Forgotten Bodyguard Box Set: A Forbidden Fruit Series

by Ali Parker

  “Sounds good.”

  “And I assume that Cole told you about the salary?"

  "Yes, Sir. It's more than generous."

  "Good. You'll be staying at the large beach house I'm renting for her in La Jolla as well for the summer should you decide to take the position."

  "I don't need to meet your daughter to decide. I want to help you out in any way I can. I'm a big supporter of yours and keeping you or..."

  "Chloe."

  "Keeping you or Chloe safe would be an honor. Honestly." I brushed my hand along my slacks, hating the scratchy-ass material they were made of. The girl couldn’t be that bad, and if she was, I wasn’t beyond showing her how to behave and teaching her why she should. She might not like it, but if I were a betting man, I would lay money on the fact that I could help her become the type of person her father wanted her to be. Or I could just spank her.

  Stop it. Shit.

  "Meet her first and then give me a call." He stood. "Thanks for your time today, Ian, and thanks again for keeping me above ground. I owe you a life debt."

  Chapter 5

  Chloe

  I suffered through the dinner with my father the night before, trying hard to change the subject to something that would leave us on good terms. I loved him, but he could push me from calm to pissed within seconds. Everything revolved around his career. Everything.

  Turning to smile at my best friend, Jessica, I tried to let the day before go. I would deal with my dad and his demands later, after a day of blowing my allowance at the mall. Fashion Valley was the place to be, the stores vast and the people beautiful. It felt like taking a step up in the world for some odd reason.

  "So... tell me about all the hot boys in L.A." Jessica popped her gum for the tenth time and I ground my teeth, forcing myself to not resort to being the spoiled ass I was in high school.

  "There are plenty of them, but San Diego has the same breed of men." I pulled a shirt off the rack and lifted it up to see what she thought.

  "Naw... that's way too big. Get a small size and show off your tits. They’re awesome, and you hide them far too much." She popped her gum again and picked up a pair of red heels that looked like they should have a tramp stamp on the bottom of them. "I've been wanting these all spring. My birthday was in March..."

  I rolled my eyes as she whimpered and brushed the shoes by her face. "Fine. I'll get them for you, but don’t tell anyone it was me. I’d never admit to buying those… not even for you."

  "You sure?" She checked the tag and gasped. "Chloe, these are like three hundred dollars. Forget about it. Shit. What are they made of? Gold fillings collected and chipped out of the mouths of orphan kids in India."

  I laughed loudly and slapped my hand over my mouth. She had no couth or class, and I loved her for it. She was the only thing in my life that brought me back down to reality when nothing else would. Too bad I didn’t get to see her too often.

  "It's cool. Stop whimpering and throw your gum away and I'll get them." I turned and picked up the same shirt again, just a smaller size. The shimmery pink material would be beautiful under the strobe lights of the club. I loved to dance more than anything else, so going to the club - every club - was a must.

  "You're really getting that?" Jessica pulled her gum from her mouth and flicked it.

  I turned and pulled her the other way as someone let out a soft gasp. "Dude. You can't do that. This is Nordstrom's for shit sake."

  "So? When you have money, you can do whatever you want." She shrugged. "I mean, I don't have any money, but you do and we're besties; therefore, I have money."

  "Where did you hear that lie? Being rich doesn't get you anything but more headaches." I pulled her toward the checkout stand and put my shirt on the counter.

  She tossed her shoes up there without a care in the world. I swear the girl hadn't a single strand of guilt over forcing people to do her bidding. It had been the same in high school. She was the bully until she found out that I was wealthy and didn't put up with much. We'd been friends ever since. Funny enough, I could see her still being the bully in life.

  "What headaches do you have? Really? What color your nails should be or what guy you should turn down this week?" She poked me in the back.

  I turned and pinned her with a stare. "How about, 'who's going to try and kill my father this week’?"

  "Awe, damn, C. You're gonna throw that shit out?" She moved up beside me, tugging at the back of my hair. "I'm sorry. I was just teasing."

  "It's all good." I gave the lady my card as she gave me the once over. The shoes just didn't seem to fit my prim and proper look. I got it. "The latest is that my father wants me to take on a bodyguard, or really, he's assigning one to me. He's worried about me."

  "Oh my God. Seriously? Is the guy hot? You know all those great movies and books where the rich girl gets a bodyguard. They totally have anal sex in the shower and fall madly in love with each other, but that shit doesn’t happen until the girl almost dies. No dying on me or even faking it. How fucked up would that be if someone tried to take your ass out?"

  I couldn't help but laugh as the older lady in front of me stopped checking us out and turned to stare at Jess as her mouth dropped.

  "Ignore my friend. She doesn't get out much." I turned and gave her the 'cut it out' look.

  "Clearly," the lady murmured.

  "Don't hate, old lady." Jessica leaned forward and popped another piece of gum in her mouth, smacking it loudly as the clerk's lip turned up in disgust.

  I took our bags and thanked the woman, but she turned and wiped her hands as if trying to rid herself of us. It was more than expected, and yet I couldn’t help but want to retaliate with my stature. I didn’t, but I was damn close.

  "Wow. I forget how rude people can be." I glanced at Jessica as she shrugged.

  Her life had been very different from mine, but I didn't mind. My main group of friends from high school didn't want anything to do with her, but I would hang out with them later. They were rich and powerful, most of them not bothering with college.

  "Where to now?" She took the bag from me and popped her gum.

  "I'm meeting with my dad again before he gets out of town, so let's grab a bite to eat and then I'll drop you back off at home. We can get together later this week."

  "I'm coming on Friday to stay with you at that kick-ass pad you got."

  "I'll see what's going on and text you, but yeah, of course you can come stay with me." I pointed to my favorite Chinese restaurant. "How about there?"

  "Ugh. You know I hate that place."

  "Come on... I'm buying, which means that I get to pick the place."

  "Yeah, uh, no shit. The last thing I bought us was a week in detention in fifth grade." We laughed together as we walked through the crowds of people, the looks we received were nothing new.

  The two of us couldn't be more different. Me with my pressed blue skirt and white oxford, my blond hair in a ponytail and my sandals white and toes painted.

  Jess had her hair dyed blue and she wore the same boyish shorts she had in school. The four t-shirts she layered made her look much larger than she was, but she didn't give a shit.

  We were exactly alike on the inside and that made the difference.

  Tainted. Angry. Lonely.

  Best friends.

  *

  After dropping Jessica off in the slums, I headed back to the beach house feeling like shit. I should have invited her to spend the summer with me, but I was far too much of an introvert to do something stupid like that. Time by myself was something I craved and being stuck in the middle of a house of twenty-plus girls most of the year left my skin crawling.

  Thank God for Alyssa or I wouldn't have made it.

  The spunky New Yorker didn't want to interact any more than she had to, and being the new president of the sorority, she had made some big changes. One was to abolish roomies or roommates. I almost cried tears of joy when it happened. I wasn't a child at a sleepover, but a grown-ass
woman and I wanted my own room. I never should have joined the sorority, but my father kept after me about it until I finally gave in.

  It would look good… Right… for who? Him.

  My thoughts scattered as I parked in front of the house. Two suits with dark glasses and slick hair sat on the porch swing as I walked up.

  "I'm starting to think I'm in a Men in Black movie. You guys looking for a few little green men?" I smiled as they pulled their glasses down and looked at one another, clueless.

  "They aren't that cool and you know it." The male voice behind me was familiar. Pauly.

  I turned and let out a soft yelp, running and jumping into my father's oldest friend's arms. "Pauly. Oh my God you're getting old."

  He laughed and squeezed me tightly, spinning me around like he did when I was a child. "You don't look old at all, but you just get more and more beautiful. How is that even possible? You look just like Melinda."

  Heat rushed up from my chest to coat my neck and face. The pictures of my mother were breathtaking. I was nowhere near as beautiful as she had been. My father had met her at an event when they were in their twenties, my mother having just put out her third box office hit.

  "Please… You flatter me." I glanced behind me and turned back around. "Is one of these monkeys the one you're forcing on me by chance?"

  "So he told you?" Pauly smiled and ran his fingers through his short black hair. I told him all the time when I was younger that he would make the perfect gangster, but he laughed and reminded me that he was simply one of the good guys. I still had my doubts.

  "He did, though he was nervous as shit when he finally spit it out. When am I supposed to meet the brute?"

  "Tonight. What time are you going dancing with your friends?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

  I growled and narrowed my eyes at him. The hopes of intimidating him had long gone out the window, but I was just ballsy enough to still try. "How do you know that? Did you guys tap my phone again?"

  "No, butterfly. You've been in my care for twenty-one years. I know you love to dance. Are you not going out tonight?" He tilted his head to the side and gave me a funny look.

  I smiled, though I hated myself for doing it. Why my father didn’t just send Pauly to do his dirty work was beyond me. He was the only one I might sorta-kinda be willing to listen to without throwing massive amounts of attitude around. Maybe.

  "I am. I'll meet your guy tonight, but I’m only promising to meet him. We're going to The Roxy, so tell him to dress pretty."

  "And I assume if I send him, you'll do your best to make him run screaming from the premises?" He lifted an eyebrow and leaned toward me.

  "You know me too well, old man. Better than anyone."

  "It's my job, kiddo, and you make it too easy."

  Chapter 6

  Ian

  The shift at the hospital was pure torture, the main event of the day being a bus of students from a summer camp that had an accident with an eighteen-wheeler. It wasn't the trauma of what happened to the kids that left me so torn up, but the way the parents acted. I would have rather dealt with crack addicts for the rest of the week than push one more of them back in the midst of their agony.

  They had gone from anger to concern to absolute devastation. Most of the kids hadn't made it and I had to excuse myself to the bathroom to throw up at least three times when the families got the news. I couldn’t help but pray for the boredom I’d been so flippant about earlier that week.

  The pain in the air buckled my sense of resolve to remain strong and unaffected. The wailing screams and heart-felt sobs from the family threw me back to the night Amanda died in my arms. I hadn't experienced anything as horrific since, but the scene in the ER was damn near close.

  I wasn't having kids for lots of reasons, but the one I witnessed that day was the main one. If a woman could leave me broken and bare, a child could destroy me completely. There was something good to be said about the fact that Cole and I were abandoned at birth and left to foster care. I was a horrible kid and he wasn't much better. There was no mother's heart to break or father's pride to crush. We rarely ended up anywhere but back at the orphanage. As soon as we were old enough, we moved to the streets and worked hard to make sure we were fed and had a place to lay our heads. Other than that... nothing was important.

  My phone buzzed as I walked into the quiet apartment. It wasn't much bigger than a studio, but I was thrilled. It was more than I had ever had before, and it was mine. Just mine.

  "What?" I barked into the receiver, not caring who was on the phone. It was after eight at night and I hadn't eaten since breakfast because of another mother fucker calling in and me having to pull a double shift.

  "It's me, dude," Cole barked back. "I just got a call from Senator Moore. The meet up is tonight at The Roxy. The girl is going to be with a group of girls no doubt. Mitch said that she's got long blond hair, blue eyes and looks a little bit like him. She's about five foot, five inches and a hundred and thirty pounds."

  "Sounds hot," I grumbled and opened the fridge, leaning over and pulling out a beer and a pack of lunchmeat. I was too tired to make a sandwich, but the protein would hold me over until I had the energy to cook something.

  Pulling the package open, I rolled the meat and started to eat as fast as I could as my stomach groaned. Cole droned on and I tried to pay attention, but fear of not getting enough to eat threatened to shut me down.

  It didn't matter how much better life got. I remembered starving half to death for too long to let the terror of it go.

  "Hey. You there?" His tone was less than pleasant and I had to work hard at not snapping his head off.

  "Yeah, dude. Fuck. I'm tired and starving." I shoved more into my mouth and popped open a beer, wanting to get off the phone and take a long shower.

  "Sorry. Cindy's being a bitch again."

  "Drop that hooker, Cole. Come over here until you find a new place. Life is too long to stay with someone that shits on you all the time." I hated to be a dick about his wife, but he had more negative shit to say about the woman than he ever had positive. He needed to move on, but he was too much like me, wanting the type of love that didn’t really exist.

  "Yeah, yeah. Tonight's not about me. It's about you. Get your shit together, eat and get up to that club. Be professional and call me later about whether you want the job or not. The Senator's ready to hire you, so it’s really your call."

  "Can I just not go and say yes? I don't care what the little piece is like. The money is too good to say no." I ran my fingers down my face and grimaced. The smell of cold cuts was all over my hands and now on my face too. Brilliant.

  "No. You can't. Do what I said and let me know your answer after it’s over. This isn’t a normal situation, Ian. You’re not just watching her from afar like we did at the open-air event. You’re staying at the house with her. If she’s too much to handle-"

  "All right. I get it. Shit. Thanks for the opportunity." I hung up and tossed the phone on a nearby chair before finishing the meat roll in my free hand and washing it down with the rest of my beer. The loaf of bread beside me looked good and would go great with the meat sitting in my stomach. I took a few pieces and almost swallowed them whole as I walked languidly to the bathroom to wash my face.

  A nap would have been great before having to dress up for a night at the club. I used to love to go, my dance skills wicked sick, but I quit after realizing that dancing led to sex and sex led to loving someone. I wasn't interested.

  Tonight would be different. A little dancing, a drink and an interview. I hoped the girl had practiced personality questions for our meet up. I was going to drill her good.

  "Drill her." I chuckled and shoved the rest of the bread in my mouth before getting into the shower.

  I washed up quickly and towel dried my hair as I inspected myself in the full-length mirror in the bedroom. My tats lined my chest and abs, my hours in the gym giving me the body I could never get when I was smoking. Drugs di
d weird shit to me, leaving me more content to waste away than do or be anything in life.

  "Never again." I ran my hand along my cock, grateful that the abuse I put on myself in my younger years hadn't affected my ability to please a woman. I might not have used it often, but when I did... I wanted to bring the girl to her knees with pleasure.

  It wasn't happening tonight. I stroked myself once more and focused back on my face, wondering if I should shave or not. I decided on not. The five o’clock shadow gave me an edge that warned away the faint of heart from fucking with me, women included.

  Picking up the phone, I texted my brother for the girl's digits and wondered if I weren’t making a mistake. The money sounded like a dream, but anything to do with a woman, and I was already weakened.

  A few minutes later the number came back through and I figured it was time to start the interview via text.

  "Let's see how compliant you are, little girl." I licked my lips and took a deep breath.

  Me: This is Ian. Your father and I spoke about me working for him where you were concerned. Let me know the address to The Roxy and I'll see you in the better part of an hour.

  She texted back a few minutes later, causing my lip to lift for no good reason.

  Her: Hi Ian. I'm Chloe. I heard you needed a body to guard and I guess my father thought to offer mine. If you have Safari on your phone, then you can figure out where the club is. I would think a big, smart guy like you can push a few buttons. No? I'll show you when you get here how to push buttons. I'm soooo good at it.

  I laughed, unable to help myself. This was going to be fun. She was pissed about her father seeking protection for her. If I wanted a challenge, I just got one. I decided not to text her back, but let her stew on whether or not I took her text as humorous or asinine.