The Alpha Bodyguards Books #1-3

Chapter Thirty-Five

G oddamn it .

I snatched my phone off the horseshit-smelling ground and went after her.

Striding toward the house, she crossed her arms protectively in front of her.

Guilt hit me in the chest before I fucking stomped it down and barked her middle name. “Audrina!”

Ignoring me, she kept walking.

I threw down my one play. “ Magnolia Audrina Jensen .”

She froze.

I closed the distance and lowered my voice to a warning. “I know your real name. I know what you did to protect it, and I know where your family lives.”

“Is that a threat?”

Yes. “Make the fucking call.”

A screen door squeaked. “Who are you?”

I snapped my head up.

A woman, barely twenty years older than Audrina, with the same hair and same eyes, stood on the porch of the house. Except unlike her daughter, she wasn’t beautiful. She could have been, if she didn’t look like decades of hard living and hatred had eaten her alive.

Audrina sucked in a stilted breath. “He’s no one. I was just coming in to help you, Momma.”

Her mother openly stared at me. “I don’t need help. Supper’s ready. Are you going to introduce your friend? ”

“He’s not my friend. I’ll call Daddy.” Audrina put two fingers to her mouth and whistled.

My hands on my hips, I should’ve introduced myself, but instinct and the ten shades past crazy look on her mother’s face made me keep my mouth shut.

The mother kept staring at me, but addressed her daughter. “Weather’s coming in. Did you put Peony back in her stable?”

“Daddy has her.”

Her mother nodded. “He knows she doesn’t like the storms.” She glanced at her daughter. “Who is he?”

Audrina sighed as she looked out over the cornfields, but she didn’t say shit.

Fuck this. I tipped my chin at her mother. “Tank Gunther. Personal security. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jensen.”

Her gaze cut to her daughter and she ignored me. “You need a bodyguard?”

Audrina half laughed, half snorted. “Not anymore.”

The sound of galloping hooves cut off the fucking bizarre interchange a few seconds before a male version of Audrina rode up on the horse she’d brought out of the barn and dismounted.

Tying the horse’s reins to the front porch, his tone was hostile as fuck as he glared at me. “Can I help you?”

He was half a foot shorter than me and seventy pounds lighter. I could take the wiry prick down in a fraction of a second. I nodded toward Audrina. “I’m here to talk to her.”

“We’re done talking. He was just leaving.” Audrina stepped up to the horse to pet her.

The mother glanced at the sunny sky. “Storm’s coming. He’s staying for supper.”

“No, he’s not.” Audrina glanced at the asshole who had to be her brother. “Where’s Daddy?”

“You know Peony won’t let him ride her.” The guy pet the horse on the back hind leg. “Ain’t that right, girl? ”

The horse whinnied.

“Magnolia, James, go wash up for supper.” She issued the command like she was talking to two insolent children instead of two adults.

Audrina crossed her arms and glared at me. “I’ll come in once he leaves.”

Before she had the last word out, her brother had grabbed her arm. “You do what Momma says.” He started to drag her up the porch steps.

Every protective instinct I had kicked in, and it was instinctual. One stride and I had the asshole’s wrist in a crushing grip. “Let go of her. Now .” I’d bury the motherfucker.

The horse neighed, and for one heartbeat James glared at me.

Then he dropped his hold on Audrina and held his free hand up. “All right, big man, you win. I ain’t touching my sister no more. You still wanna fight me?”

Audrina scoffed. “Shut up, James.”

Her father walked around the corner of the house. “Why isn’t supper ready?”

“It is.” His wife didn’t hesitate. “We were just going in.” She eyed Audrina. “Take Peony back to her stable. James, go wash up.” Not waiting to see if anyone followed her instructions, she went back inside.

Audrina took the horse’s reins, her father walked in to the house, and James followed after him, giving me one more glare.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Audrina whisper-hissed, taking the horse back toward the barn. “You’re making everyone mad.”

Alarm bells went off like a fucking five-alarm fire. “Your brother always push you around like that?”

“Oh my God, seriously ?” She dropped her voice to an angry whisper again. “You pinned me against the barn wall, and you’re going to ask me about my brother? Screw you .” She held her hand up and the horse neighed. “On second thought, forget it. Been there, done that.”

Still pissed at the way her brother had handled her, I grabbed the horse’s reins and stood in front of her. “We’re not talking about us right now. I’m still pissed the fuck off at what I just saw and, worse, your reaction to it. Give me one good reason not to throw you in the SUV and get you the fuck out of here.” I leaned down to her to make my point. “Because I’ve seen a lot of fucked-up shit in my day, and, sweetheart, your family takes the cake.” Not to mention my instincts were going fucking ballistic. There was a goddamn reason she hadn’t been back to this place in a decade.

Incredulous, she scoffed. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?” She yanked the horse’s reins from me and led the beast into the barn.

I followed her. “Is anyone in your family fucking glad you’re here? Because from where I’m standing, all I see is hostility.” And some seriously fucked-up dynamics.

“Like you’re not hostile?” She closed the door to the horse’s stable. “Do you even hear yourself?”

“I have a fucking reason to be pissed at you right now.” She’d fucking left me. I tipped my chin toward the house. “What’s their excuse?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, sarcastic as hell. “Ten years ago I left three people to do a four-person job and never came back? What the fuck? ” She looked at me like I was the crazy one. “Life isn’t a fairy tale where every family kisses and makes up.” She threw her hands out. “So I don’t have a perfect family, so what? They’re mine, and I sure as hell don’t have to stand here and justify shit to you.” She spun and started for the exit.

I reached out to grab her, but realized I was doing the exact same shit her asshole brother had done, so I slammed the side of my fist against the wall instead. “ God fucking damn it , Audrina . Stop!”

She flinched and froze, but she didn’t turn around.

My head a fucking mess since I laid eyes on her, I wanted to fuck her as bad as I wanted to throw her over my goddamn knee. Inhaling, trying to calm the fuck down, I stepped in front of her.

She crossed her arms, and her head dropped.

“Look at me,” I demanded.

“Go home, Falcon,” she said quietly, her voice hitching.

Jesus fuck . I tipped her chin, and when I saw the tears, I knew it wasn’t an act. “You’re right,” I admitted. “I’m still mad about the bullshit you pulled on Miami Morning . I’m angry Luna and Associates took a hit from the bad press. But I’m pissed as hell you took off on me.”

A tear rolled down her cheek as she kept her eyes averted. “I’m sorry.”

I swept at the tear with my thumb, and for the first time I understood just how fucking alone she was. “You said you were drowning that night. You remember any of that?”

She nodded, barely, and her hair fell over her face.

I brushed the strand back. Jesus Christ she was beautiful. “This isn’t coming up for air, sweetheart.”

She burst into tears.