I’m shaking my head as I take my first sip of Macallan, when Alex picks up where Vaughn left off.
“Thankfully, the talent wasn’t on set at the time, and they only left a note expressing their adoration, but fuck me, it’s made everyone wary, especially since the same actor recently had to relocate due to a break-in where the perpetrator stole some personal items and has yet to be caught. A similar note was found there, too, though forensics deduced there’s not cause to believe both incidences are linked.”
Despite his words, something doesn’t sit well with me as I hold Alex’s gaze. “Once is chance. Twice is coincidence. If there are any further issues, I’d be thinking there’s a pattern, DeMarco. You’d want to look into that before it escalates.”
He flashes me a lopsided grin, and I huff, belatedly realizing that I’ve walked straight into his trap. “Isn’t it a good thing that my wonderful friend, Ford, runs an elite bodyguard business?—”
“Sentinel is not a bodyguard business, for Christ’s sake. It’s personal security?—”
“Basically, bodyguards for hire. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.”
I roll my eyes, taking another sip of my whisky as I wait for the inevitable favor.
“I know you don’t do field work these days, except uponveryrare occasions, but I’m wondering if you could possibly allow me to hire one of your most trusted…personal security guards—” He breaks off, watching for my approval to his rectification, which I give with a small tip of my chin.
“I could be making something out of nothing?—”
I cut him off, putting him out of his misery. “Damon is my best. Tell me where to send him, and he’s yours for the foreseeable.”
Alex’s face brightens as he lets out a deep sigh of relief. “You know there are few people I trust in this damn world, Holloway, but somehow you’ve become one of them.”
I snort, remembering the early days of our acquaintance, when his wife Reyna was the driving force behind our tentative friendship. Then, somehow, in the years since, Alex has become more than a friend.
His family is my family, and being so far from home, that has meant more to me than he’ll ever know.
“Will the role require travel, DeMarco?” Vaughn’s voice interrupts my thoughts, and before Alex can answer his question, he shifts his gaze to mine. “Damon doesn’t do travel gigs, correct?”
I tut loudly, frowning as I try to think of who else I can afford to send on a job like this for an unspecified amount of time, but Alex saves me the hassle.
“Their permanent residence is in Manhattan, and they’re set to remain here for the next several months.” He smiles broadly. “It’s not public knowledge yet, but they’re starring in the screen adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s award-winning novel,Night For Days. Production begins in London in the late summer.”
I huff a laugh into my glass as the reason for Alex’s delight begins to make sense. Hawthorne is his brother-in-law, married to Alex’s sister, Mila, an award-winning author in her own right.
“I’m sure we can get a handle on whatever is going on before then. We’ll play it by ear in the meantime.”
“This is awesome.” Alex rises from his seat, fishing his cell out of his pants pocket with a delighted grin. He quickly dials a number, barely able to contain his excitement when the person on the other end answers.
“Beck, hey!” He tosses me a shit-eating wink before continuing. “My guy has agreed to handle security.”
He nods in silent answer to whatever the mysterious Beck is saying, chuckling before he replies. “She’s in the very best of hands now, I can assure you.”
Then he hangs up before taking his seat once more. “Job done. Beckham Reynolds is on board.”
My body stiffens at the mention of Emmy’s longtime agent, and my temple throbs as Alex continues.
“I don’t want to eventhinkof the repercussions within the company if America’s Sweetheart were to cut ties with Vesper?—”
“Reynolds…America’s Sweetheart…” Horror fills me when I cut him off suddenly. “You don’t mean…” My tongue goes dry, my stomach lurches dangerously, and I trail off to gulp down the rest of my Macallan, desperately hoping I’m mistaken.
It couldn’t be. Itcan’tbe. It’s not in her schedule. Her last movie finished shooting months ago…Fuck!
Retakes, you idiot!
His grin broadens, and he puffs out his chest in pride, clearly unaware of my absolute panic.
“It’s not every day that Sentinel gets the opportunity to protect the one and only Emerson Hart.”
CHAPTER 2
