“You told him what exactly?”
One corner of his mouth tipped up in a lopsided grin. “That I nearly kissed you. I nearly lost control.” There was laughter in his voice, but his eyes were so serious I felt the intensity of them all the way down to my toes.
I wasn’t sure how to take that, but I figured I didn’t need to get ahead of myself, despite the desire to hope again. My emotions couldn’t handle being thrown around like a Yo-Yo flung here and there. “And you’re telling me this because?”
He squeezed my hands and gazed into my eyes, the smile never leaving his face. A few seconds passed, and his expression grew solemn. Swallowing hard, he cleared his throat. “Because I want you to know that integrity means everything to me. I would never do anything to compromise that.”
He was telling me to back off. Next, he would probably tell me he couldn’t see me anymore. I’d ruined whatever chance we had of becoming friends. “I understand.”
“No, I don’t think you do.”
I frowned and stepped back, pulling my hands away from him. “I get it. I wanted you to kiss me, but you aren’t interested or you can’t go there because I was a client. Point taken. Now, can we please move on before…” I was about to say, ‘before I start crying,’ but the words got caught in my throat.
He stepped forward and enveloped me in his arms, his lips crashing down on mine. I gasped, and he took that moment to deepen the kiss, an electrical charge shooting through me at the contact. He increased the pressure as if he wanted me to understand exactly how he felt. I’d thought he wasn’t interested, but, apparently, he found me quite interesting.
Very interesting, indeed, judging by his fervency.
How sweet it was to be wrong.
When he pulled back, he was nearly breathless, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread over my face like cream cheese frosting over chocolate cake. “You like me.”
He chuckled, his arms circling my waist, his lips moving close to mine once again. He stopped a few inches away, his breath warming my skin. “I told you I did.”
“As a friend.”
“I want a lot more than friendship.” As if to prove his point, he closed the remaining distance, his lips finding mine again.
We kissed for several long moments, and then I pushed against his chest to find my equilibrium. “Whoa… I’m still trying to get used to the idea that you’re interested.”
He laughed and glanced up at the ceiling, looking happier than I’d ever seen him. “Sorry. Guess I got a little carried away.”
“Tell me more about your conversation with Will.”
“Oh, that.” He returned his gaze to me and wiped a hand over his jaw. “I told him I plan to pursue you now that you aren’t a client anymore.”
“And how did he take that?”
“He gave me the green light.”
“And what would you have done if he hadn’t?”
He was quiet for a while as he stared at the ground. “I thought about that before I called him. I would’ve quit.”
My eyebrows flew up. “Really? You would quit so you could date me?”
“Yes.”
Warmth flooded through me, sweeping away any leftover insecurities. He liked me a lot more than I’d realized. “I’m glad you didn’t have to quit. I would have felt horrible.”
“Will said as long as you were willing, it wasn’t a problem.”
“Guess I should let you know I’m willing.”
“I figured as much.”
“Suppose I didn’t hide my interest very well.”
“You have no idea how hard it was holding back. There were so many times I wanted to tell you how I felt, but I couldn’t.”
I lifted my eyebrows. “How do you feel?”
A few seconds passed and then he smiled, broad and wide. “Like the luckiest man alive.”
***
Later that night, I drove to Robert’s house so we could have a little talk. I was not looking forward to this discussion at all, but I had to say something. He needed to understand that I was not okay with what he did. He tried to hurt someone I cared about, and I couldn’t let that go.
I’d called ahead of time, so he knew I was coming. When I pulled up to the curb in front of his home, he walked out to greet me.
“Hey, beautiful.” He did a double-take and glanced around. “Where’s Troy?”
“He’s no longer my bodyguard.”
Amusement danced in his eyes and a knowing smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “Good. I didn’t like him, but you’re aware of that.”
“Yes, I am.” I didn’t share any of his amusement, and I let my expression show that.
Robert frowned. “What’s wrong? They’ll assign someone more appropriate. I’ll make sure they get on it right away.”
“We need to talk.” My tone was matter-of-fact, but I had to rein in my frustration. Robert was still my friend, and I needed to remember that. He’d messed up big-time, but I knew he cared about me.
He gestured for me to follow him inside, and once we were sitting on his couch, he leaned his arm along the back and turned to me. “What’s going on? What did you want to talk about?”
I let out a long breath and readied myself to have this conversation. “You tried to get Troy in trouble.”
His eyebrows scrunched as he attempted to give me a confused look—and he wasn’t a very good actor—but it was obvious he knew what I was referring to. “That’s not true. Is that what he told you?”
“Come on, Robert. Don’t pretend you didn’t ask Will to remove him from my case.” When he didn’t reply, I pressed on. “What’s worse, you said we’d gotten too familiar with each other and that he’d been inappropriate.”
He stared back at me, unflinching, not looking the least bit sorry. “He was inappropriate.”
“How?”
“I didn’t like the way he looked at you. He looked at you like…like he wanted to take advantage of you.”
I gaped at him. “Troy was nothing but a perfect gentleman the whole time he was my bodyguard. He never once took advantage of me.”
“Kayla, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but you’ve always been a bit naïve. Trust me on this. That man did not have your best interest in mind.” He pointed to himself. “I’m the only one who does.”
“You reported him because you’re jealous. That’s why you wanted me to have an older bodyguard. You were afraid I would develop feelings for Troy.”
His eyes flickered with an emotion I couldn’t decipher, and the mask began to crack a little. He licked his lips nervously. “That’s crazy. You could never develop feelings for a guy like that.”
If I told him how I felt about Troy, it would be like rubbing salt in a wound, and I wanted to set him straight, not cause him pain. “You don’t even know Troy. He’s a good guy. One of the best, really.”
“No, I’m the best.”
His comment rendered me speechless for a few seconds. I’d always thought of Robert as somewhat humble until now. Now, he just seemed prideful and arrogant and not someone I wanted to spend time with.
“Bottom line, Robert, I’m not happy about what you did. Troy did a good job, and you set out to hurt his career because you felt insecure. That’s not okay.”
He flushed and glanced away, but not before I caught a flicker of anger in his eyes. He rarely got angry with me, so it was a bit surprising. He crossed his arms and fell back against the couch with a thump. “I don’t want this to cause a problem between us. I was just trying to make sure you had the appropriate bodyguard.”
That was not what he was doing, but I didn’t want to argue. I’d said my piece and now it was time to share the rest of what was on my mind. What Lillian had said at the office about him needing to file bankruptcy raced through my thoughts. After a few moments passed, I cleared my throat. “Robert, is everything okay at work?”
He tilted his head to the side and frowned. “Of course. Why are you asking?”
“It’s just… I’m concerned you took on too much when it comes to me. Security costs a fortune.”
His eyes softened. “You’re worth every penny.”
“But…” I cleared my throat. “There’s a rumor going around that you might have to file bankruptcy. Is that true?”
The line between his brows deepened, and the corners of his mouth tilted down. “Who told you that?”
“I can’t say.”
He glanced down for a few moments and then met my gaze. “I’ve lost a few big clients and business has been slow, but it will pick back up. There’s no danger of me having to file bankruptcy.”
I let out a relieved breath. “I’m glad. But hearing that business is slow only confirms what I’m about to tell you.” I pressed my lips together, knowing he wasn’t going to like this. “Earlier today I told Will to discontinue services with Bad Boy Bodyguards. I don’t feel right accepting a service I can’t afford on my own.”
He sat up straight and looked concerned. “I told you, the money isn’t an issue. I want you safe.”
“I shouldn’t have accepted your help in the first place. You meant well, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I don’t want to be indebted to anyone. As soon as I’m able, I’ll pay you back.”
“You’re making a huge mistake.” He scooted closer and put his arm around the back of the couch so it was just above my shoulders. “I need to know you’re okay.” His hand slowly inched closer until it rested on my left shoulder.
It felt wrong. Uncomfortable.
He moved over a few more inches, and I cringed at his proximity. He was now in my personal space, and it was taking everything in me not to freak out. He was a trusted friend, so why was I having this reaction?
“I’m in love with you, Kayla.”
There it was. The reason I was so uncomfortable. I couldn’t return his feelings, not in the way he wanted. Unrequited love was the worst, and after experiencing it on both ends, I didn’t like what I had to say next.
“I’m sorry, Robert, but I don’t feel the same way.” I looked at him and waited for that to sink in, my heart hurting for him. It wasn’t the first time we’d had this discussion, but I hoped it would be the last. Maybe he would finally realize he needed to move on.
But there was no pain in his expression. There wasn’t anger either. Just…nothing. His face remained blank as if he hadn’t fully accepted my words yet. “Eventually you will come to love me.”
I shook my head. “No, you’re not listening to what I’m saying. I don’t have romantic feelings for you, and I never will.”
He stared back at me like he didn’t believe a word I’d just said.
“I hate to do this,” I said, “but I think we need to spend less time with each other so you can meet someone who—”
“No.”
He scooted over a little more until his thigh touched mine, and I practically jumped to my feet and walked to the other side of the room. He needed to stop doing things like that. I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms. “I care about you, but not in the way you want me to. You deserve to move on and find someone else.”
He stood as well, his brows pinched together, the moisture from his armpits soaking through his white long-sleeve shirt. “I won’t lose you.”
His gaze traveled the length of me, and it was like ice water sliding down my back. The hair on my arms rose, and my stomach roiled.
“I should go,” I said, heading for the door.
He moved to block my way, holding up a hand. “Please don’t do this. You’re the only person I’ve ever cared about.”
“You’re a dear friend. You always have been, but it’s gone too far. I’m doing what’s right for both of us.”
“Fine. You don’t want more than friendship. I get it. But don’t dismiss me like I’m nothing.”
Guilt flooded through me at his words. He’d done so much for me over the years. And for Daniel as well. He’d given his time and his money to both of us, and I hated that he thought I didn’t care. This was an impossible situation, and I didn’t know how to deal with it in a way that was both sensitive and firm. “I’ll pray about it, Robert. I’m not dismissing you, but I don’t want to give you hope. It’s not fair to you.”
“We can go back to being friends.”
“That’s all we’ve ever been.”
He hung his head and stared at the floor. “Right. It was just a slip of the tongue.”
“I have to leave. Can you please step aside?”
He moved out of the way, and I left, feeling terrible for breaking his heart, but I couldn’t go on like this. As soon as I was in the car, I deleted the tracking app on my phone so he wouldn’t be able to locate me whenever he wanted.
It was time to set boundaries.
Chapter 16
Troy
“I’m proud of you, son. Forgive me for not saying it sooner.”
Dad and I were having that talk, the one Kayla encouraged me to have with him when we talked over coffee a while back. “It means a lot to hear you say that,” I said. “I’m tired of being the black sheep in the family. I’m not that guy anymore and the label…”
“Just doesn’t fit.”
I let out a relieved breath, glad he was getting it. “Yeah. It’s time to move past that perception.”
“I understand, and I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like I don’t see all the good things you do. Your Mom and I love you very much.”
I let out a heavy breath. If I’d known he’d be that agreeable, I would have brought this up long ago. “Love you too.” For too long I’d wanted to leave it alone and allow things to stay the way they were, but I was relieved we were finally discussing the issue.
Kayla and I were officially dating, and maybe that was why I’d gathered the courage to say something. Being with her made me want a fresh start, especially since I was looking forward to taking her home to meet my parents in a few weeks. Now that I’d squared things with Dad, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
I put my phone away and stood up from my desk, needing to stretch my legs. Glancing around at my office, I had a sense of pride at all that I’d accomplished. The boxes were gone and everything was in order. Pictures hung on the wall. Desks and computers had been set up in the other offices. It actually looked like a place of work now.
A couple of weeks had passed since Kayla had discontinued services with Bad Boy Bodyguards. I stayed busy setting up the office and was able to interview a lot of different prospects for the new positions. I’d already hired one guy and hoped to hire another very soon. An administrative assistant was set to start tomorrow, and that would make life easier. I hadn’t convinced my friend, Shane, to come to work for me yet, but I was still working on him. He finally returned home but hadn’t come in for an interview yet as he was on the fence about what he wanted to do with his time.
He didn’t need the work since his family came from money, and he was overqualified for the job anyway, but knowing Shane, he’d eventually need something besides vacations to fill his time. Finances wouldn’t be a determining factor for him, so it would depend on if he was interested in the kind of work we had to offer. I hoped he’d join us at the new division, but I understood if he wanted to return to the FBI or find different work altogether.
My mind turned to other things. I was settling into my position as manager, and as it turned out, Robert’s accusations hadn’t mattered in the least. Ansel even apologized for putting me in the middle of that mess. He said he trusted me more than he trusted Robert, and I didn’t need to worry about it. I was grateful the Lord worked it out and my reputation wasn’t tarnished.
I still kept a close eye on Kayla. Checked in with her multiple times a day and stopped by her place after work as often as I could. I worried about her a lot, but thank goodness nothing else had happened to compromise her safety. She’d distanced herself from Robert but hadn’t cut ties completely. They’d met for lunch the othe
r day, and she told him about our relationship. She said he didn’t like it but accepted that I was now in the picture.
I seriously doubted he was that accepting, but I would have to take her word for it. I didn’t like the guy, but I respected her decisions and understood why she had a soft spot for him, considering he worked with her late husband and was an old friend.
I had just pulled up to her house to pick her up for dinner when she walked outside holding a phone to her ear, and then she slipped into the car. There was a frown on her face, but she smiled weakly at me and mouthed that it was Tom. The only Tom I knew of was the neighbor we’d talked to a while ago.
She cleared her throat. “I’m putting you on speaker so Troy can hear what you just told me.”
“Sure. Hi, Troy,” Tom said.
“Hey, how’s it going?”
“Not great,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about the conversation we had a few weeks ago, and my conscience won’t let me rest.”
What did that mean? “How so?”
He hesitated for a long moment. “I just told Kayla that I lied for Victor regarding his alibi.”
My mouth dropped open, but I wasn’t too surprised. I’d gotten the feeling that something was off when we’d met with him. “Okay… So just to clarify, you didn’t see his mother stop by that day?”
“Correct. But I want to make it known that I never believed Victor was a murderer, and I still don’t. He did a lot of ugly things, but he didn’t have a record, and I honestly don’t think he had anything to do with Daniel’s death.”
I shifted so I was closer to Kayla’s phone. “You must have concerns though. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have called.”
“Well, yeah. After hearing about Kayla’s recent attack and that weird phone call she got… I’d never forgive myself if something happened to her because I lied.”
Kayla winced, and I took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “Why did you do it? I get that you don’t think he killed anyone, but why lie to the police?”
“Well, that’s where this gets sticky.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably and was quiet for several seconds. “He knew I was cheating on my wife.” I could almost hear him swallow. “And he threatened to tell her if I didn’t validate his story.”
Protected By The Bad Boy (Bad Boy Bodyguards Book 1) Page 13