14. Rhett
Rhett
A na is studying in her room when I’m called to meet her father.
Senator Kinsley won the presidential debate in Cali last week and his campaign has been thriving since.
I haven’t stopped thinking about that trip.
Specifically, the image of Ana in her bikini and how irresistible she looked playing volleyball.
She looked so good I’m envious not to have been a spectator instead.
When she kissed me in the water I came close to abandoning all thought and reason with her.
If she hadn’t swam away so fast ... I don’t know what I might have done.
We didn’t speak of it, and I hate that I’m tormented with the thought she either regrets it or it meant nothing.
I can’t decide what’s worse. I need to be keeping Ana at arm’s length even though my resistance is weakening.
She’s pushing every boundary and moral I set against her, shortening the distance I should keep from her.
I can only hope she’s come to her senses again.
A little bird would not survive in my world.
Senator Kinsley is sitting behind his desk focused on his computer when I’m granted permission to enter.
I don’t hold the best respect for anyone in politics when I’ve seen the most vile side of corruption through these very roots.
I’m starting to admire Ana’s father, but perhaps my admiration is swayed by her influence.
So I’m praying my work here over and above protecting his daughter won’t turn up anything that’ll make him my enemy.
“The fall charity carnival is happening next week. My campaign team will have a stall, and we think it would be good for our image if Anastasia attends. To show participation, community, and kindness.”
In other words, he wants to use his daughter once again to make himself look good.
It’s not often the running presidents’ children are active in their campaigns, but Ana and the annoying thorn that is Adam Sullevan are of ideal age and have been making a great impact already.
I can see why continuing their involvement has the potential to sway people’s votes.
Anastasia is in every way fit to be America’s Darling, winning hearts with her smile, her charm, and her easy nature that makes everyone fall.
“Have you asked her, sir?” I hedge.
She doesn’t like attention or spotlight. This carnival might be okay since she won’t be placed on a stage or have the focus on her. And she’ll have me.
“Not yet. I wanted to get your approval as her security. To keep her relatable to the people, we’re hoping you’ll be comfortable being her only guard.”
Comfortable? I’m fucking ecstatic that he trusts me so highly with his daughter.
“Of course. Anastasia’s safety is my highest concern and greatest privilege.”
The senator smiles—a smile that dances the line between personal and professional, and I should be rejoicing.
Everything is going to plan. It’s slow work, but if I manage to find what I need it’ll be fucking worth it.
Without sounding like a sad, pining fool, part of me already finds this whole thing worth it to have found a small light in the darkness that’s shrouded me for three years.
The senator’s intercom buzzes and his assistant’s voice chimes through. “There’s a delivery for you, sir.”
His ruddy skin pulls together on his brow. He wasn’t expecting the interruption.
“You’ll have to excuse me, Agent Kaiser. I’ll only be a moment and then we can straighten out the details.”
I nod and watch his back as he leaves. The moment the doors click shut, I glance up at the security camera in the corner of the room just as the green light tuns off.
“We’ve only got six minutes at best,” Rix says in my ear.
“I only need three,” I reply, already around the other side of the desk, filtering through the files. One cabinet is locked. “Make that four.”
Bending, I make quick work with my lock-picking kit.
Twenty seconds. Not my best.
The victorious click is fucking music to my ears.
I find a lot of highly confidential shit. Presidential schedules, voting predictions, contacts. Nothing that stands out as nefarious, however. I’m growing beyond frustrated to be continuously turning up nothing.
“Three minutes, Kaiser,” Rix warns.
“Self-proclaimed best hacker and you can only stall the cameras for six minutes?”
“Self-proclaimed best lockpick and it took you thirty seconds?”
“Twenty. Your counting needs work.”
He grunts down the phone. “Try finding someone else who can even hack into them in the first place. It took me well over a week!”
That’s torture to someone who can typically hack a surveillance system within an hour.
I smirk, only teasing him as a distraction from my adrenaline. Keeps me focused. Pulling out a folder for the probable vice president, Gregory Forbes, I take my phone out and snap a picture of his profile, then one of his background. We’ve already looked into him, but I can’t shake my suspicion.
“Uh-oh, never mind the cameras. Little bird is flying, and she’s about to bust your ass in twenty seconds.”
Shit. I slam the drawer shut and just manage to lock it again in time.
Ana stumbles as she enters, and I’m just coming around the edge of the desk, perhaps marginally too far around it for her not to speculate, when she catches me.
“Finished your studies?” I ask, leaning against the other side of it and folding my arms.
She’s too damn observant—an invaluable asset, albeit a hindrance to my sleuthing—and for a second I think she’s about to ask what I was doing.
“Where’s my father?”
“He stepped out.”
Ana looks across to the other door, and I want desperately to know what she’s thinking. Puzzling.
“He must really trust you,” she says, but her tone doesn’t release me from suspicion. “He doesn’t even like me lingering in here alone.”
“Have you been saying nice things about me?”
She huffs a playful laugh, enticing me with those stunning hazel eyes. “I’m not to make your job easy, remember?”
“I’m still waiting for the challenge, little bird.”
She bites her lip, and the thoughts I’ve had of her because of it are thinning my resistance.
My fingers clench around the edge of the desk.
How pretty she would look bent over it with her ass bare for me.
Something tells me she’d enjoy the depravity, that she’d fuck me hard with all the passion she bottles up inside.
I stand straight, subtly adjusting myself at my sinful thoughts. Letting her hear them would likely have me transferred.
She says, “The worst is yet to come, Agent.”
I fucking bet. She’s going to drive me to madness.
Perhaps I’m already there, though I’m supposed to be fully committed to my alternate mission here.
Yet she occupies more of my headspace that I care to admit.
I worry about her. I’ve made the mistake of caring about her.
More than what’s necessary in my post as her guard.
“Do you have something in store for me today?” I ask.
A flush colors her cheeks and I want to trace my fingers along it.
Every thought I have of her isn’t without a crash of guilt from the ghost of my past, but I decide I deserve the pain.
Maybe I even enjoy it. I haven’t felt this alive in three years.
So I feed my insatiable hunger over her piece by piece, like sadistic torture.
“Not exactly. I came to ask if you want to watch a movie with me. If I have to keep reading about the history of the American language tonight I might go insane.”
“We can’t have that,” I say, gravitating closer. “As your guard, I insist you take the night off to avoid risk.”
She doesn’t know what she’s doing to me with those eyes. Holding me as if she’s casting some damn spell in them and has me at her utter mercy.
“It’s my turn to guess,” she says in a tone so low and seductive but just subtle enough. “You look like an action movie kind of guy. Does it count as training if you watch crime in movies?”
I chuckle. Fuck, I want to pull her to me with the way she riles a thrill in me.
“Does it count as experience if you watch sex in movies?”
“I don’t think anyone would have a good sex life if their expectations were based on movies.”
I change the subject, at risk of getting rock-hard. There would be no disguising it in these suit pants. She’s a sinful temptation.
“It’s fall. Are you afraid of scary movies? I promise to check under your bed before you sleep.”
She gives an adorable scoff. “I’m surprised you don’t already.”
I ease a devious smile, which makes her lips part and her eyes widen a fraction.
“No, you don’t . . .”
I merely shrug, not bothering to confirm or deny.
Just then the senator returns, doing a double-take at the sight of Ana before his cheeks split with a father’s grin.
“I’m glad you’re here, Anastasia,” he says, sitting back in his chair with a new set of papers I try to catch a glimpse of.
Rix might have better luck through the cameras if he manages to hold a feed.
“I was just talking to Agent Kaiser about you attending the state fall carnival where we have a campaign booth.”
She crosses her arms. “What if I don’t want to go?”
“I won’t force you, but it would be very advantageous to have you seen more. Appeal to the people. This campaign will be tight and we could use all the help we can get.”
Ana relaxes with a sigh. She doesn’t want to go, not if she’s to be a public figure there, but her close relationship with her father has always been evident. She wants him to win this election no matter what it means for her.
“Fine. I’ll go. But only because I’m craving cotton candy and popcorn.”
I don’t know when it started to happen, but my heart reacts to this woman’s every whim.