HOT BASTARD IS BACK
A BAD BOY SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE
Chapter One
“I don’t know why you think this is a good idea. I get death threats all the time. It comes with the territory when my business is about tearing down other businesses and selling off the parts. I've never taken any of them seriously. What makes these ones any different than all the rest?” Henry was the head of my security. He had some misgivings about letters. They gave him the idea somebody was out to hurt me.
“I don’t normally prescribe to screaming the sky is falling when it isn’t. I know criminals like the back of my hand. This one has designs on making you pay.” Henry was dressed to impress, cleanly shaven with a suit made to accentuate the positives. We had a torrid love affair, but we realized we were better off in a professional capacity.
“I still haven’t heard any reason why I should take these extreme measures. I don’t want somebody shadowing my every move. It’s an invasion of my personal space. I take exception to your suggestion.” I had gone over the letters personally and nothing jumped out at me.
My penthouse office was the crown jewel of my real estate holdings. I sometimes lost track of what my money could buy. There was a cost and some people lost their jobs. I did my best to mitigate the loss, but it wasn’t always easy. It probably didn’t help I was 26-years-old.
I was wearing one of many tailored pantsuits with the prerequisite suspenders over my buttoned-up red blouse. The legs were flared for style. The clothing was custom made and made me feel confident in my own skin. I was wearing white pants.
“I’m going to have to put my foot down. When you hired me, you gave me a license to look after you in any way I deemed necessary. It could turn out to be nothing, but I don’t want to take any chances. Your safety is my business and I take it seriously.” His expression was cold and calculating.
It was one of the other reasons why we couldn’t make it work in a relationship. He had no joy in his life. Sex was like going through the motions. I didn’t have anything to complain about considering his stamina was above reproach.
“Henry, are you sure you really wanna take this stance with me? You only get one per year and this seems rather trivial. I’m going to give you this one chance to take it back. It’s rare for me to make any kind of allowance.” He hovered over me by a couple of inches, but no man had ever intimidated me. It was always the other way around.
The power I had in my little pinky could ruin him. My employees knew never to cross me unless they were prepared to go to war. I could be a vindictive bitch. It was something that I was working on. I was always about self-improvement. It was something I stressed to those who worked for me.
“Lila, I have a bad feeling. It has something to do with the wording of the letters. I consulted with a friend and he agrees with my findings. He’s freelance and he’s willing to provide you with his services. I would seriously consider giving him a chance.” It was in his contract and there was no wiggle room. If I was going to have to have a bodyguard then I was going to have to vet him personally.
“I still think you are overreacting. There has been no indication of a physical altercation. My home hasn’t been broken into and none of my personal belongings have been disturbed or damaged. If you really think this is necessary then I will bow to your expertise. It’s not like you are giving me any choice.” I was a little perturbed and the very idea of somebody standing in close proximity watching my every move was causing my skin to crawl.
“I would never mention it unless I thought it was necessary. Morgan Childs is waiting outside to speak with you. It might seem like an ambush, but I can assure you this is for your own good. I value my job and my position at your right hand. We work well together, but I can’t be with you 24 hours a day. The whole company is under the purview of my protective umbrella. There are many fires I have to put out on a daily basis.” I didn’t need to know the details. He had proven to be a valuable asset and one that I was hard-pressed to find anybody suitable to fit in his shoes.
“I have a few minutes before my next meeting downtown. I will talk to him, but I’m not promising anything. I respect you more than anyone. I wouldn’t have slept with you otherwise. You know how selective I can be when it comes to inviting anybody into the inner sanctum of my bedroom.” The last one to have the fortune to feel the Egyptian cotton wrapped around them was him.
It wasn’t the last time I had been with a man, but every other encounter happened anonymously under the cover of darkness.
“There is one thing I should mention about him. He’s not much for conversation. Blending into his surroundings is necessary for his business. Don’t take it personally if he doesn’t want to interact with you. He has learned to separate business from pleasure.” Henry was able to convince me to take unnecessary precautions. This was the one time I felt like he wasn’t telling me the whole story.
“I’m not looking for his friendship or to become his lover. I will listen to what he has to say and then I will make an informed decision. By all means, go and fetch the young man. Waiting doesn’t seem like something he’s used to.” California sprawled out in front of me. I could see the ocean in the distance and I wondered when the last time I sank my toes into the sand.
“He has a military background. I have known him to do the impossible without even flinching. He has escaped death too many times to count. It’s as if he snubs his nose at anything remotely dangerous.” I found it interesting, but I was still not convinced of his ability to stay quiet.
“You don’t talk about your time in the service. When you mentioned he was freelance, I’m assuming you mean he’s between jobs. Is there a reason I should be concerned about taking him into my employment? Be perfectly honest with me.” I didn’t mean to put him on the spot, but there wasn’t many I trusted to have my back.
“He has had a tough time finding his place in civilian life. He has changed dramatically and is the reason why he is no longer with his wife. It’s a good thing they didn’t have any kids before he shipped out five years ago. Morgan was devastated, but you couldn’t see it in his outward appearance.” His commitment to his country gave me a reason to give him a moment of my time.
“I can’t believe you would even consider making him responsible for my safety. It seems unconscionable for you to even make the suggestion. I don’t need a man like that dealing with his own personal issues to be distracted.” I felt his true purpose for coming here wasn’t necessarily about the undertone of the letters.
“I admit that I’m a little biased when it comes to Morgan. He’s my best friend and he deserves a chance to get his life back. This will give him something to concentrate on. You don’t know how many times I’ve had to watch him take assignments nobody in their right mind would take. The brass calls him out of the blue and he grabs his bag and is out the door on the first flight to some war-torn country. I’m worried he’s going to get himself killed because he has nothing to live for.” He sounded dangerous and I felt compelled to show him a bit of mercy.
“I know you mean well. Having a good heart sometimes gets you into trouble. Look what happened when you fell into the lair of my depravity. You had no idea what you were getting yourself into until I had you handcuffed to the bedpost. Edging is one of my favorite pastimes with a potential conquest. The expression on your face when I got you right there and then stopped was priceless.” It would be nice to revisit the past and see that same expression again.
“I don’t really want to talk about the past. In the present, Morgan is waiting outside those doors. I will give you the proper incentive to look past his appearance. You give him one week and I will… I will let you do whatever you want to me over the weekend.” It was an interesting proposal and one I was inclined to accept with certain conditions to be named later.
I gave Henry an imperceptible nod.
He went and opened the door with Morgan stepping in with his hands behind his back. I could see the reflection of him in the glass window in front of me. My legs trembled and there was the telltale sign of arousal with a bit of moisture in my panties.