I was dreaming of my brothers yelling at me for my stupidity when I felt myself being lifted. The shifting of my body woke me up and brought the pain in my back to my attention. I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to go back to the painless, but annoying, dream I’d been having. Anything to avoid having to feel the pain just yet.
“There’s a nurse here to check on you, Ms. Connors. I’m going to put you in your bed.” The deep voice didn’t fit in my home. It wasn’t anyone I knew and it roused me even farther from my sleep.
“What the hell was she doing outside? I didn’t mean to get her like that. I feel terrible!” Jennifer’s voice was full of anxiety and frustration. “Dammit. I was supposed to be watching over her.”
“You know Darby, Jennifer. She does what she wants. I’m sure she’ll have a reason for being outside.” Allie. At least they’d called someone I liked.
I was too groggy to open my eyes so I just left them closed and listened in on what they were talking about.
Allie grunted after a second. “These are new bruises. They weren’t there yesterday after the car thing. Did anything else happen last night?”
“Not while we were together.”
Soft fingers worked under my jacket and I groaned as they rolled me onto my side. Allie’s soft gasp confirmed my fear that I’d been impaled and was actually dying. “These bruises are new. Jesus, what the hell did you do to yourself, Darby?”
Okay, so maybe I was just bruised, but it felt like I was dying. “I fell.”
Jennifer grunted. “Welcome back to the party, escape artist. Sorry about frying you.”
I made a noise that was supposed to be a scoff. “I let you. I could’ve fought you, but I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“Darby, what did this? Did someone hurt you?”
I forced my eyes open and groaned. “No. I went out for a walk and slipped. Some bodyguard Jen is. She didn’t stop me.”
Jennifer poked me in the chest, possibly the only part of me that wasn’t hurting. “What the hell were you thinking? I can’t believe you snuck out! What are you? Sixteen?”
“What are you? My mom?”
She glared at me. “Not the time for your jokes. I’m so angry at you, Darby. You scared the hell out of me. I’m going to make you pay for this. You’re going to sit next to Samford at all the press junkets.”
I pulled myself into a sitting position and winced as my body protested. “Come on, Jen. Don’t do that. That’s so mean.”
She stared at me for a few minutes and sighed. “Just don’t do that again.”
“I won’t.”
“You’re right. Because you’ve got security. He’s going to be on your ass worse than you ever could’ve imagined now. And you only have yourself to blame for worrying me.”
“Oh, fuck security, Jennifer! I don’t need it!”
A throat cleared from behind me and I gently turned my body so I could see who it was. “You look like you need me and a couple of other guys.”
Oh, hell. I quickly turned back to Jennifer, trying to hide the fact that my face was turning red. It made no sense. I’d only looked at the man for a few seconds. Apparently, that was all it took. My bodyguard was a fucking god. And that was me seeing him without my glasses.
“I don’t need anyone. It’s fine.”
Jennifer outright laughed. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that tone of voice. I think you scared her.”
I felt around the bed, trying to find said glasses so I could hobble away from them. “Where are my glasses?”
“Crushed them when you fell over. I’ll get you a new pair.”
I waved her off. “Don’t bother. I keep a spare pair in the bathroom drawer. Could I have them?”
She nodded and faded away. Allie moved in front of me and pressed into my stomach. When I gasped, she stopped pushing.
“You bruised your ribs. You’re going to be sore for a bit. From what I can tell, most of this is just surface stuff. I would worry about the knot on your head, but Jennifer knocked you unconscious for hours after you got it and you’re fine.
“Just rest. I mean it. I’m recommending Jennifer not let you back on set for a few days. At least three.”
“That’s not necessary, Allie. I’m not exactly doing any heavy lifting at work. I can just stay in my chair.”
She shook her head. “Sorry, Darby.”
Jennifer came back in the room, laughing. “These are your spare glasses? From when? Eighty years ago? These are insane.”
I grabbed them from her and shoved them onto my face. I knew they were stupid. They were my spare glasses for a reason. Large, clear frames that swallowed my face and made me look like a giant dork weren’t exactly my first choice, but they worked just fine. If you didn’t count the way they slipped down my face all the time.
“Oh, honey, you look adorable.”
I glared at Jennifer and pulled myself up from the bed. I swayed for a second and a big hand landed on my lower back to steady me. Not hard enough to hurt the bruising there, but firm enough to steady me. I didn’t chance a look at the man as I thanked him.
I walked into the living room and practiced standing without wanting to die.
“Did you hear what I said about working?” Allie asked Jennifer.
“I heard you and I heard cranky pants here, too. No working for three days. I stand by it. They can get by on set without you for a few days.”
“Laster won’t shoot without running his creepy faces by me first. You’re going to lose three days of filming. Samford will go ballistic. You should be going ballistic. You know how much money this could cost.”
“Darby, you’re the writer. You don’t have to worry about this film staying on budget. You’re staying home and that’s that. I’ll set Laster up with Skype on set. He can show you his weird fucking faces that way.”
I could tell I wasn’t getting out of it, so I just shrugged. “Whatever you want.”
Jennifer sighed. “You pouting in those glasses is just sad.”
I pointed a stiff arm at the front door. “Out. All of you. Out of my house.”
Allie handed me a bottle of medicine. “It’s just extra strength Tylenol, but you’re going to need it. Make sure you eat something with them.”
“Thanks, Allie. I appreciate you coming out here, even if you’re sentencing me to three days of hell.”
She grinned at me before leaving. Jennifer just crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. Then, as if she could tell I was getting frustrated, she picked up her bag and left.
I sighed, finally free, and sat down on the couch. I didn’t bother hiding how much pain I was actually in with them all gone. I let out a low groan and rubbed my head.
“Maybe you should take some of those pills.”
I yelped and jumped, pain shooting through my ribs. “Dammit. I forget you were here.”
“See how easy it’ll be having me around?”
I looked at him, with clear vision, and swore under my breath. There was nothing about the man that would be easy, that was for sure. I blinked and looked away from him, not wanting to stare. He was just so damn good looking. On the set of a movie, I was around actors a lot. Some of them were even well known and considered the hottest of the hot. My bodyguard made them all look pathetic.
“Um… Weren’t you supposed to go with Jen?”
“Nope. I’m not guarding Jen.”
I sighed. “I don’t really need you. I’m sure you’re great at your job and practically a breeze to be around, but this is unnecessary.”
He moved to stand right in my line of vision and crossed his large arms over his chest. God, he was tall. “I am great at my job and I am a breeze to be around. Unless you fight me constantly. Then I’m going to be a nightmare.”
My eyes narrowed and I stared him down. My green eyes met his stormy blue ones and an unspoken fight started. He was going to be just like my brothers. Pushy and bossy and convinced his thoughts mattered more than mine. I wasn’t doing it again. “A nightmare, huh?”
His eyes narrowed right back at me. The corners crinkled and his eyebrows drew closer together. “Yep. So, what’s it going to be?”
I forced a sweet smile to my lips. I could play his game for a couple of days. The benefit of being around men like him my whole life was knowing that they pretty much looked surface deep. I’d put on a sweet act and have his guard down by the time I felt like going out again. “Well, I guess a breeze is always better than a nightmare, right?”
His eyebrows furrowed even farther and his right eye seemed to twitch. “Uh huh.”
I stood up and made my way to the kitchen. After grabbing myself a bottle of water, I looked back towards the living room, just to find him standing mere feet away from me. I bit back the response that came to mind and laughed an awkward laugh. “You’re quiet. Do you want a drink?”
He shook his head no and leaned against the counter. “You need any help?”
“No, thank you. I’m going to my room. Make yourself comfortable out here, I guess.”
He stepped aside and let me pass. “I’ll be out here if you need anything. I’ll also be doing rounds in a while. I’ll let you know before I do, though.”
I waved to acknowledge that I’d heard him and shut my bedroom door behind me. I leaned against it and blew out a frustrated breath. I didn’t know how I was expected to have that man around me constantly. I had things to do, people to see. I couldn’t have him tagging along.
Frustration bubbled up in me and I kicked over the small trashcan beside my desk. My body didn’t like it, and I immediately toppled into my bed.
“You okay in there?”
I fought back tears of anger and cleared my throat. “I’m fine.”
He didn’t say anything else and I strained to hear him moving around. Nothing. He was silent.
I eased my forearm over my eyes and struggled to remain calm. I could handle having a bodyguard. I could handle anything. I would just have to figure out how to make the situation work best for me.
I rolled over and took a few of the pills Allie left for me before pulling my blanket over my body. I was still in the clothes I’d worn to the park and I was sure I was messing up my white sheets, but it was another thing I could worry about later.