Page 31 of Untamed Protector

This woman’s going to be the bane of my existence. If she keeps acting like a teenager sneaking off to parties, I’ll have to track her 24/7.

There’s no way I’m letting anything happen to her under my watch. Fuck. It’s too late for regrets now. That’s what I get for promising Peter I’d care for her. I knew what would happen. I knew damn well this woman wouldn’t give up. She’s clearly not afraid to stir shit up like she did last night at the Casino.

A simple No, Peter, I don’t do this kind of work would’ve been enough. But I’ve been acting like a damn fool since I met her. I’ve done things for her I never would otherwise. Dominic will have a field day when he finds out she’s a client, and I’m taking her home.

I’m in Dominic’s car, driving to school. It’s a little too attention-grabbing for my current mission of staying under the radar, but I need to see the girl before Lexi’s case takes over my entire day.

According to the app, the red dot—Iris—is still at school. Perfect. I can watch her from the car for a bit before she heads home. Stella, thankfully, followed my advice. Now, Iris knows not to stay more than thirty minutes after class without calling home first.

I discreetly park across the street, choosing a spot that offers a clear view of the schoolyard. Lunchtime buzzes around me as parents and grandparents arrive for pickup, so I blend in seamlessly as I cross over to wait by the school fence.

I mimic the other parents, feigning boredom while checking my phone. The app’s red dot inches closer to the street, and I soon spot her in a group of girls. It’s been a hectic week since I last saw her, and there’s been a lot of work with the Casino event. Thankfully, Stella filled me in on everything about Iris when I gave her the usual cash envelope after Sunday service.

Iris and her friends linger by the school gate, talking and laughing. God, when did she grow up so fast? Seventeen already? I know nothing about being a parent. All I can do is make sure she never misses a thing. And I also need to look after Stella. She’s doing great at sixty-five and has been a wonderful role model for Iris, unlike her mother, who disappears for months and then reappears with a new boyfriend, usually sketchier than the last.

I also see the man in my team that I put in charge of following Iris home after school and making sure she’s safe. When he spots me, he gives me a nod. By now, he’s used to seeing me in the mornings and evenings at school.

But who’s the blonde kid carrying her backpack? Iris seems excited to see him. He looks like a jock. Hmm, that’s bad news.

I discreetly snap a picture of him walking Iris to the gate. They talk for a bit and then split off in opposite directions. He gets into a car, and I take another picture of the license plate and model. I’ll need to run a background check on this kid.

Iris heads home, my guy discreetly tailing her. The street is clearing out as parents and their cars take off. I watch the red dot on my phone moving away and wait a few more minutes to make sure she gets home. Now, it’s time to go about my business. I need to swing by Dominic’s, hand over his car, and talk about what happened last night at the Casino. And, of course, about the video of me and my new girlfriend, Lexi. Deep breaths, Gabriel, deep breaths.

***

“Hey, Gabriel,” Alice greets me. She’s the PR mastermind who handles everything for Dominic’s businesses, his right and left hand. “He’s waiting for you in the back office.”

“Sorry, Alice. Were you guys busy? Did I interrupt?” Dominic said he was meeting with Alice when I called earlier to ask the guys for an urgent Protectors’ meeting and their help with a case.

“You know us. We’re always busy with something. You and Damien are the only ones who get me kicked out of his office,” she says, smiling.

Dominic is a night owl and starts work late, even on weekdays, so I waited until after lunch to call him. Damien also agreed to meet up. He said he’d be here in an hour, giving me time to figure out how to best explain the hectic morning I’ve had with Lexi and Peter.

I promised I’d return Dominic’s sports car, even though he hardly ever uses it. He takes it out only at public events for PR purposes.

The room where I’m about to meet Dominic is secure and soundproof. It’s part of the office area upstairs, above one of his clubs, our favorite spot for sensitive meetings. My office, buzzing with employees, suppliers, and clients, wouldn’t do. I run a security business with over three hundred employees and manage over fifty retainer clients, along with some on-and-off projects. Dominic keeps his business offices in a separate building near the restaurant and kitchen. He only uses the office spaces at the club for private meetings, like our Protectors’ meetings.

“What’s up, my boy?” Dominic greets me, looking surprisingly fresh after last night. He left around two a.m. His catering staff and my guys wrapped things up at the Casino around four. I only got four hours of sleep, but I’m used to it from my Navy days.

Dominic’s the king of chill in our crew. The man can tackle anything with a smile, like he’s ordering a mojito at a beach resort. The tabloids paint him as Casanova, but Dom shrugs it off unfazed, even claiming the gossip benefits his business. His staff practically worships him, and I’m pretty sure most women who work for him secretly wish he’d kiss them at least once. We tease him about his silk shirts and designer everything, but he’s amazing at making connections in boardrooms… and other rooms, according to the tabloids. But beneath all the flash, Dominic has a heart of gold. When it comes to helping others or digging for information, that disarming smile and those baby blues turn into secret weapons.

“All good. I left your car out front,” I say as I head for the espresso machine. Dominic, a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, insists on having coffee stations in every meeting room and handles the brewing process himself. Even though I already had my morning shot, another one won’t hurt.

“Allow me,” Dominic says, moving over to the machine. “So, where were you so freaking early in the morning? I thought you were taking a day off after the Casino event. Have you been spying on Iris again?” he asks, giving me a side-eye.

A silent nod and a defeated sigh give it away. There’s no point in denying it—he knows me better than anyone.

“The day you finally face her,” Dominic says, looking at me half-concerned, “she’ll have every reason to hate you when she finds out you’ve been secretly spying on her for years.”

“Not spying, man. Stop with that shit. I’ve been protecting her. I hung out for a bit longer to ensure she was fine. She’s got a new boyfriend. That dude is just… I don’t like him. Oh, by the way, can you meet her grandma on Sunday? After church, as usual. I need to drop her some money. There’ve been some unexpected expenses with the school.”

“Jesus, Gabe. You know I don’t do mornings. Isn’t there another way?”

“Since you brought up Jesus, maybe church wouldn’t be such a bad idea for you. Come on, don’t tell me you hate all that attention from the ladies.”

“Yeah, especially grandmas. I’m sure I’ll be a hit, Gabe. Nana Stella’s already famous for having the most ridiculously good-looking gentlemen friends in her entire church group. Our level of devotion shocked even the priest. You know what? It’s fine, I’ll go. Alice needs some fresh content for our socials, anyway. A group selfie with the church ladies… now, that’ll get me viral.”

“You’re shameless, man,” I say as he flashes me a grin. I’m pretty sure I’ll get the selfie.

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