Her Billionaire Bodyguard Bridegroom (21 page)

“I’ll stay on the sidelines. I won’t get in your way.”

“Even if I were to agree, I don’t have ground transportation. It was quicker to get here by air. I know you’re terrified of flying, so my plan was to rescue you and then wait in a safe spot until the reinforcements Liz is sending arrive. I thought you could travel back with one of them. The only transportation option we have until backup gets here is my helicopter.”

“You’re a pilot, too?”

“I’m a man of many talents,” he grinned.

“Then why don’t we stop debating this and go after my kidnapper?”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“If I agree, you’re not to leave the helicopter until I subdue this guy. Is that understood?”

“Understood,” she agreed. “Let’s do this.”

Luke led her to the clearing where he’d left the chopper and helped her on board. Squeezing her hand in reassurance, he lifted off. It wasn’t long before they spotted the black jeep tearing down the gravel road at breakneck speed.

“I’m going to buzz low in front of him. It’s a gravel road, so the turbulence from the chopper blades will kick up the dirt and impair his visibility. He’ll be forced to slow down.”

“Then what?”

“I’m going to hand the stick over to you. All you have to do is hold it steady while I shoot out one of his tires. It’ll be a piece of cake.”

“Right. Piece of cake . . .” she repeated doubtfully.

Still, she found herself following his instructions while Luke took aim at the truck. One well-placed shot later, the vehicle came to a jarring halt on the side of the road and Luke took the controls back from her damp hands.

“You did great,” he told her proudly, putting the chopper down in front of the truck and blocking the driver’s escape. “Stay here. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to disembark, okay?”

Glowing from his praise, she nodded, flashing a thumbs-up. She watched as he made his way to the disabled truck and subdued the dazed kidnapper, then handcuffed him to the steering wheel.

She’d promised to wait for Luke’s signal, but the need to be wrapped in his arms was too strong an urge to ignore. She was about to break the rules and ignore his request that she stay put when he finally signaled it was okay to come to him.

He didn’t have to tell her twice. She was at his side and wrapped in his arms in a heartbeat.

“It’s over,” she breathed.

“This part is. But you’re still at risk, and in need of protection, until we nab Mendacci,” Luke cautioned. “I’ve phoned an update into Liz, and the police are on their way. Parker is just fifteen minutes out from us. He’ll take you back.”

“I’d rather stay with you.”

“That means making the trip home in the helicopter. Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I kind of liked flying! So, what happens next?”

“If Donovan isn’t cleared for duty, Liz will assign another agent to you until the effects of that cocktail you served him wear off. And the police will need to take a statement from you regarding your kidnapping.”

Donovan was a good man, and she was sure the entire Sentinels stable of agents were top notch, but she didn’t want any of them assigned to guard her. She wanted Luke. She wanted to tell him so, but she already knew what his answer would be.

“Are you
sure
I still need protection?” she asked instead.

“I’m afraid so. Hopefully our friend here will provide the evidence the authorities need to nail Mendacci. Don’t worry. It won’t be long now. We’re tightening the noose around that dirtbag’s neck. You’ll be safe soon.”

Brianna hugged Luke tighter, framing his face with her hands. “I’m already safe—with you.”

Their prisoner scoffed loudly.

“I hate to burst your bubble,” he barked, “but I don’t know anyone named Mendacci, and I’m not taking the fall for anything he might have done. I was hired by a man named Hutchings.”

Brianna drew in a swift, shocked breath. “
Peter
Hutchings?”

“Yeah. He said you were a walking gold mine. He told me your old man was filthy rich. He said he’d pay a fortune for you.”

“Oh my God. I knew Peter was irrational, but I never guessed he would be capable of something like this.”

“Did you orchestrate the bombing for him, too?” Luke demanded.

“Whoa,” he spat, shaking his head in denial. “I don’t know anything about a bombing. I was hired to kidnap the woman. I’m not taking the fall for anything else. Hutchings said we’d split the ransom money fifty-fifty. This afternoon the bastard started waffling. He’d decided he was only going to give me forty percent of the take. I got the impression he didn’t care what I did with your lady afterward.”

Brianna shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t understand any of this. A man died today trying to share information that could help my father. Someone shot him because of what he knew.”

“I promise you we’ll find the people responsible. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

The screaming of sirens in the near distance announced the authorities’ arrival. Luke gave them a rundown on the situation, and the officers took their statements.

“What will happen to him?” Brianna asked later, when the police drove off with the kidnapper.

“Your captor will be behind bars for quite a while. And since his statement provides enough impetus for a warrant to be issued for your ex-fiancé’s arrest, Peter will be looking at some serious jail time right along with him.”

“Peter is a very sick man. I can’t believe I didn’t see that.”

“He didn’t want you to see it. But he won’t ever bother you again, not after I get through with him. And until Mendacci is behind bars, you’ll have twice the protection, because regardless of who Liz assigns to watch over you, I’m not leaving your side.”

Brianna’s heart leaped with joy at his proclamation, and at the desire that darkened his eyes.

“I don’t have a problem with that,” she beamed.

“Good. You should know I plan on sticking around after this is all over, if you’ll let me. I was wrong to walk away from you, and I regret I wasn’t honest with you about why I did.” He paused, raking a hand through his hair. “I didn’t share the whole story about what happened with Tanya. Her death wasn’t an accident. She was murdered because she was involved with some dangerous people, and she made some bad decisions. I’d warned her about the company she was keeping. She assured me she’d stay clear of them, but she lied. If I hadn’t been so busy pulling away from her, I would have known she was still involved with them. She’d still be here today.

“I didn’t want my lack of judgment to impact you the way it did Tanya, so when I realized I was letting my emotions get in the way again, I asked Liz to assign someone else to your detail. Only this time I couldn’t be effective because I cared too much, not too little. I’d fallen in love with you, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to make objective decisions where you were concerned.

“Being away from you forced me to look at Tanya’s murder more clearly, and I finally came to the realization there was nothing I could have done to change the course she was on. I couldn’t have saved her, because I couldn’t make her decisions for her.”

He gave Brianna’s hands a tender squeeze before dropping to one knee on the dusty ground.

“I want to spend a lifetime protecting you. Loving you. You own my heart completely and irrevocably. Will you marry me, Bree?”

The yearning in his eyes left no room for doubt as to the sincerity of his intentions and the depth of his love for her. She’d cherish the memory of this moment forever, and someday she’d share it with their children and grandchildren.

But first she needed to put the man out of his misery.

“Yes!” she exclaimed, choking back tears as her heart overflowed with love for him and joy for the precious gift of his heart he’d just laid at her feet.

“Say it again,” he breathed. “I need to hear it again.”

“Yes!” She repeated with a delighted laugh. “Yes, yes, yes!”

He lost it then, echoing her litany of affirmations on a breath that was half sob, half ecstatic wonder. And then he was scooping her up into his arms to spin her around in celebration.

Setting her down, he kissed her long and hard. Reluctantly abandoning her mouth, he slipped a small box out of his jacket pocket.

“Let’s make this official before you change your mind.”

He opened the lid, and a breathtaking diamond winked back at her.

“But how?” she asked in wonder.

“I had the ring with me when I went to see you tonight. I was going to propose, but instead I found you’d run off.”

“You were pretty sure of yourself, weren’t you?” she teased, her heart bursting with love.

“Sure of
us
. We were meant to be, you and I. I knew you’d eventually see that. Hoped you would,” he told her with brutal candor.

“I’ve loved you from the moment we met,” she sighed. “I didn’t want to acknowledge I’d lost my heart to you, because I didn’t want to lose you if you didn’t feel the same way. I was afraid to admit my feelings for you, but I’m not afraid anymore.”

“And you never have to be afraid again. I’ll always be by your side.”

“My very own private protector,” she beamed through tears of joy.

And later, as Luke guided the chopper up into the star-speckled sky, her heart soared, too. Her sexy, billionaire bodyguard would soon be her bridegroom. She was embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, with the man she loved at her side.

I hope you enjoyed Luke and Brianna’s journey to their happily ever after. There are more romantic adventures featuring the brave men and women at the Sentinels Agency to come! Frank and Stefanie’s story,
His Captivating Confidante
, is up next. 

Though each book in the Secret Sentinels series can be read as a stand-alone, the stories are also interconnected. The novels share a common thread, following the Sentinels agents as they seek to bring Lawrence Mendacci to justice. And, of course, they find love along the way!   

You can keep tabs on upcoming books by visiting my website at
www.lisaweaverromance.com
, where you can also sign up for my free newsletter.

If you enjoyed
Her Billionaire Bodyguard Bridegroom
, I would so appreciate it if you would leave a review at Amazon or Goodreads to let others know about it.

Thanks for reading!

Lisa

Also by Lisa Weaver

The Billionaire’s Bodyguard Bride

Bodyguard Lauren Reynolds grew up lying to survive, while billionaire Rafe Dimitriou was raised to uphold a strict code of honor. The hot billionaire's most formidable competitor isn't as scrupulous. When a problematic caveat stands between him and victory against his nemesis, Rafe is forced to corner Lauren into marriage. 

Knowing Lauren will do anything for the brother who raised her, Rafe demands she play the role of his wife so he can best his rival in the bidding war. He's the new owner of the magazine her brother works for, and he threatens to destroy her only sibling's career if she doesn't agree to his proposal.  

Lauren capitulates, but not because Rafe has her up against a wall. Her motivation is far more compelling than family loyalty. She's been assigned to covertly protect Rafe in the wake of threats made against the Dimitriou family. Lauren knows, as his wife, she'll have the perfect opportunity to watch over him without arousing his suspicion. She'll guard him with her life, but who will protect her heart?

I am so very grateful to all the wonderful people who helped make this book possible. Topping the list of the awesome individuals who brought this book to life are the fabulous Kindle Scouts who took the time to sample
Her Billionaire Bodyguard Bridegroom
during its campaign period. Thank you for placing your faith in a newbie novelist.

I am also indebted to the incredible Caroline Carr and her fabulous Kindle Press team. Thanks for believing in me and this project! The time and energy you poured into it gave it wings! Thanks, also, to my amazing copyeditor Stacee Gravelle Lawrence for turning this rough-cut stone of a manuscript into a polished gem. Any flaws that remain are solely a result of my stubborn artistic idiosyncrasies.

A special shout out to the incredibly supportive Kindle Scout authors and all of my author friends who selflessly shared their time and talent to help develop a fledgling writer. Your encouragement made all the difference in the world! As did the tireless support of the man who is the inspiration behind all of my fictional heroes, my husband Duane. Thanks for fueling the dream!

Last, but by no means least, I am enormously grateful to the uber-talented Jimmy Thomas of RomanceNovels.com and gifted cover artist Ramona Lockwood. What a dynamic duo! Jimmy’s gorgeously romantic image, paired with Ramona’s special blend of cover artistry magic, captured the essence of this story perfectly.

Lisa Weaver loves living in Maine, although she occasionally fantasizes about moving to a locale with milder temperatures. On the upside, the long, cold winters give her plenty of time to plot her next romance.