Rock Me (Bodyguard Bad Boys #1)

Chapter One

Ben

There are benefits to working for Alpha Security, I think, as I throw the dart at the board in the company game room, nailing the bull’s-eye on the first try.

“Score,” I mutter, smirking at Jared Wilson, the colleague and friend I am playing with.

“Son of a bitch,” the other man says. “At this rate, I’m going to be broke.”

I shrug. The guy should know better than to wager with me. I am a crack shot at shooting range practice we attend together on occasional weekends.

“I don’t know why you bother playing him,” Ava Talbott, the female bodyguard in our group, says. “He kicks your ass every time.”

“Because I’ve been practicing.” Jared picked up a dart, took aim, and hit right outside the coveted inner circle, groaning at his near miss.

Ava snickers. “Obviously not enough.” She snags a fry off his plate and walks away. Jared doesn’t tear his gaze away from her ass as she leaves, heading for the table laden with food.

“Enough games. Time to meet up.” The booming voice of our boss, Dan Wilson, echoes through the game room in the offices of Alpha Security.

We make our way to the conference room where Dan discusses cases and hands out assignments. We are missing the other members of the staff, Tate Shaw and Austin Rhodes, who are out on assignment.

We file into the room where Dan has already taken up lead position at the head of the table.

When not working, our boss is a big believer in blowing off steam during off hours, hence the game room with the pool table, dart board, and during lunch, an endless supply of eats.

Located in the Whitestone area of the Bronx, there is no better bodyguard agency to work for in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

“Okay, kids, time for new assignments,” Dan says.

I do my best to hold back a laugh. Dan considers all of his employees his children of sorts, although Jared is the only legitimate child of Dan’s in the room.

Still, he practically raised Ava from the time she was a lost teen whose mother was more interested in drugs than in her only kid.

Dan stepped into the role of parent, and though Jared and Ava have coexisted in the same house, the friction between them now isn’t that of siblings.

There is sexual tension there, pure and simple. Except it isn’t, because neither is willing to acknowledge it. At least so far.

“Sit,” Dan directs, pointing to the chairs around the table.

We do as we are told, glancing up at the man who brought us into his business and pays us well. Standing before us wearing a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt, he is every inch the professional face of the security and bodyguard firm.

Dan begins speaking immediately, giving us an update on where each team member is or will be headed. “A lot of our assignments are status quo. Tate’s in L.A., and the assignment was extended. Austin’s tied up with the governor who’s had threats leveled against him.”

“What do you have for us?” Ava asks.

“Slow down, little girl,” he says, using the affectionate endearment that always causes her to cringe—because she is a grown woman now.

“I need you to meet with a new client. A mother who’s worried her ex will come after her kid.

She wants a female so her daughter isn’t completely freaked out.

” He tosses a file Ava’s way. All the preliminary information she needs will be included.

“Consider it done.” Ava tucks her hair behind her ear and begins to peruse the papers.

“Jared, you’ve been requested by a repeat client.” He hands the folder to his son. “And that leaves Ben.”

I roll my shoulders, leaning my elbow on the table. “Let me have it, boss.”

“You might not be so eager when you hear what it is, but keep in mind, we are out of options. Everyone’s on another assignment.” Dan eyes me with a healthy dose of an apology in his gaze followed by his tough-shit look.

The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. “What’s going on?”

“A little show-and-tell is in order for this assignment,” Dan says, gesturing to the screen behind him. He pulls out his computer and taps a few keys.

Up pops a photograph of Jade Glow, one of the world’s most popular contemporary recording artists in the world.

“Jade Glow needs an opening act for her fall tour and couldn’t decide between two up-and-coming singers.

Her solution? To give both women a chance to build their star power while she waits, watches audience reaction, and makes a decision. ”

Dan chooses his words carefully. He always does.

Which is why the words star power stand out like a beacon to me.

Four years ago, I was a security guard on the set of the hit television show of the same name, where I met, fucked, and then proceeded to be fucked over by one of the show’s up-and-coming stars.

I not only had an ongoing affair with one of the contestants, Summer Michelle, I violated my contract by doing so.

Someone turned me in, and the producers made it clear to me—the word leaked from Summer herself.

I lost my job for consorting with the talent, while she went on to tie for runner-up in the show.

My current boss knows the whole sordid story, but he believes in second chances, and besides, I came highly recommended from the firm I worked for prior to Dan’s.

I had to take a trial period while I earned my position and proved to my then-bosses I could be trusted to think smart on the job.

Be a professional. Keep my dick in my pants. Not get taken in by a pretty face.

My lesson was learned the hard way.

“No. Fucking. Way.” Another thing about Dan. He invites us—his people—to speak our minds, which is why I have no problem expressing myself now. “If you are telling me I’m now bodyguard to Summer Michelle … that’s a hell no.”

Dan runs a hand over his cropped short salt-and-pepper hair. “I’m not finished with the explanation, although now that you’ve put together who’s involved…” Dan hits a key on the laptop, and Summer’s picture jumps onto the screen alongside a girl I remember from the show as well, Tawny Renee.

My visceral reaction to Summer’s photo doesn’t bode well for this potential assignment.

I haven’t seen Summer in years, but looking at her is like a punch to the gut and a kick start to my groin at the same time.

The publicity photo accentuates her glossy black hair, still long, still curling over her shoulders in a glorious silken wave.

Her golden-brown eyes stare back at me while her pink lips are glossed in a pretty pout.

And I distinctly remember having those same lips wrapped around my dick while her tongue did her best to make me come.

Damn. How had fate landed her back in my lap?

Okay, bad choice of words, I think, and cringe.

“You with me?” Dan asks.

Beside us, Jared and Ava are silent, no doubt either enjoying my discomfort or uncomfortable themselves with the situation I now find myself in.

“I’m listening,” I mutter to Dan.

The older man nods. “Vague threats have come to Jade Glow’s people regarding picking Summer for the opening act, so Orion Motors, the sponsor of her world tour, wants to hire protection for both women just to be safe.”

“Are you giving me a choice of who I get to protect?” I ask. Neither option appeals. Tawny was a spoiled brat with constant demands, but for some reason, Summer liked the other girl. The two were friends. Maybe that should have been my first clue to steer clear of Summer Michelle.

“No. There’s no choice for you. We’re the best in the business, and Jade’s people want us to look out for Summer since the threats focused solely on her. Unfortunately we have no other bodyguards to offer, at least for the moment, so they hired another firm for Tawny. You going to be okay?”

Since I don’t have a choice, I nod.

“Good. Everything else you need to know about the case is in the file,” Dan goes on. “Her itinerary is in there as well, so you’ll know where to meet up with her later today. She has a series of events lined up over the next month. You’ll stick close.”

“How close?” I ask warily. Some cases involve daytime surveillance only.

“Summer lives on the West Side in a one-bedroom walk-up. No doorman. No protection. So we’re talking twenty-four-seven cover.”

Of course, we are. Because why should I catch a break?

We file out of the room. I’m tense and really pissed at this latest assignment.

“Ben, wait up,” Ava calls out to me.

I’m not in the mood to talk, but I slow my step and wait for her to catch up with me.

“Hey,” she says, placing a hand on my arm. “Are you okay?” Concern flashes in her gaze and expression.

“I’m fine.”

She eyes me as if she isn’t quite sure she believes me. “And this assignment? I know it can’t be easy for you. Dan knows it too. He’s just cornered without anyone else to send in your place.”

I nod. “I get it. And I can handle it.”

“I never said you couldn’t. I just know you had feelings for this woman and—”

“And nothing. I’ve been burned and lived to tell the tale. I learned my lesson.” Which Ava knows, since I opened up to her in a drunken moment when the team was all available for a night out.

“Okay. Just know I’m here for you. Call if you need to talk or blow off steam.” She squeezes my arm again and walks away. Those of us who work for Dan are a tight-knit group, and I value our friendship.

My job is important to me; it always has been. I take pride in protecting people, be it basic security as I did when I was younger and a few years after leaving the police force behind or now with Alpha Security. I won’t betray the people who mean so much to me.