Bound to Me (The Harbour Series Book 1)

by Christy Pastore

  “I’m not sure that I understand.”

  “No, I suppose you wouldn’t,” he answered, and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll be back; I need some air.”

  He turned and strode off towards the doors. I sat at the table confused. Heat spread across my cheeks, and down my neck. Clutching the bottle of water, I chugged it hoping to calm my nerves.

  Five minutes later Alex returned and Meg brought out our food. Leaning over him, on purpose no less, to give him another glimpse of her tits, she refilled his glass. I admired her effort. She was pretty confident. As well she should be, her tits were magnificent.

  “Why don’t we talk about how this whole bodyguard thing is going to work,” I said, before dipping a fry into some ketchup. “I guess you’re my Kevin Costner.”

  He huffed out a laugh. “Hardly, your brother said that I was to look out for you while you’re here in the city. When you go out, I’ll be there. Consider me your shadow.”

  “Maybe this won’t be as dreadful as I thought.”

  Alex looked at me and I smiled, before stuffing four fries into my mouth, not caring if he thought I was a pig. Even though food is sometimes my enemy, I loved to eat. You won’t find me ordering a small garden salad and then trying to steal food from your plate.

  “Enjoying the burger?”

  “Hmm, uh huh,” I managed to mumble in between bites. “How is your salad?”

  “It mostly tastes like rabbit food.” A smile tugged the corners of his mouth.

  Deep rumbling laughter rang out behind me. I turned my head to see what the ruckus was all about. A few guys with pints of dark lager ambled into the bar.

  Where did they come from?

  “There must be a party in the upstairs dining area,” I remarked.

  “There sure is, lovie,” someone said in a gravelly voice behind me.

  Alex placed his fork into the salad bowl, and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin.

  “Hello, Ella, it’s been a while.”

  I froze at the sight of the man standing before me. He was correct, it had been a long time since I’d seen him. The hairs on my arms stood on end, and something heavy settled over me. Even though he’d grown a beard, and his dark hair had grey streaks around the temples, he looked exactly the same.

  “Charlie, what are you doing in Manhattan? Did you follow me here?”

  Alex stood and pushed his stool back. “Ella, is this guy someone who will give you trouble?”

  “I see you got yourself a new bloke,” he replied, ignoring my questions. “Hey, mate, the name’s Charlie and you are?”

  “I haven’t decided, yet.” He stepped closer to Charlie, and I swore I could feel the primal energy bristling off his body. “If the lady says there’s no trouble,” he added, running his finger against the wooden tabletop, “then you can call me mate. On the other hand, if the lady says we’ve got a problem, you’ll probably refer to me as the guy who told you to leave Miss Connolly alone and mind your own fucking business.”

  “Funny you mention minding one’s own business, mate.” Charlie eyed Alex over the rim of his pint glass. “This one here ruined my life. Because of her, I had to move to this bloody country.”

  “You could have moved to Canada or better yet, Antarctica.”

  “Cheeky as ever, aren’t you?” he asked, before slamming back the rest of his drink. Charlie let out a loud burp that made my throat crawl with disgust. “I had to move here because I’m not allowed to sell my pictures in the UK. I’m not allowed to sell celebrity photos to the tabloids and smut rags. Now I take respectable images at political and sporting events. I attend tennis matches, and mundane conferences, instead of red carpet events and ritzy parties. All thanks to Ella here.”

  “Are you quite finished?” I asked, my voice cracking with anger.

  He chuckled. “Too bad I don’t have my camera on me. I’d love to get a picture of you in that dress.” He stepped back to gawk at my legs, and I tugged at the hem of skirt trying to pull it lower.

  “You look good, lovie, but I don’t need to see your arse. I have a mental picture of your sweet body right up here.” His thick fingers tapped the side of his head, and he licked his lips.

  My stomach lurched, and I’d lost my appetite. Pushing my plate to the middle of the table, I watched him wipe his wet mouth on the back of his sleeve.

  “Time to move along, mate, before you get yourself into trouble,” Alex said, as he sidestepped to directly stand in front of Charlie.

  “No trouble,” he said lumbering backwards. “See you around, Ella.”

  “God, I hope not,” I mumbled under my breath.

  Alex turned to face me. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” I answered, and rose to my feet. “Could we pay our bill and leave?”

  “Sure,” he said, before motioning to Meg. “This one is on me.”

  Meg sauntered over to our table, and brushed her arm against Alex’s. She had two checks in her hand. Alex took both of them, and a small frown appeared on her face. I spotted handwriting on the back of one of the tickets. Upon closer inspection, ten digits came into focus. I laughed, certain that it was her phone number scrawled across the paper.

  Alex handed her his credit card and she walked back to the computer by the bar. After a few moments she came back with a pen in hand.

  “Excuse me, Meg,” I said, taking a step forward. “You’ve been quite obvious with your flirting today.”

  Alex cocked an eyebrow.

  “Here’s a bit of friendly advice,” I said, taking another step forward.

  Meg’s eyes widened as she shifted on her heel.

  “In the future, I’d advise you not to shove your tits in a man’s face, especially when he’s in the company of another woman.” I took the pen from Alex, and flipped the ticket over crossing out her number.

  Her mouth gaped. “I’m so . . . sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Of course you did, otherwise you wouldn’t have done it.”

  Blotches of red splashed across her neck, and spread down across her chest. She picked up the tickets and stomped off towards to bar.

  “You didn’t have to embarrass her like that.”

  “Are you serious? She embarrassed herself and disrespected me.” I slid my bag onto my shoulder. “Put yourself in my shoes, love, and tell me how you would have liked it.”

  “Okay, you have a point,” he agreed, and nodded towards the door.

  For a moment I’d forgotten about Charlie and his band of goons. However, when my eyes focused on the exit, I realized we’d have to walk right past them to leave. I took Alex’s hand in mine, and he led us towards the doors. Someone from Charlie’s group whistled, and called out my name. Alex kept focused on the exit and gripped my hand tighter.

  Once outside, he turned to face me. “I don’t like that guy.”

  “No kidding. He’s a wanker,” I replied, stating the obvious as we walked towards the end of the block.

  “There’s history between the two of you, and I don’t get a good vibe. There was something about the tone of his words that makes me think he has violent tendencies. He’s a threat.”

  I shook my head. “Charlie, he’s a lot of bloody things, but he’s not dangerous.”

  “I don’t trust him. What’s the history with you two? He mentioned something about photos and having to move. What kind of trouble did you give him?”

  I stopped midstride, feeling the anger brewing inside me. “Of course you think I’m the one who’d caused the issue.” I folded my arms against my chest.

  Alex turned to face me. “Sorry, that wasn’t what I meant. He said you gave him trouble, what happened?”

  At his words, my shoulders relaxed, and my arms fell to my sides.

  “That is a long story.”

  “Well, you better start talking, Ella, because if I’m going to keep you safe I need to know all the details.”

  “Bloody hell.”

  “In fact, I’m g
oing to stay at your hotel with you.”

  “Absolutely not. That is not part of the deal,” I argued.

  As we strode into the garage where Alex’s car was parked, his mobile rang. I was grateful for the interruption, as it gave me time to clear my head. The thought of Alex staying in my suite with me had me sexually aroused. How would I be able to handle that situation, without wanting to tear his clothes off every second? No, I cannot allow that to happen. When I was settled in for the evening that would be the end of his duties, and he would accept it.

  “Yes, I see,” Alex said, glancing at his watch. “I’ll be there in about two hours.” He ended the call and shoved the phone inside the pocket of his jacket. “Let’s go, you’re coming with me.”

  “No, I need to scout the retail spaces that my father sent me.”

  “Do you have appointments?” he asked, walking at a brisk pace.

  “No,” I answered, trying to match my speed with his.

  “So, nothing solid?”

  “No, but—”

  “That settles it then,” he interrupted, coming to a stop at the bumper of his Range Rover. “Today, you’ll come with me, then tomorrow, you’ll set up your appointments and I’ll make sure you arrive at all of them—on time.”

  He smiled at me, and I swore I heard the sound of my panties being ripped off my body, followed shortly after by the action of him tossing them onto the floor.

  Sidestepping me, he clicked the button and opened the passenger door. I climbed in, and settled into the leather seat as the door closed. My head fell back and I blew out a breath. Trapped in a car with Alex for two hours? This should prove to be quite interesting.

  “WHERE ARE WE GOING anyway?” Ella asked, before applying more of that sultry red color to her gorgeous mouth. Then she smacked her lips together, making a popping sound. For some odd reason, I found that to be so damn sexy. It should have annoyed me, but Ella could chew rocks with her mouth open and I’d still want to kiss her.

  “We’re driving out to my house in the Hamptons. I’m having it renovated.”

  “You’re going to live two hours away from the city? That doesn’t make sense to me.”

  I laughed. “I like being near the water.”

  “Oh,” she said, shoving her lipstick into her handbag. “Why not live in a high-rise overlooking the Hudson River or the bay?”

  “It’s not the same.”

  “Any particular reason?”

  “You know,” I said, flicking my turn signal to change lanes. “Less than twenty-four hours ago, you wanted to know nothing about me. I find it interesting you now have all these questions.”

  She huffed out a laugh, before popping a piece of gum into her mouth. “Would you like a stick of gum?”

  “No, thanks, I prefer breath mints,” I replied, patting the pocket of my jacket. The sound of Altoids crashed against the metal case.

  She rolled her eyes, and shoved the pack of gum into her handbag. “So, are you going to tell me why you like living by the water?”

  “Sure, it offers a quiet and peaceful feeling. I like the sound of water lapping against the shore, and I enjoy running on the beach. Then there’s the view—you can’t beat it. There’s nothing like a sunset over the water. Endless colors, where the sky meets the horizon.”

  I gave Ella the safe version, even though I felt compelled to tell her the hard truth. Water doesn’t remind me of war or death. It reminds me of calm and peace. I spent four months traveling around the Cook Islands, Fiji, Bora Bora, and Tahiti, eventually ending up in Hawaii. My therapist said I needed to find some kind of way to accept Sasha’s death and realize it wasn’t my fault. Laid back island life seemed the best way to grieve and let go.

  Maybe Ella would think I was crazy. Although, something told me she’d be able to handle it. But, in keeping things light and professional, that information didn’t fit under the umbrella of discussion topics.

  Besides my former squad and, of course, Ethan, I’d never really talked about my past to anyone. I’d had my will drafted at least half a dozen times, and it changed after every mission. I’d been allowed to tell my father and brother about the two years I’d spent working Special Ops for Elite Eight. Later, I disclosed some information to Ethan, but mostly I shared tidbits of my time with Sasha.

  On a few occasions, I’d tried to open up to Amanda, but pillow talk wasn’t her strong suit. Maybe deep down, I knew she wouldn’t care to hear the ugliness. At the time of our affair, Amanda’s world was filled with gloom. Adding to it wasn’t something I’d wanted to do.

  Gloom . . . lagoon. Venice, the trip we’d never made.

  “Sounds heavenly—some kind of warm, inviting place.” The sound of Ella’s soft voice broke through my thoughts. Place, yes, and that reminder brings up an unfinished matter.

  “Speaking of places, I’m going to upgrade to a two bedroom suite at The York.”

  She threw her hands up. “No, Alex, I’m not staying with you. It’s completely unnecessary. My brother is being overprotective.”

  “Oh yeah? Tell me about that? There has to be a reason for Ronan to want to make sure that you’re safe while you’re here.”

  “I am certain this has something to do with his own personal experiences and being famous. Trust me, no one gives a fuck that I’m Ronan Connolly’s little sister.”

  The quick defensive tone in her voice told me she was hiding something.

  I know. I’m a regular Sherlock Holmes.

  “If there’s a potential threat, I need to know. Is it that guy we ran into at the bar? Charlie?” His asshole remark about having a mental picture of her body, made me want to crack his head against the wooden tabletop. I took my eyes off the road to study her reaction to his name. Ella closed her eyes and blew out a deep breath.

  “No, I had no idea he was even here. I told you, Ronan is just being ov-er-pro-tec-tive, like an annoying older brother.” She shifted in her seat, crossing her left leg up and over her right knee. Her skirt bunched higher, revealing more of her creamy skin. The sound of a loud sports car zipping by us drew my attention back to the black pavement. “Don’t you have any siblings you look out for?”

  I ran my hand along the steering wheel, and took a deep breath. “Yes, my little sister. And my older brother . . . well, not so much anymore.”

  Shit. I shouldn’t have said that. Maybe she wouldn’t pry. The sounds of “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol filled the cab, and Ella started singing along and swaying to the beat.

  “I simply adore this song,” she yelled over the music.

  “Yeah, I can see that.”

  I turned and studied those lips of hers as she belted out every word, and wanted nothing more than to seal my mouth over hers and kiss her deeply. Shaking my head, I forced the idea out of my mind.

  The chorus of the song blasted through the speakers of my Range Rover . . . and the words—more, midnight, hour, and the phrase “she cried” all screamed through my brain. I was back to picturing Ella naked in my bed, moaning and begging me to fuck her harder. I looked at my watch, only another hour and seventeen minutes to until we reached my house. But really, who was counting?

  AN HOUR AND TWENTY-FOUR minutes later, we arrived at Alex’s house in the Hamptons. He referred to his stretch of road or rather the neighborhood he lived in as The Harbour. I had seen the Hamptons on the television, and in cinema, but never in person. Without question, I was fascinated by the playground of the rich and famous. We drove through a small part of The Harbour, before turning down the road to his home. Alex called it “the main drag.” It was a long stretch of posh restaurants, coffee shops, luxury retailers and charming, one-of-a-kind boutiques all situated side by side on a lovely tree-lined street. It was hard not to fall in love with this place.

  The sound of gravel crunched under the tires of his Range Rover as he navigated up the long driveway, and I found myself staring at an impossibly gorgeous shingle-clad residence. The grand two-story house was gracefully tucked away fr
om the main road on a grassy, wooded site.

  He parked the SUV and I climbed out. Sliding my sunglasses off my face, I stood there captivated, feeling impressed by the large windows and stunning wraparound porch.

  “This way,” Alex said, pointing his chin toward the side where we then climbed wooden steps to the back door.

  Once inside, the sound of hammering echoed throughout the large empty space. The smell of sawdust lingered in the air.

  “Mr. Robertsen,” a deep voice boomed from behind us.

  A man with a stalky build, wearing an orange polo shirt and dark brown trousers, greeted us. Obviously he’d been working hard, his sandy blond hair was sweat soaked around his temples.

  “Gary, how are you doing, man?” Alex asked shaking his hand. “This is my . . . this is Ella. She’s a friend.”

  On the inside I giggled and my stomach fluttered. I know it’s something silly that girls say happens, but I know what I felt. Once I saw the blueprints unfolding across the makeshift table, made up of a piece of plywood sitting atop two sawhorses, I excused myself, allowing them a moment for business. My wandering of the open floor plan took me through three large rooms, including the mudroom, which had gorgeous slate floors. The foyer took my breath away with its impeccable millwork and the Dutch doors added a unique touch.

  I climbed the back staircase to the second floor. The gorgeous dark wood flooring throughout the entire house offset the white walls and ceiling. It was a simple and clean design. My further snooping landed me in what I could only assume was to be the master suite. It had a large fireplace and lovely window bench. Smiling, I ran my fingers along the top of the wood, picturing myself curled up with a book and a warm mug of tea.

  Why would I think of that?

  Shaking the thought from my head, I turned around, and my eyes landed on a large set of French doors that led to a balcony. I pushed them open to take in the marvelous sight spread before me—a lavish garden and pool and the ocean just off in the distance.

  This place was marvelous. There was no other way to describe it. It was magnificent and . . . and in the Hamptons, with a beach view, not to mention a guesthouse and tennis courts.