Chapter 2
Kaidon
Standing in front of my staff, I release them to their weekly duties. My fellow minotaurs, Garrison and Walter, hang back as the rest of the staff head to their desks.
“What can I do you for, boys?” I say, organizing the papers on the podium.
“Well, boss, Walter and I here are going to a speed dating thing on Friday night and thought you might want to join us?”
Although I have been their employer for the last decade or so, my bullmen employees and I have been friends since we were kids.
When I started my security company, Beastly Bulwark Bodyguards, they were my first hires.
Our location on Cape Cod, and our paranormal staff, made us a quick hit with the wealthy and celebrity circles who travel here on the regular.
I think having Walter and Garrison by my side at the getgo really helped me build my business’s brand and reputation quickly.
They’re not only lifelong friends, but stellar employees.
But there’s no fucking way I am going to a speed dating event with them.
“Did you just meet me, Gar?”
Walter snorts as Garrison quickly says, “You were just saying the other night that you wished you had someone to love on, remember? Now that all three of us are in our 70s and officially middle-aged, we need to get serious about finding our one true loves.”
“That does not sound like me.”
“Well, you were pretty wasted,” Walter says with a laugh.
“Well, either way, I am definitely not interested in speed dating. I mean, would these poor women even know that there will be hulking minotaurs to talk to or will they be expecting humans? Or human-looking, like that lot out there,” I say, indicating my shifter employees sitting at their desks.
“Well, it’s for everyone,” Garrison says with a shrug.
“I’m too busy.”
“Dude, you work too much,” Walter says.
“Well, you two have fun,” before I can continue, my office manager Odessa pops her head into the meeting room.
“Boss, we have a new client. She’s pretty frazzled, so I had her sit in your office.”
“Thanks, O.”
Walking into the bullpen, I spot, through my office window, the back of a woman sitting in a chair.
Her long, white hair looks radiant, even from this distance.
Walking through the door, she jumps up to greet me.
I see her mouth moving, but the sudden buzzing in my ears is all I can hear in my head.
This woman is an absolute knockout. Tan skin, big brown eyes with long lashes, and a body that rocks curves in all the delicious places.
She offers her hand to shake, so I snap out of my stupor and take it with my own.
Instantaneously, my hand and arm feel like they are covered with an electric fire.
Her mouth continues to move, with a confused look in her eye, and I realize I’ve been standing there like a fool.
“I’m, I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“Just introducing myself. My name is Valencia Blanco.”
“Please, Ms. Blanco, take a seat. I am Kaidon Bullock, the owner of Beastly Bulwark Bodyguards. What can I do you for?”
“Well, I recently inherited a substantial sum of money from my grandmother. Multi-millions. And suddenly an abusive ex has turned back up in my life, demanding to marry me or receive half of it in order to leave me alone.”
“Abusive? Like physical abuse?”
“Verbal. But, honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he could go there.”
My entire body fills with a protective anger at this faceless piece-of-shit. How dare he threaten Valencia in any way. Immediately, I know I will be the one to stop him from this harassment.
A knock on my door brings Odessa once again.
“Boss, I just want to remind you that you have that meeting in city hall. You need to leave in five if you don’t want to be late.”
“Oh, crap, that’s right,” I say, turning my attention to the curvy Latina staring at me with her warm eyes, “Ms. Blanco, we can finish the intake tomorrow when I have time to fully go into details with you. In the meantime, I am going to assign one of my bodyguards to be with you today and tonight. After the intake tomorrow, I’ll have a better idea of your needs. ”
Guiding her out to the bullpen, I bring her over to Alastor’s desk.
“Hey, Al, I need you to drop everything and be by Ms. Blanco’s side today. I’ll assign one of the other guys to cover her through the night, got it?”
“Uh, yeah, no problem, Kaidon.”
“Ms. Blanco, you will be in excellent hands with Alastor for today. I look forward to speaking with you further tomorrow.”
The foxy goddess nods her head and takes the seat by my employee’s desk. I walk back to my office to grab my keys and wallet before heading to city hall. Turning to leave, I see Alastor followed me.
“Boss, I know that you have a lot on your plate. I can take her full intake, instead, and be the point person for her case.”
A rage of unexpected possessiveness comes over me.
“Nope. I’m the point person. You just do a good job protecting her today, you got it?”
Giving me a curious look, Alastor says, “Uh, sure. You got it, boss.”