Protecting the Heiress

by Martha Kennerson

  “You sure? We can use FaceTime and I can help you pick something out. I helped Felicia out in the same way,” Paul offered.

  “You did? When?” she asked.

  “Just before the wedding.”

  “Oh...well, thanks for the offer, but I’ll be just fine,” Francine said.

  “Well, have fun. I have to go...my husband’s waking up.” Paul laughed. “I love calling him that. Love you, girl. See you in a few weeks.”

  “Love you, too,” Francine said, tossing her sketchpad to the other side of her bed, getting up and walking over to her dresser.

  Francine picked up her glass and entered her huge walk-in closet. It contained wall-to-wall built-in shelves. A marble-top island with tons of storage space sat in the middle of the room; a vanity sat to the left of the entrance, with an oriental chaise to the right. Francine stood in the middle of her closet, trying to decide what would be appropriate to wear.

  Just as Francine finished off the last of her wine, she spotted the long garment bag that still hung from the back of the closet door. The dress had been given to Francine by a former client, a high-profile designer, as a personal thank-you gift. It had just been delivered a couple of days earlier, and she hadn’t gotten around to putting it away.

  Francine removed the dress from the bag, and a wide, mischievous smile spread across her face. She walked over to her full-length mirror, pressed the dress against her body and turned from side to side. Her sister’s words came to mind. What if it turns out to be something wonderful? Francine laughed. “This dress is perfect. Appropriate enough for the event but enough to drive Meeks crazy, maybe even light a fuse,” she said to her reflection. “Excellent!”

  Chapter 9

  As Meeks prepared for the evening’s event, he did as his mother suggested. He thought about Francine and tried to remind himself of all the reasons why a relationship between the two of them was a bad idea. The danger and his fear of losing Francine in such a way were real and ever-present in his mind. The day that Francine was shot had been the catalyst that changed the dynamic of their relationship forever. Meeks’s mind quickly traveled back in time several months to when he’d received Robert’s call.

  “Meeks, you still in Galveston?” Robert asked.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “You driving?” Robert questioned.

  “No...not yet, why?” he asked as he walked to his truck. Meeks knew something was off about Robert’s tone.

  “Good. Look, try to stay calm. Raymond Daniels made bail—”

  “What! Daniels made bail? When?” he demanded.

  “A few hours ago, but let me finish. Somehow he found out where Francine was, and he went after her. He shot her.”

  Meeks felt like he’d just been shot himself. He couldn’t make his lungs work, and his knees buckled. Meeks gripped his truck’s bed for support.

  “Meeks, did you hear me? Francine’s been shot.”

  “Yeah, I heard you,” he murmured. “Is she...”

  “Yes, she’s alive. She’s being taken to Ben Taub now,” Robert reassured.

  “She’s alive,” Meeks whispered.

  “Yes, Francine’s alive,” Robert echoed.

  Meeks pushed out a breath and said, “I’m on my way.”

  Meeks had made it to the hospital in record time after breaking every speeding law known to man. As Meeks stood at the door to Francine’s hospital room, his hand shaking as he grabbed the door’s handle, he knew his very survival depended entirely on Francine’s.

  “Francine, you’re a very lucky woman,” the doctor was explaining as Meeks walked into the room.

  The doctor turned to meet Meeks’s gaze as he fully entered Francine’s hospital room. “If you’ll wait outside for a moment, sir, while I’m speaking to Ms. Blake, I’ll call you back in when we’re done.”

  Ignoring the doctor’s words, Meeks went and stood next to Francine’s bed, giving her a half smile and the doctor a “make me” stare.

  Francine rolled her eyes. “Dr. Jackson, this is Meeks Montgomery. He’s a friend. It’s all right. Please continue,” she said.

  Meeks knew Francine was probably furious with him for interfering but he knew she wouldn’t show it in front of the doctor.

  “As I was saying, the bullet entered the left side of your body, damaging the splenic capsule and a couple of ribs before exiting—”

  “Splenic what?” Meeks asked, his brows pulled together.

  “It’s a layer of tissue that entirely covers the spleen in a capsule-like fashion to protect it from direct injury,” Dr. Jackson explained to them both.

  “Sounds like she was very lucky,” Meeks said.

  “Very. We’re fortunate that the bullet completely missed your spleen and we were able to make the necessary repairs without complications,” Dr. Jackson told Francine.

  Francine nodded her head slowly and looked up at Meeks, but he fought hard to keep his face expressionless.

  “Thanks, Dr. Jackson. I appreciate everything you and your team did for me,” Francine said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “No need to thank me. Just follow all the instructions that my nurse will go over with you in a few minutes. Number one on that list, get plenty of rest and don’t overdo it.”

  As he remembered, Meeks’s hands were clenched at his sides and his heart raced as he shook his head, trying to erase the memories as though they were a child’s Etch A Sketch game. As Meeks began to calm himself, flashes came to him, from their childhood when he’d watched over Francine and her sisters in a way that a big brother would, to the moment he’d become the twenty-five-year-old fierce protector in love with an eighteen-year-old Francine, a young woman he knew he had to distance himself from.

  As the years passed, Meeks continued to struggle with his feelings for Francine. While the perceived cons of taking their relationship to the next level outweighed the pros, his heart ached and his body craved her. Although, in his mind, he knew that their work was a hurdle that neither one of them was sure they could overcome, he was done listening to his head. It was time to follow his heart.

  Forty-five minutes later, Meeks was using his reflection in the glass door of their building’s lobby to adjust his tie when he noticed a beautiful reflection staring back at him. Meeks felt as though someone had reached into his chest and squeezed his heart. Every masculine cell in his body was on fire. It was like a live wire had charged his blood. Meeks had never been more aware of a woman before. He was struck by the intensity of his need, which only cemented his earlier decision.

  Francine was wearing a full-length, strapless dark red dress that sparkled like diamonds and accentuated her hourglass figure. Her delicate shoulders and the swell of her breasts called to every male instinct he had. Half of her hair was layered softly upon her head, while the rest fell down her back. A diamond cross necklace and diamond stud earrings set off the outfit perfectly. Meeks found her understated confidence extremely sexy.

  Meeks slowly turned to face Francine, and his breath caught as their eyes met. “Damn,” he said to himself, but loud enough for Francine to hear him.

  Francine gripped her matching clutch tighter at her side and smiled. “Thanks, I think.”

  “You look beautiful,” he said without breaking eye contact. “Breathtaking, in fact.”

  “Thanks...you’re not so bad yourself,” she said, walking toward him and rewarding him with a sexy smile. Francine stopped in front of Meeks and brushed a small piece of lint from his lapel, causing his heart to skip a beat. The sweet scent of vanilla coming from her body assaulted his senses, nearly knocked the wind right out of him. Meeks cradled Francine’s face in the palms of his hands and stared into her beautiful, shocked eyes before slowly lowering his head and taking her lips into a sweet but passionate kiss. It took every bit of his
willpower to pull himself back.

  “Wow,” Francine whispered, blinking rapidly.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” Meeks said, holding Francine’s gaze before he slowly dropped his hands.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t help yourself more often,” she said, smiling and biting the side of her lip.

  Meeks returned her smile. “Ready?” he asked, taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his arm.

  “Anytime you are,” she answered. And for a moment, he believed she meant she, too, was ready for something more between the two of them.

  Meeks escorted Francine to the waiting bulletproof SUV limo. “Shall we?” He gestured for her to enter the vehicle ahead of him. “I’m really glad I opted to let someone else drive us to Tiffany’s. You know, in case I can’t help myself again.”

  * * *

  Francine noticed that the double-breasted black tux, crisp white shirt and black silk tie Meeks wore clung to him like a second skin. He looked every bit the sexy, rich and powerful man that he was...that he always had been. Even as a young boy, Meeks held himself as though the world rested on his growing shoulders and he was going to make sure nothing bad happened to it. Francine was struggling with the effect Meeks and that kiss were having on her body. She was fighting to control the sensations she was feeling; her nipples were hard as marbles and she was having trouble controlling her breathing as she throbbed at her core. The masculine scent of Meeks, mixed with his cologne, made the short ride to the other side of the city nearly unbearable for her. She spent the entire time fighting the desire to climb onto Meeks’s lap and kiss him again until they were both out of breath.

  They arrived at Tiffany’s place in time to collect everyone for the premiere. Francine exited the limo so fast anyone would have thought her dress was on fire. As soon as she saw her sister enter the courtyard and start walking her way, she released an audible sigh of relief, giving a professional once-over to her environment, making note of the three-story white colonial mansion with the massive water fountain sitting in the middle of the courtyard. Francine knew now was not the time for her and Meeks to explore their feelings. Having Farrah as a buffer was exactly what Francine needed; one second longer alone in that limo and she would have embarrassed herself.

  “Cine...my, my, you look hot,” Farrah exclaimed.

  Francine smiled and gave a slight nod. “Thanks. You look pretty hot yourself, sis.” She admired the short shimmery gold dress that hit Farrah mid-thigh. Her hair was pulled off her shoulders in an intricate French twist; small crystal flower pins were sticking out of it.

  “This old thing?” Farrah replied, turning her back toward her sister, showing off the dress’s deep scoop in the back. “I’ve had it at least two months,” she said, laughing.

  “Nice dress, Farrah. You look great,” Meeks said as he came to stand next to Francine.

  “Nice? That dress is better than nice. She looks fabulous,” Robert corrected, winking at Farrah and never taking his eyes off her face. “She looks...good enough to eat.”

  Farrah gave Robert a slow, suggestive smile. “You look hot, too. Love the tux,” she said, leaving Francine and walking toward him. She stood in front of Robert, who was standing next to the steps that led to a massive front door. With her hands on her hips, she gave him a slow once-over with her eyes. “You look like a full course a woman could enjoy her damn self!”

  Meeks shook his head. “Now that that’s all cleared up, shall we get to work? Where are we?” Meeks asked, flashing a look between Robert and Farrah.

  “There you go, taking over again,” Francine said, brushing a bead of sweat from her nose. Meeks’s take-charge attitude was just the remedy she needed to bring her wayward body under control and put her mind back on business.

  Both Robert and Farrah provided Meeks and Francine with an update. After receiving the assessment of the security system and reviewing the recommended changes from the team leads, Robert provided a breakdown of the staff assignments.

  “The team’s in place and ready to go, but there’s been a small hitch.” Robert said.

  “A hitch?” Francine asked as she pulled her compact from her purse to powder her nose. “What kind of hitch?”

  “It seems Tiffany’s management team has its own security specialist that they want on the case, too,” Robert explained.

  “What?” Francine said as she put her compact away.

  “In fact, they want their agent to act as point person.”

  Francine folded her arms over her breasts. “I assume you explained that that’s not how we work.”

  “And that it’s unacceptable,” Meeks added.

  “Yes, of course I did, but her production company insisted,” Robert confirmed. “Once I found out who the agent was, I figured you wouldn’t have a problem with it, and we could work around it,” he said to Meeks.

  Meeks’s forehead creased. “How do you figure that?”

  Before Robert had an opportunity to clarify his point, Tiffany appeared in the doorway with three of her friends. While their dresses varied in color and style, it was clear that they were making a statement: they were young, rich and beautiful.

  As the four women made their way over to where they all stood waiting, Meeks spotted the tall redhead standing in the rear of the group. Her black dress was short, tight and very sexy—there was nothing understated about it.

  The redhead approached the group, focusing all her attention on Meeks.

  “Jasmine,” Meeks murmured as he approached the woman with his hands partially raised.

  A slow smile spread across the woman’s beautiful face. “Meeks, darling, nice to see you again,” she purred as she took his hands and pulled him into a hug. “It’s been a minute.”

  Meeks’s ex-girlfriend, Jasmine Black, a beautiful thirty-year-old redheaded Italian American he’d met at a security conference and dated for less than a year, had once told him how she’d been raised as the only child to a single father, a father whose inability to hold a job meant that there were times when she went to sleep hungry. As a child, Jasmine had vowed that once she grew up, she’d never go hungry again. Her ambition and resourcefulness helped her keep that pledge.

  “Yes, it has. What are you doing here?” he asked as he dropped his hands and stepped out of her hold.

  “They didn’t tell you?” she asked, sweeping a gaze across everyone.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Meeks said, frowning. He turned and leveled a questioning stare at Robert and Farrah when Jasmine spoke up.

  “I’m joining the team,” she said, giving them all a winning smile.

  Chapter 10

  “Is she now?” Meeks asked, glancing quickly at Francine who said, “What?” at the very same moment.

  Robert dropped his smile and took a step back. “It appears that the studio’s production company is just as concerned as Mr. Morgan is about their star’s well-being, and wants to have a hand in ensuring her safety,” he said as he gestured for one of his men to see the ladies to the limo.

  Tiffany and her friends moved toward the ride while Jasmine remained standing next to Meeks.

  “When did they spring this surprise on us, and why am I just now hearing about it?” Francine asked Robert through narrowed eyes.

  International security and investigations was a specialized field, with very few women working in the industry. It wasn’t unusual for the women to have heard of one another’s abilities and accomplishments even if they’d never met, and Francine knew exactly who the redheaded beauty was.

  “We literally just got the call ten minutes before you arrived,” Robert said defensively.

  “Did you explain to them that personal security is a part of the service we’re already providing?” Francine asked, taking a step toward Robert.

  �
�You know we did, Cine,” Farrah said, maneuvering so she stood between Francine and Robert. “The company insisted, and Mr. Morgan agreed, so Ms. Black’s involvement isn’t an option.”

  Francine silently glared at her sister for several moments. “Well, you should have—”

  “You were almost here,” Farrah explained, returning her stare full force.

  Francine sighed. “So we really have no...”

  Farrah waved her right hand. “It’ll be fine.”

  “They’re doing that twin-triplet communication thing again,” Robert whispered to Meeks.

  “I know. Freaky, isn’t it?” Meeks said, causing Francine to focus on him for a moment before returning her attention to her sister.

  “Very,” Robert agreed. “Although...Farrah is sexy as hell when she’s angry.”

  “Yeah, they both are,” Meeks said.

  “Twin-triplet communication thing?” Jasmine asked, her forehead creased.

  “Yeah, they sometimes have these semiprivate conversations with each other. They aren’t trying to be rude by leaving the rest of us out. Half the time, I don’t even think they know they’re doing it, and it just seems to happen,” Robert explained as he watched the women’s silent discussion continue.

  “They’ve been doing that since they were kids,” Meeks added.

  Jasmine offered a quick nod and a wide smile. “Wow, that’s pretty cool.”

  “By the way, how long have you worked for Tiffany and her management company?” Meeks asked, frowning. “Last I heard, you were doing the solo thing, strictly short-term contracts.”

  “Not long at all.” Jasmine shrugged. “In fact, this is my first official gig for them and it’s on a contract basis. I’m still doing my own thing. You know how much of a free spirit I am,” she said, offering him a sexy smile.

  “That I do,” Meeks said. He could feel Francine’s eyes on him the moment the words left his mouth.

  “Cine, is it?” Jasmine asked no one in particular.