Protect Me - A Steamy Bodyguard Romance (You Can't Resist a Bad Boy Book 5)

by Layla Valentine

  This day started out like any other, and I only twigged that things were going to get stirred up a bit when Commander Gomez called me away from lifting weights.

  I couldn’t ignore the swell of hope in my chest, praying under my breath that it would be the change of pace I desperately needed. Hell, I didn’t ask for much, just the occasional mission.

  Meeting in one of the most secure debrief rooms on the base, Gomez watched me with a little half-smile as I settled into the chair across from him. He sipped his coffee in spite of how late in the day it was, though I wasn’t terribly surprised. Seeing Gomez without his coffee was like seeing a kid without his favorite teddy bear.

  “Evenin’, Commander,” I said cheerfully, leaning back in my chair.

  He nodded to acknowledge me, seeming to consider his words. He took a long swallow from his thermos, replacing it on the table and pressing his fingers together. I tried to maintain a casual air about me as I waited for him to speak, knowing Mark Gomez to be a man of few words.

  “Good evening, Lieutenant,” he said finally, his tone somber.

  I grinned, crossing my arms.

  “You don’t have to be so stuffy around me,” I joked.

  He smiled wryly, taking another sip of his coffee.

  “You should know by now that this is just my winning personality, Caldwell.”

  I shrugged noncommittally and he seemed to take that as a cue to change the subject.

  “I suppose you’re wondering why you’re here,” he drawled.

  “There’s a reason? My goodness, I just thought we were practicing your socialization skills.”

  The commander rolled his eyes, and I realized, not for the first time, that I was the only person he would allow such comments from. At least, in the privacy of a maximum security briefing room.

  “Sometimes I forget about that attitude of yours. Makes me wonder if I should reconsider giving you this mission,” Gomez mused out loud, and though it was obvious that he was joking, my eyes widened a bit.

  The idea of finally being given a mission after a month of being bored out of my mind sent an all-too-welcome thrill through me.

  “Aw, come on, Commander. You know someone has to liven things up around here.”

  He seemed to consider that, resting his chin in his hand as he looked me over.

  “I know I keep you around for some reason, at least,” he admitted.

  I leaned forward, the metal feet of my chair scraping against the concrete floor. He jolted a bit, startled by the loud sound.

  “All right, all right. You’re good at everything you put your mind to, Caldwell. Even if that irritates the crap out of me, you know your stuff. The FBI asked me to speak to the best man on the base, and I only had to think about it for a few hours before deciding on you,” he smirked, and I snickered at his attempt at humor.

  “The best, huh? Did they also require that he be the most handsome bastard on the island?” I asked cockily, receiving an exasperated sigh in response.

  “Well, while I can’t speak for the FBI’s intentions, I can see how looks might be of use in this particular mission. Are you ready to pipe down so I can go over this with you? Or should I go to the other guy I was considering?”

  I folded my arms behind my head, resuming my casual leaning in the uncomfortable chair.

  “You’re bluffing,” I said confidently.

  The commander sighed, rubbing his temples for a moment.

  “Your confidence is another reason I chose you. You’re right. I was pretty certain that you’d agree to the job, if just to get off the base for a few days. You’re not as mysterious as you like to think, Caldwell. It’s clear to everyone that you’re getting bored,” he said casually, producing a file from God knows where and slapping it down on the table.

  He flipped it open, pointing to a blurry photo of a young woman. I was immediately struck by her looks, though I would never admit as much. Even for the poor quality of the photo, it was obvious that the girl was beautiful.

  “This is Emily Madden, only daughter of big-time criminal Randy Madden. He’s been on the radar for some time, but has so far managed to evade our attempts to bring him in. We managed to track him to his latest base of operations, but the FBI needs more information before they can actually justify an arrest.

  “If things go as planned, he’ll either confess in order to get his daughter back, or she’ll have the information we need to get the charges to stick,” Gomez explained, and I glanced towards him with a glint in my eye.

  “Sounds easy enough. Break in, steal the girl away, and then have my wicked way with her,” I chuckled.

  The commander rolled his eyes.

  “Focus on the mission, Lieutenant. You’re to take her to a safe house and see that she’s taken care of. As much as I’d like to believe you were joking, I feel I need to clarify that getting involved with Miss Madden could do little but jeopardize the mission,” he said wearily.

  I held my hands up in a placating motion, and he seemed to relax somewhat.

  “You know I would never risk a mission. Even if the girl’s cute, I’m sure I’ll find some way to resist her womanly wiles,” I offered with a smile.

  Gomez rolled his eyes, pushing the file towards me.

  “It’s not her that has me worried,” he said bluntly. “I’m putting my ass on the line for this one, kid. I trust you to get the job done without things getting too sticky.”

  I nodded.

  “You have nothing to worry about, Commander. I’ll be the picture of professionalism,” I assured him.

  He watched me for a moment longer, seeming to debate whether there was anything else that needed to be said.

  “So, I take it that you’re agreeing to the job? If so, you’ll need to prepare tonight. You’re scheduled for departure at sunrise,” Gomez said decisively.

  I didn’t bother to fight my smile, reveling in the idea of being able to escape the base.

  “The sooner, the better, as far as I’m concerned. Thanks for the opportunity, Commander. You won’t be disappointed.”

  He nodded, rising from his seat and circling around the table. He saluted, and I stood to return the gesture before making for the door.

  “Goodnight, Caldwell. Remember, on your best behavior with this one,” he called out.

  I smiled, pushing my way out of the briefing area, and walked with my head held high as I crossed the base. While I intended to stay true to my word of being the picture of professionalism, I couldn’t deny that there was something appealing about spending time with this gorgeous little thing—a forbidden fruit sort of vibe, if you will.

  Making my way to my bunk, I went through the few belongings I kept with me on the base. I shoved some clothes into a duffel bag, hesitating as I considered the gravity of the mission. I was confident enough to pull it off, just as confident as I was when approaching any sort of challenge.

  I decided that I would spend the night looking over Emily Madden’s file, learning as much about my target as I could in the time I had been granted.

  A stab of sadness lanced my heart as I settled into my bunk, reading over the information that had been collected on the girl. Apparently, her father had swept her away to Guam at age thirteen, just after her mother had been killed in a botched assassination attempt of which her father was the target.

  Thinking of my own parents, so far away from where I lay in that moment, I breathed a weary sigh. I couldn’t really remember the last time I’d spoken to them, though my mom still sent me letters.

  My dad had never really approved of my decision to leave our small town, resenting the fact that I’d left them behind. I wondered if this Emily girl struggled with the hand life had dealt her, if she resented her father for ripping her away from everything she knew, likely so he could just continue his life of crime.

  I could only wonder just how much of a fight she would put up, but blood tended to be thicker than water—perhaps she even planned to follow in her father’s f
ootsteps someday.

  My heart went out to the girl, no matter how this mission turned out. It couldn’t have been easy to lose her mother because of her father’s foolish decisions in life. It wasn’t often that I allowed myself to get so swept up in missions, but perhaps Gomez had been right to be a little nervous about sending me off on what was essentially a rescue mission.

  I knew the FBI didn’t see it that way, but I saw a girl who needed to be saved. I’d be damned if I’d let her down like everyone else in her life had.

  Chapter 2

  Emily

  Let me preface this by saying I loved my father very dearly. I knew, deep down, that he was looking out for my best interests. However, on the night before my 21st birthday, the last thing I wanted was to be locked away in my gilded cage. I wanted to go out, get a little wild, and have a bit of fun.

  Unfortunately, fun didn’t seem to be in Randy Madden’s dictionary, at least when it came to me. Embarrassingly enough, I’d reached the ripe old age of 21 and never even had a boyfriend. I’d never been kissed, never seen a man naked (at least, not in person), and, as humiliating as it was, I still held onto my virginity.

  Being the daughter of an infamous criminal wasn’t as awful as one might think. While my father had always been the overprotective sort, I wasn’t exactly kept locked away in an ivory tower.

  On the other hand, I was well aware that I could never stray too far, that my father would always have his cronies at the ready if I stepped out of line. I wasn’t afraid of my father’s underlings, but I knew that they would go to any lengths necessary to see my wanderings limited to a confined space.

  When I was younger, I had gone to school almost like a normal kid. That life was ripped away from me the day Mom died. We moved to Guam the next day, and I hadn’t been to school since; instead, my father hired tutors to homeschool me for the rest of high school.

  All I wanted, at the very least, was to say I’d had my first kiss. Even being a virgin was moderately more acceptable than the fact that I’d never even made out with a guy! It seemed that my dad was intent upon seeing that I never got the idea that I’d actually get out from under his thumb.

  I was determined, that night, to leave the penthouse apartment I was usually confined to. I wanted to celebrate on my birthday on my own terms, for once in my life. If it meant upsetting my father, it was a possibility I was ready to face.

  That’s what I’d told myself before I was actually in front of him, where the look of angry determination in his eyes made a grim pit form in my gut. I crossed my arms defensively, tilting my head as if welcoming his multitude of reasons why I shouldn’t be allowed my freedom.

  “I just want to go out for drinks. It’s not like I have any friends. It’s not like there’s any boy I would dare be seen with. I just want to go to a bar, have a few drinks, and enjoy the sensation of being…being an adult! I’m not a child anymore, Dad,” I blurted out, my heart hammering against my ribs.

  He frowned, shaking his head as he seemed to determine the most effective way to shut down my idea.

  “You know it’s dangerous for you to leave the estate. I allow you to go out to safe locations, but a bar is anything but safe. What more do you want from me?” he demanded, his expression as critical as ever.

  I rolled my eyes, glancing towards the bodyguards who were watching us argue. I narrowed my eyes, hoping I wouldn’t have to be the one to dismiss the bullheaded idiots, and breathed a sigh before returning my attention to my father.

  “I want to live a normal life, Dad. I want to make friends; I want to go out and party on my birthday. It’s not that much to ask, you know. You can even send your meatheads to watch after me. Just…let me leave the estate for a night. I know—” I paused, rethinking the direction I was taking the conversation.

  As much as I wanted to tell my father that my mother wouldn’t be happy with the idea of keeping me locked away in this glorified prison, I knew that bringing my mother up would only make my father angrier.

  One night, eight years before, my parents and I had gone to the opera. While I’d been pleading for the autographs of the performers after the show was over, my mother and father had slipped away for a cigarette. The next thing I knew, I heard gunshots and the sound of my father’s enraged screams outside.

  I had rushed outside immediately, just in time for my mother to gather me in her arms one last time. She’d made me promise to take care of my father, and though I had always been determined to do just that, it came with a price.

  “You know I can’t allow it, Emily. If we were back in the States, maybe I’d reconsider, but things just aren’t safe for you here. I’m not the only ‘bad guy’ who came to Guam to escape the law,” he explained.

  While I could see the reason behind his words to some extent, I also couldn’t help but blame him for putting me in this awful situation to begin with.

  After my mother died, Dad had fallen more deeply into his life of crime. It seemed that he would stop at nothing until the gang that had tried to assassinate him—and had in turn killed my mother—was wiped off the face of the planet. As much as I wanted to have some sense of closure as well, it wasn’t always that easy.

  There had been a dozen forks in the road prior to this one, different paths we could have taken. We could have turned to the police, had my father turn himself in for what information he had. He could never fathom the idea of leaving me in the care of someone else, however.

  “You’re not a bad guy. At least, you weren’t always,” I muttered, rubbing my temples.

  He flinched visibly, reaching out to rest a hand on my shoulder.

  “After what happened to your mother, I promised I would take care of you. That means keeping you safe. That means, unfortunately, not allowing you to go out on your birthday,” he said wearily.

  I found myself gritting my teeth, hands tightening into fists at my sides.

  “It’s not fair, Dad. You say the only reason you’re doing all of this is to protect me. You say you want to do right by Mom, but she wouldn’t want me locked away like this!” I bit out, venom beginning to spew from my words.

  “I know you blame yourself for her death, but there’s no going back! Taking your poor life decisions out on me isn’t going to bring Mom back,” I continued, my voice rising in pitch.

  “What did you say?” my father hissed, tightening his grip on my shoulder.

  Seeing the fury in his eyes, I knew I should have taken it back. I should have agreed to settle down in my apartment for the evening, share a glass of wine with the bodyguards, and enjoy what I could of my birthday. Knowing that he was upset did little to abate my own anger, though, and I whipped away from him, pointing a finger in his face.

  “I said you need to stop taking your mistakes out on me. Mom wouldn’t want this. Mom never wanted any of this; she never even wanted you to start this life. If she was still alive, she’d hate who you are now!” I screamed.

  Silence fell over the room, and all I could hear was my father’s ragged breathing. His eyes watered, but I couldn’t tell if it was from sheer anger or grief. Before I could get the words out to soften the blow, he struck me across the face with the palm of his hand.

  “Boss, no!” one of the bodyguards shouted, rushing over to the two of us.

  The other crony joined him, helping me to my feet as tears streamed down my cheeks. I couldn’t believe it. My father had slapped me. With all the mistakes he’d made in his life, for all the bad things he had done, he had never been violent with me. I was his only daughter. I was his pride and joy.

  “You…” I began, touching my cheek. It stung from the force of the blow. “You hit me,” I choked out, my voice sounding more broken than I’d have liked to admit.

  My father began to cry, staring at his hands as if they had betrayed him.

  “I’m sorry, Emily. I’m so sorry! You just…I get so upset when I think of your mother, and I can’t…I can’t…” his voice was strangled, and I inhaled a steadyi
ng breath before shaking my head.

  I knew trying to reason with him was a lost cause at that point, so I could only rub my cheek tenderly and try to meet my father’s gaze. The sorrow in his eyes was nearly deep enough to drown in, but I couldn’t find it within myself to feel any sympathy for him.

  “I’m going to my apartment to have some time alone. I hope you understand,” I said coolly.

  My father reached out, his fingertips ghosting against my injured cheek. I flinched away, squeezing my eyes shut against the tears that threatened to fall. In spite of everything, it was as if that one action had served to turn my entire world upside down.

  “I understand. I’m so sorry, honey,” he whispered.

  I drew away from him, trying to keep my breathing steady as I made my way downstairs towards the door. I could hear the bodyguards trying to comfort my father as I walked away, but there was no one to comfort me. There had never been any source of comfort in this wretched place, save my father. Now he had betrayed me, I couldn’t fathom who else I could reach out to.

  While it wasn’t the first time I’d felt entirely alone, it was one of the most sobering moments of my life. And all because I’d wanted a taste of freedom.

  Truly, I made my decision then.

  Chapter 3

  Emily

  I’d been planning how I would escape my father’s overbearing clutches since the day I turned eighteen. Granted, that had only been three years, but it was plenty of time to realize that I was sick of being a mindless daddy’s girl.

  I needed my freedom.

  I had no friends to turn to, but I could only hope that would change when I escaped my gilded cage. I could imagine my future with a dozen gal pals to hang out with, maybe a cute boyfriend to snuggle close to at night. I wouldn’t be as forward as to invite him home on the first date, but a kiss would be nice.

  I liked to think I’d read enough romantic fiction to know the basics of how kissing would work; I just hoped I would be good at it. I imagined it would take a bit of innate talent, or maybe some gentle guidance. As I strode down the street in the direction of my apartment, I imagined what my handsome stranger might look like.