Protected By The Bad Boy (Bad Boy Bodyguards Book 1)

by Evangeline Kelly

  Shane hung up, and I sighed. Why did I dread this job already?

  ***

  I stood at the door and knocked, holding a briefcase with all the paperwork as well as a special watch with GPS tracking. We used technology to keep an eye on clients during times they were on their own whenever possible. At least this client lived in a secure gated community with a security guard checking people in, and that would make my life substantially easier. Several moments passed, and I finally heard the sound of someone moving around inside, and then the door swung open.

  It took a few seconds to register who I was looking at, but I instantly recognized the face, and my stomach dropped. No way. Seriously… Could my luck get any worse? It was the girl from Busy Bean Coffee, the one who danced all over the place because she had to use the restroom and then walked out with toilet paper stuck to her boot.

  “You have got to be kidding me,” she said, a frown marring her sweet girl-next-door features. I hated admitting it, but she was very pretty. Striking, actually, especially since she wasn’t wearing those little girl braids this time. Her hair fell over her shoulders in waves, and it was so smooth and shiny I wanted to rub my fingers through it. She put a hand on her hip and gave me a irritated expression. “Please tell me you are not the bodyguard.” She pursed her lips like I’d purposely ruined her day.

  “Oh, but I am.” I gave her an easy grin, liking that I’d thrown her off guard. I pulled out my I.D. so she could verify that I was indeed Troy Littman. Will had given her a call yesterday to let her know I would stop by today. “Can I come in?”

  She huffed. “Is it mandatory?”

  “Pretty much if you want protection.”

  She rolled her eyes and then opened the door, stepping to the side so I could walk inside.

  I strolled through the doorway, and she showed me to the living room where I took a seat on the couch. She sat across from me in a lounge chair and put a hand on her forehead, uneasiness clouding her features. “Look, can we start over? I’m sorry for the attitude just now. You were the last person I expected to see, and I guess it threw me off a little.”

  “I understand. Of course, we can.”

  “Let’s forget about the exchange we had at Busy Bean. I feel like we didn’t get off on the right foot.”

  That was an understatement. I wouldn’t say that to her face, but I was already dreading working with her. At least she’d apologized for her attitude. I shrugged like none of this phased me. “I’m happy to let sleeping dogs lie. You’ll learn that I like to remain professional around my clients, so whatever happened in the past between us, stays there. I keep my personal feelings out of the equation. Your safety is all that matters.” I nodded once to make my point. “I take my job very seriously.”

  She cocked an eyebrow and gave me a wry smile. “Was that a roundabout way of saying you don’t like me?”

  “I have no reason to dislike you at this point. You like your drinks extra sweet and you wait too long to use the restroom. Neither of those things are a crime.” I grinned to let her know I was joking.

  “And don’t forget, you think I dress like a farm-girl.”

  I winced. That wasn’t one of my finest moments. “I shouldn’t have said that. It was rude.”

  “So, you admit you were a jerk?”

  “Yes, and I apologize.” My tone was all business.

  “Thank you. I’m sorry that I wasn’t more gracious.”

  I sighed. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, we’ll get along just fine.”

  She bit down on her bottom lip as if she wasn’t so sure. “I’m a little nervous about this, to be honest. I’ve never had a bodyguard.”

  “That’s understandable. The main concern will be your safety, of course, but I’ll make provisions so you have your privacy as well.”

  “Thank you. That’s important to me.”

  I glanced at my paperwork. “A Mr. Robert Sunder is paying for the services. In the intake form it says he’s a friend of yours. Can you share a little more about him and how you two are related?”

  “We’re not relatives if that’s what you’re asking. He’s a good friend who insisted I have protection.”

  I nodded and looked at the intake form, noting she was waiting for law enforcement to get back to her about possible surveillance video. “Have you been in contact with the police recently regarding the men who attacked you?”

  “The first guy, Gene, had a warrant out for his arrest, and from my understanding, he’s in jail. They haven’t found anything yet on the second one, but they’re still looking. It appears Gene had nothing to do with the incident in the parking lot after the show.”

  The next information was sensitive in nature so I softened my voice. “The intake worker told me your husband was killed in a mugging four years ago. You were both attacked while walking from a local restaurant to your parked car. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  She nodded, her eyes flickering with sadness at the mention of her late husband. “Thank you.”

  I glanced at the ring on her hand, the one she’d held up to prove she was married when I’d spoken to her at Busy Bean Coffee. She’d thought I was hitting on her but that hadn’t been my intention.

  She must have seen my glance because she blushed. “Looks like you caught me in a white lie. I’m not currently married.” She wiggled the finger with the wedding band. “Losing my husband was hard, and I haven’t been ready to take off my ring.”

  “No problem. It’s really none of my business.”

  She took a breath as if gathering courage. “As far as the mugging, yes, all of what you said is true. The man asked for money, and we gave him everything we had, but he still shot Daniel.” Her eyes watered as she met my gaze. “If my ring hadn’t been with the jeweler to be resized, he would have taken that too.”

  My heart instantly went out to her, seeing the pain in her expression. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. No one should have to see someone they love be killed in that manner.”

  She nodded, staring at her hands. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through.”

  “I can imagine it would be.” I shifted on the couch and glanced at my paperwork. “You told the intake worker you have reason to believe the man behind the mugging might be involved in your recent attack.”

  She twisted the ring back and forth, most likely a nervous habit. “I’m not sure. All I know is that the guy who killed my husband said, ‘You don’t have a prayer,’ right before he shot him. I got an anonymous call recently, and the man said the same thing over the phone.” She swallowed hard. “It could be a weird coincidence.”

  “Or not.”

  “Or not,” she said quietly as if speaking too loudly would make it true.

  “Just so you know, we contract with private detectives, but Mr. Sunder said that wouldn’t be necessary in your case. Still, we do like to go over what happened so we get our facts straight. We need to be aware of all potential dangers.”

  She nodded, a crease forming on her forehead. “I understand.” She grimaced as if not wanting to share the next information. “After my husband was killed, I moved to get away from my neighbor, Victor, but I also wanted a more secure home. I was scared all the time back then.”

  I frowned, looking at the intake form. “There’s nothing in here about a man named Victor.”

  “I didn’t say anything because there was never any proof of wrongdoing.” She let out a breath and slid the ring on her finger back and forth. “But I always suspected he was behind my husband’s shooting.”

  “Why do you suspect him?”

  “He lived next door to my old house,” she clarified. “One day, Daniel and I were taking a walk in the neighborhood and we passed by Victor’s home. He and his elderly mother were standing in the driveway, and he was yelling at her in an abusive manner. Daniel asked him to stop, but he told Daniel to mind his own business. We called the police, but when they came to the home, Victor’s mother covered fo
r him and said we lied because we don’t get along with her son.”

  I nodded. “Sounds like difficult neighbors. Did she live with Victor?”

  “No, but she visited occasionally.” She paled as she recalled the memory. “There was a second incident. We voiced our frustration to Victor a few times about his dog continuously barking throughout the night. It was impossible to sleep, but we weren’t the only ones who complained. Practically everyone on the street did. Anyway, someone poisoned the dog and Victor blamed Daniel. He actually said, ‘I know you killed my dog.’” She glanced at me, her expression stricken. “Daniel wasn’t capable of hurting anyone, and he loved animals. He would never do something like that.”

  “Did the police investigate Victor’s possible involvement?”

  “They said he had an alibi. Tom, the neighbor across the street, said he saw Victor’s mother arrive at the same timeframe the mugging took place. He stated that Victor welcomed her inside.”

  “I see. So, you don’t suspect him anymore.”

  “I didn’t say that.” She glanced down, her features appearing drawn all of a sudden. “I don’t have proof he was involved, but I’ve always had this gut feeling about him. He’s bad news.” She looked as if she were about to cry.

  “I’m sorry. I know this is a distressing conversation. We’re almost done.”

  She met my gaze, her large blue eyes trusting at that moment. “It’s okay. You’re just doing your job.”

  I wanted to reach out and give her a hug, comfort her in some way, but that wouldn’t have been appropriate. “That’s everything on the intake form regarding potential dangers. Do you have any other concerns I should know about?”

  She bit down on her bottom lip. “I don’t think this is anything to worry about, but there’s this guy, Leo, that I was set up with. He keeps harassing me for a second date, and I don’t want anything to do with him.”

  I nodded. “All right. I won’t let him get near you.”

  I glanced at the form again. “There’s one last thing we need to discuss. When you and Robert spoke to my boss, Will, it appears everyone decided you don’t need a night bodyguard.”

  “That’s right. I live in a gated community and all guests have to check in with the security guard before he lets them in, as you already experienced.”

  “Yes. In lieu of a nighttime bodyguard, I’ll set up cameras outside your home, and a company we contract with will monitor all activity. If they pick up anything suspicious, they’ll contact me right away—after calling the police first, of course.”

  She nodded. “That makes me feel better.”

  “I’ll also install a better security system than what you have. If the alarm goes off, the police will be called immediately unless you punch in a code.”

  “I should have gotten a security system a long time ago.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  She ran a hand through her hair, and I found the motion extremely distracting. She really was quite attractive. I blinked and got ahold of myself. She was a client now and completely off limits.

  “I’m trying to be careful with my money. I thought the gated community with the security guard was enough.”

  “Makes sense.” I sat forward and leaned my arms on my knees. “Your friend, Robert, has asked us to make sure you have the best, and we’ll do that.” I opened my briefcase and took out the watch first. “Please wear this when I’m not with you. I’ll be able to track your whereabouts, and there’s an emergency button here.” I pointed to a red button on the watch. “The police will be notified immediately, and they’ll be able to access your location. I will have it as well, but only push the button in a true emergency. If there is a false alarm and the police come out, you’ll have to pay a fine.”

  “I understand.” She smiled slightly. “It’s nice to know I have that option.”

  “Yes. Technology makes all of our lives easier.” I took out the paperwork from the briefcase. “Also, I’ll need you to sign this, and after that, we’ll discuss your schedule for the week. I’ll accompany you wherever you go, and I’ll leave my cell number with you so you can reach me at night if you’re concerned about anything.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “My day off is Sunday, but sometimes I take Monday as well depending on the hours I work. Will is going to send someone else to cover me on those days, but I’m not sure who yet.” I reached out and shook her hand, feeling the need to reassure her. “I have your back. Nothing will happen to you as long as I’m around.”

  She smiled then, a big warm smile that completely caught me off guard. “Thank you, Troy. I think we’ll get along just fine.”

  I glanced over and noticed a Bible sitting on the coffee table with a bulletin resting on top from Calvary Community Church. “Oh, I have a friend who attends this church. You go there?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been a member for many years. Do you go to church?”

  “Yep. I go to Providence Bible Church. Have since I got saved five years ago.”

  “You’re a Christian.” It wasn’t a question, and she said it with a smile.

  “Yes, and now I’m embarrassed, considering how I treated you at Busy Bean.”

  She laughed and waved me off. “It’s all water under the bridge. Anyway, being a Christian doesn’t make you perfect.”

  “No, but it does make me accountable.”

  “Well, we’re both accountable then. I wasn’t exactly kind in my responses.”

  “Looks as if we both got caught. The Lord has a way of using circumstances to make His children grow. I’d love to hear your testimony.”

  “Sure, I’d love to hear yours as well.”

  “I’d like that.” I told her about my youth and how I rebelled against my parents and dropped out of school. “The Lord used the Marines to straighten me out. I joined when I was eighteen and quickly learned they didn’t put up with any unruliness. About five years ago, I met a woman named Teresa, and she invited me to church. I thought she was cute, so I went.”

  Kayla chuckled. “So that’s what it took to get you there.”

  I smirked. “Pretty much. But God had other plans. The pastor shared the gospel that morning, and I gave my life to him.”

  “And what happened with Teresa?”

  “We stayed friends, but nothing else came of it.” I glanced at her curiously. “What about you? How did you come to the Lord?”

  “I was raised in a Christian home, so I had plenty of head knowledge, but I had never given up my heart. It wasn’t until I was fourteen that I finally surrendered my life to the Lord at a church retreat. I’ve been following Him ever since.”

  “That’s awesome.” I stared at her for a long moment, seeing her with new eyes. For a second, my pulse sped up and a strange feeling came over me. What if I was looking into the face of the woman I would one day marry? I blinked, shocked at the thoughts going through my mind. What was wrong with me? She was a client. I cleared my throat nervously. “Well, we have a lot of paperwork to do. Let’s get to it.”

  Chapter 6

  Kayla

  Wait until Verity found out the hunky jerk from the coffeehouse was my new bodyguard. She’d have a cow, and then she’d try to figure out a way to get the two of us together even though she didn’t live out here anymore. I smothered a smile while I signed the paperwork. This was an unexpected turn of events. I wasn’t sure what to think or how to feel, for that matter. Should I be annoyed I was about to spend the better part of my day with this man? Probably.

  My body hadn’t gotten the memo, though, because my stomach twisted in the most delightful way. Not that anything would ever come of it. He didn’t even like me, for one. He’d hinted at that when he said he kept his feelings to himself. I didn’t care for his personality either after our run-in at Busy Bean, but he had managed to convince me he would do a good job of guarding my safety, and it was nice learning he was a Christian. That was the one moment he’d let down his guard a little, and he’d
seemed genuine and human. The rest of the time, he’d responded in a businesslike manner, keeping a professional distance.

  Thankfully, he was a big guy and carried himself with confidence, making it easy to put my safety in his hands. His military background and combat experience were also a plus in that regard.

  I trusted him. My instincts told me he would do a good job even though our first encounter wasn’t ideal.

  The doorbell rang and I stood, knowing it had to be Mom. She’d called earlier and said she wanted to stop by to meet the new bodyguard. I think she wanted to make sure everything was on the up-and-up. For some odd reason, she didn’t care for Robert and worried this was his way of controlling my schedule. I’d told her that Robert would have nothing to do with my schedule, and he was doing this as a huge favor to me.

  I was frustrated that she saw him in a negative light after all this time. I wasn’t interested in him romantically, but he was there for me, and I counted him as a dear friend. She’d picked up on his interest in me, and it bothered her that he was fifteen years older. He wasn’t the type of man she envisioned me with. She’d loved Daniel, and I doubted anyone else would ever measure up to him in her eyes. Honestly, I felt the same way so I couldn’t blame her.

  I think she feared I would end up in a relationship with Robert because he was always hanging around, but that would never happen. She didn’t need to worry.

  “I’ll answer the door,” Troy said, rising to his feet.

  “Oh, right. You are my bodyguard,” I said, in a teasing voice.

  He flashed a smile that went straight to my gut. Oh, man, why did he have to be so good-looking?

  He opened the door, and I heard Mom gasp. “And who might you be?”

  I ducked my face into my palm and laughed. Did she have to be so obvious? My mother was an amazing woman, but she had one weakness. She’d never been able to hide her opinion of someone, good or bad. That little gasp out there was indicative of her approval. I knew her so well.

  “Name’s Troy Littman. I’ve been assigned to protect your daughter.” His deep voice sent goosebumps up my arms and tingles all over. He opened the door wider and gestured for her to come in.