Guarded Desire

by Christi Snow

  “Her name is Elle,” Jonah said, and my heart melted just a little bit more for this guy.

  Samantha glared at him, the barely banked anger in her eyes sparking in fury.

  “I can assure you that we will have a very smooth transition as I move Dillon and Jonah out of the positions of handling Illu—” She clenched her jaw. “Elle’s security,” she corrected the name with a tight smile.

  VA glanced around the room and then focused on me as she said, “No. I believe these two men are the best security team for my daughter. If you don’t agree with that, then I will happily buy out my contract with Hawk Works.”

  Samantha paled. “With all due respect, I disagree with your assertion, and I’m the one with the appropriate security training to make this call.”

  VA turned back to Samantha with what I liked to call her shark’s smile. Oh, hell. No one challenged VA directly like that and got away with it. This might just get ugly.

  VA said, “And I am the client. These gentlemen are the team I want to protect my daughter. If you don’t like that, I have full faith that they can do this without your help.” VA twisted her mouth to the side and sneered at Samantha as she looked her up and down, making no secret that she found the boss from Hawk Works lacking.

  Which was a joke, because Samantha was a beautiful woman and from everything Jonah had told me, she was highly respected within the community.

  With a tight, closed mouth smile, Samantha gritted out, “That’s certainly within your rights to decide. I’m here to tell you that you’re making a mistake. When he got personally involved with her, he compromised his ability to think through protocols clearly.”

  VA nodded. “I have no doubt about that, but unlike you, I see that as a good thing. With his emotions involved, he won’t think twice to make sure she’s safe—no matter what. And because his friend is as emotionally involved with him, that makes them a team that I want on my girl. I’ll have my accountant forward the balance due on my contract by the end of the day. Goodbye, Miss Billings.”

  Samantha froze. I doubted she’d ever been so thoroughly dismissed in her life, but then, she seemed to come around. “Mr. Matthews.” She focused on Dillon. “This is your only chance. If you want to keep your job at Hawk Works, you’ll need to come with me.”

  With a single glance at Jonah, Dillon crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m sorry, Samantha. I’m staying here.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry to hear that.” She gave me an inscrutable look. “For your sake, I hope this doesn’t blow up in everyone’s face.” Then she stormed out of the apartment.

  With the echoing slam of the front door, Dillon, Jonah, and I stood there, exchanging worried glances.

  VA opened her phone and started sending messages. This was the power of VA. She’d swept in, and now, these two good men had had their entire world turned upside down.

  The bad thing was that she wasn’t worried about it. She just continued firing off demands on her phone. She gathered up her purse, never looking up from her phone as she worked. “I’m sure you all have some things to discuss. Just know that whatever resources you need, you will have. There is no limit on funding for this operation. Of course, it should go without saying that the costs that Hawk Works was incurring on your behalf I’ll now pay—hotels, rentals, whatever.” She waved a hand in the air and then fished into her purse, coming out with a business card that she flipped onto the island countertop. “That’s the number of my accountant. Just let him know your needs, and he’ll take care of it all. In the meantime, I’m staying at the Windsett Plaza. You can call me if there are any issues, and I will let you know if I hear from the stalker. Any questions?”

  Both men remained quiet. I don’t think I’d ever seen them this still and quiet. I was pretty sure they were both reeling.

  “ViviAnna, let us talk it all through. I’m sure we’ll have some things to discuss with you and your team of security,” I said.

  She nodded and came over to me. She squeezed my forearm. “Be safe. I’ll be in touch.” Then she swept out of the room.

  When the door clicked closed this time, Dillon grabbed his head, tugging at his hair. “Holy shit, what just happened?”

  Jonah cleared his throat. “I think we just started our own security agency. We’d always said that we wanted to do that eventually, right?”

  “Um, sure,” Dillon said on a slightly hysterical-sounding laugh.

  I tried not to let that worry me, although I trusted Jonah. And wasn’t that a surprise? It was my life on the line here, but I trusted him completely, when a month ago I hadn’t even known him. My perspective on the world had definitely shifted and it was a good change.

  They were rattled right now, but they would settle. I had faith in both of them, but especially Jonah.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jonah

  Monday morning rolled around way too early. Dillon and I had spent the whole weekend making plans for handling Elle’s security, including recruiting a couple of officers from Gran Colina’s police department to help out during their off hours.

  If we’d had time to worry about it, I think we’d both be completely freaked out. But with Elle’s life on the line, we couldn’t take the time to stress about it. That was definitely a worry we were putting off until after the job was done.

  Hawk Works had let us create our own protocols for client protection, so we had a plan that was already working, but there were all kinds of details to handle beyond the basics of Elle’s safety. All the original contracts were in Hawk Works name. We had to make sure we maintained the same resources that Hawk Works had at its fingertips, even if ViviAnna was footing the bill—GPS monitoring, hotel rooms, gym and office rental, car rentals, and backup if things went south.

  I just prayed that didn’t happen.

  As we crossed the university quad, I glanced around warily, placing my hand low on Elle’s back. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that we were now the last line of defense, the heightened threat, or a real issue that had the back of my neck prickling all day long, but I definitely felt an increased sense of something being wrong as we crossed the campus to the SUB.

  Dillon sensed my worry. “What is it?” he asked, his voice low.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. Something just feels wrong. Maybe we should stay out of the crowds for now.” In a crowd, someone could shove past the two of us.

  Elle swung her backpack around to search the outside pocket. “I have protein bars that we can eat picnic-style on the quad before joining Mrs. Latham so you guys can keep an eye out.”

  I nodded. “That sounds like a good plan.

  She gave me a private smile. “This way, you’ll have more room to eat Mrs. Latham’s cookies.”

  Dillon groaned. “I’m going to have to up my workouts to make up for the extra calories she’s feeding us, but damn, her homemade cookies are totally worth it.”

  I grinned in agreement. Shortly after Dillon started accompanying us on campus, Mrs. Latham had started bringing Tupperware filled with incredible, homemade cookies. She said if we were going to provide the yummy eye-candy, then she could provide a little bit of something yummy for us in return.

  At first, we’d tried to demur the offering since we were both a little fanatical about healthy eating, but then, we’d tried the cookies. From that point on, we devoured them like we’d discovered chocolate for the first time. Like Dillon said, the cookies were totally worth whatever extra we had to do to burn them off.

  We ate our protein bars in the quad, enjoying the Indian Summer day, a rare warm one for this late in the fall. That meant it would probably be snowing tomorrow.

  “Hey, Dillon, can you go grab Mrs. Latham’s bread crumbs from Ricky?” Where we sat was on the edge of a grassy hill with our backs to a brick wall, so I could see any threat coming. Right now, I felt like she was completely secure. I didn’t get the same fuzzy feeling about taking her into the crowds of the SUB today, and her safety was too
important to ignore my instincts. Despite that, I knew Elle would want the bag of bread.

  “Sure. I’ll be right back.” He took off at a jog across the grass.

  “He seems to be handling this all pretty well,” Elle said as she watched him go. “Is he really okay with not working at Hawk Works anymore?”

  “Honestly, yeah. I don’t think he would have joined in the first place if it hadn’t been for me, pushing it. He’d always said we should form our own company.” But I’d been leery. I’d spent too much of my life barely scraping by. Starting a company had meant I’d be responsible if other people weren’t making enough to feed their families. It had been too risky.

  “But you didn’t want to?” she asked.

  “It’s not that I didn’t want to. I just felt like we should get a few years experience under our belts first. And we have that now, so I think it’s going to be fine.” I was still scared to death about fucking it all up, but fear kept me on my toes, right? “Maybe fate was giving me a push by bringing you into my life.” I pulled her against me and kissed her.

  Normally, I wouldn’t let myself become diverted by her, but I’d already spotted Dillon coming back toward us with the bag of bread in his hand. He had a good view of everyone around us. So I took advantage of the moment.

  “Aww, man,” Dillon whined. “You two are so sickeningly sweet that I don’t think you need any of Mrs. Latham’s cookies today. I think I should get them all.”

  I elbowed him in the stomach since he stood directly behind me.

  He responded with a low grunt. “You’re just mean.”

  Elle laughed and snagged the bag of bread scraps out of his hand. “Come on. Mrs. Latham is waiting.”

  When we came around the building to Mrs. Latham’s quiet little corner, I could just see her curly head of gray hair over on the bench. She painted such a lonely picture. I couldn’t imagine losing the love of my life after fifty-plus years together like she’d had with Mr. Latham.

  I glanced over at Elle. Could we be together for the next fifty years? It seemed like an impossible fantasy that I suddenly wanted to make true. Every day, I fell harder and deeper for her.

  Her most beautiful quality was right here in this corner...her generosity of spirit. Most college students wouldn’t have noticed a lonely, old woman sitting in the courtyard alone. Elle had, and she’d developed an incredible friendship with her, a friendship that now all three of us enjoyed.

  And she wanted to spend her life working with EDAC...Everyone Deserves A Chance. Seriously, who wouldn’t fall in love with her? Add to all that her sexy-as-hell body and beautiful smile. Yeah, I had it bad for this girl. And honestly, I was okay with that.

  As we approached, Mrs. Latham seemed to be mumbling to herself. I hoped that wasn’t a sign of her mind going. Something like that would devastate her life and Elle in turn.

  “Mrs. Latham?” Elle asked softly so she didn’t startle the elderly woman.

  Mrs. Latham jerked a little in surprise, but then she jumped off the bench, surprisingly nimble for a woman who had to be in her eighties. She blessed us all with a wide smile. “There you all are. I was worried I’d have to eat the cookies myself today.”

  “No worries, Mrs. L,” Dillon said with all seriousness. “We will never turn down your cookies.”

  She beamed at him. “And that’s why I like you best.” She pinched his chin as she handed him the big, Tupperware container.

  “Hey,” I protested.

  She laughed. “There’s plenty for you, too, Jonah, but you have Elle to dote on you. Dillon needs someone to dote on him.”

  Dillon nodded as he shoved a cookie in his mouth practically whole. “I am a sad sack, aren’t I? Next time, I think you should bring me double just out of pure pity for my pathetic, sad life.”

  “Shove off, you sad sack,” I mocked. “And stop hogging all the cookies.”

  Dillon grabbed a handful of cookies out of the container and passed it to me. My mouth watered at the sweet smells of sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate. I grabbed one and let it melt in my mouth. “Chocolate chip snickerdoodles?” I moaned. “Mrs. Latham, you are definitely spoiling us.”

  “Happy to do so, dear.” Her eyes glittered with glee as Elle sat down beside her. They began to feed the pigeons.

  Elle liked the cookies, too, but she didn’t have the obsession that Dillon and I had developed for the little decadent sweets. She was always happy to wait until we’d had our fill before she explored the plastic container. Personally, I think she enjoyed my pornographic sounds more than the cookies. She always got a certain glint in her eye as I ate.

  I liked that glint in her eye. Maybe too much. I swiped a hand over my tired face. We needed more sleep. Sex all night, every night was wearing me out. I sank down on the bench. So. Tired. My eyes drifted shut.

  I yawned wide as Dillon sank down on the other side of the bench. Wait. Should we both be sitting?

  I slowly turned my head to look at him, but his eyes were closed. Sleeping...I liked that idea.

  I shook my head awake.

  This wasn’t right. I couldn’t get my mind to track why being so sleepy might be an issue, or sitting on the job, or taking a nap...

  Elle!

  My eyes jerked wide open. I tried to get them to focus, but it was like a film of cotton had dropped over my head. I tried to stay awake, but just couldn’t.

  ELLE

  Mrs. Latham patted my hand and pointed over to two of the pigeons fighting over one of the crusts. “Oh, there’s Edward now. He’s always such a rascal when it comes to sharing.”

  I laughed with her. The guys had gotten really quiet. Usually as they ate, they made all kinds of noises...usually it was a little embarrassing since it sounded so pornographic. Getting turned on when Mrs. Latham was present just felt a little wrong.

  With Jonah extra vigilant and worried today, I glanced over at them to see if something was going on. Both Dillon and Jonah were on one of the other benches hunched over...asleep?

  I sat up and my heart clamored within my chest. Alarm swept through me. I stood to go to Jonah, but Mrs. Latham grabbed my arm with a surprisingly tight grip. “Aw, the boys are plum worn out, aren’t they?”

  I tugged my arm, trying to free it from Mrs. Latham’s grasp. A pinch of pain lit up my thigh. Mrs. Latham held me tight. No. This couldn’t be happening. Not Mrs. Latham. She quickly plunged the liquid in through the syringe sticking out of my leg. I drew in a panicked breath to scream.

  But before I could utter a sound, Minerva ran around the corner and placed a gun at Jonah’s sleeping temple. “Don’t scream, or your boyfriend dies.” She glanced at Mrs. Latham. “You got her?”

  “No problem,” Mrs. Latham said, but that wasn’t her normally crackly, elderly voice. That was a man’s voice. The man’s voice. That was the voice from my nightmares.

  I’m going to make you famous.

  Terror swept through my system, helping to fight off the effects of the drug they’d injected into me. It hit my body surprisingly fast. I reached under my shirt, hit the panic button that Jonah had insisted I wore, and grabbed hold of the knife strapped there.

  My fingers felt swollen, clumsy as I grasped the knife by the hilt. My eyes flew to Minerva. Sweet, weird Minerva, now with cold, threatening eyes. My friend suddenly looked like a cold-blooded killer. One holding a gun to Jonah’s head.

  Ice-cold terror flooded my entire being. She hated him, and I had no doubt she would take great pleasure in hurting him.

  Fuck!

  I couldn’t use this knife. She might shoot him. Instead, I twisted it in my palm and slid the blade back into the sheath. I hoped I’d get a chance to use it.

  I had no idea what was happening, but I had to stay awake, stay conscious.

  Mrs. Latham—no, not Mrs. Latham, she was the psychopath—yanked me up by my arm.

  How had I missed this?

  “Come on,” he growled. “Let’s get you out of here before you become too
lethargic to move. I gave you a smaller dose than your gorillas, so you should be able to make it to the car. But I’m leaving my niece here with your apes.” He lifted the shirt from his waistband to show me a walkie-talkie system strapped to him. “If you make any sudden moves, she’ll know, and your boyfriend will never see the light of day again.”

  He began to drag me to the parking lots as Minerva bid us farewell like we were just leaving a tea party. “Goodbye. You two have a lot of fun today. Okay?”

  Shivers rolled up and down my spine as I tried to figure out what I could do. Once he had me in a car, my chances of getting away from him would be so much worse. I couldn’t let that happen, but I also couldn’t risk Jonah and Dillon getting hurt by Minerva. They were both unconscious, helpless. She could kill them both without them ever being able to fight back.

  But at the same time, the drugs in my system were pulling me under. If I lost consciousness, I could be signing my death warrant. I didn’t know what exactly he wanted with me, but I knew I wouldn’t escape again. Not this time.

  I shook my head.

  “Don’t worry, my dear.” It was weird to hear Mrs. Latham’s words come out in a masculine voice. “We’re almost to the car, and then you can take a long nap before we call for your mom.”

  Oh, god. He would hurt my mom, too. While I was scared for what he planned for me, thinking about him having my mom terrified me.

  I tripped over my feet as they grew clumsier by the minute. My limbs became less and less responsive. We both grunted out a whoof as we fell to the ground.

  “I’m shorry,” I slurred. “It’sh hard to move.” My lips and tongue felt way too big for my mouth.

  I was so tired.

  “Uncle Gustaf, is everything okay?” Minerva asked over the walkie-talkie.

  “Yes,” he responded, but he didn’t push a button when he spoke to her. It must be on an open frequency. “She’s clumsier than I expected. The drug is hitting her too hard. She definitely doesn’t have her mother’s grace.”