“Roman, I thought I should introduce myself. My name is Reed Manning. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
He lifts his eyes to mine without moving his head. Then he slowly turns his entire body to face me and places his right arm on the back of the chair. His lips twist. It looks like he’s pressing his tongue into his cheek. He says nothing. He only stares.
I awkwardly reach out a hand to him. He lets me stand there holding it in mid-air for what seems like eternity before slowly moving to shake it. “It’s Mr. Creed to you. After all, we’ve just met. We certainly don’t know each other well enough for you to think it’s appropriate to call me by my first name.”
I hear a snicker behind me. All chatter stops abruptly. I sense my nostrils flaring and I clench my teeth. “My mistake. It won’t happen again, sir.”
I return to the buffet, pick up my cup, and take a sip facing Raul. Raul cringes in embarrassment for me, but he shouldn’t. I’m not embarrassed. I’m mad. In fact, I’m downright furious. He introduced himself as Roman to me yesterday. If that’s how this is going to be, then so be it. He’ll be nice in private and a dick everywhere else. Got it. Crystal clear.
I form a definitive plan. He won’t know what hit him. I’m going to win this game. I’m going to make him think he can’t survive without me, and when he wants me, when he thinks he needs me, I’m going to take the money and run. Fuck him. If he thinks he’s rattling me, he doesn’t know me at all. He just made me determined to fight harder than before.
People randomly head to the forum. Creed is still sitting at the table. I feel his eyes burning into the back of my head. I slowly sip my coffee, acting as if I don’t have a care in the world.
I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn, ready to pounce on him. It’s Tori. “Are you okay? That was brutal. Why was he so mean to you?”
I shrug. “I’m fine and I don’t care. I’m going to use the ladies room, then I’ll meet you in the forum,” I say confidently.
She nods and rubs my arm, gazing briefly at Creed as she exits. Matt and Creed are the last ones in the room. Matt is finishing the last bite of his mega meal. He’s chewing with an open mouth and glancing between Creed and me like he’s waiting for the next fight scene in a movie.
I place my cup on the table and leave the dining room with my chin up and my shoulders back. He’s watching me, maybe waiting for a response from me, but I don’t give him one. I’m made of stone. I can hide my emotions with the best of them when I have to. I learned how to hide my fear a long time ago. I can certainly hide my anger.
As soon as I’m out of his sight, I lean on the wall and breathe. I hear voices near the front doors of the house, but no one’s around. Glancing at my watch, I note I have five minutes. I pass the kitchen in search of a bathroom. I don’t want to go out into the main area, where everyone is waiting, until I’m fully composed.
I have to travel quite a way down the hall to find a bathroom. I close the door and lean my hands on the sink. Motherfucker. I pull down my pants angrily and sit on the toilet. I stop my pee mid-stream when I hear voices in the hall.
“Make sure you puree the apples more thoroughly next time. Ms. Natalie was not at all pleased with their consistency this morning. You know how Mr. Creed gets if she’s not happy.”
“I’ll be more careful, I promise,” a female voice replies nervously.
I wait and listen. It’s quiet again. As soon as I’m finished in the bathroom, I wash my hands and start back to the forum. I didn’t see pureed apples on the buffet. Who is Natalie?
I’m preoccupied with my thoughts as I gaze into the kitchen when I pass by, hoping to see someone. It’s completely empty. I face forward and walk right into him.
“Where were you just now?” Creed asks, holding my arms to steady me after our collision.”
“I was using the restroom, Mr. Creed. I wasn’t aware that was off-limits. I’ll refrain from using the facilities in this area. My apologies,” I say, pulling free of him.
“Reed, wait,” he says as I push past him.
“That’s Ms. Manning to you. We don’t know each other well enough for you to call me by my first name.”
His eyes twinkle with delight. I spin on my heel and walk away. Just another guy indeed.
Hot damn. Her hips sway as she struts away from me. I want to chase after her, grab her, and kiss that smart mouth of hers. Women don’t usually speak to me that way and man, what a turn on.
I suppose my reaction to her pretending we hadn’t met was a little harsh, yet she managed to stay cool and composed. I don’t know what I expected when I approached her in the hall, but her shoving my words back down my throat wasn’t it. She intrigues me.
I’m still standing in the hall when I notice Clark rushing from room to room, poking his head in and out. I bet I know who he’s searching for.
He sees me and his shoulders slump. He wogs his way over to me, whisper-shouting, “You were supposed to be in your dressing room fifteen minutes ago. Everyone is waiting for you, so we can get started.” He lifts his phone from his pocket. “Now we only have… three minutes.”
I stroll past him without a word.
“Where are you going?” he asks.
I spin and walk backward. “To get beautiful.”
“Roman, I really think I should stay.”
Knowing a break from him sounds like heaven, I turn back to him with concern. “There’s no one I trust more with the press than you. This meeting is key to my next release.”
“But if I leave, who will—”
“Dawson and Esto have it under control. I promise I’ll behave. You can watch the recordings when you get back. Okay?”
He nods, defeated and I walk to the forum with a little extra pep in my step.
Esto smiles as I enter.
“Sorry I’m late. I’ll be ready in a second,” I tell him.
“You’re fine. We’re still setting up,” he replies.
I sense he’s still on edge from this morning, when I got pissed. JP and Esto filled me in on their plans for the show. There are probably small details they didn’t share, but I’m fine with that. Since this is about my life, I think it’s only fair I’m told what I’m walking into.
I hadn’t even considered asking Dawson to tell me what the plan was until after he stayed through the meeting. As my head of security, it was part of my deal that he knew everything in advance to prepare. He would have told me, if I’d asked him. But to be honest, a lot of it was based on principal.
Pigtails is waiting for me in my dressing room. Her hair is in a braid today, so I decide I probably should know her real name.
She smiles nervously as she straightens my outfit for the day on a hook on the wall.
“Hey,” I say, closing the door behind me.
Her eyes widen in delight. This is the response I’m used to and the one I’m quite sick of.
“Your clothes are here. Your boots are there. Do you need me to help you change or… are you… good?” she says, batting her eyes.
“What’s your name?”
“Jennifer or Jen. You can call me Jenny too. Whichever you like.”
“Which one do you prefer?” I lift my shirt over my head.
She gawks at my chest. “Umm, I, Jen is good. Jen is… wow.”
“Great. Thanks for your offer, Jen, but I can dress myself. I’ve been doing it for years.”
“Uh-huh,” she whispers shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
I pull the long-sleeved black shirt from the hanger and slide it over my head. I undo the top button of my jeans and pull down the zipper and she takes a large, audible breath.
“Like I said, I’m good with getting dressed.” I pause, waiting for her to take the hint. She bites her lip. “By myself.”
“Oh yeah, right.” She swings around too fast and almost loses her balance. “Tell me when you’re ready for makeup.”
She slams the door behind her and it shakes the wall.
“Sorr
y,” she shouts through the door.
She opens it and sticks her head in the door. “Sorry,” she whispers.
I half-smile to be polite and the door slowly closes, clicking lightly into place.
I finish getting changed and lean forward on the desk, searching the cameras. I zoom in on Logan. He’s sitting on the edge of a table in conversation with Kari, the one currently employed as an executive protection officer. I’ll be watching them both closely. Either one of them has a good chance of winning.
Moving the camera, I stop and mouse back over Akio Goro. He’s sitting at his table with his hands together, like he’s praying. His eyes are closed. Maybe he’s napping. Bobby walks in front of him and stops suddenly, waving his hands. Akio doesn’t flinch. I shake my head. If I had to choose someone based on their ability to make me laugh, I’d pick Bobby, hands down.
Tori and Naya are by the main doors, chatting it up. I’m all for confidence, but Naya rubs me the wrong way. It’s one thing to be proud of your accomplishments, it’s another to brag.
I zoom around the room until I find her. She’s at her table next to Cedric and Raul is leaning on her chair. She’s gazing up at him with wide eyes and I don’t like it.
Dawson knocks on my door. “Esto Rivera”
“Come in.”
He’s all business. “Change of plans. We decided it would be better if you make your entrance when it’s time for the show.”
“No problem.”
“Great. Dawson will bring you through the back once we have everyone outside.”
“Sounds good.”
He rushes out swiftly and Jen steps hesitantly into the open door. “Um, Mr. Creed?”
“I’m ready, Jen. You can come in.”
She inches through the doorway as if her footsteps might wake a sleeping baby, then moves over to me like I might pounce on her for my next meal. As soon as she lifts the powder puff to my nose, I say, “Boo,” like I did yesterday. And again, as expected, she jumps.
I laugh. “You don’t have to treat me like a cornered animal, Jen. I don’t bite.”
She smiles. “I know you don’t like the makeup stuff.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mean to be difficult. I know you’re just doing your job.” I sit down and open my arms. “Make me pretty.”
She pauses for a second then flies over to me, pressing her lips against mine. I push her away. “Whoa…”
She freezes. “I’m… I’m so sorry. I thought…”
I stand. “This is all my fault. I was flirty yesterday and I shouldn’t have been. Sometimes I forget my place. Please accept my apology.”
Her bottom lip quivers and she starts to cry. “Please don’t tell my boss. He’ll fire me. I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, hey…” I pull her hands from her face. “How’s it going to look if the makeup expert has crappy makeup? Don’t ruin your pretty eyes.”
She stares at me again and I’m worried she’s taking me the wrong way.
“Let’s forget it. You fix my face and we’ll both be professional from here on out.”
She nods and wipes her eyes, continuing to sniff as she applies something to my cheeks. I gaze up at the ceiling and avoid making eye contact.
What is this life?
Bryce did the intro and now they’re doing a camera re-set. I sip from my bottle of water and place it down by my feet. I was pleased no one treated me differently after the scene at breakfast. I’m ready to be over it.
Esto counts down filming again. “In five… four… three… two… one.”
“Welcome back. As I said before the break, Executive Protection has both risks and rewards. Most people think a bodyguard’s job is to stand around and look frightening, but there’s more to it than you might expect.”
Bryce moves left and stands near the center of the arena. That’s what they call it. To me it’s a large oval we sit around that has an edge you could trip over if you’re not careful.
“Throughout the game, we’ll be explaining the requirements needed to be successful in this line of work, and who better to teach us than a man who’s worked in the industry for almost half his life. Not only is he the bestselling author of My Body is a Shield, but he’s also the CEO of Beck Security and Protection. With fifteen years in the industry, personally working as an EPO for some of the hottest movie stars and musicians in the world, it’s my honor to introduce to you our judge and challenge officiant, Jean Paul Beck.”
The other contestants seem excited to meet him. Do they know who he is? I clap like I do too. I suppose I should get on his good side. He’s my stepping stone to $100,000.
He’s tall and slender, with an athletic build. He has an intimidating look about him. I’d guess he’s in his late thirties, early forties, based on the crow’s feet around his eyes and lines on his forehead. I wonder if he earned those from years of looking angry. His hair is sandy brown, and he’s dressed in a high-quality suit. It almost looks like it was tailor-made for him. He must earn some bucks to afford it.
He holds up his hands to stop the applause. “Hello everyone, and although you’re welcoming me, it is I that should welcome you. I know each and every one of you better than you think as I was involved in your selection from the beginning. First, I’d like to thank Seamore Productions and Roman Creed for asking me to join this fabulous show. I’ve spent some time with Roman, and I can tell you he’s a man who knows what he wants and doesn’t accept anything less than the absolute best.”
I watch Bryce out of the corner of my eye. He continues to nod and react like he’s on camera. He appears genuinely interested. Everyone does. I sit up a little straighter in my seat. Something tells me I’d better memorize every word that comes out of his mouth.
“What exactly is an EPO? I’d say a Praetorian hits the nail on the head. Executive protection is more than keeping your principal from unsavory individuals. It’s also about knowing your principal and anticipating his needs before he knows them himself. If my principal tells someone he has a headache, you’d better bet I’ll be standing by with a couple of pain relievers as soon as he’s alone. Is that expected? Absolutely not. Does it make me more valuable? You’d better believe it. My job is not only to protect my principal from individuals who seek to hurt him, but it’s also my job to keep him healthy and safe.”
He moves about the room like he’s used to being filmed. I wish I had my phone so I could google him.
“It makes sense then that you should know a little about Roman Creed in order to guard him. That’s why we arranged a little party.” He smiles and the hairs on my arms stand at attention. Here we go.
“Today you’re going to have a rare opportunity to meet some of the people who know him best. Some know something small, while others know a great deal. What they know about him and how much you learn is up to you. Mingle and be social, but be tactful. These people know they don’t have to talk to you if they aren’t comfortable.”
He moves over to Bryce and places a hand on his shoulder. “I know you said there was a challenge today, but we felt this was more important. A bodyguard has to know how to talk to people and get the information they need as quickly as possible. They have to know how to blend in. They need to know how to get the information they need to do their job. Information isn’t always handed to you on a silver platter. Sometimes you have to work for it. Forge relationships. You never know when someone you least expect might be a person you need someday.”
Bryce faces the camera. “When we come back, we’ll take you to a party like nothing you’ve ever seen. Expect the unexpected on The Praetorian.”
“And cut.”
“Off to the races,” Cedric whispers.
“Do you believe them when they say there isn’t a challenge today?” I ask.
He gazes to Jean Paul. “Not for a second. Everything you do is a test in the real world. I’d slither like a snake if I were you.” He pauses. “Gather as much as you can and hold on tight. It’s gonna be a long day and an eve
n longer night.”
Grinning at him, I say, “That rhymes.”
“Guess I’m a poet and don’t know it.”
“Hey, do you have a second?” Tori asks, touching my arm.
“Sure, what’s up?” I ask.
She motions me away from Cedric. He pretends not to notice, but I’m fairly certain nothing gets past him. We move a few feet from the table.
“I was talking to Kari earlier and she said that she, Naya, and Logan would all be willing to be on a team with us.”
My stomach clenches. “Really?” It’s all I can muster.
“What do you think?” Gazing over my shoulder at Cedric and then Raul, I know in my gut they’re the people I feel most comfortable with.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I haven’t spoken to Logan or Kari yet and to be honest, Naya doesn’t seem to think too much of cops.”
Tori shakes her head scornfully. “I’m telling you they’re good people. I think you’re reading too much into one slip of the tongue. Logan doesn’t have a problem with Naya and he’s a cop. Why should you?”
I lick my lips and feel my body tighten. Something isn’t sitting right with me, but I’m not sure if it’s the group, the comment, or Tori in general. “Okay. If you think she’s cool, then I’m sure I will too.” I wonder if she’s going to believe me. It’s a big fat lie.
She releases a gratifying sigh and pats me on the back as she takes a step toward the group huddled in the corner. All my years of hiding the truth have come in handy after all. She spins back to me when I don’t move with her. “Aren’t you coming?”
Leaning forward, I whisper, “I think it’s best if we don’t broadcast we’re in a group. Once people know we formed a team, they won’t be so quick to share information.”
Her eyes widen. “Good thinking.”
Returning to my seat, I feel nauseous. I think Tori means well, but I don’t feel I have a good enough grasp on the others to be allies with them. I don’t like being pressured into anything. It’s a surefire way to make me do the exact opposite.
“You okay?” Cedric asks as I drop into my chair.
The Praetorian Page 10