“Do you want a coffee, love?” she asked kindly, in what I guessed was a southern British accent. When I shifted my gaze to her, I caught her staring at me in a motherly fashion.
I ain’t that much younger than you, you know, I thought amused. Though I liked to think I could pass for my late 20s, I could realistically pass for being in my early 30s.
“No thank you, doll,” I said. “I ain’t one for mixing coffee with anything more than a short drive. Water would be good, though.”
She smiled and hurried off toward what I guessed was the kitchen.
I surveyed the room, noticing a large armchair, couch, and table off to one side.
I wonder if anyone ever sits there? Who would, with a hundred other rooms to choose from?
I unashamedly walked over and sat myself in the middle of the large couch, hands clasped in front of me, elbows on my knees. I tried not to flex my biceps too much, but it was damned hard to keep them from bulging through my t-shirt. I felt the sheath of my knife poking into my groin and had to adjust myself from through my pants, hoping no one was looking.
Ah screw it, I hope they are. Hope they like what they see, too.
A while later, after finishing my glass of cold water, I heard a commotion from upstairs. It sounded like the party had started already, and I could hear excited chatter from a number of young female voices. I groaned inwardly, anticipating that I would have a headache before we even get to the airport. I prayed the limo had a soundproof privacy glass…
All of a sudden, the chatter stopped as three figures emerged from the doorway at the top of the stairs. Two of them were staring at me, unashamed. Both were pretty, with full figures. One of them had far too much makeup on. The other had dark, alluring eyes, and from what I could make out, much larger breasts that she wasn’t hesitating to show.
Neither of them was my type though. Too easy; I could tell that at a glance. Ain’t no fun if there ain’t no challenge.
I ran my hand thoughtfully across the slight stubble on my chin, knowing my bicep and chest would flex as I did so. I couldn’t help myself; I might not have been interested, but that didn’t mean attention wasn’t nice.
“Hey, handsome,” the made-up one said as she got halfway down the stairs. “Alexandra said you were big, but wow! She’s been telling as all about how she can’t wait to see you. In fact, I caught her this morning in bed, her…”
Alexandra slapped her friend on the arm. “Olivia, control yourself! I know you can’t help it, but please do try.”
I took a mental note that the stripper one was Olivia and that I should probably keep an eye on her because she’d get her friends in trouble, no doubt. After her and Alexandra, that left…
“What do you think, Lucy? D’ya feel safe now?” Olivia turned to the third girl, the last to arrive in the foyer.
Lucy looked thoughtful. Quiet, full-figured, dark eyes, husky…Dangerous to the unprepared or desperate man, I imagined.
“Yeah,” Lucy said, simply. “I feel like we can get into any trouble we want with Mr. Big Hard Bodyguard watching over us.” She and Olivia started laughing, while Alexandra frowned at the pair.
I stood swiftly to approach the three of them. “Are you ready to go, ladies?”
Alexandra spoke before the others had a chance to respond, a blank expression on her face. “Yes, we are.”
“Now why don’t you use your big muscles for something more useful than standing there looking scary?” Lucy said breathily, staring into my eyes.
I waited for a second, playing dumb, and also, wondering slightly if the girls knew what I was by now. If they did, they clearly weren’t intimidated by it.
Lucy gestured up the stairs with a dainty hand. “Our suitcases are up there, too heavy for us weak, defenseless women to carry downstairs by ourselves.”
Giving me a hard time ‘cause your daddy’s rich, I thought to myself, annoyed. I wasn’t takin’ no shit from girls who were too used to gettin’ their way all the time. I cleared my throat.
“I’m gettin’ paid to be a bodyguard. Ain’t nothing in my contract about being no bell boy, kiddo.”
Lucy frowned. She opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to be struck dumb. Clearly, she wasn’t used to the staff talking back to her.
Better get used to it, girl.
Olivia and Alexandra laughed, both looking a little flushed.
After hesitating for a while, Olivia, Alexandra, and Lucy begrudgingly walked back up the stairs. I heard a muttered, snide remark from Lucy, just quiet enough so I couldn’t make out the words.
Knew she’d be trouble.
But it would take more than a spoiled little rich girl to piss me off.
A few seconds later, the girls filed downstairs, struggling with their massive suitcases. With my arms folded, I watched them awkwardly make their way down with the cases. Outwardly, I frowned, but only because I was struggling not to laugh.
When they’d managed to get halfway down the stairs, I ran up to meet them, springing into action. My speed surprised Olivia and Lucy, but not Alexandra. Her expression was hard to read, but I thought she looked awed. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on my end.
Deciding it was time to show off, I lifted Alexandra’s suitcase first, my chest and biceps bulging as I settled it on my left shoulder. I then lifted Olivia’s suitcase with my left hand, having to hold it at an awkward angle to keep Alexandra’s balanced on my shoulder.
Christ, what the fuck had they packed?
Nevertheless, I gave no indication that the cases were heavy, lifting Lucy’s case onto my right shoulder and balancing deftly on the stairs. I smoothly took the cases out to the car.
When I returned, the girls stared at me.
“Listen,” I said, “I’m here to keep you safe. Something I’m good at. If you’re ever in trouble, you can count on me being there. See anything suspicious, tell me.” I paused, looking at them each in turn. “But I ain’t takin’ any shit. If you need help with something, you ask nicely, and I’ll think about it.”
Lucy approached me, swaying her hips and smiling with her dark eyes fixed on mine. She put her hand on my bicep and squeezed a little too familiarly. “Well, there is one thing you could help with, if you’d be so kind?” she said teasingly. “There’re three more cases at the top of the stairs. Could you please help and bring them down for us? You’re obviously more capable than we are.”
I looked down at her, raising my left eyebrow. “That’s more like it. See, it ain’t hard, darlin’.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alexandra looking at me covetously. I suppressed a frown, hoping that she wasn’t falling for me. I’d been counting on her to not make things easy…
Alexandra
We were all stunned into a girlish silence at Cruz’s display of strength. He showed no sign of struggling, carrying three fully loaded cases to the car. Lucy was the quickest to react, flirting with him to get the rest of the cases down. She thought she could manipulate him, but I had a feeling she was going to struggle with him. The second she slipped up and didn’t ask him for something nicely, she would likely be in for a rude surprise.
I had to admit, I was impressed with the man and his strength. Oh, and he was easy on the eyes too. Rough, but handsome. And those big hands…
Before I could visualize the rest of his body, we were taken out to the car. Cruz immediately switched from relaxed to professional, becoming cold and expressionless. It looked to me like he was taking everything in, his hawk-like eyes everywhere yet, nowhere in particular.
I could already tell that we were going to have to work to get some conversation out of him. It made me regret not talking to him longer the first time we’d met.
Yet, my internal thoughts and developing desire for Cruz were forgotten somewhat as I got into the limo last after running back to the house to give Sue a big hug goodbye.
“Take care, my lovely!” she shouted from the doorway. I gave her one last wave, smiling.
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Lucy and Olivia had made themselves at home in the back of the limo. Olivia was deftly opening a bottle of expensive champagne she’d somehow procured as if by magic, and Lucy was sitting with her legs stretched out on the long leather couch that nearly took up a whole side.
Lucy raised her eyebrows at me, nodding her head towards Cruz sitting in the front seat. “Aren’t you gonna talk to him? Or are you struck dumb by his big muscles and gravelly voice?”
I started to protest, but as if on cue, the tinted privacy glass slowly lowered. There was an awkward moment as we waited for it to fully descend. I saw Cruz sitting in the driver’s seat, his huge frame filling his half of the car. He was wearing some black tinted aviator sunglasses, which made him look even more badass.
He had started the engine and was either looking straight forward or at us through the rearview mirror. “You gals all set?”
“Yes!” I replied excitedly. “Just let me grab a seat.” I had to bend over to get to my seat, my shapely ass a few inches away from the lowered privacy glass. I didn’t get a chance to see if there was any reaction from Cruz, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Olivia wolf-whistled at me. “He’s supposed to be driving, not staring at your pretty butt!”
I ignored her and gratefully took a glass of champagne, draining half of it in one satisfied gulp.
“This is it then! Let’s get going!” I said, turning back to Cruz. I put on my sweetest voice. “Oh, I mean to say, please may we be on our way to the airport, sir?”
We all burst out laughing.
Cruz
I set off for the airport, only momentarily distracted by the sight of Alexandra’s shapely and pert butt mere inches from my face, her tight jeans all too revealing. But as we set off, my mind was on other more important matters, like getting to the airport safely and wondering if we were being tailed.
I kept an eye on the traffic behind us. The trick was to see if there were any cars that joined the journey soon after departure, and if they kept a discreet but consistent distance from us.
The last trick was to take a slight detour, changing tack suddenly, if possible, and keeping an eye on what the cars did behind you. If they were really good, they would appear and disappear with two or three cars doing the tailing to reduce suspicion.
I couldn’t see any sign of a tail though. Having said that, the car I was driving wasn’t exactly inconspicuous and would be easy to tail without giving much away.
Thing is, if they were that good, they wouldn’t need to follow us. They would know we were going to the airport, and now would not be their perfect opportunity to strike. If they knew where we were headed, they most likely knew our destination.
I relaxed somewhat, with the odds of no immediate danger stacked hugely in my favor.
I’d had the privacy glass down for a while, mainly so I could catch glimpses of Alexandra through the rearview mirror, my dark sunglasses hiding my wandering gaze. She was smiling and joking with her friends, in her element.
God, she was so damned beautiful.
Part of me hoped that she felt the same way. I’d seen her look at me a few times in the house, but I couldn’t tell if she was just in awe of my strength or slightly scared of me. Or if she was actually attracted to me.
The girls’ chatter increased in volume over the next few minutes, and I then saw a second gold bottle of champagne being procured from the fridge near Olivia. I decided to wind up the privacy glass for the remainder of the journey.
Without the distraction, I turned my attention back to the traffic around me. My eyes flicked to the wing mirrors every few seconds out of habit, looking for a sign of something I knew I was unlikely to find.
I settled into the drive, my mind on the traffic around me, the impending check in and flight, and the trip to the destination. I thought over the route, visualizing landmarks and events, and analyzing possible danger.
Basically, keeping my mind off of Alexandra, at least for a little while.
Chapter Eight
Cruz
We arrived at the airport about twenty minutes later. As the girls were flying first-class, the airport staff had known in advance of our arrival, through the booking process. A few attendants waited for us near the fast track check in, which led directly to the fancy, first-class lounges.
At least I ain’t gotta lift those fucking suitcases again, I thought, looking on the bright side.
With the attendants helping the girls out of the car and struggling with their cases, I had time to survey the traffic surrounding us and took reassurance in the weight of the revolver in my jacket.
The girls rushed off to check in, babbling excitedly, my presence momentarily forgotten.
I turned my head slightly toward them, and saw Alexandra looking back at me over her shoulder. She smiled briefly, her face lighting up. I nodded back, smiling awkwardly and hoping I wasn’t going mad and imagining the whole exchange. Yet, the thought of it having happened for real was scary in its own right because I needed things to stay professional between us.
I couldn’t afford to get my hopes up.
I grabbed my bag from the back of the limo, slinging it over my back. I took one last look at the crowd behind me, waiting until I thought the girls were likely to have checked in. Once through security, they were would be safe. And by then, I’d be right behind them.
I dumped my knife and gun in the glovebox and parked the limo, ready for it to be chauffeured back to the depot. I then grabbed my passport and ticket from my bag, and headed through to checkin.
I walked through the crowd with ease, people subconsciously parting for me as I walked directly to the checkout desk. I fucking hate crowds.
After checking in my single bag and going straight through security, I went through to the business-class lounges adjacent to first-class lounges. It was nice, but not quite as luxurious.
I found Alexandra standing there outside the lounge, waiting. She faced me, her face lighting up again. “Hey, big guy!” she said.
“Hey, miss. First-class too fancy for you?”
I noted she was still smiling at me, studying my face. A prickle of apprehension went through me, wondering what was going on in that pretty little head of hers.
“Listen, I just wanted to say thanks. And to apologize for my two bimbo friends. It’s just their way of having fun.” She looked at me, expectantly. “And once they realize you’re not interested, they’ll get bored and find something else to amuse them, I promise.”
“Don’t worry, Lex. Your friends ain’t my type,” I said. I consciously didn’t include her in my statement, letting the suggestion that she might be remain unspoken. Her eyes widened slightly as she continued to study me for a second.
“Good,” she said and then paused for a moment. “I can take a guest into the first-class lounge with me. You interested?”
“Lead on,” I said, not wanting to admit that I had planned to spend the hours ahead of me loitering outside the lounge, keeping an eye on the comings and goings. “Bet they have nicer whiskey in there.”
I almost flinched when she hooked her arm into mine, guiding me back to the first-class lounge. I felt a building of sexual tension as her hips and thighs pushed close to my leg, and fought hard not to get aroused, only halfway succeeding.
Alexandra
I looked over at Cruz, sitting on his own in a big leather chair in the corner of the lounge. He had a large whiskey in front of him that he took occasional small sips of. And although he was making a show of reading a newspaper, I kept feeling his gaze wander towards me.
After bringing him into the lounge, we’d both grabbed a drink and chatted awkwardly for a moment. I could feel that his attention wasn’t completely on me, his eyes surveying the small pockets of passengers dotted around the spacious lounge. And I hadn’t liked it. I wanted his full attention; I needed to know if he was interested in me.
He was so frustratingly hard to read, especially when in his bodyguard mode.
I tried to engage them in meaningful conversation, so we chatted about our plans. But my gaze kept wandering back to Cruz’s scarred and chiseled, yet handsome face.
After a while, we were called personally to board the plane, escorted by airport staff. Unimpressed, Olivia yawned and Lucy was glued to her cell phone.
Cruz
I followed along behind the girls as they left for the plane.
Alexandra had asked if I could board with them, and the staff were all too happy to oblige, which wasn’t surprising considering the amount her dad had paid for the tickets.
We were first onto the plane, which meant I’d be able to keep tabs on everyone entering by business or economy. I’d checked out the rest of the passengers in the first-class lounge already and none of them had struck me as remotely dangerous. They were mainly just rich families and high-ranking executives.
I left the girls to their huge personal suite in first-class and took my seat in business-class, which was comfy enough. The seat reclined flat, boasting a length of two meters, which gave me just over two spare inches.
I sat at the front of business, as close to Alexandra as possible. When a pretty air attendant approached, I waved away the champagne she offered. “I’ll take a whiskey, darlin’. On the rocks.”
She smiled and hurried off to oblige.
I made a show of setting up my seat, standing regularly to survey the other passengers as they boarded. I even helped a few older ladies with their suitcases so that I could get a better look at everyone around the cabin.
Only one guy stood out. Grim-faced and observant, he was sizing me up with a calculated look in his eye, trying to gauge if I was a threat.
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