Page 14 of Bound to the Bodyguard

My shoulder hitched, as if caught off guard by the personal nature of the question. “Family, yes, but they understand the importance of what I do.”

“Must be hard, them not knowing if you’ll come home at the end of a job.”

“Occupational hazard,” I replied, but there was a warmth in my tone now, a crack in the armor. “They’re proud of me. That makes it easier.”

“Sounds like they’ve got a lot to be proud of.”

I battled conflicting emotions. Memories of our past came flying in my mind, reminding me of a time when our paths had intertwined in a different setting. Despite the years that passed, my crush on raven didn’t fade, but I knew better than to let personal feelings cloud my judgement right now.

Professional boundaries. It was important to maintain a strictly professional relationship with Raven. Our history added another layer of complexity to the current arrangement, but I was determined to stay focused on the task at hand. I was here to protect her, to ensure her safety in the face of unknown threats. No matter how tempting it might be to let my guard down and succumb to the familiar pull toward her, I had to remain steadfast in my resolve.

Chapter 9

Raven

Agreen smoothie sounded perfect right now. I headed toward the state-of-the-art kitchen, where a blender awaited my daily ritual. “And then those lines for next week’s scenes.”

My routine was a well-oiled machine, reflective of the discipline that catapulted me from modest beginnings to Hollywood royalty. As I sipped the verdant liquid, rich with the taste of kale and spirulina, savoring the solitude before the day’s commitments pulled me into their relentless tide.

The sharp ring of the telephone shattered the tranquility of my home office. The sound sliced through the morning calm like a warning siren. I sat down my glass and strode toward the office, bare feet pattering against the floor.

“Probably just another script offer,” I whispered, trying to convince myself more than anyone else. My hand hesitated above the receiver before snatching it up. “Raven Fields speaking.”

Silence greeted me at first, an eerie void that prickled the skin at the back of my neck. Then came the voice, distorted and chilling, its words slithering into my ear like a malevolent serpent.

“Good morning. I do hope you’re enjoying the sunshine.”

“Who is this?” I glanced around, even though I was alone.

“Does it matter? I’m someone who can’t stop thinking about you.”

“Listen, if this is some kind of joke—”

“Shh,” the voice interrupted, its mock tenderness belying an undercurrent of threat. “Jokes are meant to make people laugh. I’m not sure you’ll find this funny at all.”

My grip on the receiver tightened, knuckles blanching. I took a measured breath, fighting to maintain my composure. “I’m hanging up now. Don’t call here again.”

“Ah, but I will, Raven. Again and again.” The line went dead, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.

I slowly replaced the receiver, mind racing. This wasn’t the first call, and the unsettling realization that someone was watching me, obsessing over me, sent a shiver down my spine.

Stay calm. You can handle this. But even as I spoke the words, the seed of unease planted by the caller’s voice took root, threatening to grow into full-blown fear. Not here. Not in my sanctuary.

I stalked through the marble hallways of my mansion, the echo of footsteps a stark reminder of the silence. The unsettling calls chipped away at my peace, but I refused to buckle under the weight.

Whoever you are, it’s going to take more than creepy phone calls to scare me. My fingers trailed along the smooth surface of the grand piano in the lounge, a symbol of the life I’d built with sheer determination.

The quietness throughout the house was eerie. I entered the home office once again, determined to focus on the script awaiting my attention so I could lose myself in a role that didn’t involve being the target of some anonymous harasser. Picking up the pages, I tried to immerse myself in the world of the character, but the words blurred before my eyes.

Concentrate. You’re Raven Fields, for heaven’s sake. You’ve faced bigger challenges than this.

The ring of the phone sliced through the quiet like a knife, startling me so intensely that the script fluttered from my hands to the floor. A moment of hesitation gripped me, a silent battle between my instinct to ignore it and the inexorable pull of curiosity.

“Hello?”

Silence. Not even the sound of breathing—just an oppressive, empty void that seemed to stretch out indefinitely. My heart thudded painfully. I should hang up, but something compelled me to speak into the void.

“Who is this? What do you want from me?” I waited. “Alright, you’ve had your fun. I’m not playing these games.” But as the silence persisted, my bravado faltered. There was no response, no derisive chuckle or whispered threat, yet I felt the presence on the other end of the line—an unspoken menace that left my skin crawling.

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