2. Nate
NATE
I make calls as I jog along the dirt trail, the morning breeze keeping me cool. I love starting my day with a run. It makes me feel alive.
“Morning, Jake. How are things?” I pause to take in the scenery and stretch my hamstrings.
I’ve got an unobstructed view across the scrub-covered hills to LA. The tall skyscrapers glitter against a clear blue sky. Beautiful.
“All good here. We’ve got a day on set doing reshoots.”
“Don’t drink too much coffee.”
Jake laughs. “Caffeine helps me do my job.”
“If you say so. Give me a call if you need anything.”
“Will do, boss.” He hangs up.
I dial the next person on my list—Tiffany. I’m on the move again before she picks up.
“Morning, boss. All quiet here. It was a late night, so Misty isn’t even up yet.”
“Good gig?”
“She had her fans eating out of the palm of her hand.”
I chuckle. “As always.”
The rest of my calls follow a similar pattern as I check in with the other close protection officers I employ.
I started out being one of them, scrimped and saved, and now I’m the boss.
My client list is exclusive. A- and B-listers who need varying degrees of security.
I have staff who handle most of the day-to-day running of the business—hiring staff, discussing the needs of new and existing clients, boring stuff like taxes—but I still like to keep my finger on the pulse.
I have a reputation for never letting a client down, and I intend to ensure that remains true.
By the time I’m back at the car, I’ve run three kilometers and have checked base with everyone I need to.
I drink some water and stretch out my muscles.
I love it up here, it’s like a piece of paradise, a stone’s throw from the city.
One day, I’d like to move out here. Or maybe closer to the coast, so I could go surfing every morning.
Imagine that—paddling out to meet a wave while the rising sun stains the ocean pink.
Maybe when I retire, or, as Mom likes to put it, ‘settle down’.
I keep telling her I’m married to my business, which makes her roll her eyes.
Luckily, my sister has provided her with grandkids, so I’m off the hook.
Mom knows I’m gay. I’m pretty sure she knew before I did. I’m lucky to have a supportive family who wouldn’t dream of judging me for who I love. I had friends who weren’t so lucky. Not all of them made it past twenty. I roll my shoulders back and swipe a rogue tear from the corner of my eye.
Right, I’m all cooled down. Time to hit the road.
My phone rings just as I open my car door. Phoenix. I shut the door, lean against the side of the car and answer. “Morning.”
“Hi, Nate. Are you busy?”
“You’ve caught me at the end of my morning run.”
“I’ll take that as a no.”
I chuckle. “How can I help?”
“There’s a newcomer at Halo House. I think you could help him.”
“Oh?”
It’s been a while since I’ve sponsored anyone in particular. I’m mostly happy to contribute financially and turn up to the odd charity event.
“I think you could help him feel safe,” Phoenix says.
“I’m intrigued.”
“I thought you would be. I’d like to introduce you to him, if you’ve got time to pop by.”
“I’ve got some business to attend to this morning, but I’ll be free after lunch. I could be there by mid-afternoon.”
“That would be wonderful. I’ll see you then.”
I stare at my cell, lips pursed. I’m not surprised Phoenix didn’t give me more information.
Details on Halo House’s residents are on a need-to-know basis.
Everyone’s privacy is respected, including those of us who contribute to running the place.
I know all about confidentiality in my line of work.
I know all about making people feel safe, too.
Although there’s a difference between doing that as a close protection officer and a Daddy.
Which does Phoenix’s guest need me to be? I’ll find out soon enough.
Right now, I need to focus on work. I get in the car and drive toward LA.
I’m meeting my PA, Lana, and Geoff, my head of security, to check out the venue one of our clients is desperate to get married in.
The idea is to keep the wedding a secret until after it’s happened.
I’ll do my best to make that happen, but I still need to ensure the venue is safe, just in case the paparazzi do get wind of it.
I can control a lot of things. Guests with wagging tongues isn’t one of them.
The morning flies by, and my client is excited to the point of happy screaming when I call her to say I approve of her wedding venue choice.
Seriously, it’s gorgeous. I’d be thrilled to get married there, too.
Not that I can afford it. I don’t have any plans to get married, either. I’m not even in a relationship.
I grab lunch and then drive out toward Headland Cove.
It’s easy to get lost in my thoughts once I’m clear of the city, and I’m driving on quieter roads, the scenery getting prettier by the second.
If I moved closer to the sea, Headland Cove would probably be at the top of my list of places to look.
It’s full of character, and some quaint period homes I could see myself living in.
I can also imagine spending warm evenings at the marina, eating at one of the seafood restaurants. Maybe when I retire, anyway.
I turn my music up and drum my fingertips against the steering wheel, my thoughts turning back to the boy Phoenix wants me to meet.
The last time he called me out of the blue, it was to help Justin, a sweet boy who was down on his luck.
No job, no home, and a family that didn’t give a crap.
I spent time with him over several weeks, making him feel cared for and boosting his confidence.
I even helped him get a job and find an apartment.
We’re still in touch. He’s doing well. Last month, he introduced me to his new Daddy.
Phoenix is picky about who he introduces to the boys, so I know he has a good reason to contact me specifically.
It’ll be nice to spend time with a boy again.
I go to kink clubs occasionally, but never to look for anything serious.
It’s easy enough to find a boy who wants his ass spanked, or to simply curl up on my lap for the night, while I tell him how gorgeous he is.
Sometimes I’ll find a boy I want to go home with—always to his, so he feels more comfortable.
I love praising a boy during sex. I adore the way it tends to make them come undone.
The gate swings open for me as I approach Halo House, allowing me to enter the driveway. I park the car, unsurprised when Phoenix comes out to greet me.
“Thanks for coming,” he says, ushering me into the house.
“You know me, always happy to help.”
He smiles. “Let’s go to the conservatory.”
The conservatory is left, through the hall, tucked against the outside of the house.
It’s a nice place to sit and relax, overlooking the garden.
An outside door leads you straight onto a stone walkway that leads to the hedge maze.
There are plenty of flowering plants inside, creating an explosion of color and a sweet aroma.
It’s hot and stuffy with the afternoon sun beating down onto the glass walls and ceiling, but the windows have been opened, allowing a breeze and the scent of cut grass to flow through the conservatory.
We sit in adjacent seats.
“Can you tell me more about the boy you want me to meet?” I ask.
“He’s a young actor. He’s different to most of the Angels who find refuge here, and for that reason he feels like he doesn’t belong here.”
“Different how?”
“He’s closeted, for a start. Aaron brought him here after a home invasion.
He’s pretty shaken up and seems to be berating himself over his reaction to what happened.
He asked to talk to someone. He just wants to feel safe again, Nate.
I thought that with your area of expertise, you might be able to help. ”
“The home invasion—was it random, or…?”
Phoenix shakes his head. “No, it wasn’t random.”
I scratch my jaw. “That would be terrifying. Any injuries?”
“No, thankfully. Not physical ones, anyway. Will you talk to him? Just talk. He’s not ready for more than that.”
“Of course. I’m always happy to help where I can, you know that.”
“Thank you. Wait here, and I’ll fetch him.”
“Sure thing.”
Phoenix sweeps out of the room. I swear that man would float if he could. I stand and inspect some of the flowers, wondering which Angel is interested in indoor plants. Whoever they are, they’re doing a good job.
I return to the chair, put my cell on do not disturb, and tap my fingers together.
How long has the boy Phoenix wants me to help been here?
Referring to him as a ‘newcomer’ doesn’t help much.
He might have been here for a month already, and only just be ready to talk, or he could have arrived within the last few days.
I look up at the sound of footsteps, smiling as Phoenix walks in the door, leading a young man in his early to mid-twenties.
He has a physique that makes it clear he’s no stranger to a gym, brown hair that grazes his strong jaw, and a nervous smile.
He has the sort of face you’d expect to see on a poster in a teenage girl’s room.
In fact, I have seen him on a poster in a teenage girl’s room.
My niece’s room, to be precise. He’s Zach Taylor, Cassie’s latest heartthrob.
“This is Nate,” Phoenix says.
“Hi. Umm… Nice to meet you,” Zach says in a polite English accent, which is definitely not what I was expecting.