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He breaks away and rests his forehead against mine. “Promise me something, when we get through this, you’ll be here with me. Your face will light up my day every morning, knowing we’re through the worst. I knew I’d be facing a shitload of trouble when I finally moved forward, but I never dreamed an angel like you would be with me. Now I need to know, can you handle this? I can pull back your involvement but I can’t pull back from you.”
“Maxwell Andrew McCoy,” I inhale deeply, but it doesn’t stop the tears that spill down my cheeks. “I’m not going anywhere.”
When I show up at my office with Jake, it isn’t thirty seconds before both of Laci and Landon hone in on him. I explain, with limited detail why Max felt the need to put a bodyguard on me, Laci knows me well enough to know I’m holding back but doesn’t say anything. Even with concern etched on her face, she starts flirting immediately. As I suspected, Jak
e becomes flustered several times throughout the morning and asks if he can work in the empty office next to mine.
I’m hanging up from a client call when he walks in my office and sits down, handing me a folder.
“Stella, that’s a list of things I need from you, today if possible.”
“Bank account information? Client Lists? A key to my house? This is all very personal material. And why do you need a list of friends and family?”
“It’s part of my job. I need to have insight into your personal and professional life to understand if any threats come through. Max doesn’t want to agree with me, but I believe you’re a pawn in this game Edward is playing. The corporate corruption has solid evidence, but now the pressure is mounting. With you in the picture, you’ve become Max’s Achilles’ heel. There’s reason to believe his enemies will come after you, professionally and personally.”
His words sink in and then it dawns on me. Only a few people know about the corporate corruption case. “Holy shit. You’re a federal agent aren’t you? You’re not really a bodyguard. You’re the one who helped Max and Chris uncover all the misdealing’s with Hurst & McCoy?”
His face goes tight but he nods. “Obviously that is extremely confidential information. I’m working undercover.”
“I’m going to strangle Max! How many more secrets are there, huh?”
“Don’t be mad at him. Legally I’m on a case and he couldn’t tell you the truth. But I can. I’m taking a huge chance here, Stella, don’t make me regret it. No one can know any of this.”
We stare at each other, waiting for the other to speak. I break first. “Of course. Give me a few hours to get this information together. But I need you to be completely honest with me about something. Are my family and friends in danger?”
“Not likely. But it’s standard for me to be acquainted with people in your life. If that man in South America is truly a threat, he may branch out and try to infiltrate your life in a different way. He’s a total wild card until we know who he is and whom he works for. Max has pissed off a lot of people lately.”
“Does any of this have to do with me? Is our relationship putting him in danger?”
“No, he already knew there was a bit of underlying danger when he started uncovering the truth going on with JOS. But falling in love with you gave him a vulnerability that wasn’t around before. I’ll keep you safe when he’s not around. He’ll do what he has to do to save his company.”
His frankness impresses me and I decide I really like Jake. It’s obvious the friendship is much deeper than a professional relationship.
“Thank you for your honesty. Can I ask you one more question?”
“I’ll answer if I can.”
“It’s very inappropriate given our situation, but now that I know you’re not really a bodyguard, how did you know Erica?”
“I helped set up the drug busts. Max finally stopped feeding me information once we learned her father’s money would keep her out of jail and rehab. But damn, I’d love to have sent her away just for making Max’s life hell.”
“You and me both. Hopefully now she’s gone, but I still get a bad feeling about her.”
“Well, she’s on my radar, so if she fucks up I’ll know it.” A smile creeps over his face and I grin in return.
“We on the same page now?” he asks.
“Absolutely, consider us a team.”
Since I’m insanely organized, it only takes me one hour to get all the information for Jake. Laci came in immediately when he left my office earlier demanding answers. I glossed over the whole situation, picking the information I shared carefully. Basically I stuck with the story about needing a bodyguard because the man in South America was an imposter and threatened me. She didn’t pressure me for further details and left to get an extra set of my house keys made.
The shrill beep at the front indicates someone has come in. There’s a loud screech which causes me to jump out of my chair and run to the lobby. Sara is in Jake’s arms laughing and holding him tight. Max is standing at the front desk watching with a smile. Laci returns and discreetly puts the keys in my office.
We all listen to Sara bombard Jake with questions about his life the last few years. I learn Jake was a college friend of Max’s and had been around the McCoy family for years.
His mysterious exterior was replaced with a fun-loving attitude. As soon as he admits he’s single, Laci and Landon both up their game. It’s obvious that Landon doesn’t have a chance since Jake admitted to liking women, but he tries to get his attention regardless. When Sara learns that Jake has been hired to protect me, the mood in the room goes still. She looks between Max and me and then motions with her head to my office.
As soon as the two of us walk through, she slams my door and demands to know what is going on. Max tries to explain without many details, but relents when her face turns red and the vein in her forehead starts ticking.
