Vanguard Security

by S. J. Bishop

  Her soft moans drove me wild.

  Suddenly, I grabbed her by the ass and hoisted her off her feet. Naturally, she wrapped her legs around me, her ankles locking together. I allowed my hands to roam along her silky thighs, enjoying their softness. My fingers ventured further and further, eventually finding the edge of her panties. I pulled on them, contemplating going all the way with her. If I did, there would be no turning back.

  She thrust her hips in my direction, her body silently asking for it.

  I couldn’t deny her.

  Quickly, I pushed her panties to the side, exposing her cute little pussy. I licked my lips, imagining what it would be like to taste her right from the source. Maybe I would find out sooner rather than later. The thought made me smirk, increasing my lust to untold levels. I almost felt bad for her. As soon as I got her to bed, she would be screaming my name.

  My fingers slowly crept along her clit, teasing her for a moment. Her body writhed at my touch. My thumb flicked back and forth quickly, getting her nice and wet. She ground into my fingers, her moans growing louder.

  Without warning, I shoved my middle finger inside of her.

  She gasped, her mouth forming into a perfect little ‘o.’ Before she could regain her composure, I added another, stretching her out a bit. God, she was tight.

  My fingers started to pump in and out of her, enjoying the sound of her juices squelching in and out of her. My cock throbbed, wanting to plunge into those wet folds.

  Unable to deny my desire any further, I carried her into the bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. A second later, I pounced on top of her, pinning her to the mattress with my body. I growled as I leaned down, biting down on her neck.

  “Cruz…”

  The sound of my name on her lips drove me into a lust-induced frenzy. I tore at her clothes like a madman.

  She returned the gesture, tugging on my shirt and throwing it across the room. Next came my pants.

  I don’t quite know how it happened, but somehow, she managed to roll on top of me, a devilish smirk on her lips.

  It was then that I realized that her chest was on full display right before my eyes. I reached forward, kneading her tits between my fingers. They were just big enough to fill up my palms to perfection.

  As I teased her tits, her nails ran all the way down my torso. She lingered around my lower abdomen before she grabbed my dick in her hand for the first time. That alone nearly made me explode.

  Her grip was firm and confident as she started to jerk me off.

  I groaned, biting my lip, keeping back the flood that was building up inside of me. I turned the tables quickly, flipping us over and rubbing my tip against her entrance. She was so wet that I was covered in her juices in a matter of seconds. “Are you ready for it?” I asked, looking into her eyes to make sure that she truly wanted this.

  She nodded.

  I hesitated, but the look in her eye was enough to convince me. The bond I felt between us was more than lust. It was something else. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it was strong, powerful, and addicting.

  I needed it.

  Without another thought, I plunged deep inside of her, entering the gates of paradise.

  17

  Amelia

  I woke up to find Cruz gone. I sighed, staring up at my ceiling. Typical.

  Just when I’d thought I had found a guy that would be worth my while, he just ended up being like all the rest.

  I was about to roll out of bed when my hand ran over a piece of paper pinned to the spare pillow. I grabbed it. It was filled with a messy scrawl that I could barely understand. I grabbed my reading glasses from the nightstand and sat up, pressing the sheets to my still naked body.

  Amelia,

  I do not want you to take my absence as a lack of interest. Last night was amazing. No… amazing does not even come close to describing it. You truly blew my mind. But, I had to go to work this morning and find out what is happening. I need to get to the bottom of this and stop it before you get hurt. Try to stay out of trouble while I’m gone, okay? Call me at any time if you need me.

  Yours,

  S. Cruz

  I stared at his signature for a moment. Even though I had slept with this man, I still didn’t know his first name. Hell, I didn’t know anything about him, really. Yet there was this ethereal connection between us that I couldn’t quite explain. It was like my heart strings had tethered to his, and I honestly had no idea why.

  Ding!

  My phone went off. My heart skipped a beat, expecting a text from Cruz, but all I got was a notification that all my lives had recharged on Candy Crush. Why had I installed that stupid game in the first place?

  I tossed my phone back on the bed before I got up, heading for the bathroom. As I walked, my thighs ached slightly. I smiled to myself. Cruz had been an animal. At one point, I’d thought we would actually break the bed.

  And I had loved every single minute of it.

  I sighed in satisfaction as I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water run over my body. My skin still tingled. I could almost feel the trail of kisses he’d left behind. I had never experienced someone with a tongue so skilled… Just thinking about it sent a shiver running down my spine.

  To be honest, I couldn’t wait to see him again, and I didn’t say that very often.

  When I was done with my shower, I tossed on some workout gear. From the looks of it, the weather had turned around. Maybe I’d be able to go for a morning – well, afternoon – run without getting soaked by the rain.

  I popped in some earbuds and headed out the door.

  Soon, my feet stepped into a perfect rhythm, propelling me forward. I did a lap around the neighborhood, deftly avoiding any puddle in my path, singing along to the music.

  “Now, if we are talking body… you got a perfect one… so put it on me… Swear it won’t take you long… If you love me right… we fuck for life… on and on and on…”

  I floated on my runner’s high until I reached a nearby park, settling into one of the benches. I slipped my phone out of my pocket and tapped the app I used to write whenever I was on the go. My fingers flew across the keyboard, detailing every little thing that had happened to me last night, from the Ferris Wheel fiasco, to the motorcycle ride, and of course, the whole murder attempt.

  As I typed, a shadow suddenly swept over me, blocking out the sun. I looked up to find a large, well-built man standing in front of me.

  I tensed up.

  Could this be the hitman who had followed us last night? I subtly searched his person for any sort of concealed weapon, but his tight muscle shirt didn’t leave much to the imagination.

  “Hello.” He flashed a dazzling smile. “I couldn’t help but notice that you were sitting here alone. Is everything alright?”

  “Oh, I’m fine. Just thought I would take a little break… not all of us can run a marathon.” I said, glancing over at him.

  “Are you implying that I can?” He returned, plopping down beside me. “If I can be completely honest with you…” He leaned in slowly like he was going to tell me a great big secret. “...I actually suck as a runner. I’m pretty slow.”

  “I highly doubt that.”

  “Then run a lap with me and find out.” He offered with a sweet smile that would be impossible to refuse.

  “You’re smooth, I’ll give you that much.”

  He chuckled. “So... what do you say?” He was already up on his feet, holding out his hand.

  I grabbed it. “Sure.”

  We started to run together. At first, neither one of us said a word. Our steps were in perfect sync. Then, as we rounded the bend, he caught my eye and grinned. “I’ll race you to the fountain.”

  About a hundred yards ahead was a bubbling water fountain, surrounded by an army of pigeons. “You’re on,” I smirked, charging forward.

  Quickly, I was running as fast as I could, pumping my arms to push me even faster. Despite my best efforts, my running partne
r quickly caught up to me, taking the lead.

  I growled, my competitiveness coming to the forefront. I pushed myself even harder, my calves burning with the effort. Even so, I lost the race by a hair.

  “You hustled me!” I protested, trying to catch my breath. .”

  “Oh?” The corner of his lips twitched in amusement.

  “Rematch. Now.” I demanded.

  He chuckled. “Fine, we can have a rematch, but only if you tell me your name.”

  “Amelia.”

  He smiled.“Pretty.”

  “What’s yours?”

  “John.”

  18

  Cruz

  Hey, Franklin, I have a question for you.” I dropped by my friend’s cubicle, peering at his computer screen.

  “Yes?”

  “Do you think you can pull up some information on my sister?”

  He raised an eyebrow in my direction. Franklin was a straight-edged fellow with fine features and well-groomed hair. In the army, he had always been the one to tinker around with the gadgets. One time, he saved all of our asses by fixing our GPS unit. If it weren’t for him, we would probably still be walking around in circles, deep in the jungle.

  “What for?”

  I glanced over my shoulder, surveying the area. The possibility of my attacker being a member of the VanGuard was slim to none, but you could never be too careful. Sometimes, a man’s worst enemy was his ally. I hesitated, wondering how much I could really trust Franklin. When we were SEALs, I had trusted him with my life, but I had no idea what kind of man he had become since the last time I’d seen him. Maybe he’d transitioned to the dark side, and VanGuard was just a really good cover. Maybe I had started watching way too many movies with my Netflix subscription…

  “Hmm?” he prompted, waiting for me to respond. “Cat got your tongue or something?”

  I sat down on the edge of his desk. “Last night, someone tried to take me out.”

  His eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

  “The sniper was aimed at me.”

  “Then why do you want me to research your sister?” he asked immediately, trying to connect the dots. “What does she have to do with all of this?”

  “Something’s not adding up. I’ve never been to London. The closest I came was our two-week respite in Dublin before we headed to Moscow.”

  He nodded, a look of nostalgia on his face. “We barely left the ship.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So, you think that this all started with your sister, and now they are going after you?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know, I’m not supposed to use the database for anything other than a mission.”

  “Come on, Franklin. Break the rules just this once – for my sake.”

  He studied my face for a moment. “I have to go home straight after work before the babysitter leaves, but why don’t you join me for dinner? How does seven sound? If you bring along your laptop… I’ll see what I can do. Looking her up on the company’s bandwidth would be too risky; they’ll see my credentials, and I can’t afford to lose my job.”

  “Fine.” I nodded. “I owe you one.” I patted him on the back and smiled. “And if you ever need anything, just remember that I’m your new boss.” I winked.

  He groaned dramatically.

  I left his cubicle and headed for my own. As I did, I made the mistake of looking up at Mr. Robison’s office. He took off his glasses and pointed them in my direction. There was a stern expression on his face. I had the feeling that I had somehow gotten myself into trouble.

  Slowly, I dragged my feet, stalling. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to my asshole boss.

  “Cruz… it’s a pleasure to see you finally joining us. I’ve been notified that you had a family emergency you needed to deal with. I hope that’s been handled by now and that you can jump into your position full throttle.” He got up and pressed a button on the wall. The blinds that covered the floor to ceiling windows were tucked into small compartments on either side. “This city is simply our place of operation, but we have a worldwide agenda. Every day, we keep people safe where authorities have failed.”

  I listened to his pitch, trying to ignore the condescending tone he was using, like I was some five-year-old learning his alphabet.

  “But saving people is only part of what we do. We also organize and maintain an expansive database that records certain statistics, such as agent success rate, crime reduction percentiles, and general satisfaction with the company. These numbers need to be in a certain range. If not, we do not receive the funding we so desperately need.”

  I couldn’t understand why he was telling me all of this.

  “As the Head of the International Division, your job is to make sure our international agents are all following SOP. If they aren’t, you’ll be required to take action.”

  “Wait… are you telling me that I got promoted to a desk job?” My skin crawled just thinking about it. I couldn’t spend my entire day sitting around, making phone calls, and sending out emails. I would lose my mind.

  “Is that a problem?” he asked, his eyes cold and emotionless. “Because if it is, I have no qualms with finding a replacement. But, I hope you understand that your less than five years with VanGuard will leave you with no pension and no possibility of rejoining the company, and I can personally guarantee you that this is the best place for an ex-SEAL to work. You can’t expect six figures anywhere else.” As he finished his speech, he perched the arm of his glasses on the corner of his mouth, looking smug.

  I ground my teeth together. This guy was really getting on my nerves. I needed this job, but I didn’t know how long I’d be able to tolerate such a prick. “It’s handled,” I finally said.

  “Fantastic. Then you’ll have no problem filling out these reports for me.” He grabbed a thick stack of folders off of his desk and plopped them on my lap. “They need to be completed by the end of the day.” He flashed a smile before he grabbed his coat off the back of his chair.

  Without another word, he left his office, car keys in hand.

  19

  Amelia

  I went into the kitchen with the intention of making dinner, but as soon as I saw the barren wasteland that was the inside of my refrigerator, I knew it was a lost cause. There wasn’t much I could make with a half-gallon of milk, a container of take-out rice, and some cherry-flavored jello.

  “Take out in front of the TV or a lonely table for one?” I asked myself. “Decisions, decisions.” Maybe I could ask Cruz to join me…

  I grabbed my phone, about to send him a text, when I stopped myself. Was it really wise of me to hang out with a man being chased by a hitman? Sure, it was exciting, but at the same time, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to put my life on the line so recklessly. There was still so much I wanted to do – needed to do.

  The picture of my family above the mantel piece caught my eye. I walked up to it, running my finger over their faces. I missed them terribly. Ten years had gone by, and yet justice had never been served. My obsession with crime novels had started shortly after their massacre. I thought that maybe if I could understand the minds of criminals, I’d be able to understand how someone could break into my childhood home and kill my family in cold blood. It didn’t make sense, and each day that passed by only made things worse.

  Out there, somewhere, was a monster running free.

  The thought made me shiver.

  I grabbed my cardigan and wrapped it around me. I needed some fresh air.

  Outside, the temperature had dropped. The sun was already setting, painting everything in vibrant pinks and purples. Children savored the last rays of sunlight before their mothers called them in for dinner.

  Downtown, I found a lively street filled with various restaurants and shops. A paper store caught my attention. I could never say no to a new notebook or a pack of nice pens…

  Before I could step inside, someone approached me. Their shadow loomed over me like a giant.

/>   I looked up and stepped back immediately. “Rob?” The name caught in my throat, sounding choked.

  The older man grinned. “Today must be my lucky day.” He took off his glasses, nibbling on the end of the frames as he looked me over. His cold eyes were just as scrutinizing as I remembered them being. A sea of memories flooded my mind.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I was grabbing some dinner. Perhaps you’d like to join me.”

  “No. I mean, what are you doing in London? The last time I checked, you were on the high road to Wall Street.”

  “Trajectories change. But I’ve managed to do pretty well for myself.” He leaned against a nearby lamp post, a smug look on his face. When we’d dated, about five years ago, he had dyed his hair; now, it was speckled with hints of steely gray. He had matured, or maybe it was the designer suit he wore. “Are you not going to ask?”

  “No. I’m not interested,” I said, trying to push past him.

  He grabbed me by the wrist and reeled me back. “Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was a threatening hiss that snaked into my ear.

  I jerked away from him. “Don’t you ever touch me again.”

  He straightened himself out, a smirk dancing on his lips. “Just as feisty as I remember.” He stepped closer, his gaze piercing right through my soul. “I used to love that about you. Made you absolutely fiery in bed.”

  As he reached forward to grab my chin, I stepped back once more. “I said, don’t touch me. Do it again, and I swear I’ll scream.”

  “Will you? Do you realize you’re speaking to the most powerful man in London?” He chuckled, a deep gravely sound laced with bad intentions. This man was the same crook he had been five years ago.