Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
brITTANY
T he last straw was the snoring. Brittany could take a lot, could handle drama and all of it. But if she couldn’t get the sleep she needed, she turned into Raging Bitch Brittany (TM), and she couldn’t spend the first day of Kickoff in that mood.
She opened her eyes, the stiffness of her entire body hitting her at once. She was sleeping on the hard carpet of the hotel room, the only space left available when she got in so late and the rest of her roommates had already claimed the beds and were fast asleep. Exhausted, Brittany had only enough energy to quickly wash up, put on her pajamas, and curl up in her tiny corner of the room.
Of course, now that she was awake, she realized she wasn’t the only one assigned the floor. And that her floormate was apparently a cuddler.
The hard hand that was currently wrapped around her middle gave her a squeeze. A sleepy voice rumbled in her ear.
“Brittany, that you?”
“Get your fucking hands off me, Kyle.”
A chuckle hit her, but the hand moved, along with the arm it was attached to, and Kyle turned over on his back.
“Sorry, babe. You know I’m a sleep snuggler.”
Brittany rolled her eyes as she jumped out of her makeshift bed, eyeing the room to gauge the chances of her getting the bathroom to herself. Six people in one hotel room didn’t give her great odds.
“Then pick yourself up a teddy bear, asshole.”
Kyle stretched, putting his ridiculous muscles on display since he refused to ever wear a shirt, for all Brittany could tell. Kyle was a fitness influencer and was a big fan of “giving the people what they want” as he put it. From the floor, he put his hands behind his head and threw her a grin.
“I’m working on it.”
“Work faster because next time you’re getting a nut punch.”
Brittany grabbed her toiletry bag and went into the bathroom, only to find Sam already there, in the middle of filming a makeup application, their ring light blinding Brittany in the mirror. Sam’s eyes narrowed.
“A little busy here.”
Brittany rolled her eyes and wedged herself in front of the mirror next to them.
“There’s six of us and your videos take hours. You can’t really expect to hog the bathroom this whole time.”
Sam smiled. “Okay, but that means you’re cameo-ing.”
Brittany shrugged and then made sure to smile and banter for the video before turning to her own makeup. Sam talked through their application, doing take after take to get it right, but Brittany barely heard them as she thought about last night. She had been shocked to find Gus waiting for her at the train station, looking stubborn and frownier than she had ever seen him, which was saying a lot since he had caught her destroying computer equipment. When he had informed her that he was the security detail her mother had hired, she almost turned right around and took the next train back to Los Angeles. Her entire Kickoff was now going to be spent with her ex’s judgmental older brother glued to her side. What the fuck was her mother thinking?
But Brittany loved Kickoff. It was really the only time during the year she let her nerdy side shine. For the most part, being a fashion influencer meant following trends, looking her best, setting high expectations for the fashion world. But Kickoff was for fun, for exploring fashion that otherwise her mother wouldn’t allow her to stream. And Brittany got to meet her fans, something that was tiring but that she loved doing because it reminded her why she put together outfits online—it made people feel a little more confident about putting together their own outfits. And would change their moods for the day.
Telling Kathleen to cancel the bodyguard was a no-go. The latest “present” from her stalker had creeped her out more than the others. So far the guy had limited himself to the presents, but everything Brittany had researched online said that he could turn at any moment, so if Brittany wanted to enjoy Kickoff, it meant she had a babysitter whether she wanted one or not.
Even if that babysitter was Gus.
She was stuck with Gus, for better or worse. They were both at the very least professional, so Brittany felt like they could get through the weekend without drama. After all, Gus was the calm, cool-headed one. He was the one who always handled whatever trouble Robbie found himself in, so he was clearly used to the situation. Maybe it was why he got into personal security.
Glancing at her phone’s clock, Brittany hurried through her usual morning routine. Gus the bodyguard was probably already downstairs waiting for her, and she was eager to get her day started.
Once finished, she snapped a quick picture of her outfit to post, grabbed the small backpack she was using for the day, and quietly stepped over a few other sleeping influencers to leave the room…only to stop short at the sight of Gus, leaning against the wall opposite her door. In a well-worn T-shirt and old jeans that clung to his thighs, he looked tall and strong and capable, and suddenly Brittany, who always dated the wild child bad boys, found the sight to be a relief.
Not that she’d let him know that.
“I thought we were meeting in the lobby,” she said.
He gave her a mild look, like he had been expecting her surprise.
“The hotel has cameras, but there’s also hundreds of people going in and out of this place every day. Remember what happened to Min last year?”
Brittany did, of course. Min had come back to her hotel room to find it completely trashed. Her asshole ex had broken in and torn up the place, writing derogatory insults on the walls. More worrisome was that he hadn’t been caught until he outed himself days later.
“Am I paying you enough for the door-to-door service?”
“You’re paying me plenty, killer.”
She narrowed her eyes at the nickname. “I’ve told you not to call me that.”
“It’s how I remind myself to be careful when you’re around.”
Feeling her temper flare, Brittany closed her eyes and breathed in deep. It was going to be a long day if Gus was going to insist on being this annoying.
Before she finished breathing, the door behind her opened and Kyle practically walked into her. On instinct, he grabbed her around the waist to steady himself, pulling her back against his carefully sculpted hard body, and her temper flared again.
“What the fuck, Kyle?”
Kyle, the idiot, flashed her a grin.
“If you want to press that hot bod up against me, you just gotta ask, babe.”
Brittany was opening her mouth to tell Kyle exactly how much she wanted to slice him with razors when suddenly he was yanked several feet away from her. Gus’s towering form was now between her and Kyle, and even though Brittany had on the heels she was currently hired to sponsor, she was still too short to see over Gus’s back.
“You don’t touch her,” Gus said, the steel in his voice cutting deep through Brittany’s psyche. Kyle held his hands up in supplication.
“Whoa, bro, I didn’t mean to try anything, she was just in the way.”
Gus must not have liked that answer because he took a step forward. Brittany, already seeing where this was going and knowing in her bones that Kyle wasn’t worth the drama, grabbed Gus’s arm and pulled him back.
“It’s fine, Gus. Let’s go, we’re late.”
For a second, Brittany wondered if he even heard her, he was so focused on Kyle. To his credit, Kyle had landed on the “maybe if I freeze, he’ll just sniff me and go away” method of dealing with danger and was determined not to make any sudden moves. Brittany tightened her grip on Gus’s arm, squeezing until he turned his head and looked at her, his body still tense.
“He’s one of my roommates,” she told him in a quiet voice. “He didn’t mean anything, he’s just handsy and doesn’t think.”
Gus kept his eyes on her, but his body was still tense. “You don’t like being touched without permission.”
Brittany blinked. It was true, she wasn’t a hugger, didn’t like to be randomly touched by people she wasn’t close with. But she never really talked about it, so she was surprised Gus had even noticed.
“It was an accident, he won’t do it again. Right, Kyle?”
Kyle nodded emphatically.
“Great. Can we go now?”
Gus just looked at her, and in that moment Brittany felt more seen than she had ever been, which was saying something since she regularly streamed her life to thousands of people online. His gaze seared through her, looking for what she may be hiding from him, and she found suddenly herself feeling exposed, that he could see her secrets and was weighing him in that Gus way.
Whatever he was seeing calmed him down, and the arm she was holding finally relaxed. Kyle must have sensed the change because in the next instant, he was slipping away and heading for the stairs.
“Brittany, next time warn me when you get a new boyfriend. I don’t need this drama in my life.”
He was gone before Brittany could correct his assumption, but it didn’t matter. Kyle was a doofus and not worth explaining things to. Brittany squeezed Gus’s arm one more time before releasing it.
“Can we go now?” she asked.
Gus threw one more glance toward where Kyle had disappeared and then nodded at her.
Breathing in a sigh of relief, Brittany headed to the elevator. She had never seen Gus act like that before, so protective and riled up, but she wasn’t surprised. Gus was a guy who liked to take care of his things, and for better or worse, Brittany fell into that category for the weekend. Gus had effectively claimed her, which was going to hurt her plan to find a guy to give her an orgasm this weekend. But Brittany was crafty, and Gus wasn’t going to be on the clock twenty-four/seven, so she felt like she could manage. And he had said he could blend into the background. Brittany didn’t believe it, but maybe if he disappeared long enough, she could find a cute guy for a night of fun. It had been too fucking long since someone other than herself had given her an orgasm.
They rode the elevator without a word, Gus clearly a master of the silent treatment, and then walked out the door together. Her hotel was close enough to the convention center to walk there, a must considering her crazy schedule. When they stepped outside, they were immediately surrounded by other convention-goers, all heading in the same direction as them. Gus moved closer to her, his eyes scanning the crowd.
“Stay close.”
They slowly made their way up the street, Gus using his size to knock people away when they got too close. His hand hovered behind her, not touching but close enough that she could feel his heat through her thin blouse, which was comforting in a way she didn’t want to think about.
They crossed the street to the convention center, Gus not saying a word but keeping his eyes moving constantly looking for threats. They easily spotted the long line to enter, and Brittany stopped, going on her tiptoes to scan the line.
“She’s over there.”
Brittany followed his arm to see her friend Min wildly waving in her direction. Her boyfriend, Hayden, stood with his hand on her hip, looking around them as if someone was going to pop out of the crowd and attack Min with an autograph request.
It wouldn’t be the first time. Hayden had built his streaming platform as DeathsHead with only his voice and his love of games—but never had actually shown his face. Until trouble went down at a gaming tournament last year, and he outed himself publicly to show his commitment to Min. Previously rivals, FlameThrower and DeathsHead were now considered a celebrity couple in the streaming circles, and so events like Kickoff meant they were often recognized. Especially since they were usually together because they were disgustingly in love.
Brittany tried not to hold it against them. Mostly because it was nice to see Min so happy. She had had a rough time last year when her asshole ex posted racy pictures of her online without her consent. Hayden was a good man, for all that he was an idiot for a hot second before they got together. But now he was committed, and Brittany could appreciate his obvious devotion.
Once Brittany got near, she threw herself at Min, who gladly caught her in a hug with a laugh.
“You bitch, where have you been hiding?”
Min squeezed her tighter. “Me? You’re the one locking down uber-important design deals and having meetings with fashion houses. No time for your lame gamer friend.”
Brittany pulled back in time to catch her grin and immediately smacked Min on her shoulder.
“Excuse me, which of us has been working non-stop on an exclusive sponsorship, as well as helping our boyfriend with his game release. Hi, Hayden.”
Hayden threw her an easy grin.
“Hey, Britt.”
Min looked over Brittany’s shoulder, and her eyebrows shot up.
“Gus, hi. Didn’t expect to see you here. Together.”
Min’s eyes went to Brittany’s, silently demanding an explanation for why Brittany was hanging out with her ex’s brother. Brittany glanced at him, seeing her own reflection in his aviator sunglasses, before turning her full attention on Min.
“Gus is working. Mom hired me security for the convention, and it turns out Gus was the only one available.”
Honestly, if Brittany wasn’t so annoyed by the whole situation, she would’ve enjoyed Min’s mouth dropping open in shock.
“I have so many questions,” Min finally got out. “Does this mean you’re attached at the hip all weekend? What was asshole Robbie’s reaction when you told him? Why do you need security?”
Brittany slid her arm through Min’s, nudging her forward with the line.
“Gus has worked freelance for a local security company for a few years. Hopefully not attached at the hip, because I have plans for this weekend.” Brittany let her eyebrows wiggle for Min, who laughed at the implication. Min knew all about Operation: Get Laid, and she fully supported it.
A deep voice behind her interrupted them.
“Robbie doesn’t know yet. But once he understands the situation, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Min turned innocent eyes on Gus. “Yep, when I think of Robbie, I always think of well-thought-out complex emotions and reactions.”
Gus didn’t react, which had Brittany biting back a laugh.
“Leave him alone. He’s working, and Robbie’s his brother so he’s not going to talk shit about him. Weren’t you supposed to bring me breakfast?”
Min handed her a small breakfast sandwich as they shuffled forward with the line. Brittany bit into it, moaning at the delicious bacon, cheese, and egg biscuit.
“I love you so much.”
“Are you talking to me or the sandwich?”
“Don’t make me choose.”
Brittany took another bite, practically inhaling the thing before she noticed Min looking at her with anticipation.
“What?”
“You didn’t say why you needed security.”
Brittany took another bite before answering. She could feel Gus’s eyes on her, as if he was waiting to see what she would actually say.
“My stalker left me another gift. Said he would see me at Kickoff. My mom freaked out and hired security, and somehow through a chain of kooky events hired Gus’s company.”
Min’s smile faded. “He’s still sending you stuff?”
Brittany shrugged, trying to be casual. No one liked to hear people complain a lot, and Brittany didn’t want to drag Min into her mess when she was already stressed about the game launch.
“Just some drawings, a painting, and the odd note every now and then. But this is the first time he said he’d be somewhere specific, so Mom thought we should be cautious.”
Min eyed Gus from where he had stationed himself behind Brittany.
“And you’re ready for this guy?”
“Absolutely.” He said it with a conviction that Brittany felt in her bones, and she was hit with the flash of her almost-year with Robbie. Whenever Robbie had a problem, the response was always to call Gus. And now she had Gus on her side, protecting her, and it felt…
…nice.
“So what’s the plan for this Kickoff? Anything special?”
Brittany shrugged. “The usual. Heading to Randall’s booth now for a live stream. A couple meet-and-greets through the weekend.”
Min eyed her. “And the sexy plans?”
“Still on. Assuming I find a willing participant.”
Min huffed. “Any man would be so lucky.”
“Not according to the last one.”
Brittany had been aiming for a self-deprecating joke, but it had come out sounding a little more serious that she expected. Which had Min and Hayden turning sympathetic eyes on her. Christ, it was one thing for Min to look at her like that, but Hayden too?
“He was a jerk and didn’t deserve you, Brittany,” Min told her. “His actions made that abundantly clear. Tell me you’re not broken up over him.”
Brittany could feel Gus’s eyes on her, but she ignored him. He only knew Robbie’s side of the story, and whatever she had let slip that night in Robbie’s apartment. And he was Robbie’s brother. There was nothing Brittany could say that would move his opinion in her direction.
Brittany rolled her eyes, trying to lighten the mood she had inadvertently brought down. “Hell no. Pissed, yes, because I feel like an idiot that I stayed so long.”
“Have you dated anyone since?”
“No.”
“Brittany.” The way Min said her name, so full of sympathy, had Brittany feeling a suspicious burning behind her eyes, which she quickly pushed down, very aware of Gus’s eyes on her.
“It’s not a big deal.”
Min looked at her with sympathy. “He really got to you, didn’t he?”
“I think it was more that he opened my eyes to how little I was demanding from a romantic partner. And then he stomped all over me.”
“Don’t let him turn you bitter.”
Brittany snorted. “He doesn’t have that power.”
Min nodded, looking relieved. “You don’t actually have to be around him, right? Just because…” her voice trailed off as she looked at Gus, who was purposefully looking in the other direction even though he had clearly been eavesdropping on the entire conversation.
“No,” Brittany said, tapping Gus’s arm. “Just the big guy.”
“Is Robbie here?” Hayden asked. His eyes had gone narrow, focused, even as he put his arm around Min and pulled her away from the guy behind them in line who wasn’t respecting the idea of personal bubbles.
“Yes.” Brittany almost jumped at the sound of Gus’s voice.
There was a silent pause. A tense pause. Mostly from Min. Brittany had known Min since college, when they made a pact to fucking hate each other’s exes no matter what. And if Robbie was here at Kickoff, Min was ready to either pretend he didn’t exist or cause a big scene, depending on what Brittany wanted.
If the situation was reversed, Brittany would’ve done far worse to Hayden. In fact, she’d had a whole car barbeque planned before the idiot fixed his ways.
Brittany rolled her eyes. “He’s here, but unless he’s dying to come to one of my meet-and-greets, we won’t see each other. Kickoff is a huge event, and we sure don’t run in the same circles anymore. It’ll be fine.”
They had finally reached the front of the line, so Britt, exhausted from the conversation and from dodging questions, scooted toward the far scanner for her badge, throwing a wave behind her.
“Running late, gotta go, love you, bye!”
She heard Min’s exasperated laugh from across the room but didn’t hesitate in her exit. Min was the best of friends, but when she got protective, there was no stopping her until you were figuratively swaddled in bubble wrap. And sometimes, like in college, literally.
Trusting Gus to be able to follow, Brittany quickly slipped through the crowds, using her height disadvantage to avoid being trapped in the mob of people pushing their way into the Exhibit Hall. Once there, she stopped in the aisle, trying to orient herself.
“Over there.”
Gus, a head taller than her, nodded down an aisle, his hand still hovering over her back to stop the crowd from pushing into her. Seeing where he indicated, she headed in that direction.
This year, Randall’s booth was one of the bigger ones in Retailer’s Row, where designers of everything nerdy could come and sell their wares to the Kickoff attendees. She saw the booth before she finally saw Randall. Never accused of being subtle, her over six foot, Black, male-identifying friend was in his full FlameThrower cosplay—hot pink wig, some sort of glittering unicorn corset layered over one of his own designed t-shirts, a miniskirt that showed off his legs, heels that made him almost seven feet tall, and FlameThrower’s signature bright pink lipstick. Randall had built an online following because of his immaculate cosplay and had often been featured on websites and news stories. When he spotted her, she could see his shoulders sag in relief as he handed a customer their change and a bag.
“You’re late.”
She grinned at his grouchiness. “I’m making an entrance.”
“Your entrance is useless if you’re not live-streaming.”
He was right, but Brittany still flipped him off before turning her back to him and pulling out her phone. She had a few missed calls, all from her mother, and she was ready to spend the day ignoring every single one. Kathleen could wait.
“I’m going to walk around and get the lay of the land. You’re good here?”
She looked up at Gus, who was the picture of professionalism and concern and felt her stomach flip a little. Probably just the weird circumstances they were in.
“I’ll be here for a couple hours, so yeah, I should be good.”
He nodded. “Yell if you need me, but I’ll be close. Do you still have my number?”
“I do.”
Gus gave the booth another once-over and then stepped back.
“Stay safe.”
And then he disappeared into the crowd, leaving Brittany to her morning with Randall. Grateful for the space, she turned back to Randall, who was dying of curiosity.
“Want to tell me why Rambo is here attached to your hip?”
“Not particularly.”
“Do it anyway.”
Brittany sighed. If today was any indication, she was going to spend a lot of her weekend explaining Gus.
“Mom hired me security for the weekend.”
Randall’s eyes narrowed. “Because of that creepy stalker?”
“Yes.”
“Kathleen hired your ex’s brother to be your security this weekend?” Randall had met Brittany’s mother a few months ago when he had been in town. He had read her immediately and had easily become Kathleen’s favorite of Brittany’s friends. But he also had recognized Kathleen for the committed momager that she was and showed nothing but respect for the work and hustle. Kathleen loved him.
“She didn’t know it would be Gus. She just hired the best.”
Randall let his eyes wander to where Gus was slowly walking down the aisle, large and looming, his eyes scanning the crowd for any threats.
“He single?”
“Randall!” Something flared in her stomach. Randall must have picked up something because he threw her a wink, his over-the-top fake lashes making the move extra dramatic.
“That’s a yes. I say go for it. He looks like he could throw you around.”
“We’re not like that. Besides, he’s Robbie’s brother.”
“Who cares about that?”
“Well, Robbie, for one.”
“Fuck that guy.”
A customer grabbed Randall’s attention, so he turned and left Brittany with her jaw hanging open. She couldn’t even look at Gus, Randall’s words ringing in her ears.
He looks like he could throw you around.
Fuck, she was not going to think about how true that statement was.
Brittany focused on opening her streaming app, fluffing her hair for only a moment before going live. She had posted her schedule that morning, so more than a few followers were already waiting for her.
“Hail and well met, friends! As you know, I’m here at Kickoff ready to consume all things nerd and pop culture. My first stop is at Randall’s Riveting Designs, booth 713E, owned by none other than my friend Randall, who is rocking some killer FlameThrower cosplay. I’ll be here all morning, so if you’re nearby, come and say ‘Hi!’ Randall’s also just revealed he’s currently running a deal for his first hundred customers. Randall, can you tell us about your deal?”
Randall launched into his spiel, delighting her loyal followers who always loved when he guest-starred. Brittany settled in for a long morning, letting the energy of the convention fill her up. She met several fans who had seen her live and come over, she rang up Randall’s customers, and all around was busy enough to almost forget Gus was watching her from somewhere nearby.
Almost.
A couple hours later, Britt’s feet were as sore as her face from smiling all morning. Randall’s booth had been swarmed, and she could see even he was starting to fade a little. She handed him a bottle of water from the cooler under the table, which he took and guzzled in almost one gulp. He nodded to the crowds of people pushing their way down the aisle.
“I think it’s easing up.”
“How can you tell?”
“We actually have time to talk.”
He had a point. Randall eyed her over his water bottle.
“What’s going on with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re very melancholy. Usually you’re so peppy I fantasize about hitting a mute button.”
“Hey, I’m peppy.”
He shook his head. “Not to your usual standards. Plus you got a morose gargoyle hanging around you. He could give Hayden a run for his money in the silent game.”
Brittany glanced over at Gus, who had stationed himself on the outskirts of the booth, eyes on the crowd. More than a few of the convention-goers eyed him with interest, and Brittany couldn’t blame them. Gus wasn’t one to demand attention, but once you looked, it was hard to look away.
Before Brittany could think of a reply, a small, bright redhead popped into the booth. She was in jeans and a walking medical boot, her smile was huge and genuine.
“Hey, Britt, you’re still here!”
Brittany couldn’t help but smile. As Min’s little sister, Devery presented as the more wholesome version of Min. Where Min swore like a sailor, Dev always avoided it, although Brittany had heard her mutter a “fudge” once or twice in the years she had known her. She was only twenty-three, but Devery was cute as a button. If ever there was a woman who fit the description of “girl next door” it was Dev.
“Hey, Carrot, how’s the leg?”
Dev grimaced at the admittedly not-too-original nickname she had been graced with her entire life.
“Good. Doctor says a few more weeks in this bad boy and I’ll be ready to fly solo.”
“Amazing. Next up, a marathon.”
“You know it.”
They grinned at each other. Once, the two of them had ganged up on Min and bullied her to join them in training for a marathon. They had lasted about three pathetic runs before giving up and declaring marathons for the birds.
“Hey, I don’t pay you to chat with the help.”
Devery rolled her big brown eyes at Randall’s mock sternness. “You don’t pay me at all, wiseacre.”
Still, she took the tablet Randall handed her and walked over to a customer that had entered a booth, waving to Brittany as she went.
“Catch you at Hayden’s thing!”
“Hayden’s thing” was the release party he was throwing for his game. It was a huge deal and would be hosted at his brother’s fancy restaurant the following night. It was invite-only. Though he was considered more of a recluse, Hayden was going all out for the party, and it was shaping up to be the gaming event of the year.
Brittany waved back, then blew Randall a kiss. “Gotta jet, babe, duty calls.”
He waved her away, already working his magic on a new group of customers, and Brittany turned to Gus, who had appeared almost from nowhere.
“Leaving?” he asked.
“Unless you have some shopping to do?”
“Not while I’m on the clock.”
“Then come on, big guy, I got places to be.”
She turned into the crowd to head for the exit just as her phone rang again. The caller ID showed her mother, and with a sigh, Brittany answered.
“Mom, I’m in the middle of a crowd.”
“How are the new designs going?”
Brittany stopped abruptly, causing Gus to bump into her back, his hands coming to her shoulders to steady her, but she barely noticed.
“It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since you told me.”
“So you haven’t done anything? Brittany, I thought you were going to take this seriously.”
“I am, but you gotta give me time. I told you I had a full schedule this weekend.”
There was a pause at the other end, and then Kathleen cleared her throat in a way that made it clear how disappointed she was in Brittany’s lack of progress.
“Fine. Send the new designs when you have them.”
She hung up before Brittany could respond, which was just fine since Brittany was certain she would’ve said something terrible in response. Something not productive. Something that would’ve felt so, so good.
“Everything alright?”
Gus spoke low in her ear, and Brittany was made suddenly aware that he still had his hands on her shoulders and that he was leaning over her, almost tucking her into his body to shield her from the crowd.
“You hold a lot of clients this way?” Brittany asked instead of answering his question, hoping the white noise of the crowd hid how breathless she sounded.
Gus let his hands slip away and stepped back. Brittany felt a flicker of regret and then pushed it aside. She wasn’t going to feel bad about keeping space between her and Gus. It was for the best.
She kept walking to the door, thinking about the conversation with her mom. Leave it to Kathleen to make her feel guilty about doing what was already on her schedule, that had been on her schedule for weeks, and not dropping everything to do exactly what she was told.
Shrugging off her melancholy, Brittany made her way out of the Exhibition Hall, pausing to take a deep breath when she was out of the crowd. She loved Kickoff, but damn if constantly being surrounded by people didn’t wear her patience.
Gus came to stand in front of her, scanning her from head to toe.
“What?” she asked, a little annoyed.
“I’m sorry I put my hands on you without permission.”
Brittany looked away, suddenly uncomfortable.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine.”
“You were doing your job.”
“That doesn’t excuse it.”
Something about the sincerity in his voice when he said it, as if he was making a vow only for her, had her turning back toward him.
“Gus, you’re here to protect me. You have permission to put your hands on me if you need to for my safety. I trust you.”
She watched him exhale and realized how much it bothered him that he had touched her without permission. Amazing. Robbie was a touchy-feely guy, a hugger who made instant friends with everyone he met. Brittany hadn’t liked the instant familiarity he had shown with her when they first met, but she had grown used to his need for physical touch and his lack of boundaries.
But here was Gus, concerned he had made her uncomfortable just because he had steadied her in the crowd. And something about her telling him she trusted him felt… important. Like it had shifted their relationship in a way she was unprepared for. But it was the truth. She did trust Gus.
She just didn’t want to think too hard about why.
Finally, he nodded and surveyed the area, always keeping an eye out.
“Thank you. Should we get going?”
Brittany nodded and turned.
“Let’s do it.”
They made their way through the convention center, Brittany pausing every now and then to pose for pictures with fans while Gus watched silently from the sidelines. Finally, Brittany found the autograph and meet-and-greet area and approached a woman with a headset and a tablet who looked official and stressed. She brightened when she saw Brittany and immediately started typing something on her tablet.
“Ms. Jenssen, let’s get you checked in and settled into the green room. Can I get the name of your guest?”
Gus stepped forward. “Gus Lozano, Ms. Jenssen’s security detail.”
The woman kept typing, nodding at Gus. Brittany realized she must not be the first person to show up with security that day, which made her feel a little better. Like it was normal.
“Right this way.”
She walked at a clip quick enough to have Brittany skipping to catch up. Gus was beside her as they were led to the back area, where a portion of the large room had been curtained off. A few chairs and several mirrors filled the space. One table boasted a beautiful arrangement of red roses, the sight of which had Brittany freezing in her tracks.
“Anything you see is for your use if you need it,” the woman told her. “There’s water in the fridge in the corner for you and your guest. I’ll come get you when we’re ready. The line is going to be allowed in shortly.”
With an efficient nod, the woman was gone, all without actually introducing herself. But Brittany barely heard anything that was said, her gaze so focused on the flowers. She felt herself go cold.
“What is it?”
Gus’s voice was soft, and closer than she expected, coming from behind her. She heard the concern there and swallowed hard, willing herself to act normal, to not care, or at least to not show that she cared. She felt Gus’s hand on her back, light but steady, like he was ready to catch her if he needed to. She looked up at him, a little off guard. Was this how Robbie felt about his brother? Was this why he always called Gus when something was wrong?
Because Brittany, a woman who was used to taking care of herself in more ways than one, very suddenly saw the appeal.
“He likes to send me roses.” She didn’t have to say who ‘he’ was for Gus to understand. His jaw went hard, his eyes turning back to study the roses more closely.
“Don’t move.”
Like that was an option. Brittany counted her breaths while Gus strode over to the curtain and stuck his head out. After a moment, the woman with the tablet came in, still stressed but chipper.
“What can I do for you?”
Gus took over. “Where did the flowers come from?”
The woman—Barbara, from her name tag—checked her tablet.
“They were delivered this morning for Ms. Jenssen.”
“I’ll need the name and contact for the delivery company.”
Barbara bit her lip, suddenly worried. “Is… is there a problem?”
Gus ignored her question. “No one else is to come in or out of this curtain except for us.”
She nodded at the sound of steel in Gus’s voice. “Of course.”
“And get me the name of that company.”
Barbara, clearly dismissed, headed out, and Gus turned to Brittany, who realized she hadn’t said a word since they walked in.
“There’s a note,” Gus told her, his voice now gentle. “Do you want me to open it for you?”
Brittany cleared her throat, then cleared it again, willing herself to act normal.
“If you could. Please.”
Gus immediately reached out and plucked the small note from the middle of the arrangement. He kept his eyes on her until he had the envelope open and then glanced down. After a moment, he put the note in his pocket.
“I will deal with this. Stay here.”
He started to move to the curtain, and Brittany couldn’t help but panic.
“You’re leaving?”
“I’m only going to make a few calls. I won’t be far, and you’re safe in here.”
“Could you…” Brittany bit her lip, wondering if she was being crazy, and then decided she didn’t care. “Could you take the flowers out of here?”
Gus didn’t hesitate, just grabbed the flowers and walked out, leaving Brittany alone in the dressing area. She went to a vanity set up and sat down, staring at her reflection.
“Get it together, Jenssen.” After a moment of deep breathing, she pulled out her makeup bag and her change of clothes and went to work. She still had a meet-and-greet to attend. Fans had spent money to see her, and she sure as fuck wasn’t going to disappoint them. She set up her phone to live stream her getting ready and put on her influencer smile as she went live.
“Hey everyone! I’m getting ready to see you all today and thought you should join me!”