Chapter 14
Fourteen
SLOANE
Idon’t think I’d ever been more grateful to Walker than when he told me to wait inside the cottage while he disposed of the rat. First, he’d taken photographs, then he did his thing. As soon as it was gone, I scrubbed the entrance until the door shone.
One of my neighbors walked by, giving me a weird look as I cleaned. I smiled shakily, not wanting anyone to know the truth and hoping we were the first to see the rat. “Tripped and spilled my Diet Coke all over the door,” I lied.
My neighbor gave me an understanding smile and walked on by.
By the time I’d finished washing and disinfecting and getting rid of the dirty sponge and water, Walker returned.
I heard the cottage door open and close as I removed the rubber gloves.
“Just me,” Walker called in reassurance.
I hurried out of the kitchen. He stood staring, his vivid eyes searching my face. A powerful rush of longing swept over me. I wanted to run to him, to feel his strong arms around me. To feel safe.
Swallowing back the emotion, I asked, “What did you do with it?”
“Threw it into the woods for another animal to take care of.” Walker gestured to the kitchen. “Need to wash my hands.”
Our only bathroom was upstairs, so I stepped aside to let him use the kitchen sink. “Go for it.”
When he strode past, I briefly closed my eyes against the urge to touch him, to whisper his name and plead with him to hold me. Instead, I watched as he stood at my kitchen sink, looking mammoth in the small room as he scrubbed his hands clean.
An ache spread through my chest, imagining him here because he wanted to be here with me. Not because Brodan had solicited him to protect me.
“Do you want a coffee?” I asked quietly.
“I don’t drink coffee after noon,” he shared, turning to look at me. “I drink tea.”
That little slice of information made me smile, despite the circumstances. “Would you like tea?”
“I’ll make it. You sit.”
“No. I need something to do.” I strode into the kitchen, sharing the space with him, scenting his expensive cologne, feeling the heat of him so close.
What was it about impending danger that made you want to jump the nearest sexiest guy for a little fun-time distraction?
Yeah, keep telling yourself that’s all it is.
“Walker?” I asked, my back to him as I opened the cupboard where I kept the tea bags.
“Aye?”
“I’m going to tell you things only a handful of people know.
” At his silence, I glanced over my shoulder.
Walker leaned against the opposite counter, arms crossed over his powerful chest, ankles crossed too.
Waiting. Patient. “What’s your background?
I’m not asking for super personal information.
I just want to know … how did you become a bodyguard? ”
With a slight exhale of breath, Walker pushed off the counter and came to my side. I tensed as he reached for my hands until I realized he was taking the box of tea from me. It was then I noted how badly my hands trembled.
“It’s all right,” Walker reassured, eyes on me even as he began making tea for us both. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Or Callie.”
Tears burned my eyes. But I needed to know if that was true. If he could truly protect us. And I know I had no right to interrogate a man who offered his services without asking for payment … but I was scared.
As if he read all of that in my face, Walker gave me a small nod as he filled the mugs with hot water. “Tea bag in or out?”
“Out.”
A few seconds later, he handed me a hot mug.
“Keep that between your hands. It’ll help with the jitters.
” Then he gestured with a tip of his head toward the living room and began speaking as I followed him toward the sofa.
“As I told you, I’m a trained martial artist. I started training in jujitsu at ten years old.
I was the Scottish junior champion at sixteen.
At seventeen, I joined the Royal Marines Commandos.
I kept up jujitsu through my service and still attend a class every week in Thurso.
In that way, I’ve known self-defense since I was a child.
Yet I consider that training basic compared to what I learned in the marines.
“I was in for ten years. In the first six, after training in simulated warfare in extreme conditions, I was deployed to Afghanistan on operations.” He spoke with matter-of-factness.
No emotion. Like he hadn’t fought in a freaking war.
“After those operations, I joined 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group. Its primary mission is to prevent unauthorized access to the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
We also conducted specialist maritime security tasks throughout the world. ”
Holy crap. So, he was like … super commando.
“Four years after I joined 43 Commando, an ex-marine friend recruited me to join his close protection security team in the US. We provided close protection for politicians and celebrities and high-profile businesspeople and their families. I’ve faced real-time threats to the people under my protection, and no one has ever been hurt or killed on my watch.
Brodan hired through the company, but he and I got along, and he needed a permanent bodyguard.
I’ve been his private security for the last six years.
” He sipped his tea, observing my reaction to all of this.
“Sloane, I don’t say this out of arrogance.
There are very few people as well equipped to protect you as I am. ”
His confidence, lacking in arrogance, was the sexiest thing ever. It was shocking that I felt that little twist of need low in my belly when I was in the middle of a crisis. But there I was. All turned on by Walker’s … well, by everything that was Walker.
“So, you’re a badass.” I grinned, trying to free myself of the sexual tension I hoped he couldn’t sense.
Walker’s stony expression cracked a little. “I’m the biggest fucking badass out there, and anyone who thinks they can terrorize you is going to wish they were dead by the time I’m done with them.”
It took everything within me not to jump him.
To throw myself in his arms and start kissing that hard mouth into softness.
I knew it wasn’t particularly modern of me to get turned on by such overt masculinity, but I was a woman and he was all man …
and I wanted to taste what it was like to be with him.
Suddenly, in that moment, I wondered why I didn’t go for it.
My body reacted to Walker like it had never reacted to anyone, ever.
Just because Walker was Mr. Commitment-Phobe didn’t mean I shouldn’t make a move on the guy.
Why pass up the chance at what I was guessing would be incredible sex, because that’s all it would ever be?
That was more than most people got! Did I really want to go through my entire life not knowing what it was like to have sex with a man who turned me on like Walker did? Just because it would be temporary?
No. I didn’t.
With rats being pinned to my door and whatnot, I actually didn’t have time for a relationship.
I did have time for Walker to fuck the tension out of me.
Yup. I was going to do it.
I was going to seduce Walker Ironside into a casual sex arrangement.
His eyes narrowed. “You look flushed. Are you okay?”
Flushing even deeper, I squirmed in my seat. Merely having inappropriate revelations in the middle of a threat to my life. I semi-lied to cover my thoughts. “I’m preparing myself to tell you about my past, and, uh, I’m not proud of some of it.”
Walker’s expression softened ever so slightly. “Sloane, we all have shit in our past we’re not proud of. I don’t judge.”
I believed him. My earlier thoughts of seduction dissipated under the reality of the moment, and my hand trembled as I took a sip of tea.
Embarrassed by my shaking, I lowered the mug to the coffee table and squeezed my hands between my thighs.
Staring straight ahead, feeling his probing gaze on my cheek, I took a shuddering breath.
“I was sixteen when I got pregnant with Callie. Seventeen when I had her. I was only a kid. I was a rich kid in Beverly Hills, pissed off at Dearest Daddy for marrying a bitch who wanted to pretend like I didn’t exist.”
“Where was your mother?”
I looked at Walker. “She died. I was eight. She … scared me a little. Her moods were erratic, and I couldn’t trust her.
One day she’d be all over me like I was the greatest thing that ever happened to her, and the next my dad would find her screaming at me to stay away from her, that I’d ruined her life.
She’s the reason I’m claustrophobic. She locked me in a closet for five hours. ”
“Fucking hell,” Walker muttered.
I smirked sadly. “It was like another life, it was such a small part of mine. She died of an accidental overdose.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I have a lot of guilt about it.” I shrugged, my gut churning at the thought.
“Because things were better once she was gone. Dad was—is—a big-time lawyer to the stars. Busy a lot. We threw parties at our house. Celebrity never fazed me because of it. Even though he was away often, I never felt unloved. He was involved in every part of my life. Wanted to hear about everything, from stupid, petty arguments with friends to my academics.” Pain twisted in my chest. “He was my everything. And I wanted to make him proud. I worked hard at school, I did extracurricular stuff, athletics. I did it all. Then when I was fifteen, he met my stepmom, Perry. She’s half his age, and I thought she was a gold-digger. ” I looked at Walker for his reaction.
He nodded subtly for me to continue.
No judgment.