The Socialite and the Bodyguard (17 page)
Read The Socialite and the Bodyguard Online
Authors: Dana Marton
She collapsed on a barstool, looked to the front door that miraculously worked again. She would have to thank Stanislav. He must have pulled some strings to get
help up here in a hurry. Nash had done a number on the frame when he’d kicked it in.
He was at the phone, ordering food—minestrone soup and fettuccini Alfredo for two. And a steak. “That’s for Tsini,” he said, then opened a bottle of red wine and poured her a glass. “Drink.”
“You’re going to spoil her rotten. How is the arm?”
“How are you?”
“I’m still having trouble taking it all in. I should have known.”
“How could you?
I
should have known. I looked at everyone but him. He was a kid. He loves you.”
“In his mind, there’s no conflict with that.” She hung her head and sniffed.
“Hey. We’ll figure this out.”
We?
She looked up in time to see him cross the kitchen, favoring his bad leg. “Did you hurt your leg, too?”
“It’s fine.”
It wasn’t. He’d probably pulled it when he’d leaped on Greg, crashing to the floor with him. “Why didn’t you say anything at the hospital?”
“I had all the prodding I could take.”
She thought of the new scar that would be added to his old ones. “You were lucky with that land mine,” she observed. She hoped that old injury wasn’t aggravated.
“Unlike Pounder,” he said under his breath, his face darkening.
She didn’t expect him to tell her more, but he said, “Bobby Smith—Pounder—and I were on the Korean border finishing up an op, tying up loose ends. Then all of a sudden Melena Milo shows up with a camera crew
in the middle of nowhere. Big celebrity, thinks she can do anything she wants. Daughter of Milan Milo, the famous producer.”
She nodded. She knew both of them.
“Her godfather is a four-star general.”
She didn’t know that.
“So, next thing we know, we’re ordered to help her with her pet project, filming the locals and the troubles they face. And she insists on filming in this patch of woods that was full of craters. The week before, a couple of kids were blown to pieces there. And I tried to talk her out of it, but she got to me.”
Probably seduced him, Kayla thought and burned with jealousy. Melena was famous for always getting what she wanted, one way or the other. She would have gone after Nash, big-time.
“She got to Bobby, too. We’d kind of had a rough morning. So there we are, readying the place for her. And one of us made one bad move. And one second later, my leg was cut to shreds. Bobby was dead.”
“And Melena got an award.” She remembered the documentary. Neither Bobby nor Nash were mentioned.
“It was a long time ago.” He came up behind her and put his arms around her. Held her without a word until the food arrived. Then he fed her. And while Tsini was gulping down her steak, Nash carried Kayla to bed.
“I don’t even have the strength to wash my face.” And she definitely didn’t have the strength to watch him walk away. Her family had been decimated. Her core team had all but disappeared.
But instead of leaving her, he lay next to her on top
of the covers and pulled her into his arms. “Give yourself a break. You’ll shower in the morning.”
That sounded good. His arms felt wonderful around her. She might not want to move, ever. He’d faced as many losses as she had, if not more. He had his own issues with trust. Had made his own mistakes. She felt that he understood her. She could be Kayla Landon, the person, with him, not her celebrity persona the rest of the world knew.
She snuggled against him. “You saved my life. Again.”
“That was the job. Have to earn my keep. And you saved mine back in Vegas. So I owed you one, anyway.”
“I love you.” God, why did she have to say that? The words just slipped out. She had no control over her emotions tonight.
Nash’s arms tightened around her. “I love you, too. I’ve been waiting all evening to tell you that. Just so you know, I’ll probably be fired for getting personally involved here. And if not, I’m going to quit. I’m ready for a new start. Maybe we could start a new team, the two of us.”
“Wait. You love me? You love me back and you’re just telling me now? Casually?” Her heart raced as she turned to him, disbelief mixing with utter pleasure.
He gave a slow grin, his eyes fast on her face, his gaze heating. His hand stole up her arm, caressing her skin, infusing her with warmth. “Women love a man of mystery,” he said.
CELEBRITY FLASH JOURNAL
Software Millionaire Marries Popcorn Princess
In the ongoing saga of the Landon family, Landon Enterprises CEO Kayla Landon married software millionaire Nash Wilder in a small private ceremony yesterday. Sources in the know suggest that before his rise to fame and fortune, Wilder might have worked for Miss Landon in a bodyguard capacity. However, this tabloid scooped them all by obtaining legal documents of Mr. Wilder’s past, which seems a tad more boring than that.
That’s right. Mr. Wilder was apparently nothing more glamorous than a computer geek, working at the same no-name company since college. That would certainly explain his acumen for picking tech investments.
Again, some people suggested that the reason for no media photos of the wedding is that Mr. Wilder’s ex-commando friends ran the event like a veritable black op. However, our publication would never endorse that sort of sensationalist, make-it-up-as-we-go journalism.
And we predict that piece of reporting will be withdrawn by next week, this time with an apology.
One tidbit had been correctly reported, however. The bride’s brother, Greg Landon, was released from a treatment facility to attend the wedding.
And, last but not least, the strangest rumor of all…A guest apparently let it slip that the groom even danced with the bride’s dog at the wedding?! Too much champagne? Go to our Web page and let us know what you think.
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Mission: Redemption
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Mission: Redemption
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Mission: Redemption
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Mission: Redemption
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Defending the Crown
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Defending the Crown