Princess Bridget von Ascheberg of Eldorra would be the
death of me. If not literal death, then the death of my patience and sanity. Of that, I was certain, and weโd only been working together for two weeks.
Iโd never had a client who infuriated me as much as she did. Sure, she was beautiful (not a good thing when you were in my position) and charming (to everyone except me), but she was also a royal pain in my ass. When I said โright,โ she went left; when I said โleave,โ she stayed. She insisted on spontaneously attending crowded events before I could do the advance work, and she treated my security concerns like they were an afterthought instead of an emergency.
Bridget said that was the way things had worked with Booth, and sheโd been fine. I said I wasnโt Booth, so I didnโt give a damn what she did or didnโt do when she was with him. I ran the show now.
She didnโt take that well, but I didnโt give a shit. I wasnโt here to win Mr. Congeniality. I was here to keep her alive.
Tonight, โhereโ meant the most crowded bar in Hazelburg. Half of Thayer had turned out for The Cryptโs Friday night half-off specials, and I was sure the bar was over max capacity.
Loud music, loud people. My least favorite kind of place and, apparently, Bridgetโsย mostย favorite, considering how vehement sheโd been about coming here.
โSo.โ Her redheaded friend Jules eyed me over the rim of her glass. โYou were a Navy SEAL, huh?โ
โYes.โ I wasnโt fooled by her flirty tone or party girl demeanor. Iโd run in-depth background checks on all of Bridgetโs friends the moment I took the job, and I knew for a fact Jules Ambrose was more dangerous than she appeared. But she didnโt pose a threat to Bridget, so I didnโt mention what she did in Ohio. It wasnโt my story to tell.
โI love military men,โ she purred.
โEx-military, J.โ Bridget didnโt look at me as she finished her drink. โBesides, heโs too old for you.โ
That was one of the few things I agreed with her on. I was only thirty-one, so I wasnโt ancient by any means, but Iโd done and witnessed enough shit in my life toย feelย ancient, especially compared to fresh-faced college students who hadnโt even had their first real job yet.
Iโd never been fresh-faced, not even when I was a kid. I grew up in dirt and grit.
Meanwhile, Bridget sat across from me, looking like the fairytale princess she was. Big blue eyes and lush pink lips set in a heart-shaped face, perfect alabaster skin, golden hair falling in loose waves down her back. Her black top bared her smooth shoulders, and tiny diamonds glittered on her ears.
Young, rich, and regal. The opposite of me in every way. โNegative. I love older men.โ Jules upped the wattage of
her smile as she gave me another once-over. โAnd youโre hot.โ
I didnโt smile back. I wasnโt dumb enough to get involved with a clientโs friend. I already had my hands full with Bridget.
Figuratively speaking.
โLeave the man alone.โ Stella laughed.ย Fashion design and communications major. Daughter of an environmental lawyer and the chief of staff to a cabinet secretary. Social media star.ย My brain ticked off all the things I knew about her as she snapped a photo of her cocktail before taking a sip. โFind someone your own age.โ
โGuys my age are boring. Iโd know. I dated a bunch of them.โ Jules nudged Ava, the last member of Bridgetโs close friend group. Aside from Julesโs inappropriate come- ons, they were a decent bunch. Certainly better than the friends of the Hollywood starlet Iโd guarded for three excruciating months, during which I saw more โaccidentalโ genital flashings than Iโd thought I would ever see in my life. โSpeaking of older men, whereโs your boo?โ
Ava blushed. โHe canโt make it. He has a conference call with some business partners in Japan.โ
โOh, heโll make it,โ Jules drawled. โYou in a bar, surrounded by drunken, horny college guys? Iโm surprised he hasnโtโah. Speak of the devil. There he is.โ
I followed her gaze to where a tall, dark-haired man cut a path through the crowd of said drunken, horny college guys.
Green eyes, tailored designer clothing, and an icy expression that made the frozen tundra of Greenland look like tropical islands.
Alex Volkov.
I knew the name and reputation, even if I didnโt know him personally. He was a legend in certain circles.
The de facto CEO of the countryโs largest real estate development company, Alex had enough connections and blackmail material to bring down half of Congress and the Fortune 500.
I didnโt trust him, but he was dating one of Bridgetโs best friends, which meant his presence was unavoidable.
Avaโs face lit up when she saw him. โAlex! I thought you had a business call.โ
โThe call wrapped up early, so I thought Iโd swing by.โ He brushed his lips over hers.
โI love when Iโm right, which is almost always.โ Jules shot Alex a sly glance. โAlex Volkov in a college bar? Never thought Iโd see the day.โ
He ignored her.
The music changed from low-key R&B to a remix of the latest radio hit, and the bar went wild. Jules and Stella scrambled out of their seats to hit the dance floor, followed by Bridget, but Ava stayed put.
โYou guys go. Iโll stay here.โ She yawned. โIโm kinda tired.โ
Jules looked horrified. โItโs only eleven!โ She turned to me. โRhys, dance with us. You have to make up for thisโฆ blasphemy.โ She gestured at where Ava was curled into Alexโs side while he wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. Ava made a face; Alexโs expression didnโt so much as budge. Iโd seen blocks of ice show more emotion than him.
I remained seated. โI donโt dance.โ
โYou donโt dance. Alex doesnโt sing. Arenโt you two a bundle of joy,โ Jules grumbled. โBridge, do something.โ
Bridget glanced at me before looking away. โHeโs working. Come on,โ she teased. โArenโt Stella and I enough?โ
Jules let out an aggrieved sigh. โI suppose. Way to guilt- trip me.โ
โI learned the subtle art of guilt-tripping in princess school.โ Bridget pulled her friends onto the dance floor. โLetโs go.โ
To no oneโs surprise, Ava and Alex called it a night soon after, and I sat at the table by myself, keeping half an eye on the girls and the other half on the rest of the bar. At least, I tried. My gaze strayed back to Bridget and Bridget alone more often than Iโd like, and not just because she was my client.
Iโd known she would be trouble the minute Christian told me about my new assignment. Told, not asked, because Christian Harper dealt in orders, not requests. But we had enough of a history I couldโve turned down the assignment had I wanted toโand Iโd really fucking wanted to. Me guarding the Princess of Eldorra when I wanted nothing to do with Eldorra? Worst idea in the history of bad ideas.
Then Iโd looked at the picture of Bridget and saw something in her eyes that tugged at me. Maybe it was the hint of loneliness or the vulnerability she tried to hide. Whatever it was, it was enough for me to say yes, albeit reluctantly.
Now here I was, stuck with a charge who barely tolerated me, and vice versa.
Youโre a goddamned idiot, Larsen.
But as infuriating as I found Bridget, I had to admit, I liked seeing her the way she was tonight. Big smile, glowing face, eyes sparkling with laughter and mischief. None of the loneliness Iโd spotted in the headshot Christian gave me.
She threw her hands in the air and swayed her hips to the music, and my gaze lingered on the bare expanse of her long, smooth legs before I tore it away, my jaw tightening.
Iโd guarded plenty of beautiful women before, but when I saw Bridget in person for the first time, Iโd reacted in a way I never had for my previous clients. Blood heating, cock hardening, hands itching to find out how her golden hair would feel wrapped around my fist. Itโd been visceral, unexpected, and almost enough to make me walk away from the job before I started, because lusting after a client could only end in disaster.
But my pride won out, and I stayed. I just hoped I wouldnโt regret it.
Jules and Stella said something to Bridget, who nodded before they left for what I presumed was the bathroom. Theyโd been gone for only two minutes when a frat boy-
looking type in a pink polo shirt beelined toward Bridget with a determined expression.
My shoulders tensed.
I rose from my seat right as Frat Boy reached Bridget and whispered something in her ear. She shook her head, but he didnโt leave.
Something dark unfurled in my stomach. If there was one thing I hated, it was men who couldnโt take a fucking hint.
Frat Boy reached for Bridget. She pulled her arm away before he could make contact and said something else, her expression sharper this time. His face twisted into an ugly scowl. He reached for her again, but before he could touch her, I stepped in between them, cutting him off.
โIs there a problem?โ I stared down at him.
Frat Boy oozed the entitlement of someone who wasnโt used to hearing no thanks to Daddyโs money, and he was either too stupid or too arrogant to realize I was two seconds away from rearranging his face so thoroughly a plastic surgeon wouldnโt be able to fix it.
โNo problem. I was just asking her to dance.โ Frat Boy eyed me like he was thinking of taking me on.
Definitely stupid.
โI donโt want to dance.โ Bridget stepped around me and stared Frat Boy down herself. โI already told you twice. Donโt make me tell you a third time. You wonโt like whatโll happen.โ
There were times when I could forget Bridget was a princess, like when she was singing off-key in the showerโ she thought I couldnโt hear her, but I couldโor pulling an all-night study session at the kitchen table.
Now was not one of those times. Regal iciness radiated from her every pore, and a small, impressed smirk touched my mouth before I squashed it.
Frat Boyโs ugly scowl remained, but he was outnumbered, and he knew it. He shu๏ฌed off, muttering
โStupid cuntโย under his breath as he did so.
Judging by the way Bridgetโs cheeks pinkened, she heard him. Unfortunately for him, so did I.
He didnโt make it two feet before I grabbed him hard enough he yelped. One strategic twist of my wrist and I could break his arm, but I didnโt want to cause a scene, so he was lucky.
For now.
โWhat did you say?โ A dangerous edge bled into my voice.
Bridget and I werenโt each otherโs favorite people, but that didnโt make it okay for anyone to call her names. Not under my watch.
It was a matter of principle and basic fucking decency.
โN-nothing.โ Frat Boyโs puny brain had finally caught up with the situation, and his face reddened with panic.
โI donโt think it was nothing.โ I tightened my hold, and he whimpered in pain. โI think you used a very bad word to insult the lady here.โ Another tightening, another whimper. โAnd I think you better apologize before the situation escalates. Donโt you?โ
I didnโt need to spell out whatย escalatesย meant.
โIโm sorry,โ Frat Boy mumbled to Bridget, who blinked back at him with an icy expression. She didnโt respond.
โI didnโt hear you,โ I said.
Frat Boyโs eyes flashed with hate, but he wasnโt stupid enough to argue. โIโm sorry,โ he said louder.
โFor what?โ
โFor calling you aโฆโ He shot a fearful look in my direction. โFor calling you a bad name.โ
โAnd?โ I prompted.
His brow creased in confusion.
My smile contained more threat than humor. โSay, โIโm sorry for being a limp-dicked idiot who doesnโt know how to respect women.โโ
I thought I heard Bridget choke back a small laugh, but I was focused on Frat Boyโs reaction. He looked like he wanted to punch me with his free hand, and I almost wished he would. It would be amusing to see him try to reach my face. I towered over him by a good eight inches, and he had shrimp arms.
โIโm sorry for being a limp-dicked idiot who doesnโt know how to respect women.โ Resentment poured off him in waves.
โDo you accept his apology?โ I asked Bridget. โIf you donโt, I can take this outside.โ
Frat Boy paled.
Bridget tilted her head, her face pensive, and another shadow of a smile ghosted my mouth.ย Sheโs good.
โI suppose,โ she finally said in the tone of someone who was doing someone else a huge favor. โThereโs no use wasting more of our time on someone insignificant.โ
My amusement tempered some of the anger running hot in my veins at Frat Boyโs earlier comment. โYou got lucky.โ I released him. โIf I ever see you bothering her or another woman againโฆโ I lowered my voice. โYou might as well learn how to do everything left-handed because your right one will be out of commission. Permanently. Now leave.โ
I didnโt have to tell him twice. Frat Boy fled, his pink shirt bobbing in the crowd until he disappeared out the exit.
Good riddance.
โThank you,โ Bridget said. โI appreciate you dealing with him, even though itโs frustrating it took someone else to intervene before he got the hint. Isnโt me saying no enough?โ Her brow puckered with annoyance.
โSome people are idiots, and some people are assholes.โ I stepped aside to allow a group of giggling partygoers past. โJust so happened you ran into one who was both.โ
That earned me a small smile. โMr. Larsen, I do believe weโre having a civil conversation.โ
โAre we? Someone check the weather in hell,โ I deadpanned.
Bridgetโs smile widened, and Iโd be damned if I didnโt feel a small kick in my gut at the sight.
โHow about a drink?โ She tilted her head toward the bar. โOn me.โ
I shook my head. โIโm on the clock, and I donโt drink alcohol.โ
Surprise flashed across her face. โEver?โ
โEver.โ No drugs, no alcohol, no smoking. Iโd seen the havoc they wreaked, and I had no interest in becoming another statistic. โNot my thing.โ
Bridgetโs expression told me she suspected there was more to the story than I was letting on, but she didnโt press the issue, which I appreciated. Some people were too damn nosy.
โSorry that took so long!โ Jules returned with Stella in tow. โThe line at the bathroom was insane.โย Her eyes roved between me and Bridget. โEverything okay?โ
โYes. Mr. Larsen was keeping me company while you guys were gone,โ Bridget said without missing a beat.
โReally?โ Jules arched an eyebrow. โHow nice of him.โ Neither Bridget nor I took the bait.
โCalm down, J,โ I heard Stella say as I returned to the table now that Iโd handled the situation with Frat Boy and her friends were back. โItโs his job to look after her.โ
Damn right.ย It was my job, and Bridget was my client.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Bridget glanced at me, and our eyes locked for a split second before she looked away.
My hand flexed on my thigh.
Sure, I was attracted to her. She was beautiful, smart, and had a spine of steel. Ofย courseย I was attracted to her. That didnโt mean I should or would act on it.
In my five years as a bodyguard, Iโd never once crossed my professional boundaries.
And I wasnโt about to start now.
