Chapter 4 Noble
A few weeks later
“It’s been three weeks since they placed the initial bounty on my daughter’s head.
I want to hear from everyone as we debrief.
I don’t want this to go on too much longer.
I want my baby girl to get back to living her life the way she had been.
” Mr. Stone had called everyone on bounty patrol into his main office.
There were nine men in the room in total.
They went around the room, explaining their progress in the hunt to find Rico’s second-in-command to call off the bounty. Everyone came up with little to no updates. They were all basically sitting on their asses.
“This is beyond disappointing. Noble, please tell me you have a better update than what I’ve heard so far.” Mr. Stone rubbed his temple.
All eyes were on me. I sat up straight and rubbed my hands together.
“I have successfully stopped three attempts in the three weeks since you’ve assigned me to watch your daughter.
Now that these hitmen know I’m on the case, they will not be as reckless with their attempts.
I have killed all those who have tried to get within inches of touching Sunni.
These hitmen and women know I’m not one to be fucked with.
After the second body, I’m sure word spread like wildfire that killing Sunni Stone would be a lot harder than anyone expected. ”
They had taken heed of my presence. I was not one to be fucked with.
Any nigga with common sense knew to steer clear of me and my wrath.
My reputation in the streets alone put fear in a lot of niggas’ hearts.
I wasn’t exaggerating when I said the number of bodies on my hands was well into the hundreds.
“I also have a few tech guys working on tracing the IP and location of where the bounty was placed. Once I get a location, I plan to go directly to the source.” I finished my recap of events.
Mr. Stone’s face lit up with pride. “Thank you for all you’ve done, Nash. I shouldn’t even waste my resources on the rest of you men.”
Protests rang around the room.
I stepped in.
“Do you mind if I speak, sir?”
Mr. Stone shook his head. “Go ahead, son.”
I bit down on my lip to stop from reacting to the word. I wasn’t his son. He wasn’t my father. My father gave up his rights to hold the title long before I could wipe my ass on my own.
I stood from the chair and looked every man in the room directly in their eyes.
“I’ve given my life to protecting others.
I’m not afraid to die if it means saving Sunni Stone.
If y’all aren’t willing to put your life on the line, then you shouldn’t be on the security team.
Speak now and you can leave with your dignity intact. ”
Everyone looked around at each other before three of the men bowed their heads and left the room. There were four men left from the original security team. I looked at the four of them and nodded.
“Now, if Mr. Stone will allow me, we can go through some training sessions this week. I don’t mind whipping y’all into lifesaving security guards.”
Mr. Stone rubbed his hands together. “I will pay you three times your base fee to get these men on the same level as you.”
I chuckled. “There will never be another Noble Nash, but I can do what I can to make them worth a damn.”
Mr. Stone grinned. “Understood.”
For the next two hours, we set up a schedule that would allow for optimal training while keeping the Stones safe. After they signed contracts and transferred money, I checked my phone and iPad for alerts.
Sunni would be up within the next fifteen to twenty minutes, and I wanted to be back before she woke up. The cameras I set up hadn’t picked up any movement while I was away. Even when I stepped away from her home, she was still under my watchful gaze.
“I have to get back to Sunni. I will see you all in a few days for the first training session. In the meantime, continue the current surveillance you’ve been doing until I can assess everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.”
“Thank you, Nash. Your initiative to make this job easier on me and my baby girl does not go unnoticed.”
I nodded.
I couldn’t tell him I had caught feelings for her.
I couldn’t tell him I had broken one of my only rules: Never fall in love with anyone I am sworn to protect.
Yet here I was, falling fast for Sunni Stone—a spoiled woman with a heart of gold.
She wasn’t like most rich girls. She was giving.
She was kind. She was stubborn and hardheaded. She was beautiful as hell.
When her lips met mine, it spooked me deep to my core. I had never felt so much electricity in my life. I had felt nothing as intensely as I felt when I was around Sunni.
I was down bad and needed to get a fucking grip.
When I got back to Sunni’s house, I went to my temporary room to take a shower and change my clothes.
I opted for a pair of gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt.
I pulled on black ankle socks and my slides.
I sprayed on some cologne. I figured she’d want to spend another day in the house as she’d done about 70 percent of the time we’d shared lately.
Once I was presentable, I walked out of the room and listened out for Sunni. I could hear movement in the kitchen, so I made my way into the living room.
I hated to admit it, but I had kept my distance from Sunni since the kiss. Things couldn’t get complicated with us. Something as complicated as falling in love was exactly where life had me headed.
It pissed me off because why had I let her get to me in the first place. I let my guard down, which was as serious as life and death in my field.
As I sat on the couch and grabbed the remote, I closed my eyes briefly. When I opened them, Sunni was in my space. Her brown eyes stared into mine. The look on her face told me she was about to put on a scene.
“Good morning, Noble.” She popped her hand on her hip. I took in her appearance. She wore a pair of tights that sculpted her ass perfectly and a crop top. The material showed off her pierced belly. I wanted to know every inch of her body, but I couldn’t.
“Morning.”
I flipped through channels. I had never been a huge TV watcher, but I enjoyed the background noise.
I typically watched action movies or sports related shows when I was in the living room.
I didn’t care too much about scrolling on my phone.
Social media got too many people in trouble. It wasn’t my type of bag at all.
Sunni snatched the remote out of my hand and stood in front of me with her arms crossed.
“Noble.”
“Yes, Sunni?”
“I’ve noticed you distancing yourself from me. As my bodyguard, you’re supposed to be in my skin. You’re supposed to be in my space. You’re supposed to be my shadow.”
“The definition of a bodyguard is a trained person hired to protect an individual or group of people. My job is to prevent anyone from harming you in any way. I was never in your skin. I was learning your habits to better protect you.”
“Well, you’re not doing any of that anymore. You don’t even talk to me. Why?”
“You know why.”
“No. Say it.”
“We crossed the line when we kissed each other.” I explained as plainly as I could.
“That kiss was like a year ago. If I knew you’d stop being in my space after that, I wouldn’t have done it.”
I shrugged. “It’s best if we keep our distance from each other, anyway.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s so wrong with us falling in love, Noble?”
“Love is dangerous. I don’t date jobs. Why can’t you respect that?”
“You’re blocking your blessing. Why don’t you understand that?”
“Is that right? You’re my blessing?” I asked as I slid my hand down my face and looked at her. I was tired of having this conversation with her. I was tired of pleading, begging, and demanding we keep shit professional.
She was cute as hell with a slight pout on her lips. Man. Sunni had the perfect lip shape. Her top lip was slightly darker than her bottom, and she kept them moisturized and shiny.
“I’ve been inside more than I’ve ever been because I want to keep you safe like you’re keeping me safe. I dream about you. Do you know how fuckin’ crazy that is, Noble?” she asked.
I licked my lips and rose to my feet. “I appreciate that. It’s made protecting you a lot easier.”
“Good. I’m trying to tell you I’m your peace and your headache. The moment I laid my eyes on you, I wanted you. I’ve changed my whole life around to protect you, and you’re pushing me away.” She stomped her feet like a tantrum-throwing toddler.
“It’s not your job to protect me, Sunni.”
“I know, but I wanted to. The way I feel about you makes me want to protect you like you protect me.”
“I also know you’re a social butterfly. Things will change soon. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we’ll get this bounty shit taken care of.”
“Okay, so what if . . .” She stepped closer to me.
The scent of her perfume infiltrated my senses. I was under her spell in the best way.
“Sunni . . .”
“Hear me out.”
I let out a breath. “Fine.”
“What if you let me scratch the itch now? Then, when the bounty is off my head and you’re no longer my bodyguard, we can see what life together is like.”
“I don’t think—”
She cut me off by pressing her lips against mine. Once again, her touch intoxicated me. My mind and body fought with my heart.
“Sunni.” I held her in my arms and gazed into her eyes.
“Noble. You cannot keep fighting the attraction. We’re magnets to each other. I don’t care about your past. I don’t care about your traumas. All I want is to see what a future with you could be like.”
She rubbed her manicured nails against the back of my neck. My eyes closed tightly as I pressed my forehead to hers.
“Make love to me, Noble.”
“I don’t know how, Sunni.”
“I’m sure we can figure it out.” She pecked at my lips again.
The armor I built around my heart and soul came falling down with each press of our lips together.
The fire in my core went straight down to my dick as the scent of her pussy rose from the seat of her panties to my nostrils.
I wanted to be face deep in her pussy. I needed it more than I needed to breathe.
Falling in love could get me hurt.
Falling in love with Sunni could get me killed.
Is she worth dying for?