3. Everything
Chapter three
Everything
Owen
I already knew everything there was to know about her before she walked in through The Manor’s main entrance. Well, the basic things you can find out about a person without looking too deep into their history. I’m supposed to be protecting Millie, her best friend, but she has all of my attention.
Smart doesn't even cover the level of education she has. The cases she has covered and won in her career are astounding. There is nothing sexier than a smart woman. Okay, maybe I dug a little deeper than planned. The picture I have of her from the background check we did, just doesn't do her justice.
She surprises me, she’s different. Not what I expected.
I watch her walk in knowing who she is, but I’ve not been able to take my eyes off her. I’m tracking her every movement from across the room, like I need to commit it to memory. The way she walks with determination and a light bounce like she has too much energy. The way her arse moves and her hands glide along the sides of her jeans every time they pass her thighs with each step.
She’s gratifying.
Inwardly groaning, I have to adjust my trousers because of the effect she’s having on me. I’m literally growing uncomfortable.
Clearing my throat, I try to focus back on the job I’m here to do. It’s difficult as she’s the only thing I see.
That picture I have of her saved on my computer is a world away from the woman I am looking at now. I knew she was hot, but this woman, this devastatingly smart, faultless, gorgeous woman, has me hook, line, and sinker.
The visceral reaction I’ve had since the moment I laid eyes on her is intense. The rush of heat radiating over my chest from just seeing her… it’s insane . I don’t know what this feeling is. It’s more than lust. I long to get to know her, really get to know her.
Charlie.
She has changed so much from that picture, and yet hardly at all, but the small things matter. Her slightly wavy hair is loose, grazing her shoulders. It’s almost white-blonde now, like she’s been in the sun. I want to see how it feels, gripped between my fingers. Her slender figure is still slim, but the curves seem a little more refined.
I’m itching to touch her. To feel her smooth skin against mine. She’s fit, not just sexy fit, but fit fit. Like she works out a lot. Her jeans hug her backside and its peachy curve has my eyes following her as she walks into the restaurant alongside the woman I know to be her friend, Millie. Charlie’s easily three inches taller than her. She's easily five foot seven. Standing, she would come up to my chin. The perfect height to breathe her in and discover her scent while holding her tightly in my arms.
Walking into The Manors’ restaurant behind them, I move discreetly and sit at the table just off to the side of them.
Leaning over, as she pulls her seat in to sit at the table, I get a glimpse of her creamy soft skin, just above the neckline of the bright green top she’s wearing. My eyes fall to her breasts. Fuck … what I would give to be able to hold them in my hands and taste those creamy peaks on my lips.
Fuck. I have no idea who this person is that has taken over my fucking body. This is not me. The strength of my reaction to her, the pull I have to be next to her. Don’t get me wrong, I like what I’m feeling. I’m just not used to it.
“Why am I always the one that people see first?” Leon laughs into my earpiece, snapping me back to reality and the job I'm supposed to be doing. Leon’s my business partner and best friend. Well, one of my best friends. He’s the brains behind our security business, Cerberus. Also, our firearms expert. Shit, that man likes weapons. He may even sleep with one under his pillow. He's been by my side for over fourteen years while we served together in the Army, and when we walked out.
He’s one of the best, good to his core, and will put a smile back on your face, even if you don’t realise you need it.
I have no idea what they have been talking about, I can only guess that Millie, the woman we are here to protect from her abusive ex, has just told Charlie about the security team she has watching out for her or any signs of her ex messing with the new life she now has with Jack. He’s the one who hired us to protect Millie, Jack’s our best client and friend. Charlie's just noticed Leon. It’s not hard. He’s built like a bear and is just as mean when he wants to be.
“Earth to Owen. I'll give you a hundred quid if you make the blonde jump.” He means Charlie. “She’ll never spot you. It's like you disappear in a room full of people. Your very own superpower. I love watching the magic happen.” Leon laughs to himself as he waves at Charlie from over at the bar, shaking his head at the same time. It’s a standing joke about my so-called superpower. I may be tall, but if I don’t want to be seen, I won’t be. Taking my phone from my jacket pocket, I sit back.
Our job started out looking out for Jack, Millie's boyfriend. We’ve been his security team for years. But things soon became complicated. A few weeks after him and Millie started seeing each other officially, it became clear that someone was out to get Millie, and in turn, took a dislike to Jack.
Millie's ex, Glen, is a real piece of shit and he was the reason for an arson attack on Jack's club in Ibiza a few weeks ago, and we have been on high alert ever since. If he is willing to burn a club full of people down, then we can only imagine the lengths he will go to in order to get back at Millie for leaving him.
Luckily, no-one was hurt. Everyone was evacuated just in time, thanks to the systems we recommended. They were lucky.
That’s why we—myself, Leon, and our team—are here. They can’t find the ex. The police think he is hiding out in Spain somewhere. I have a few of my guys looking into it for me. In our line of work, protecting people, it’s a case of what you know and who you know. It helps get the job done. And done well. I won’t let it be anything less, not where people are involved.
“Deal,” I mutter as quietly as I can into the mic hidden in my collar. Contemplating what I’m going to say, I shift in my chair, sliding my phone into my jacket pocket. Charlie’s been looking around for the second member of Millie’s security team. For me. After Millie jokes she’ll never be able to find us, well, me. But like Leon said, my superpower, I can’t be seen unless I want to be.
Standing slowly from my chair, I’m silent. I don’t attract attention from anyone around me. Charlie doesn’t even glance my way as I stretch to my full six-foot-four height. Moving toward their table, I round the back of Charlie’s chair. Millie’s eyes clock me for a nanosecond before she returns her gaze to Charlie, the slight smile on her face, trying to hide her amusement as I step closer to Charlie.
Sliding my fingers across the soft, creamy skin of Charlie’s bare shoulders, as I stand behind her, her warm skin gets my heart racing. She freezes for a moment as I lean down, sweeping her silky hair away from her shoulder, the feel of her under my fingertips stealing what I was about to say from my lips. Placing my mouth just below her ear, feeling her pulse rise beneath my thumb resting on her neck, I whisper, “I know everything about you, Charlie. Andrew was stupid to treat you the way he did or let you go, but thank him from me because you’ll be screaming my name for the rest of your life.” Her heart rate quickens under my fingers as she takes in a sharp breath, but before she can reply, I pull away to walk to where Leon is waiting at the bar.
Where the fuck did that come from?
Leon clamps his huge hand on my shoulder as I sit on the bar stool next to him, knocking me slightly off balance. Looking over at them together, I heard Millie tell her who I am as soon as my back was turned, laughing at her friend’s reaction. Charlie’s not even looked in my direction.
“I owe you some money,” he says, his eyes wide with amusement. “With what you just said to that poor woman, I’m sure as shit you scared the fuck out of her, but on a whole new level, my friend.”
“Shit, you heard?” I hang my head at the realisation I had forgotten about my mic and earpiece.
“Oh, I heard everything. I’m a little shocked, but happy for you, man. You might want to introduce yourself first, though. You know, like a normal person.” He’s laughing at me now. “You also get to watch her party tonight. They’ve just planned a night out, and you missed the entire conversation while you were lost in your own little world, thinking dirty thoughts.” I rest my elbows on the bar and dip my head into my hands for a moment.
“I… Damn it, I need to get my shit together.” Sitting up again, I look at Leon and the shit-eating grin plastered on his face and laugh with him. He knows me too well. I can’t and won’t hide anything from him, but that’s a conversation for after our shift. Apparently, it’s going to be a long one.
Leon is finding this whole situation far too funny; it makes me want to punch him in the face. I love the guy, but I want him to stop laughing at me. Bastard.
We have eyes and ears on Millie in the club they’ve ended up in after they left the bar. Sitting across the room again from her and Charlie is like being in my own personal hell. Especially since Charlie’s outfit is blowing my mind. Everything is on show, or might as well be, in a short black leather skirt with a vibrant pink top that shows her perfect breasts and lean back.
I don't want to be hearing any information about her second-hand through my earpiece like I am now. I want to hear it all from her. From those fucking lips, she’s painted bright red tonight.
Currently, Millie is trying to get Charlie to go over and talk with some random fucking dude just by the bar. My blood is boiling at the thought of her going home with someone else.
What I want to do is go over there and take her home with me. Caveman style. I know it’s wrong to think like that, but right now I don’t give a fuck.
I want her.
Shit . I have to contain these feelings. My knuckles are turning white from the pressure I’m exerting on my water bottle as I try to repress these ungentlemanly thoughts.
I want to. I really fucking want to, but I won't. My mum taught me better than that. She doesn’t even know me yet. I want to get to know every inch of her; know what makes her tick, what will make her smile, laugh, and even what makes her lose her shit. I want it all.
I’ve not been like this with anyone, ever. My heart is racing.
I marched my ass into the army as soon as I turned eighteen and never looked back. There was never time for something serious. I never wanted it, but with her, I feel this pull. I’m drawn to her. Watching her dance like no one was watching, the way she moved her hips, it’s a surprise I can stand up with the hard on I have going on in my jeans right now. She’s got my attention in more ways than one.
They only left the dance floor when Charlie took off her shoes, Millie dragging her to sit down at the tables surrounding the dance floor.
Leon and I secured the place before they arrived. We even have the B team on night watch for when we deliver Millie home tonight.
I can't help but scowl when Charlie and Millie walk over to the bar. Charlie’s eyes flick towards me for a moment. She knows who I am now. Glancing at Leon who’s just moved seats to see over the bar while they order more drinks, then Millie slides Charlie up towards the dick-head, she pointed out a few minutes ago, leaving them to talk. Millie moves off to the side, watching Charlie with a smile on her face.
His hand comes around to her back to the low-cut top, touching her bare skin. My heart rate spikes. I know I have no right to go over there and remove his hand, break his fingers, and throw him out, yet that’s all I want to do.
Focusing my attention on Millie, where it should be, she heads towards the toilets. I note the time out of habit from years in the military.
A few minutes later, when she still isn’t back, I signal to Leon that we need to check on her.
Making our way over, I push on the bathroom door, but it doesn’t budge. It’s locked. My already spiked heart rate kicks up a notch, but this time for a completely different reason. I put all thoughts of Charlie and that fucking dick-head out of my head. I have a job to do.
Breaking down the main door to the toilets, we find Millie looking dazed, leaning against the wall, trying to support herself. “Shit, Millie… What’s happened? Are you hurt?” Running to her side, I look her over for any sign of injury.
I guide her to the small seating area. “Millie, what happened?” Kneeling in front of her, I look up to see Leon checking the stalls.
“I don’t know. I think I had too much to drink. I must have passed out when I got in here, sorry… I… don’t know, how long?” She seems a little confused.
“Shit, Jack’s going to kill us. I don’t think you drank that much. You were here for almost fifteen minutes.” Looking to Leon for conformation, he nods.
“Three glasses of red, four cocktails and some water in between.”
Lifting her head, her eyes are slightly glazed, her hands shaky in mine, unsteady even if she is sitting down—clear signs her drink has been spiked. Fuck… How? We had eyes on the bar all night. I don’t know how it could have happened. Pressing my fingers to the pulse on her wrist. It’s racing. Looking over to Leon, his forehead is wrinkled in question as well. I must have missed something. How could I have?
“What did you just do?” Millie asks, her words slurred, voice shaky.
“I checked your eyes for any sign of dilation, your breathing’s accelerated, and you're shaking and unsteady” my voice is calm, I don’t want her to panic “I’ll ring Jack and tell him what happened.” Millie freezes.
“You think I was drugged?” Her eyes go wide. “Don’t tell him… please. I wasn’t drugged, it’s my own fault, for mixing drinks. Plus, I’ve been a little stressed. Just take me home.” She’s pleading with me. “Jack’s away tonight and I don’t want to worry him any more than I need to. He has so much on his plate already, I don’t want to add to the stress he already has on his shoulders after everything I’ve caused.” Fuck, I hate she blames her situation on herself and not her ex.
“I have to tell Jack, Millie, he’s my boss, and it’s my job to make sure you are safe. And right now… I’m not sure you are,” I admit.
“Please, please Owen, I don’t want him to worry, this is all my own fault. He doesn’t need to know. There was no way I was drugged… I mean, I got the drink from the bar myself. No one could have got to them. If they had, you or Leon would have seen.” She’s right, we would have. I just can’t explain how this happened. Maybe she’s right.
Turning, I look to Leon, holding a silent conversation, and shaking his head.
“Your call,” he says.
“Okay, but if he even asks you if anything happened tonight, you tell him the truth. I’ll get shit for it. I hate keeping secrets, especially ones like this. Even more so because it’s Jack. Are you sure you’re okay?” The worry in my chest tightens further.
“Apart from feeling a little foolish and a tad nauseous, I’m fine. Let’s go and grab Charlie, and go home.” Millie stands up with my help. I can’t help the small smile that appears at the sound of Charlie's name.
I make the decision to take her home against my better judgment, but I know it’s best for Millie. I understand her reasons for not telling Jack, even so, it still makes me uncomfortable. I’ve never held back in any of my reports, and Jack’s a good friend as well as a client.
Leon starts to head outside with Millie to his car, and I head over to where Charlie is still being groped by that dickhead, blissfully unaware that her best friend has been drugged and struggling in the bathroom.
It’s my fucking absolute pleasure to pull her away.
I whisper in her ear, “We’re leaving,” while I remove the guy’s hand from her lower back with a vice-like grip that has him shaking his hand after I release it. Leaning into him, just to be sure he gets the message, I grit out through clenched teeth, “Touch her again, and you’ll find your balls detached and floating in the sea.” He backs up and turns around, walking away quickly.
Turning back to Charlie, she looks pissed. “What was that for? We were just talking?” She eyes me with suspicion, before realising who I am.
“We need to leave. Millie’s not well.” Her face changes instantly, eyes darting from me to try and find Millie.
“What happened? Is she okay?” She looks beautiful as she pushes past me. I don't care as long as she is not in another man's arms.