by Maggie Marr
Her heart jolted. She didn’t have to answer. Nothing required that she type out a reply . . . except a long-ago past that had lasted close to five years and been her first true love.
Why now? Almost like Rico knew through some sick sixth sense that she’d found a person in Beck that she could care for and—God willing—trust.
A desire to bolt from bed and rush into Beck’s room throbbed through Natalie. To show him the text and crawl into Beck’s arms. To have Beck and the rest of Estrella’s security team take care of the mess left over from her long-ago love affair with Rico. With Beck in her life, Natalie never had to deal with her past or face anything or anyone she didn’t want to again.
But Natalie wasn’t a coward. She’d made her own messes. She’d never been a helpless damsel in distress and she wouldn’t start now.
I need to see you.
Natalie stared at Rico’s words. Did she need to see him? Need wasn’t the right word . . .
When can we meet?
When could they meet? Anytime, really. She didn’t need permission from the Studio or Ari or even Beck to meet with Rico. She was a grown woman and this was her life.
But did she want to meet with Rico? She hadn’t wanted to see him when he’d called. She hadn’t wanted to see him going on two years . . . why? Maybe it was all the work in therapy, maybe it was growing up, maybe it was finally understanding that she’d been trying to fill a horrible hole that still existed in her soul and would always exist, with a really bad dude and some pretty bad behavior. The empty feeling was still there, but she was definitely trying—God, she was trying—to find more positive ways to fill the hole and quell the pain.
The cursor blinked on her phone. Deep breath. Yes or no . . .
Natalie typed out a reply. Text me tomorrow.
A nonresponse response. Maybe she’d meet Rico. Maybe he simply needed closure like he’d said. Maybe she owed him that so he could move on with his life and recovery just as she’d moved on with hers.
Or maybe like everyone else who inhabited Natalie’s life, Rico wanted something from her.
The bedroom door opened. Natalie placed her phone on her bedside table. Her gaze swept to Beck. Like a warrior, strong, silent, and still, Beck stood in the doorway, his face shadowed.
“Come to bed,” Natalie said. “I want you with me.”
Without hesitation he moved to her and slid into her bed. Beck wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close, and made their two broken halves a whole.
Chapter Fourteen
The sun beat down on the black asphalt. Natalie had been on the soundstage for the last half hour with her director. They walked through the new set being built for the next Shemax film. She skirted behind Soundstage 12 with Beck beside her. She had fifteen minutes to get across the lot and to the Albright Productions bungalow. Sure, she could take a golf cart, but that felt lazy.
She grasped Beck’s fingertips and flashed him a smile. A sizzle of heat flew through her body with that tiny touch. Her smile grew. Damn, he simply made her happy. He was big and strong and honest and all the things she’d never before experienced with a man.
“Hey, Nat!” She turned to her left. A stocky guy in a polo shirt and khaki pants walked toward them.
“This guy gives me the creeps.”
Beck immediately looked toward the guy. “Who is he?”
“Producer. Couple small films. One just hit big and he got an overall deal on the lot. He just . . .” Natalie shook her head. “I don’t know what it is, he just makes me uncomfortable.”
“You can’t discount that feeling. That little voice. Your intuition. Those things prevent trouble before trouble happens.”
“God, total opposite of what I was taught as a kid. I was supposed to be super-nice and sweet to everyone no matter how uncomfortable they made me feel.” Natalie shivered.
Beck reached out and placed his hand on her arm. She lifted his sunglasses so she could see those gorgeous blue eyes that she felt so connected to. She dropped her voice. “I love that you hear what I’m telling you. That you actually listen to me.”
A soft smile rolled over Beck’s face. “It’s good to feel heard.”
“Hey, wow, so what’s going on here?”
Natalie spun toward the creepy guy who now stood too close to her. “Stephan, hey. This is Beck, my security.”
“Security? Whoa! Wow! Had no idea from the way you were giving him the eye-fuck—thought it was much more than just security.” Stephan licked his lips and Natalie crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to force him to stop staring at her breasts.
“Did you just use the term eye-fuck in a sentence?”
“Did you want me to talk about another kind of fucking?” He moved toward Natalie and was way into her personal space.
“Dude, you are way too close—”
“I could get closer.” He nudged in and was now actually touching her.
“Sir, excuse me, Natalie would like for you to give her a little space—”
“Who the fuck are you?” Stephan whipped around and had his finger on Beck’s chest. “You’re the hired help, buddy.” His voice grew loud. People walking between sets turned toward them and paused. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
“Did you really just say that?” Natalie asked, and rolled her eyes toward the sky. “Stephan, I have to get to Albright Productions—
“Nat, babe—” He grabbed her arm.
“Let g—”
Before the words came from her lips, Beck had Stephan pressed against the soundstage wall with one of his arms pinned behind his back.
“The lady said to give her some space. You just grabbed her.”
“Dude, you are so fucked when you let go of me.”
“Really? Because I think when I tell the head of the studio that you’re manhandling his biggest star on his soon-to-be biggest film franchise that you, Stephan, will be the one who’s fucked.” Beck released Stephan, who immediately turned around and started backing away.
“Nat, your guy is a fucking guerilla . This isn’t over, okay?” Stephan winked at Natalie. “I know we’re still friends.”
A chill ran down her spine.
“But that guy?” Stephan pointed to Beck. “He’s absolutely got to go. You’ll hear from me and my people.” He grasped his collar and tugged. Stephan turned toward the administration building.
Yeah, she was pretty certain she would.
***
After her meeting at Albright Productions, they returned to the house, they both changed and headed out for a run. Beck’s late afternoon workout and run happened with Natalie now. A way for the two of them to escape the cameras in the house and spend time alone. Sure, there was always the possibility of a photographer at Runyon Canyon, but they kept a pretty good pace and tried to mix up their arrival times.
Natalie crested the hill, both of them panting, and stopped. She held her hands over her head and walked a tight circle. The sun set over the Pacific in the distance and the sky lit up pink and purple.
“Ran intel on that guy from today. Remi is on it.”
Natalie nodded. She was still catching her breath. Good. Beck wanted her in shape. Wanted her able to take care of herself.
“How long have we been together now?” she finally panted out.
“Together?” Beck asked.
“Sleeping together?”
“Three weeks and two days,” Beck said. “Why?”
“Think we could talk?”
Beck nodded. Shit. The last thing he really wanted to do was talk. Talking would eventually lead to Marisol, he was certain. Her death. His lack of memories. The fact that he hadn’t kept her safe.
“I . . .” Natalie looked out toward the horizon and the sunset and the bright colors in the sky. “I’m not very good at relationships. I don’t pick men well and I tend to get really serious really fast.”
Beck’s heart thumped in his chest, and not because of the exercise.
“I f
eel like this, between us, is different. That you’re different. You’re not my typical guy.”
Beck nodded.
“Beck, you’ve got to say something.”
Talking wasn’t his strength. Action was what he was good at. Taking care of people keeping them safe, his heart suddenly hurt . . . he hadn’t been very good at what he was supposed to be good at with Marisol.
“I know you can’t tell me about everything in your past.” Her eyes latched on to his “But can you tell me about Marisol?”
He stepped back, hands on hips. His brows furrowed above his eyes. “How do you know about—”
“You say her name in your sleep.”
His chest tightened. He shook his head and took a deep breath. Damn, that had to suck for Natalie. He sure as hell wouldn’t love it if she said Rico’s name over and over again while she slept.
Beck stared toward the ocean. To speak of Marisol, when he still didn’t know, still couldn’t remember . . . the details were absent from his mind and yet talking about her felt somehow like a betrayal.
“We . . . she was my best friend’s sister when I was growing up. One of the last places I called home. I mean, I grew up everywhere, right? But she and Andreas, they were like family.”
A glimmer of pain slid through Natalie’s gaze. “So . . . you two are serious?”
Beck shook his head. “No . . . yes . . . we were once upon a time.” He turned back to the horizon and then looked at Natalie. “Her brother got into some bad shit. I was sent to try and . . . try and figure out what he was doing and how he was doing it and Marisol and I . . . we reconnected and—”
“You fell in love.”
Had he been in love? Yeah . . . his heart hurt like he had. The anger raged like he had. The loss of her when he’d first woke up at MT-55 felt like he had.
“Yes,” Beck whispered. “We were in love.”
Natalie stood and kicked a rock over the edge of the trail. “I wish you would’ve told me you were involved . . . I thought you were different. I didn’t think you’d do that sort of thing, cheat on a woman you loved.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Oh, it’s not? You’re on assignment and you see the poor girl who is really hard up and comes on to you and you simply don’t tell her that you’re in love and involved with another woman?”
“Marisol died.”
Natalie stepped back. Her jaw dropped. “Oh my God . . . I . . . I’m sorry I . . .” She pressed her fingers to her lips and shook her head. “I’m such a bitch. Oh, Beck, I—”
“How would you know? It was my last mission, the details . . . I can’t remember what happened. I can’t remember how it happened. All I remember is her screaming and gunshots and then me waking up six weeks later. The reports say she’s dead. Her brother and I were the only two who made it out alive. And nobody seems to know where the hell he is.”
“I’m . . . I’m sorry.”
Beck nodded. His lips formed a thin line. “It was nearly a year ago, Natalie. I can’t remember. I did love her and I will probably always care for her.” Beck walked toward her. He understood Natalie’s need, he understood the vulnerability that he saw in her eyes. He understood. He wasn’t upset or mad. She’d been honest with him, she’d wanted and deserved an answer.
“I am involved with you now.” He reached out and grasped her arms. He held her gaze. “I care about you. You know that, right? You don’t have any doubts?”
“I know that.”
He pulled her into his arms and he pressed his lips to her forehead. He wanted to believe that Natalie felt secure in his arms, but she was tense, and he could see the shadow of doubt in her blue eyes.
Chapter Fifteen
For the next four weeks, they didn’t pretend like nothing was happening between them, but they were discreet. There were two rooms in the house that belonged to them: Natalie’s bedroom and bath. No cameras. No microphones.
Beck did his job. He went with Natalie to her table reads, her costume fittings, her rehearsals. He even shadowed her at her meetings with the producers and director. Faithful protector, his eyes always on their surroundings, always looking, always sensing until his relief detail arrived at ten p.m. each night. He met them in the foyer, debriefed, and then he disappeared into Natalie’s bedroom.
All nights but one, Jax patrolled the house and the perimeter. Hudson had arrived one night two weeks ago for night relief. Beck wasn’t hiding his relationship with Natalie, but he hadn’t informed Remi either.
This thing with Natalie was a relationship. When you slept with a woman every night for going on two months, you had a relationship. His heart told him that he was in much deeper than he wanted to admit.
“We have more surveillance.” Remi plopped a folder onto the kitchen island. Natalie was in the workout room with her trainer. “We need to review and we also need to start prepping for the premiere. It’s the most public event she’s done since the threats began.” Remi flipped open the folder. “The photos show a thirty-foot perimeter.”
Beck turned over the first photo, a shot of him beside Natalie opening the SUV door. He flipped through, his gaze scanning the pictures. Each photo of him and Natalie. He was always within arm’s reach. Most time her head was tilted down and Beck scanned around them searching, always searching, for a threat.
“We aren’t seeing Mr. Hoodie anymore.” Remi pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
“He’s either grown bored or—”
“More cautious.” Remi twisted the cap. “Either way he’s backed away from Natalie. Which is good and bad. Makes him harder to track. The threat is still out there and we’re unsure if he’s found another target or he’s simply waiting for his opportunity.”
Beck looked at the final picture. His gut tightened. Much too familiar, much too close.
“This picture threw everyone at Greystone.”
The backyard. Beside the pool, a figure in the shadows just at the edge of the circle of light created by the motion detector lights.
Beck leaned forward, his gaze sliding over the photo. “How could anyone get into the yard without the sirens sounding?”
“That’s the night your report indicated you went to Natalie’s mom’s house.”
Heat pulsed through Beck.
“The house was empty for a number of hours.” Remi’s eyes locked with Beck. “We think whoever that is may have known the security code.”
“What the hell?”
“We’ve changed it since, but the original numbers? They were Natalie’s birthdate.”
“Seriously?”
“Slipped past the installation crew and our guys. No one checked.”
Beck should have checked. He should have known that the numbers matched Natalie’s birthday, he should have been doing an outdoor perimeter check.
“What time?” Beck asked.
“Around eleven. Just before Jax arrived. There was some down time that night? Right? Perimeters weren’t noted like they usually are.”
Beck nodded. This was the moment to discuss him and Natalie. To tell Remi about what was going on, to be completely transparent and professional and—
“Estrella wants to see you.” Remi gathered up the photos and returned them to the folder. “She’s calling you in to Greystone. Jax, Hudson, and I will be here. It’ll take three of us to replace you.” Remi’s gaze narrowed. “You’ve gotten to know Natalie very well. You can anticipate her every move.”
Beck’s jaw tightened. Was Remi fishing? What did he know? Why did Estrella need him at Greystone? These were questions Beck wouldn’t ask, not yet.
“I can tell Natalie or you can. Tomorrow, nine a.m., Estrella wants you at Greystone for at least a day.”
“At least? Am I going for twenty-four hours or longer?”
His belly tightened. He’d become accustomed to Natalie. She was beginning to feel like home, a feeling Beck hadn’t experienced since before he entered the Corps, since before his mother died .
. . since before when he had memories and a life that didn’t include black box ops and secrets, and random visions that fogged his brain. He was starting to need Natalie as much as she needed him.
“As far as I know it’s only for a day, but Estrella may want something more from you.” Remi leveled his best operative stare onto Beck. “Anything you want to tell me before you come in?”
Deep breath.
Remi’s gaze swept over Beck’s face. “Okay, then save it for Estrella.”
Beck nodded. He’d do just that. What would Estrella think about him falling for Natalie? About how his personal feelings could put Natalie in jeopardy, about—
“Beck?” Natalie called as she bounced into the kitchen, her hair in a ponytail, sweat dripping down her neck and pooling between her breasts. The giant smile directed at Beck slid from her lips when her gaze landed on Remi. “Hey Remi.” She pulled a prepped stainless steel water bottle from the refrigerator. “What’re you doing here?”
“Surveillance update. Your hoodie guy hasn’t been making an appearance as of late. He’s either found another target or waiting for a better opportunity to get close.”
Natalie shivered. The flush drained from her face. Not exactly how Beck would have told Natalie, if he’d told her at all.
Beck’s stomach clutched. Shit. Natalie needed to know the risk, but Beck wouldn’t have wanted to tell her. His gaze locked with Remi and then bounced toward Natalie. He wanted to protect her from details, to soften the blow. Doing so could be a horrible error. An error one committed when dealing with someone you loved. Beck’s gaze slid back to Remi, who lifted a brow.
“Nine a.m. tomorrow?” Beck asked.
Remi nodded.
Beck didn’t want to go in to Greystone, but he needed to. He’d tell Estrella and let the chips fall.
“I’ll be here by eight. Jax will take tonight.”
Natalie’s eyes held questions.
“Miss Warner.” Remi turned and walked from the kitchen with the folder filled with pictures in his hand.
Once Natalie heard the front door open and close, she turned to Beck, her eyes narrowed. “What’s tomorrow?”