Vanguard Security

by S. J. Bishop

  The kids erupted with joyful giggles.

  Amelia smiled, leaning over my shoulder to open the book. With a soft, soothing voice, she started to read the story.

  Occasionally, I would interject with the toad’s dialogue, doing my best to assume a deep, gravelly voice.

  By the time we were done, the children were fast asleep, snuggled into their stuffed animals.

  Quietly, we snuck out of the room, closing the door behind us.

  “You make a pretty good princess,” I commented, wrapping my arms around her torso and pinning her against my body. “Makes me wish I was that lucky little toad.”

  “But you are…” she whispered, kissing my lips ever so gently. “You’re my prince in shining armor.”

  My heart surged at her words. “Amelia…”

  “Don’t try to convince me otherwise. I don’t care what you say… I love you.”

  My eyes widened. “What did you say?”

  “I said, I love you,” she repeated herself without an ounce of hesitation.

  I smirked wildly, picking her up in my arms and spinning her around until I nearly collapsed with dizziness. “You just made me the happiest man alive!”

  23

  Amelia

  We were just about to kiss when Cruz hesitated. “Did you hear that?”

  “What?”

  “I think it’s Franklin.” Cruz placed me on my feet and headed for the stairs.

  I followed him, hearing a series of grumbles coming from the main floor. “Sounds like he’s frustrated.”

  “He probably found something!” Cruz clapped his hands in excitement before he slid down the banister.

  I shook my head before sneaking into the bathroom and stealing the first aid kit. I knew that if I didn’t tend to his wounds, then he never would.

  Once I reached the living room, the two men were practically forehead to forehead. The light from the computer screen reflected off their faces, illuminating their features. They were worlds apart. While Franklin was fair with a soft, round face, Cruz was darker, his cheeks sharp and crisp.

  Somehow, Cruz managed to look sexier every time I looked at him…

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “VanGuard’s database is the most comprehensive in the world. If you want to know anything about anyone, this is the way to do it.”

  “Why didn’t my sister tell me she was a special ops detective?”

  “Wait… Heidi was in the special ops?” That couldn’t be. Heidi was a fashion blogger. She spent most of her days at home, lounging around in pajamas. Then again, she was unusually fit for someone who had a sedentary job…

  “That’s what it says. She joined the academy five years ago and was rewarded for her phenomenal police work with an early promotion…”

  Cruz frowned. “I should have apologized to her when I had the chance…”

  I rested my hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. “Hey, there’s no point beating yourself up over the past. There’s nothing you can do to change all of this.”

  “Look here. During her last mission, she was sent undercover to a casino front for one of London’s biggest mafias. A day later, she was pronounced dead.”

  I moved closer, looking at the screen, trying to digest all of the information. “What if the mafia found out who she really was and poisoned her?”

  “You think they would do that?” Cruz asked. “But for the paramedics to claim she died of a heart complication, that would mean that they are working for the mafia as well.”

  Franklin started to type furiously, pulling up a bunch of different windows that flashed across the screen for a moment before disappearing. His eyes shifted back and forth so quickly that it hurt my head just trying to keep up. “Here we are. The Gravanos.” He pulled up a page with the word CLASSIFIED stamped across the top. “I really shouldn’t be doing this…” he whispered to himself. “If Mr. Robison finds out…”

  “Screw that asshole. I found him groping Amelia on the street. Damn near killed him.”

  “About that…” I bit my lip. “That has nothing to do with you.”

  “Of course it does. He found out we were dating and went after you to get to me.”

  I shook my head. “No, that’s not why.”

  “Then, why?” Cruz asked, his dark eyes intensifying.

  “We used to date.”

  His expression fell. “Oh…”

  “It was a long time ago. I told him we were through. I never thought we would see each other again…”

  “So, when he saw you… he tried to force himself on you?”

  I nodded.

  “That makes him an even bigger creep than I’d thought,” Cruz growled. “There’s something about him that isn’t right. He’s hiding something. I know it.”

  “It seems that he is…” Franklin interjected. “It seems that Mr. Robison is the owner of the casino…”

  “You mean he’s the owner of the casino my sister had investigated as a drug front?”

  “Yes. And… not only that. He seems to have a habit of hiring a certain John Gardner as his hitman.”

  “You mean a member of the Gardner family?” Cruz’s fingers twitched in his lap, obviously agitated.

  “What does that mean?” I asked, feeling helplessly confused. A part of me wanted to take out my notebook and write all of this down.

  “The Gardner family is an elite family of snipers. They almost never miss their target. Many of them join the black ops and help take out big ticket targets, but a few years ago, one of the Gardner’s went rogue. He kidnapped his son and disappeared somewhere in Serbia. It seems that son has returned to work for Mr. Robison.”

  “Which means that he’s the one who put out the hit on me.” Cruz ran his fingers through his hair as he paced the room. “But why?”

  “He must have known you would dig into your sister’s past and figure out his secret. Taking you out would just be a precaution.”

  “Well, now he’s going to regret ever having messed with me.” Cruz’s nostrils flared. His eyes were so dark that they looked like two pieces of onyx fixed into his skull. I half expected him to punch a wall to let out his pent-up fury. “Tell me where the casino is. I’m going there. I’m exposing him for the rat he is.”

  “Are you crazy?” Franklin and I asked in unison.

  “You’re going to get yourself killed,” I added, already worried that he was going to do something reckless. I couldn’t lose him…

  “I’m not. I’ve been trained for situations like this.” He took my hands and squeezed them tightly. “You have to let me do this. I have to get to the bottom of my sister’s death. I need justice.”

  His words shook my very core. For years, I had tried fruitlessly to understand why someone had murdered my parents. I had tried and failed. Cruz, on the other hand, had a legitimate chance of avenging his sister’s death. I couldn’t take that away from him. “Fine, but I’m going with you.”

  24

  Cruz

  You know I can’t let you do that. It’s too dangerous. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you.”

  “Well, you don’t have a choice because I’m going whether you want me to or not.”

  “Amelia.”

  “You know, bringing her along might not be a bad idea,” Franklin butted in, his face practically glued to the computer screen. “In order to get into the casino, you need to be a VIP member. Each VIP is allowed a plus one, and that is usually an attractive escort. There seems to be a competition between the men on who can find the most beautiful woman.”

  “I’m not bringing her.”

  “I’m just saying that it would make your cover more believable. I could make you a VIP card no problem. Just give me a few hours…”

  “That would be enough time for us to get ready,” Amelia said with an eager expression. “Do you know what kind of people go to this casino?”

  “High rollers. No one gets in without proper dress,” Frank
lin said, his eyes never leaving his screen. “You two would have to look like you were a couple of millionaires.”

  “And how do you expect us to do that?” I asked. I could tell by the look in Amelia’s eyes that it would be impossible to persuade her out of this crazy idea.

  “Well, you could borrow one of my old tuxedos. Amelia can use one of Sabrina’s gowns.”

  “Are you sure…?” I placed a hand on his shoulder, knowing how sensitive he could become when he thought about his late fiancé.

  “Yes. I thought Mr. Robison was leading a company that helped people, but if he is just abusing his power for his own gains, then I want to take him down just as much as you do.”

  I looked at him for a moment. Our eyes locked in agreement. “Alright. You work on making us a VIP card while we get ready.”

  “Use the master bath so you don’t wake up the kids.”

  I nodded, grabbing Amelia’s hand and pulling her toward the bedroom. “You can take a shower first. I’ll wait.”

  “Are you kidding? We don’t have time for that. Let’s take a shower together. We’ll save time and water.” She winked, grabbing me by the tie until our lips collided in a passionate kiss.

  She ignited a fire deep inside of me, awakening the beast. My fingers dug into her hips as I slammed her into the wall, kissing her roughly. The more I tasted her, the more I wanted her. She was a drug, and I was the addict.

  Our bodies locked together as our lips melted into one. She ground her hips into mine, her arms wrapped around my neck. Her fingers pulled on my hair, driving me insane.

  “Amelia… don’t tempt me,” I growled against her lips.

  “Why not?” she asked, her voice playful and innocent, as if she had no idea the effect she was having on me. “It’s fun…” She broke from the kiss and looked up at me from under her eyelashes.

  “Come on, get that cute little ass of yours in the shower.” I smacked her butt, urging her into the bathroom.

  Once inside, we started a slow dance of undressing one another. Our fingers tiptoed over each other’s bodies, feeling every inch.

  I kissed the side of her neck, my lips traveling down to her sweet, sweet breasts. I couldn’t help but cup them, trapping her nipples between my fingers. I twisted them slowly, causing her to moan, her head tilting back, exposing more of her neck.

  I bit down on her shoulder, leaving behind a love bite.

  “Mmm, and then you tell me not to tempt…” She ran her hands down the side of my body, grabbing my member and squeezing it slightly. “I think we should get in the shower… before we end up fucking the night away.”

  “Good idea,” I answered breathlessly. This woman was turning me on in ways I had never felt before. All I wanted to do was slam her against the wall and have my way with her.

  She pushed me into the shower and turned on the water.

  It came out ice cold. Her nipples hardened almost instantly. I smirked, leaning down and taking one of them into my mouth. I bit down gently, letting my tongue flick it back and forth. Her back arched in pleasure as I continued to toy with her hard, little nub.

  She ran her fingers through my wet hair.

  “Fuck… Cruz… that feels so good.”

  I smirked before I pulled away. It took every ounce of my will to keep my distance. Between my legs, my cock was throbbing with lust. I needed this woman like nothing else. She had become as important to me as the air that I breathed.

  She smiled up at me before grabbing the bottle of body wash and squirting some into her hand. Gently, she started to lather my body, taking extra care to make sure my dick was nice and clean.

  I groaned with pleasure. The tip of my cock had turned purple, dripping with pre-cum.

  “Amelia…”

  “Yes?” she asked, her voice soft and seductive. “Did I miss a spot?” There was a mischievous little smirk on her face as she grabbed my balls, rolling them between her fingers.

  “Fuck!”

  “Language… If you aren’t careful, I’ll have to wash your mouth out with soap…”

  “I think I’d rather have your tongue…” I responded, pulling her arms and kissing her hard.

  As I held her in my arms, I didn’t know if I would be able to control my urges.

  The temptation was simply too great to ignore.

  25

  Amelia

  Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t convince Cruz to mess around with me. I could see it in his eyes -- he wanted me. But at the same time, taking down Rob and avenging his sister’s death was more important. I didn’t blame him.

  “Are you almost ready?” Cruz asked as he pushed open the bathroom door.

  I looked at him when I was done applying my bright red lipstick. I grinned mischievously, sauntering up to him. “What do you think?” I adjusted his bowtie and fixed a strand of his hair.

  He had managed to clean up quite nicely. Most of the time, he looked rather haphazard and messy, but somehow, he had managed to look crisp and well put together. Maybe it was the clean-shaven face.

  I kissed his jaw line lightly so that my lipstick wouldn’t rub off. “You look quite handsome. It’s becoming harder and harder for me to control myself…”

  “You’re telling me.” His hands rested on my back. “I thought you were beautiful before… but now you’re absolutely stunning.” He took a step back to admire me. He licked his lips, his eyes wandering over every curve of my body.

  I did a little twirl for him, causing the dress’ hem to flare out. “Franklin’s fiancé had good taste.”

  “She was a wonderful woman.” Cruz smiled fondly. “It’s a shame that she died giving birth to Gina.”

  I frowned. “That’s terrible.”

  We were quiet for a moment before he took my hand, pulling me out of the room. “Come on, we need to go. Franklin just told me that there’s a high stakes poker game tonight at midnight. Anyone who is anyone will be there, and my bet is that Rob will be there, too. If we can get some incriminating proof that he’s the leader of a drug ring, we’ll be able to put him behind bars.”

  “But how are we supposed to infiltrate his casino if he knows what we look like?” I asked, starting to get a little anxious. When I’d first proposed to tag along, I had thought it would be a thrilling experience. I would be like the spies in the movies, but now that I had really digested what we were about to do, it was pure insanity. There was a high chance of both of us getting killed.

  “We just have to be sneaky. We won’t stay long. We just need to snap a quick photo of him, maybe look for some concrete evidence, and then we are out of there.”

  I nodded my head, my fingers pulling at a loose thread on the side of the dress.

  “Are you scared?” he asked, gently holding my face and looking into my eyes. “If you are, you don’t have to go. I can do this on my own…”

  I shook my head. “No.” My voice cracked, betraying me in a moment when I needed to sound confident. “I can do this. I want to do this.”

  “Okay.” He squeezed my hands. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” He kissed the top of my head and smiled.

  “Are you two ready? If you don’t hurry, you’ll be late.” Franklin appeared in the doorway, holding a shiny silver card in his hand. “Here’s your VIP ticket.”

  “Thanks.” Cruz pocketed the small piece of plastic. “Do we look the part?”

  He looked us over and nodded. There was a melancholy look in his eyes. No doubt, his fiancé’s red dress was bringing back memories of her. “Here are the keys to my car. It wouldn’t be practical for you to go on the back of a motorcycle.”

  “You expect me to go to a high-end event in a Ford Fiesta?” Cruz raised an eyebrow in question. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “I have a garage, you know.” He tossed the keys.

  Cruz caught them with ease, looking at the fob. “Since when do you have an Ashton Martin?”

  “It’s a VanGuard company car.”

  “What?
They just gave you a Martin?”

  “Pretty much.”

  Cruz grumbled. “I didn’t get a nice car…”

  “Come on, gripe about that later.” I placed a hand on his shoulder, pushing him out of the room.

  Franklin’s garage was small but tidy. Everything seemed to have its designated place. Even the floor looked spotless.

  “Please try to bring it back in one piece.”

  “No promises.” Cruz chuckled, opening the door for me.

  I ducked inside, settling into the soft leather seats.

  Cruz jumped in beside me. With a push of a button, the garage door opened. He turned the key, and the engine started to purr like a kitten, causing a subtle vibration to run through my body.

  “Call me if you need anything,” Franklin said, lingering by the side of the door.

  “Don’t worry about us.” Cruz flashed him a confident smile. “Just take care of the kids. Hunter tends to ask for a cup of water in the middle of the night.”

  Franklin nodded. “Be careful.”

  “We will.”

  Without another word, he eased out of the garage and onto the street. The roads were practically empty at this time of night. Cruz pushed the limit, rounding the corners at such an accelerated speed that I found myself holding onto the door handle for dear life. “Do you think you can slow down a bit?”

  “What? Am I going too fast for you?” Cruz smirked, pushing on the gas.

  “Cruz!” I screamed as we started to fly down the highway. “Are you trying to kill us?”

  “There’s nothing to worry about, baby. I’ve done this a thousand times.” He reached over and grabbed my hand. “You have nothing to be afraid of when you’re with me.”

  “Can you please watch the road?”

  He slowed down to a crawl. “Are you okay? You loved it when I went fast on the motorcycle.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m sorry… I just… don’t go so fast…”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you liked it.” He placed a hand on my thigh.