day of her life.

  "Lalita, we have to go!" Asher's shout broke through her thoughts as she gaped at him. His big shoulders were tense beneath his jacket as he glanced at the windows and doorways. Behind him, Kent had his gun out and he scooped her fuzzy black slippers off the floor.

  "What? What's going on?" She started to sit up, and Asher grabbed her into his arms, carrying her as if she weighed nothing at all. Kent jammed her slippers on, and then scanned the area as they rushed for the front door. "Asher, what's going on?" She thumped at his shoulder and tried to wriggle out of his grasp.

  "Quiet," he whispered into her ear. "I'll explain everything as soon as we get in the car."

  Gripping his lapel with both hands, her breath hitched and came out in a shuddering hiss. Fear, sharp and dirty, had her straining to see everywhere at once. It must be someone trying to hurt her. Only a serious threat would throw her stoic guards into something resembling panic. Her fright lessened as Asher's arms tightened around her and Kent nodded from the front door, his gun out and pointed at the circular drive.

  Hustling down the wide marble steps, Asher ran with her to the big black Lincoln Navigator they used to chauffer her around. A special diplomatic vehicle, it was basically a tank on wheels. She wrapped her arms around herself and ducked as Asher tossed her into the backseat. Kent followed in next to her, pulled her head down, and covered her with his body. The car tilted as Asher slid into the front seat and gunned the engine, peeling out of the driveway.

  "What the fuck is going on?" she yelled from beneath Kent. He was so close she could hear his heart beating in her ear and smell the faint scent of the soap he used.

  "The Sanjit called and said we needed to get you out of the house ASAP. Someone's framed you for stealing secrets from the UN and selling them to terrorists," Asher answered in a rush from the front seat.

  Kent said from above her, "Here comes the cavalry." Red and blue lights reflected off the ceiling of the SUV as a series of police cars flew past with their sirens blaring.

  Shivering beneath Kent, Lalita said, "I would never do that!"

  "We know," Asher said and turned down the radio. "Your father knows too. He's going to work to clear your name, but in the meantime we have to keep you safe and out of sight."

  * * * *

  Scanning the cheap motel room, Lalita crossed her arms and curled her nose in disgust. "No way am I staying here." It sounded childish even to her ears, but she had never been in a hotel room with a bed that sagged in the middle. Orange and purple curtains in a weird paisley pattern fluttered over the anemic wheeze of the air conditioner. The sharp tang of cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air, and a spider had a rather nice web set up in the back corner of the ceiling.

  Hanging his jacket on the back of a battered wicker chair, Kent said, "Listen, Princess, right now is not the time to be picky about your accommodations."

  "Couldn't we at least stay in a hotel with room service?" she grumped and plucked at the faded purple quilt covering the king-sized bed.

  Asher poked his head out from the bathroom. "No, we can't. They don't ask questions at this kind of hotel and they don't have security cameras on the parking lot."

  Slumping back on the edge of the squeaky bed, she rubbed her temples. The stress and worry was beginning to make her sick and she was trying to stave off the beginnings of a panic attack. There was no closet to hide in here. As unflattering as it was, complaining about small things kept her mind off worrying about the big things. "Well, where do you plan on sleeping? This bed is mine."

  Arching a brow, Kent looked up from counting the bullets in his clip. "Asher and I are sleeping in the bed. I don't care where you sleep as long as you don't leave this room."

  Stiffening her shoulders, she yelled, "If you think I'm sleeping on the floor of this roach motel, you're high. Who knows what kind of fucked-up disease I'll get from the carpet."

  Asher strode out of the bathroom and squatted in front of her, placing his hands on either side of her and said in a low voice, "I know you're scared and pissed, but if you could stop being a bitch at the top of your lungs for one minute, I would
appreciate it."

  She gasped as Kent chuckled and slammed his clip back in place. Asher remained staring at her, and her nipples went tight beneath his gaze as she shifted against the enclosure of his arms. Licking her lips, she watched him follow her tongue, and her body heated further with desire.

  "Going to behave now?" Asher asked and stood up, removing his jacket and laying it on the scarred dresser.

  The tight muscles of his back pressed through the thin material of his white shirt, and her gaze followed the curve of his waist down to his world-class ass. Kent walked into her line of sight, and her breath caught in her throat as he removed his dress shirt. All he wore beneath was a white tank top. Freckles dotted his broad shoulders and his biceps flexed with each movement.

  "Yes," she whispered and swallowed as she watched Kent's shoulders bunch and move as he twitched aside the curtain of the hotel room. Both men gave her an odd look, and she shifted on the bed, trying to resist the urge to run her hands over her suddenly sensitive breasts.

  Warmth, heavy and full, flooded through her body and she lay back on the saggy mattress, stretching out from the tips of her fingers to her toes in a feline movement. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the men exchanging a glance.

  "It's late and we have a long day tomorrow. You should try to get some sleep," Kent said in a gruff voice as he grabbed a pillow from the bed and tossed it on the floor.

  Asher went to follow suit and she grabbed the pillow out of his hands and said, "You guys can share the bed with me. There's more than enough room." Her nostrils flared as Asher's pupils darkened and his long fingers sank into the white pillow.

  "Thank you, Miss Chetana, but I'll bunk out on the floor with Kent."

  Leaning on his elbow, Kent watched them with a small frown. The dip between his shoulder and collarbone caught her attention and she wanted to lick and suck on it. The thought startled her and she cleared her throat and scooted under the thin quilt, turning her back on the men.

  A heavy silence filled the room before Asher said, "We'll be right here if you need us."