CHAPTER TWO

Renner

The fiftieth date as a Knight, and Renner still felt jittery walking up a client’s walkway. Not that he’d ever let it show. No, on the outside he was confident, collected, charming and savvy. Those were the job requirements. An easy transition from personal protection services.

He still made clients feel safe and secure with no judgments.

Only now he carried a different kind of gun.

The neighborhood was quiet. Only a few chirping crickets and a breeze rustling the towering oak trees. And his footsteps echoing on the pavestone walkway. Suburbia heaven ought to be this quiet at eleven o’clock. The house windows were dark, the entire residence seemed shut down, except for a single spotlight by the front door.

This woman was definitely new to the high-end Knight business.

The only other thing Duane had told him was her request for an overnight engagement—no formal wear required. Yet he still wore his black stone cufflinks, the signifier of an official Knight.

He glanced across the perfectly manicured lawn, to the minivan parked in the driveway. Had to be a divorcee.

Divorcees were usually the kinkiest patrons. Creative and passionate, most likely from years of having those qualities squashed in a dead marriage.

Renner had several divorcees as regulars. All part of the Knight territory.

This brand new client would certainly be interesting.

He swallowed his breath mint, and rang the doorbell.

Images flashed in his mind of his previous divorcee customer. Always dressed in their most form fitting outfits, deep cleavages and high heels, impeccable makeup no matter their age. And they were always loud under the sheets. Some, with no sheets.

Finally the door opened, and Renner put on his best smile. The one meant to make women smolder. The perfect match with his dark jeans and Armani shirt and vest.

The woman wore cotton pajamas, faded green-checkered pants, with her honey-blonde hair pulled into a loose ponytail. At first glance, she didn’t have on a smudge of makeup. In fact, she almost looked beaten to a pulp with the dark circles under her eyes.

She was young. Too young to be married, let alone a divorcee.

Do I have the wrong house?

Everything about her looked soft. Her cheekbones, her chin line, and neck. And those eyes—the deepest green tropical jungles would envy.

“You’re from the agency?” she asked, a tiny smile barely breaking her thin lips.

“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “I’m Renner. Pleased to meet you.”

“Cassie. Please come in.”

When she stepped back, he noticed her bare feet. No toenail polish. But they were small and adorable, much like the rest of her. Despite the Walking Dead look on her face.

The fact she didn’t reach to shake his hand bothered him.

Cassie was going to play it shy. Definitely a newbie. But Renner would accommodate her. Anything to make her feel safe and secure.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he stepped inside.

Everything screamed housewife. This was the house of married life. Clean, but cluttered. Homey furniture with couches shoved against walls and a well-used coffee table. A layout of convenience. Pictures of a little boy scattered everywhere. A stack of mail sat a foot high on the dining room table.

Not the normal client.

“Thanks for coming on short notice.” She stepped around him, careful not to brush him when she walked past.

She’s nervous. Renner couldn’t help but smile.

“Can I get you something to drink? Soda, beer, wine?”

“Whatever you’re having.” His standard reply, whenever a client didn’t specify.

“I don’t drink,” Cassie replied quickly. “But I have a beer if you’d like.”

“Sure, thanks.”

He made sure not to touch anything as he followed her to the kitchen, at a distance. Clearly his presence unnerved her—odd—and he didn’t want to invade her personal space. Not yet. Not that the place made him uncomfortable, though the toddler toys piled in the corner of the kitchen was a new one.

Crap, there’s a kid in the house?

“Not your normal cliental, am I?”

Dead right. Renner merely smiled and took the beer. Their hands grazed each other, and he could’ve sworn her fingers were as icy as the can.

She crossed her arms under her small breasts. No bra, either.

Several empty boxes of muffin mix littered the counter, and a sink full of used bowls and muffin tins. A huge platter of muffins piled high filled the room with the delicious scent of blueberries and vanilla.

“My son is with my parents tonight.”

“How old is he?”

“Five,” she replied on a sigh and moved away.

Something didn’t add up. Why hire a Knight and be confident enough to bring them to your house, and then act standoffish? Almost scared. Renner didn’t push the clients. They always revealed what they wanted in the end. He’d be patient. Supportive, no matter how long it took. After all, she’d paid for the whole night.

“How long have you been in the escort business?” Cassie sat in the only armchair in the living room, leaving the entire couch to him.

Definitely not open to being touched yet.

“I’ve been a Knight for about six months.”

She tilted her head. “Is that different than a regular escort?”

“Higher end. Focus on more than just physical.”

She tightened her hold on her arms, and nodded.

“I was in personal protection for several years before that.”

“Like a bodyguard?”

“Mm-hm.” He took a sip of beer and reclined on the couch, trying to reassure her with his own calm behavior. Anything to get this woman to relax. She was stiffer than a two-by-four.

“What kind of people did you guard?”

“Executives, the occasional stalker victim, and a few entertainment professionals.”

“And what, the escort business pays better?”

The hint of condescension in her voice didn’t throw him. However, he wasn’t breaking any ice on this woman, which would definitely make for a difficult night. Renner needed to find out her motives. “They pay about the same, but Knights have a little less danger involved.”

She nodded, then yawned. An actual yawn.

That threw him. But what threw him more was the glint of a gold band on her left ring finger as she covered her mouth.

Not a divorcee. Or if she was, it wasn’t her choice.

“So tell me, Cassie, why did you call the agency?”

A desperate look crossed her face and erased just as quickly. She swallowed and shifted into business mode.

Like what she was about to ask was extremely hard but refused to be judged for it.

“I need some help.”

That much was clear. “How can I help?”

“To be honest, I’d like to go upstairs now.”

Wow. Direct. I can handle that.

Renner set his beer on the coffee table and stood. He’d definitely go upstairs with this woman. She looked like she had a mountain of problems and needed a good tussle in the sheets. He was good at that. He held out his hand and waited for her to take it.

Looking down at her made her small frame look tiny and vulnerable. As if something had beat Cassie into a ragged doll. The potential for Jessica Rabbit was extreme.

Taking his hand, she stood, and her tired eyes stared into his for several seconds.

When Renner stepped toward her, she tugged her hand away and retreated to the stairs.

Not sure what game she’s playing, but I’ll help as best I can.

He followed, noticing the closed doors throughout the upper floor. The wood floors were scratched and dented, no doubt from hours of toddler toys and playtime. Very lived-in.

Her bedroom was the only open door. Also very lived-in. Queen-sized bed with a rose flowered bedspread, cushy carpet and a reading nook by the window. At least twenty books piled on the nightstand and a box of tissues. Definitely her side of the bed.

The rest of the room was tidy. Too tidy.

Not a single candle, no music playing, nothing romantic about this setting. The nightstand on the other side of the bed was empty. What caught his eyes the most were the small holes in every wall. All the picture frames had been removed.

“The bathroom is in here,” Cassie pushed on, ignoring his perusal. “I’ve put out fresh towels for you if you’d like a shower.” She showed him around the attached master bath as if he were staying in a hotel or sleeping over at his mother’s house.

Definitely a divorcee. Not a single photo of an ex-husband anywhere.

“Cassie.” He stopped her and tried to catch her hand, but she moved away.

She was beautiful. In a reserved, scared squirrel way. If only she’d let her guard down. For a rather stoic lady, she fidgeted a lot.

“I’ll help you relax,” he promised with a gentle smile. “It’s what I do best.”

“I didn’t hire you for sex,” she rushed, and hugged herself, as if the thought made her sick.

“Of course not. That’s illegal.” Renner smiled. “You hired my companionship. My time. I’m all yours, for the entire night.” He moved to her again, wanting to wrap his arms around her and start her night of stress-relief, but she stepped out of his reach.

“I’ll be right back.” She escaped to the bathroom and shut the door.

He took in a raspy breath. He still hadn’t discovered what she wanted. Any time he went to touch her, she scooted away like he had leprosy. The first client who didn’t seem attracted to him. It crawled up his skin like the scorpions in the Afghan desert.

Not every woman was into the tall, muscular, crew-cut soldier. He hadn’t met any of those before. Not that he should take it personally. Cassie hadn’t given his agency any preferences for the kind of Knight she wanted, and sometimes clients changed their minds.

Rationalizing her behavior didn’t make him feel better. Damn, this was just like his first appointment. A freshman pledge in a big man’s game, blowing his payoff too early.

Cassie needed help with something. That much was obvious. It was his job to help.

While she finished in the bathroom, he slipped off his shoes and took off his vest, draping it over the empty nightstand.

As his cufflinks and shirt followed, she appeared with her hair draped over her shoulders. Long and wavy, with a crease where her hair band had been. Fresh, casual, almost a beach style with slender curves in all the right grooves.

Bare-chested, he stood before her and watched her reaction.

“What are you doing?” she asked, eyes wide.

“What do you think?” He smirked.

Her mouth bobbed and she stared at his chest, her eyes visibly dropping down his abs and to his pants, then up to his face again. Pure shock. He smiled.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Renner sat on the bed and crossed his arms. “I thought this is what you wanted, Cassie. You paid a higher rate for the entire night at your private residence. The first thing you want to do is come straight upstairs. My assumption was intimacy. I apologize if I guessed wrong.”

The desperate frown on her angelic face tugged at his heart.

Something’s wrong.

“Renner, I just want you to sleep with me.”

He gave a nervous chuckle. “Agreed. Shall we?”

Cassie sighed. “I mean, sleep beside me. Nothing physical.”

That’s a curve ball. “You just want me to sleep next to you?”

“I know it’s an awkward request for someone in your profession, but…I just want you to lay on this side of the bed, and stay there all night while I sleep.”

He drew a blank. Who paid that much money just for sleep? “I’ll do whatever you want, Cassie.”

“Thank you,” she sighed. The relief on her face rippled to the muscles in her shoulders.

“Divorce?”

She gave him a resigned stare. Her voice cracked when she spoke. “You can do whatever you like. Watch TV, read a book, sleep, anything. Just…don’t leave the bed until I wake up.”

If Cassie didn’t look so exhausted, he might’ve pressed for more info. She’d skirted the question well.

She walked around the bed and literally climbed in from three feet off the floor. Cassie ruffled the pillow and tucked her tiny feet in the sheets while Renner lay on his side, crossing his ankles.

“Would you like another pillow?” she asked as she handed him the remote.

“I’m good, Cass.”

He might as well have sworn in a silent church, because everything in the room stopped.

“Don’t call me that.” Her face turned blank, almost ghostlike.

Ah, button number one. “All right. Cassie it is.”

The pale green tank top hugged her figure perfectly and the fresh soap smell wafted from her smooth skin. While it wasn’t the typical nightwear his clients wore for bed, she was certainly seductive in her cute, college girl way. She didn’t look much older than that, either.

She reached over her head and turned off the lamp, then snuggled into her pillow. “Good night, Renner. And thank you.”

The way she’d whispered his name and thanked him with her eyes closed, set his protective instincts into hyper-mode.

This woman paid to have a stranger sleep next to her in her own bed. No doubt she could use a good night’s sleep as much as phenomenal sex. Maybe the most helpful thing in the world to this sweet creature was something simpler.

He slowly closed the two-foot gap between them and wrapped his arm around her middle, spooning her body with the gentle touch of a full body hug.

Cassie’s head shot up instantly. “What’re you doing?”

“Helping you relax,” he cooed in her ear.

“Please don’t. I just…need to sleep.” The desperation in her voice almost sounded like crying. “I haven’t really slept in a long time.”

It took all his military training to hide his bruised ego.

What else can I do to get this woman to give?

“Go ahead.” Renner struggled to use his most soothing voice. “I promise I won’t try to kiss you or seduce you, unless you ask me to. Just relax and try to sleep.”

Her whole body had gone back to a stiff board and she pulled away. Flipping on the light, she sat up and looked at him, as if studying a stranger in the middle of a street. “I appreciate trying to help me relax, Renner. But…I don’t want this.”

“Okay.” There was only one avenue left. Brutal honesty. “You just looked like you really could use a hug. No expectations, nothing intimate, Cassie. I promise.”

They sat beside each other in silence.

Renner watched her fatigued and tortured expression bounce between him and her side of the bed. He hated feeling useless. Like his presence was the exact opposite of what she wanted.

I guess I’m not as good at protecting as I thought.

It was several minutes before she spoke again. “You’re wearing his cologne.”

He almost didn’t hear her, she was so quiet, but he swore he could hear her heart cracking.

This was not a divorcee, no matter what his boss had assumed. This was much worse. And it was his presence that made her act this way. More specifically, his scent.

“I’ll wash it off,” he whispered, and moved to climb out of the bed. But she held his arm with the grip of a drowning victim.

“Don’t.”

Neither of them moved.

He sat there, letting her cling to his arm until she settled. A war of emotions battled across her pretty face. Renner wanted desperately to create peace, at least a truce and ease her pain. Everything he’d done up to this point had only driven her further away.

Asking who ‘he’ was would make it worse, given Cassie’s fortified shyness. Although he was certain who shared the same cologne. The same man who was in all the missing frames. The man who’d put that ring on her finger.

Was this a military man? Had she been visited by that black car with a chaplain, no doubt with her son playing in the house? Too many of his friends’ wives had been visited by two Marines with news worse than anyone should ever have to bear. She’d probably given them the same anguished look that she gave him now.

“Do you want a hug, Cassie?”

Her emerald eyes watered as she studied him, and he worried she’d refuse. Finally, she nodded.

Renner opened his arms and let her rest her head on his shoulder. Her arms tightened around him as he heard her breathe in his scent.

Another man’s cologne.

For several long minutes, her breathing was uneven and often came in tiny gasps. Like she was fighting tears.

Her hair smelled of raspberry shampoo and Irish Spring soap. The amber light from the lamp cast a cinnamon sheen across her blonde locks. Everything about this woman almost broke his reserve. The raw emotions pouring out of her were a weapon of love that no battalion could thwart.

Hunkering down into the pillows and covers, he wrapped her in his arms and felt her muscles slowly give. Gradually, her breathing evened and the firm grip around his back loosened.

It didn’t matter how long she slept or that he still wore jeans. Or that she drifted off to sleep thinking of another man. After only a few minutes, Cassie was deep asleep on his shoulder, and Renner just watched the rhythmic rise and fall of her back. Wet drops landed on his shoulder.

Careful not to wake her, he shifted just enough to see a few tears drift down her cheek. “Cassie?” he whispered. He’d seen a lot as a bodyguard and a Knight, and even more as a soldier. But he couldn’t handle a woman crying. From her even breathing, she was asleep.

His arms squeezed tighter, gentle and reassuring, and her whole body sighed against him.

Cassie needed more than just a good night’s sleep. Suddenly, this night was more than just another job or another client.

More than making someone feel safe or wanted. This was a desperate honor, a privilege to be here for Cassie during a dark moment. Perhaps, her darkest. Eventually, he slipped off and they both slept in the dim glow of the lamp.