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“I’ll keep you safe,” he promised.
“I’m not worried,” I said even as visions of my attack and the fan who’d had a gun on the beach raced through my head.
“Yeah, you are. And it’s normal.” He patted my leg before starting the truck. “Does it help if I say I’m worried too? Unhinged rabid fans are damn unpredictable, and while I get their passion for the show, I wish they’d stick to online campaigns.”
“Yeah. Actually, that does help.” Normalizing my anxiety did help, as did the pressure of his warm hand on my thigh. I sighed as he turned his attention to the road.
“And I dealt with my worries by calling in a favor, arranging to bring you in a secret back way, making sure we’re as prepared as we can be.” He nodded sharply as we left my neighborhood for the bustle of Hollywood morning traffic.
“Ah. That’s why you’re in the security clothes. You’re back in bodyguard mode.” My voice came out sadder than I’d intended. After all, I was the one who’d told him moments earlier that clothing didn’t matter, that we were still the same people we’d been at the cabin. I only wished it were easier to convince myself.
“Never left it. And like I said, you staying safe matters to me. So much. So, yeah, I’m gonna escort you in, and you can think it’s overkill, but you safe matters more than just about anything else.” The gruff conviction in his voice did way more to chase the doubts away than any of my internal lectures. He said I mattered, and I believed him, and something about the set of his jaw reminded me about the last night at the cabin, how he’d been so tender and strong. Caring. He cared.
“Wow.”
“Sorry. Guess you got stuck with an overprotective bodyguard boyfriend.” He deftly navigated a tricky left turn.
“Boyfriend.” I hummed happily. Apparently, we’d had an upgrade from seeing each other.
“Too soon?” He cocked his head toward me, but I simply beamed.
“Not at all.” I exhaled, passing the rest of the trip to the studio headquarters in a happy fog. The network executives occupied an iconic downtown LA high-rise, and I could see the protesters clustered across the street before Harley took an abrupt turn to go in through a back parking garage under the building. We made our way to a service elevator, where a building security guard was waiting. He nodded at Harley, who carried Hercules in his travel bag, before summoning the elevator for us.
All was well until the elevator opened on the correct floor. But as we made our way down a corridor to the lobby area, we encountered a quartet of young people being escorted out by more building security. Next to me, Harley stiffened, drawing himself up to his full height and imposing bulk.
“Mr. Sterling!” One of the protesters lunged toward me, and Harley stepped in front of me, all but baring his teeth.
“No touching,” he growled. My heart lurched as if it had missed ten beats before resuming. Harley wasn’t kidding. He wanted me safe. He’d put himself in front of me, no matter what. It was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
“It’s Ambrose Sterling!” Another young woman chimed in. “Mr. Sterling, you’ve got to save the show!”
“I’m going to try.” I stepped farther back as the security detail wrangled the quartet toward the bank of elevators. Harley glared at them until the security officers had all four on the elevators heading down.
“Okay, maybe I like growly and overprotective.” I offered him a smile, trying to make light of what could have been a scary situation.
“I’m pissed. The first guard should have warned us they had protesters up here. He promised me the way would be clear.”
“You go rattle some heads. I’m all right, promise.” I stroked his biceps.
“Ambrose, darling. You made it.” Cressida swooped out of the lobby area, looking impressive in an emerald pantsuit and gold heels. “The protesters are getting so bold. That’s not going to help our case at all.”
She shook her head like she was already resigned to bad news, which made my back tense. I didn’t want to have to fight her too. Cressida turned toward Harley. “Thanks for seeing Ambrose in. I’ll show him where the meeting is.”
“Let me know when you’re done.” He nodded like he didn’t mind being summarily dismissed, but my neck prickled on his behalf, and I gave Cressida a pointed look.
“Well.” Pursing her lips, she darted her gaze between us. “I’m assuming the return of our payment for the wedding security wasn’t an error?”
“Nope.” Harley’s voice was curt but not unkind. However, he hadn’t mentioned that development to me, and I whirled toward him.
“You returned the money—”
“Later, boss.” He gently turned me back to Cressida. “Go save your show.”
And with that, he and Hercules headed away from the lobby before I could demand more of an explanation.
