Page 6 of Bound to the Bodyguard

“Are you okay?” His concern was clear, not just in his words, but in the way his gaze searched my face for signs of distress.

“Fine,” I lied, my practiced smile slipping into place. This stranger has become my anchor in a storm I didn’t see brewing. Is it simply his duty, or is there more? And why do I care?

“Fine doesn’t usually involve a racing heart or shallow breaths.”

“Can you blame me? My world turned upside down tonight.”

“Mine too,” Jerome admitted.

“Yours?”

“Keeping you safe...”

Our eyes met again, and this time, I considered the man before me. A hint of something deeper passed between us, a recognition of mutual respect... and perhaps the stirrings of attraction.

“Let’s get you somewhere safe.”

Side by side, we walked down the corridor, the distant sounds of the gala fading behind us. With each step, the weight of my life was shifting, transforming into something new and uncertain. Yet with Jerome beside me, that uncertainty was a little less daunting.

Whoever said change is the only constant knew exactly what they were talking about. But maybe, just maybe, some constants are worth finding—even in the midst of chaos.

Chapter 4

Jerome

As I guided Raven outside into the cool night air, there was a shift in her demeanor. I stood protectively beside her. We walked along the winding path lined with blooming jasmine bushes.

“What’s wrong, Raven?”

Raven hesitated for a moment, her brow furrowed. “Someone has been sending me dark messages. It started yesterday with flowers and an eerie letter, and now tonight with this message at my table.”

My heart clenched as Raven’s words hung heavy in the night air. I scanned our surroundings, hyper-aware of every shadow and rustle of leaves.

I clenched my jaw, my mind already racing with possibilities. Someone was targeting Raven. The thought sent a chill down my spine, knowing that we were walking into a dangerous game with unknown rules.

“We need to figure out who’s behind this.”

But even as the words left my lips, I couldn’t shake the dread settling in the pit of my stomach. This was just the beginning. Stalkers didn’t normally make themselves now and then scurry off into the dark. One thing was for certain, they always came back for more.

I noticed a flicker of fear in Raven’s emerald eyes as she glanced over her shoulder, her usual confident demeanor wavering in the face of this newfound threat. The shadows seemed to stretch longer, wrapping around us like a sinister cloak as we continued down the path.

“I don’t know who could be doing this, Jerome,” Raven whispered. “But it feels like they’re watching my every move.”

My hand instinctively went to the holster hidden beneath my jacket, the weight of the gun a grim reminder of the danger lurking in the darkness. I had trained for situations like this, but nothing could prepare me for the protectiveness I felt towards Raven.

“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” I reassured her, my tone firm despite the uncertainty gnawing at my insides. “But we have to be cautious. Trust no one until we know who we’re up against.”

As we continued our walk, Raven’s steps seemed lighter than before, yet I could sense the weight of her unease pressing down on her shoulders. I kept a vigilant watch, my senses on high alert. Raven sank onto a bench, her fingers nervously tapping against her thigh.

I settled beside her, my gaze fixed on the darkness beyond the treeline. “Do you remember me?”

Raven turned to look at me, her eyes searching mine. Recognition flickered. “Jerome Dawson. From all those years ago.”

A wistful smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and for a moment, time seemed to blur as memories flooded back. I remembered the shy glances I used to steal in her direction, the unspoken words that lingered between us like an invisible thread.

“I used to have a crush on you back then,” I admitted. “I never thought I’d see you again, let alone in circumstances like these. And then there you were on the television.”

Raven’s expression softened. “You were always so quiet.”

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