Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
ISAAK
Watching from the sidelines as Kira’s forced to sit up straight and act right is one of the most painful evenings I’ve ever endured.
It’s apparently good that I’ve never been around folks this rich or entitled before because instead of going into the military, I might’ve ended up in prison for choking one of the motherfuckers out. Sure, I’ve gotten in my share of fights, but I’m not usually given to violent impulses.
These people, though. Damn.
I come from regular folks. If they want to insult you, they do it the old-fashioned way—get drunk and yell it to your face. The brawling and furniture breaking starts, and after, it’s either more beer for all or you sleep it off in the drunk tank.
But this shit is next level. The whole room has polished white granite walls and tile floors, so the sound echoes. Between the tinkling piano music, I can hear whispered conversations bouncing over to my corner from all over the room.
That Carol is a trip and a half, which I knew from before in the dressing room. Turns out she’s just a duck leading all the other ugly ducklings around the pond, and none of them are ever gonna turn into swans.
Except Kira, who’s been swanning over all their asses the whole time, no matter how many dour, beige dresses her mother stuffs her into. God knows what she’s doing with that dumb bastard in the tux beside her, besides him being slick as snot.
The hors d'oeuvres are still being passed around when a tall, elderly man with trim white hair and an expensive suit approaches me.
“Hello, son,” he says affably. “You’re military, am I right?”
“I was.” I keep my affect flat. Who is this guy?
He smiles winsomely. “I can always tell. You’ve got a different stance than these other college boys.” He nods to the other security personnel standing around the room. It’s clear there are people of importance here. “How many tours?”
“Two.”
“Thank you for your service.”
I give a perfunctory smile.
“I never served myself. Flat feet, you understand.”
It’s difficult, but I keep my eye roll internal as he continues, “But we made sure all you boys were armed to the teeth. I served at Ratheon for forty proud years.”
I shift to look over his shoulder, eyes always on Kira. And so I don’t punch this asshole in the face. I’m all for supporting the troops, but this fuck-head strikes me as a warmonger who’s made all his money off other people’s suffering.
“Sorry, can’t talk, I’m on duty tonight,” I say, hoping he’ll get the drift and move on.
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Kira’s my daughter.”
That surprises me enough to shift my eyes back to him for only a moment before centering them back on Kira again.
“And?”
“And her mother tells me you are quite the valiant protector.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Of course, of course. Frankly, I’d prefer to have a former soldier who’s actually seen some action looking after our girl than some asshole grunt with no real combat experience if you know what I mean.” He says it under his breath like we’re part of the same club.
We’re not. He was not my brother out in the sandbox. Considering the political connections in this room, this asshole was probably part of the powers that be that sent us there in the first place.
But I’m not some jackhole in my 20’s who needs to pop off every time some asshole in a suit thinks he knows me.
I know how to keep my cool. “I will keep your daughter safe.”
“Of course. Of course.” He pats me on my shoulder with too firm a grip, then clenches and squeezes. “I also heard you’re looking to set up your own private security agency. It’s hard to make it in this town. I should know, I’ve got several friends in the biz. A recommendation from me could really make you or break you.”
His friendliness is tinted with warning, and I get it now—why he came up to me like this.
I should’ve known. It’s always this way with guys like this, isn’t it? They think their influence is so all powerful because for so much of their life, it was. The truth is, he’s a dinosaur now. The world is moving on and leaving men like him behind. But not soon enough.
Good thing I don’t intend on fucking up this job.
I just chuff out a laugh and clap him on the back in return, a tad harder than necessary so that he lets out a little cough and frowns at me.
“Oh sorry there, Mr. Roberts. Gotta take it easy on old bones, huh?” I laugh softly again to intimate that I’m just joking. “Don’t you worry a bit. I’ve got Kira’s back.”
He pulls away from me, still frowning. “Yes. I’m sure you do. Just remember there are eyes on you, young man. The Roberts name still holds more sway in this town than you think.” Then he shifts again, all out glaring in an obvious attempt to intimidate me. “Don’t make me crush you. Next time you’re in a room with my wife, be more polite.”
All I can do is give him a tight smile as he turns on his heel and walks off.
Fuck. As much as I hate assholes like him, he’s the kind of person I’ll likely be taking on if this security agency gig really takes off.
If it’s not sunk before it can even get it off the ground because I piss off the wrong girl’s father. There are permits and licenses I have to get before I can really start my own company. Stuff I bet Mr. Roberts actually could fuck up if he wanted to because the old bastard probably still is connected everywhere in the securities industry.
Then I shift my eyes back to Kira.
I still wouldn’t take back a single one of my actions since I stepped on this property. Or do anything differently if I had it to do over again.
I might understand people and be less of a hot head than I used to, but I’m not sure that’s ever going to make me politically savvy enough to bullshit my way to where I want to get.
But this security agency idea is the only thing I’ve been passionate about since?—
Well in a long while.
I give my head a small shake.
It doesn’t matter. Right now, me and him want the same thing: Kira’s safety. And for me to avoid being in a room with Kira’s mother ever again. No big deal. Done and dusted.
* * *
Right before dessert, Kira’s dad stands up to make a toast. It’s been a calm, boring evening, fine by me. I’ve been profiling everyone in the room and clocking anyone whose eyes linger on Kira a little longer than usual.
“I want to thank you all for gathering together tonight to celebrate our beloved daughter Kira’s engagement. I can’t imagine a finer young man than Drew here.” He’s walked around the table and clamps one hand firmly on Drew’s shoulder and the other on Kira’s. Then he turns his head up toward the ceiling.
“Father God, I want to call upon your name to bless the righteous union of these two young people to your glory. Father God, we know you do not just dole out your blessings upon the unworthy, but only to those deserving of your name, to the people of God who will one day walk upon the streets of the gold in the new heaven and the new earth. No good thing will he withholdeth from them that walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11. And so we call down your blessings upon Drew and Kira to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, O God. Amen.”
“Amen,” comes a resounding chorus of voices.
I look around at the couple of other security guards posted around the room. I didn’t know we were praying. There’s a round of applause as Kira’s father goes back to sit down. Huh. I also didn’t know people applauded prayers.
Granted, I don’t know much about church, but from what services I was dragged to in my chaotic childhood, I feel like I do remember something about not performatively praying so other people can hear you. I always thought that was a good point because I can remember wondering why the pastors always had to be so long-winded.
Next, Kira’s fiancé stands up. I shift slightly in my at-ease stance and struggle not to roll my eyes. This oughta be good.
Drew looks down at Kira and reaches for her hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she hands it to him.
“My beautiful Kira.” He swallows like he’s holding back emotion. I’ve always had a knack for knowing people, and I can tell it’s a performance for the crowd. “We’ve known each other ever since we were little kids playing in the sandbox together, with my mom yelling at me to stop tossing sand in your hair.”
Polite chuckles come from around the table.
I’ll give it to the guy. He’s good at playing their game. He knows what to say and how to make them all eat out of the palm of his hand. He’ll make for a good politician like his daddy.
“You’ve always been there for me, from the awkward junior high years and being my best friend all throughout high school.”
I can’t tell for sure, but I swear I see Kira flinch a little when he mentions high school. Like something happened between them then. But she quickly covers it as he continues on.
“People always said we’d end up here,” he grins wide, taking her one hand in both of his. “Like two peas in a pod, that’s always been us. And look, here we finally are. You’ve grown from being the little girl chasing me around the playground to an awkward teen and finally to the beautiful woman who stands before me today.”
He laughs and breaks eye contact with her to look around at the breathless crowd. “Maybe one day I’ll even get her out of these glasses, am I right?”
Chuckles greet his shitty joke, and I see pink hit her cheeks. Even though I’m far away, I can feel her embarrassment at the cheap shot. This is coming from the man who’s supposed to love and cherish her for the rest of his days? My hand tightens into a fist behind my back.
He continues on obliviously. “No, but seriously.” His eyes finally come back to rest on Kira. “You were always the only woman I was ever going to marry, babe. Everyone else was just practice for the real thing, and I hope you’ll forgive me for how many years it’s taken me to finally put this ring on your finger.”
Then he gives a lopsided grin, hamming it up for the crowd again. “But you’re stuck now. You’ve already said yes, and it’s a little too late to take back the ring because I bought it four years ago, waiting for just the right moment to give it to you.”
Kira’s eyes widen and I can see she’s genuinely shocked. “Four years ago?” she gasps.
He nods solemnly. “I meant to give it to you then. I wanted to give it to you right after graduation.” He looks earnest enough. Still, it physically pains me when she starts to cry.
“Why did you wait so long, then?” she whispers.
“I knew you were worried about the degree you were about to start. I didn’t want to be like Theo and Hannah. When we really, truly began , I knew I wanted you to be my last first date.”
Kira looks up at him with something like hope but also a healthy dose of mistrust, too. She glances around them, noting the public forum he’s chosen for this confession.
“Last year, the time was finally right.” He grins. “And look at us now. About to become man and wife. I vow, future Mrs. Drew Underwood, to make you the happiest woman on earth.” He pulls her up out of her seat by the hand he’s holding.
She looks surprised and I take half a step forward when he pulls her into his arms and plants his lips on hers. I want to yank the bastard off her because I can’t tell if this is something she wants.
But then she wraps her arm around his neck. I can’t see where they’re kissing from this vantage point. It makes my guts churn that I can’t see to make sure I know she’s all right with it and the fact that I’m seeing it at all.
I barely know this girl.
And you’re just her protection officer . None of this should be affecting me at all.
This is her world. Mine are the dive bars outside of Waco, where I grew up. Or out brawling on some military outpost. I heard what her mom called me. I’m a gorilla, and she’s a princess.
I feel my blood heating, and I reach into my pocket, untwist the wrapping on a peppermint, and pop it in my mouth.
I close my mouth and focus on the spicy sugar candy. By the time I’ve got my eyes open again, Kira’s back in her seat and a line of waiters are bringing out dessert. Thank Christ. Does that mean this nightmare of a dinner is almost over?
I double check the exits and go back to my careful surveying of each face that I was engaged in before the slick fiancé got up for his little speech. No one seems to be paying Kira any special attention, but it’s clear everyone in this room is good at acting a part. They all know the rules of the game.
Each person in this room probably has a whole host of skeletons in their closets. Is one of those secrets a penchant for stalking and terrifying the intelligent, young, beautiful deacon’s daughter?
But while the old men occasionally glance her way, none of them linger too long. I’m getting nothing.
Finally, thank god, it feels like the night is winding down. I look at my watch. Ten-thirty. That feels late for all the white hair in this room. More toasts have been given, but they felt more like political speeches for upcoming midterms than happy wishes for the couple. Apparently, Drew’s father is up for re-election. I get the idea that this is essentially another fundraising opportunity for the guy.
But glasses are still clinking and conversations are winding down when a blonde woman at the other end of the table suddenly stands up dramatically, her chair screeching back loudly on the polished granite tile.
She’s in a shimmering gold dress that hugs her body, and the low-cut bodice exposing ample cleavage heaves as she calls out, “I object!”
All heads in the room swivel her way, and a woman I can only guess to be her mother grabs her arm in a futile attempt to yank her back down into her seat.
The blonde fights her off. “I object to this engagement!” she passionately cries again, dancing back from the table and her desperately grasping mother.
“Drew,” she pleads. “Tell them. Tell them it’s me you love. Not her .” She flings a hand out in Kira’s direction.
I can only see the back of Drew’s head from where I’m standing, but he makes no move to even look over at the woman. Kira’s head twists back and forth from the blonde to Drew.
Several men get up from the table and start walking toward the woman. Family? Friends? Or simply friends of the senator?
She holds her hands out and backs away from them.
“Drew, please ,” she pleads to the man who still won’t even look her direction. “We could be happy together. I know we could.”
One of the men approaching her signals a security guard staffing the exits. He nods and advances from behind. “I’m going to need to escort you out, ma’am.”
She spins on him, blonde hair flying. “What are you talking about? I have an invitation.” Her hair whirls again as she turns back. “Drew! Tell them!”
“Ma’am. I need you to please come with me.”
Another security officer is at her other side. When he attempts to take her by her arm, she starts to freak, lashing out with her manicured nails. The security officer catches her arm before her claws get to his face.
“Drew!” she shrieks hysterically as the security officer pins her arm behind her back. “Drew! You told me you’re not even attracted to her! How are you going to give your father grandchildren when you can’t even fuck her?!”
Drew finally reacts, bolting upright from his chair, chest heaving as the guards forcibly escort the woman from the ballroom. She keeps screaming and crying the whole way. When she starts howling, “I’ll kill you! I’ll fucking kill you, bitch!” right before the doors close behind her, Kira looks behind her and makes eye contact with me.
I nod, already on the same page. Have we been thinking about her stalker in the wrong way? I would chase after the guards and the woman to interrogate her, except there’s no way I’m leaving Kira alone.
Kira’s attention moves back to the table and, infuriatingly, to Drew. She reaches out and grasps his hands, tugging him to sit back down again.
As if she’s comforting him .
I obviously don’t understand what the fuck sort of agreement they have between them because any woman from the trailer park where I grew up would’ve slapped her man after an outburst from another woman, then made a great show of stomping off the scene.
But Kira just looks around the table and laughs lightly. For once in the entire evening, the room is silent, and the rich texture of her laugh echoes around the room.
“Well, that was a whole lot of excitement for one evening, I think,” she says demurely. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like for my fiancé to escort me to my car. We’ve planned our gorgeous wedding, but the schedule is nonstop for the next eight weeks, you understand.”
Then she leans over, kisses Drew on the cheek, and says, “Come on, honey.”
She stands up, still holding his hands, and Drew moves almost robotically to follow her lead. He finally manages to smile, as if remembering only at the last minute, and waves to the table.
Kira folds her arm into his and they walk together out of the room. She looks as tall and elegant as a queen as she goes. Fucking stunning, in control of every eye in the room.
I follow her out, even as I hear the room burst out into chatter as the doors close behind us.
Drew immediately turns to Kira as soon as they reach the huge stone hallway; every bit of this mansion looks like something out of a museum.
“I’m so fucking sorry for that, babe. I told her it was nothing serious.”
Kira winces, and I want to punch his fucking teeth in. It’s a strain to stay against the wall and remain unobtrusive while they have whatever tête-à-tête a couple could have after that disaster.
“We agreed you could do whatever you want,” Kira whispers. “But did it have to be with Becca Summers? Jesus, Drew. What were you thinking?”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. She was just there, available and spreading her legs.”
Kira walks away from him, shaking her head. Drew strides after her, putting a hand on her arm to stop her.
Oh no, he doesn’t. Not on my watch.
I spring forward and grab his wrist on the pressure point of the radial nerve so that he lets go of her with a small cry of pain, looking at me with shock as if only now noticing my presence. “Who the fuck are you?”
I smile at him. “Her personal protection officer, remember? Hands off if you value life and limb.”
He shakes out his wrist.
“Not now,” Kira says, glaring at me as she steps in between me and her fuck of a fiancé. She looks back at Drew, then up and down the hallway. “And we shouldn’t be doing this here. Who knows who might be listening. Come on. Walk me to my Uber. I just called it.”
Drew nods begrudgingly and glances my way with a positively hateful look. I just keep grinning at him.
We all walk down the hallway.
“Where have you even been the last week? I tried stopping by twice.”
“I messaged you and told you I was crashing with a friend.”
“You didn’t say what friend.”
Kira waves a hand, clearly frustrated. “It doesn’t matter,” she hisses. “Look, what are we going to do about what just happened?”
“Nothing,” Drew says. “I’ll deal with my father’s disappointment, like usual, and life will go on.”
I’m several paces back, pretending like I’m not listening in, and I pause when Kira does. She takes Drew’s arm again, and I see the empathy and compassion in her eyes as she looks up at him.
“Oh god, Drew, I didn’t even think. I’m so sorry. Will it be bad?”
He just shrugs, looking down at her like they’re sharing some secret.
I don’t like it. Especially when she reaches out to rub his back, and he leans into the comforting touch. It looks like an old dynamic, and I really don’t like it.
“I missed you,” he whispers, reaching out a hand to caress the side of her face.
She smiles, but it’s a sad smile. “I know.”
I want to rip his arm off, and not just because he’s touching her face. He makes her sad. He’s not worthy of her. This whole place is wrong. The fiery woman who snaps back at me and bites my head off is subdued here.
It’s my job to protect her, right? All my alarms are going off in this place. If I was doing my job, I should be punching him in the face, throwing her over my shoulder, and carrying her fireman-style the hell out of this toxic, unsafe place.
Instead, I’m forced to impotently follow behind like a watchdog. But my time will come. I can feel it.
Her fire won’t be contained for long. She’s too big for this place, too bright. You stifle a fire if you put it under a dome, and I get the idea she’s been trying to burst free for a while now. I vow that I’m gonna help in every way I know how.