CHAPTER 4
Natalie
I was beyond tired, considering I had left Colt’s apartment at an ungodly hour. However, I had still managed to catch a cab back to my hotel in time to get some brief sleep, shower, and get myself ready to accompany my father for the day.
It was a beautiful day, the sun shining brightly without a single cloud in the sky. Unfortunately, we would be spending most of our time indoors, our agenda consisted of meetings discussing the political climate my father would possibly be embarking on if he became the vice-presidential nominee, as well as the embassy and their plans for expansion.
“Are you all right?” Dad asked in the hotel lobby, which had been serving as our designated meeting spot all week.
“Yeah,” I said, rubbing a self-conscious hand through my hair.
I actually felt better than all right, but I just wasn’t sure my appearance told the same tale. After leaving Colt’s apartment, I’d only had about two hours to crash in my hotel room before I had to start getting ready. My hair wasn’t as polished as I would have liked it, I hadn’t had time to thoroughly wash off the hairspray that I had used for my curls the previous night. And as time kept ticking by a little too quickly for my liking, I hadn’t been able to apply my makeup as carefully as I would have liked either. So I probably had bags under my eyes and looked a wreck despite the pleasurable glow I felt from the amazingly passionate night I’d spent with Colt.
“Why do you ask?”
Dad shrugged. “Something just seems a little different about you this morning. Did you have fun last night?”
Awkwardly, I turned my back to him to approach the refreshment table, where I started making myself a cup of coffee. “Yeah. Last night was all right.”
“What did you do?”
I coughed. “Nothing much.”
“Oh,” Dad said, sounding surprised. “I thought you and Eden hung out?”
“We did!” I said, wanting to slap myself. My mind was so occupied with Colt that I had almost forgotten Eden. “We uhm…Just went for a walk. Watched a movie. Girl-talked. That sort of thing.”
“That’s nice,” Dad said. “What—”
“Do you want some more coffee, Dad?” I asked, cutting him off before he could ask what movie we watched.
“Sure, sweetie. I could use a refill.” He handed over his coffee mug and I proceeded to fix him a cup of coffee. Just as I finished, footsteps sounded down a nearby hall and an important-looking businessman in a pin-striped suit appeared.
“Speaker Finley!” he said, enthusiastically. With a wide grin, he took several long strides toward my father, his hand outstretched.
“Barry! How are you?” Dad said, taking the man’s hand and shaking it.
“Can’t complain! The real question is how are you?”
Dad laughed. “Pretty good. At least that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! I’ve got a long road ahead of me, so I definitely can’t complain now. I’m just getting started.”
“So I take it that the vice presidency is becoming more of a probability than a possibility, eh?”
“I guess you can say something like that, if we’re talking about wishful thinking.”
“Excellent! And I see you’ve got Natalie with you for support! How are you, sweetheart?”
I smiled and handed my father his coffee before Barry embraced me in a hug. “I’m fine, sir. Good to see you again.”
“Likewise, darling. This old man needs someone like you to keep him in check.”
We all shared a laugh before Barry clapped his hands together. “All right. Well—time’s a wasting! Let’s get started.”
“Sure thing,” Dad said. “What’s first on the schedule?”
“We’re going to take a short walk to the meeting with a few campaign strategists to get some tips on how to make you appear to be the best candidate for the coveted position,” Barry said, motioning for us to follow him as he headed toward the exit. I took a large swig of my coffee, hoping it would wake me up so that I could pay better attention during the upcoming meetings.
“So that I can appear to be the best candidate?” Dad asked with a raised eyebrow.
Barry laughed and held his hands up in a surrendering gesture. “Hey—I know you’re the best candidate. It’s just a matter of making sure everyone else knows it too!”
“Oh, I see,” Dad said. Barry held the lobby door open for us and prepared to say something else. But whatever else he wanted to say got lost in a cloud of smoke.
The world outside exploded, a blast so loud that it sent my cup of coffee falling to the ground with me right along with it. My ears rang and my vision turned to gray. I lay sprawled on the floor, unable to comprehend what was happening.
When my ears stopped ringing, I heard the screaming—screaming outside that seemed to come from miles around.
I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my vision. Eventually, I saw movement beside me.
“Natalie? Natalie? NATALIE?!”
“Here! I’m here, Dad!” I stretched out my arm. When our hands met, we clasped each other. My vision clearing further, I saw my father’s face covered in dirt and dust.
I glanced around, spotting Barry lying on the ground, unmoving. Before I could speak or do anything, another voice, loud and commanding, pierced through the commotion.
“Everyone, stay calm. Help is on the way.”
“What’s going on?!” Dad yelled. He unsteadily climbed to his feet and I followed suit behind him, although my knees wobbled from fear.
“There’s been an attack. A bomb was set off,” someone responded.
“Who…Who set off a b-bomb?” I stammered, clutching my father’s arm.
But to that, I received no answer. The cloud of dust around us thinning, I noticed security guards and police officers rushing over. Sirens blared, mixing in with all the screams and cries that still seemed to drift through the air from miles around.
Behind me, I heard heavy coughing. Barry. He had finally stirred back into consciousness upon being checked by a guard who kneeled before him.
“Are you all right, sir?” the guard asked.
“What the hell just happened?”
“Don’t worry about that now. I need to get you and the Speaker to safety immediately.”
“Was this…Was this because of me?” Dad asked. Despite the dust covering his face, I could see his complexion growing several shades paler.
“No time for speculation, Speaker Finley. Please, follow me.”
As if all the commotion surrounding us wasn’t enough, my very heart stopped when the guard speaking finally turned around to face us. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t recognized the familiarity of his voice, but then again, it wasn’t like I had known him long. Nevertheless, there was no mistaking that tall and muscular build, that tattoo peeking beneath the bottom of his short-sleeved shirt, that silky dark hair, and those bright blue eyes.
Colt.
My appearance clearly took him off guard as well. He froze, locking eyes with me as his eyebrows shot into the air and his jaw dropped. But then, suddenly, he appeared to remember he was on duty, and there was a much more serious matter at hand. It was not time for either of us to reminiscence about the previous night.
About his lips on my skin. His cock filling me completely. About the six orgasms I had. A new record for me.
Shit.
His professional face back on, Colt pulled Barry to his feet. “Come on. We need to vacate the area. Follow me.”
Without further instruction, my father, Barry, and I followed Colt. Other armed security guards arrived on the premises, positioning themselves at all entrances of the hotel. More and more sirens blared outside as additional police cars, ambulances, and firetrucks arrived on the scene.
All the while, we followed Colt toward the back of the building, bypassing confused hotel guests.
“Get in your rooms and stay there until further notice!” Colt instructed without breaking stride.
We continued down a winding path, which ended with us going down a flight of stairs and into the basement, where piles of dirty sheets and towels waited to be cleaned. Finally, we headed out a back door and into an alley, where we were met by a car that seemed to be waiting specifically for us.
“Is this everyone?” the driver asked as Colt held the back door open for us.
“Yes,” Colt answered. “The Speaker, his manager, and…”
“My daughter,” Dad answered as he slid into the car after Barry.
“Right…” Colt said, glancing at me.
As I climbed into the backseat of the vehicle after my father, Colt’s hand briefly brushed against the small of my back, as if giving me a boost. The feel of it was so absentminded though, he didn’t seem aware of doing it.
He slammed the door behind me and then hurriedly climbed into the passenger’s seat.
“I can’t believe this,” Dad said, bringing his head down to his hands. “This was an attack on me, wasn’t it?”
“I’m not one for speculation, Speaker,” Colt responded. “I’m just doing my job.”
“Who sent you?”
“The campaign. We were informed that you were here on business, and that extra safety precautions needed to be put into place since you are in consideration for the vice presidency of the United States. You’re a target for enemies now.”
Dad swallowed. He glanced toward me, and I could see the panic he attempted to hide. He took my hand and squeezed it. He then turned back to Colt.
“Where the hell was my usual team? Didn’t they sweep this place?”
“I’m not sure sir, we weren’t in contact with any of them. My team was an extra precaution, only to be mobilized if needed. Honestly sir, I didn’t want to have to work this week.”
“No, I guess you didn’t.”
“Your team?” I choked out, the dust still coming up from my lungs.
Colt passed us waters and we all began to drink.
“Yes, my team. I work in private security for high level assets.”
It looked like we both had our secrets.
“Thank you for getting us out of there safely. I’ve got my daughter with me and if anything had happened to her…” He took a deep breath. “Listen, just know that if you are ever back on U.S. soil, you’ll have a job. No doubt about it. Just look me up.”
Colt nodded. “Thank you, Speaker Finley, that’s very kind of you. But I’m just doing my job, sir.”
He made eye contact with me once more before he turned around. Back to business.
Things with Colt, whatever had been there, was over.