Page 17 of The Forbidden Bodyguard

“That’s my point.”

She glances across the large, luxurious kitchen, unsure how to respond, so I add, “The paperwork you signed with BHS covers everything we will do for you.”

She nods.

Then something occurs to me.

“Are you in danger?” I ask, and it’s a fair question given who she’s planning to marry. Tony Marino is a well-known criminal involved with many illegal people and industries. If there is already something taking place that she’s concerned about, I need to advise her to go straight to the authorities.

“I take it you’ve been briefed fully.” Stella fiddles with her glass.

It’s my turn to nod. “That you are marrying Mr. Marino. That’s all.”

“Then what do you think?” Stella asks me. “Do you think I’m in danger?”

Shit.

Is she saying she doesn’t want to marry him? That this is not something she’s doing of her own free will?

I glance at the paperwork once more, then stare at the beautiful young woman seated before me.

Yes.

I’d say she is. In fact, every nerve ending in my body is firing and telling me to keep her away from him.

“If you are, I’ll protect you. If you...” I stop talking because once she’s married to Marino, my ability to protect her will be vastly curbed.

In fact, based on his notorious reputation, I can safely assume he won’t allow Stella to retain her own personal bodyguard. Instead, he will probably assign her a man paid by him that he trusts to watch her every move.

Jesus, what is she thinking?

Surely, she’s not going through with this. The guy is rich...but so is she. I don’t understand what the fuck is going on here, and while it’s very tempting to sign the NDA, I can’t.

Stella rubs her forehead, and we’re both silent for a long moment. “Will you please sign it?”

“No.”

“Then will you finish what you were going to say?”

“No,” I repeat, because I don’t have enough information about the situation, nor have we built a trust between us yet. I can’t ask her why she’s marrying this creep, or why she feels the need to have me sign an additional NDA to share more pertinent information.

But let me tell you, all the red flags are waving.

Stella takes a sip of her juice, and I buy her some time by doing the same. She spins her glass slowly on the marble bench top, calculating the risks of telling me what she needs to.

Needs or wants?

Finally, she lifts those bright blue eyes to mine, and for a flicker of a moment, I see the vulnerability within them. My immediate reaction is to reach out, to assure her she’s safe. But it’s not because it’s my job to do so. It’s more...and that’s why I stop.

Because Stella is my job.

And nothing more.

“My father arranged this marriage,” she begins, and I nod for her to continue because this is all in the brief.

“I’m meeting him for the first time in a few days’ time.” She draws in a shaky breath, looking ill at the thought. “I need you to ensure I’m protected, and...I don’t want him to touch me.”

Christ.