Page 24 of Protecting Hailey

I smiled. “Exactly. So, we’re both going to get up from this beach and move forward with our lives, forgetting what happened in the past.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Did you tell me that story so I’d realize that I shouldn’t dwell on my own mistakes?”

My lips twitched. “Would you believe me if I said yes?”

She laughed and punched me in the shoulder. “You’re either a good liar or the worst sort of therapist.”

“I’m neither. I’m just the bodyguard.”

She ran her fingers through her hair and smiled. “Yes. And I’m very grateful for it.”

We sat side by side on the beach, listening to the waves crash against the shore. The water was always cooler on the west coast, especially in the spring.

“I’m ready to go back home now,” she said, staring out into the ocean. “I feel calmer now.”

Shaking the sand off my wool pants, I straightened and stretched my hand out to her. Placing her hand in mine, I noticed her long red fingernails on my skin. It was an enticing vision that I quickly shook off. She sneezed and then groaned.

“Ah. I’m going to kill Trey for getting me sick.”

After slapping the last bits of sand off of my suit jacket, I wrapped it around her shoulders. “Let’s get you home,” I said and smothered my smile as I imagined her wringing the boy’s neck.

***

Hailey had been sleeping since we returned from the beach four hours ago. I checked on her twice, but her soft snores from her stuffed-up nose reassured me she was just tired.

My phone chimed, and an email popped up on the screen. Finally! The background checks I filed for Hailey’s employees came through. I walked through the white foyer and into the study on the right. Hailey assured me that she never used this room so I could set up my computer there.

After my laptop booted up, I scrolled through the reports. I checked the boyfriend’s history first. His record was clean, no charges, no arrests, nothing. I couldn’t even find a speeding ticket on the guy. That made me more suspicious. Either this guy made no mistakes or he had someone very good and very expensive clean them up for him quickly. I was sure it was the latter.

Hailey’s publicist, Sam, also had no charges or arrest, as well as her social media manager Ingrid. Ingrid’s employment history was very short, but she was young and that was expected.

Frankie, her manager, and Tessa, her producer, on the other hand, weren’t as clean. I zoomed in to read all the details. Tessa had a long list of arrests and a few of the drug charges stuck. She wasn’t dealing, but she was caught a few times in possession. Fortunately, she had a good lawyer or a lenient judge because she got out of them without much jail time other than an overnight stay.

Frankie’s report wasn’t as long as Tessa’s, but he had been charged six years ago with assault and served six months in prison. I leaned back in my chair and considered the information. Frankie had served his time, so I wouldn’t hold it against him. But if he punched the shit out of someone once, would he be more likely to do it again? Would he hit a woman? I knew not to judge people for their past actions, but I would keep an eye on him and watch how he treated Hailey. I wouldn’t mention anything to her yet. I had nothing to go on other than his past.

My phone barked, and it was Will. “Hey, brother, what’s happening?”

“Hey, nothing much. Just checking to see how you’re settling in with the new assignment.”

I rolled my eyes at his obvious attempt to determine if I was all right. “All good, Will. I just received the background checks and started reviewing them now.”

“Good. Good. And, um, how are you doing?”

I chuckled. “I’m fine. Really. And since you’re insisting, I’ll say you were right. I just needed to get back on that horse again. It feels good to be focused on the job. There was just one little hiccup in the beginning, but it’s all good now.”

“Hiccup? What hiccup?”

“Oh, I put Hailey in a headlock the first night.”

“What!” Will shouted. “What did you do that for?”

“I thought she was an intruder. It was a good thing I’d left my gun downstairs or she may have pissed her pants like her boyfriend did when I pulled my gun on him.”

“You shot her boyfriend? Oh. My. God.”

“I did not shoot her boyfriend, man. Calm the fuck down. I only put a gun to his head and made him piss himself.” I smiled at the memory.

“Fuck, Christian. I think I was wrong. I don’t think you’re ready to be on the job.”

---