The Alpha Bodyguards Books #4-6

Chapter Six

R ubbing a hand over my face, the long night finally over, I got in the company Escalade and glanced at the clock on the dash.

I had enough time to get across town.

Looking in the rearview mirror, I threw the Escalade into reverse and backed out of the alley. Cutting the wheel, I hit the street and shifted to drive just as my gaze landed on her.

The classy brunette.

The one I’d told to go back inside the club before I’d done something fucking stupid, like take her innocent-eyed ass home and fuck her until she was wrecked for all other men. But for once in my life, I’d showed restraint and sent her back inside. An hour later, her driver had taken off from the alley, and I’d assumed she’d called to have him pick her up in front of the club.

Now it was two hours past that, and I paused with my foot on the brake, telling myself I was doing my job by making sure she got in her ride safe.

But I wasn’t.

I was checking out her sexy-as-fuck curves as she watched me. Or rather, watched the SUV. She couldn’t see in through the limo-tint windows, and I was taking full advantage of the moment.

One of her hands on the open door of her chauffeur-driven Town Car, one high-heeled foot halfway in the vehicle as it rested on the bottom frame, I watched her dress ride up her thigh. Every inch of her made my mouth water, and I regretted my decision to send her away.

Fuck it.

I put the window down and looked directly at her.

Then I winked.

Raising the window back up, smiling to myself at the look of shock on her face, I drove off. The smile held all the way to my sister’s as I parked in her driveway, palmed my keys and let myself in. Being as quiet as the Marines taught me, I snuck into my nephew’s room.

With the sun just starting to come up, a smile spread across his little face as his hands started to move. Uncle Ty, Uncle Ty!

I grinned and signed back. How did you know I was here? You should still be asleep.

He frowned. You’re not quiet. I feel you coming.

I chuckled. I never wake your mother.

He smiled. She sleeps like a dinosaur. He mouthed a silent roar but held his mouth open at the end of the roar and closed his eyes like he was snoring.

Little shit. Stilling grinning, I picked him up and gave him a hug. His scrawny six-year-old arms wrapped around my neck, and I sighed in contentment. “That’s my little man. Love your hugs, buddy.”

He pulled back and put one hand to my throat while signing with the other, asking me what I said.

I spoke slowly. “I can’t hug you and sign at the same time.”

He watched my lips, then signed. Is that what you said?

“No.” I smiled. “I said I love your disrespectful little butt, and I came to make you breakfast.”

His face lit up as his hands moved. Pancakes?

I chuckled. “Sure.” I set him down on his bed and switched back to signing. But you’re eating some protein too. So get dressed while I go make enough noise in the kitchen to wake your mother who sleeps like a dinosaur.

He was already jumping up and down on the bed before I’d finished what I was saying. Kissing him on the forehead, I nodded toward his dresser. Don’t forget underwear. It’s a school day.

He looked at me like I’d stepped in shit. Underwear is for babies.

I laughed. “Underwear is for six-year-old boys who need to go to school to learn math.”

His face scrunched up. I hate math. I like trucks.

How are you going to learn to work on trucks if you don’t know math? I signed back.

You will teach me , he confidently replied.

I ruffled his hair. “You’re right. Now get dressed. I’ll make breakfast.”

He jumped up and down on his bed again while signing pancakes.

I strode into the kitchen and started coffee as I pulled a pan out.

My sister walked in and leaned on the counter in front of the coffee maker. “You’re here early.”

“Not early. Late. I haven’t been to bed yet.”

She nodded. “You worked a job last night.”

I riffled through her cupboards, looking for the shit I needed. “If you could call standing outside a club all night working.”

She smirked. “Sounds like being a bouncer.”

“Except I get to carry a gun and stay after the place closes down so a bunch of Hollywood fucks in suits can drink more. Lucky me.”

That piqued her curiosity. “Guarding celebrities again?”

I pulled stuff out of the fridge. “One celebrity, her rich friends, and her man.” Not that Tank couldn’t have handled his own shit last night. No one would’ve gotten near his woman.

“Gee,” Mercy said dryly, taking down two coffee mugs. “Sounds taxing.”

Nash bounced into the kitchen in a superhero shirt and pants, his hands moving. Are they ready yet?

I laughed. “No. Set the table.”

My sister poured us coffee. “You spoil him. He won’t eat his cereal tomorrow if you’re not here to make him pancakes.”

I winked at him. “Then maybe I’ll come tomorrow morning too.”

Nash jumped up and down, signing yes over and over.

My sister smiled a tired smile.

I eyed her and turned my back slightly as I mixed up the batter. “You hear back from the doctor yet about the implant?”

She held her coffee mug in front of her mouth. “He’s not hopeful it will work.”

I shrugged. “Don’t know unless you try.”

“I don’t want to get his hopes up.”

“Then don’t present it like that. Tell him you’re gonna try something that isn’t supposed to work, but you won’t know for sure unless you try and leave it at that. Kids are adaptable.” Shit, Nash signed better than me and could lip read, and he was only six.

“So now you’re a parent? You know how to best manage a kid’s expectations with crushing reality?”

“What’s so crushing? He’s deaf. He can’t get any more deaf.” And he was perfect in every other way.

“You don’t get it,” she snapped at me, still holding her coffee mug in front of her face.

“I get plenty. You’re a nurse. You couldn’t stop your own kid from going deaf. You feel guilty about it.” I leveled her with a look. “Get over it, Mercy. Meningitis happens. He’s alive and thriving.”

Nash tapped my leg.

I looked down.

What are you talking about? he asked me.

I set the bowl down. Why your mom snores like a dinosaur.

A huge smile broke out across his face. It was his version of laughter.

My sister sighed. I do not snore.

We both glanced at her, then looked at each other. I burst out laughing as Nash held his stomach with a silent laugh.

I held my fist up.

Nash bumped me, then signed, You’re funny, Uncle Ty.

“You know it.” I nodded toward the kitchen table. “Finish setting up.”

He bounced off, and I glanced at my sister. “Try the implant, Mercy.”

She turned her back on Nash. “Jesus H Christ, you’re a pain in my fucking ass.”

Nash’s hand slapped the table hard.

We turned.

He looked at us with his eyebrows drawn together in self-righteous determination. Mommy needs to pay the swear jar twice.

I glanced at Mercy. “You heard the man. Pay up.”

“I didn’t say anything!” she protested.

Nash narrowed one eye and crossed his arms as I stared at her.

“Fine!” She threw her hands up. “But this is ridiculous. People swear,” she grumbled, reaching in her purse for two dollars and dumping them in the glass jar on the shelf. She looked at Nash. “You shouldn’t pry into adult conversations. That’s rude.”

You shouldn’t swear, he signed.

Covering a laugh, I turned toward the stove. “Kid has a point.”

“Says the Marine who taught me every cuss word I know.”

I smirked. “Doesn’t mean you should use them.”

“Whatever. I’m going to shower. I have an early shift today.” She walked out of the kitchen.

Nash pushed a stool over to the counter near the stove. Climbing up, he took the swear jar down and dumped all the bills out as my cell rang.

I glanced at the caller ID, then answered. “What’s up, Luna?”

“I got a job for you.”

“I just got off a job.”

Luna paused. Then he exhaled.

My boss was a lot of things—former Marine sniper, all-around badass, scrupled. He didn’t own the best personal security firm in the business because he was a pussy. So when he exhaled, I went on alert.

I glanced at Nash, but he was busy counting his money. “What kind of job?”

“Your kind.”

The unscrupulous kind.

I didn’t have a problem with that, but I also wasn’t going to get involved with any cartel fucks again. “For?” I asked.

“Ludeviene Loic. She was kidnapped a half hour ago.”

Fuck. Me .