Page 4 of Elliot

Maya opened her tablet and was reading her email when she slipped. The elevator door pinged as it opened, diverting her attention, and she lost her balance.

Elliot was not impressedwith the building’s security. He merely mentioned he was there to see Maya Callahan, and he was let through the lobby and directed to her floor—after hours when most of her staff would not be present. That would change immediately. He noticed the cameras. They were pointed at the reception desk, not at the elevators. Again, a correction would have to be made. When he entered the elevator’s car, he looked at all four walls and corners. No surveillance. Another grainof irritation and more work to add to the mounting tasks that would need to be completed immediately.

The elevator door opened at the floor where his primary was located. As he took a step out, his mind and body reacted, and he lunged forward with his arms outstretched. A woman wearing incredibly high heels slipped, and her tablet flew up in the air. He slid his arms under her head and shoulders, controlling the fall as much as possible as they landed on the marble floor with a resounding thud.

Elliot’s elbows shouted in discomfort as they took much of the impact of the fall. “Are you all right?” he rasped out in a hushed whisper.

The woman’s dark brown hair fell over her face, but he could see her chest heaving from the scare. She nodded, and her hair fell away from her face, revealing a pair of beautiful hazel eyes looking at him. “I slipped.” The face he’d memorized from the digital file stared back at him. Maya Callahan was indeed a beautiful woman. The stare that joined them sizzled with a heat he didn’t expect. Damn. Sparks … no, flames leaped through him, igniting an insanely hot fire. She broke eye contact first. Thank God. He didn’t think he’d be able to.

He lifted away from her carefully, ensuring she wasn’t injured. “What did you slip on?” Elliot made a move to help her sit up, trying to ignore the heat from each point of contact. Refocusing on his surroundings, he pulled his attention from the woman to what glistened on the floor under them. He swiped at the marble. Some type of slick, wet substance covered the floor and the back of his charge’s shirt and skirt. “This could’ve caused the slip and fall.”

She turned around and looked at what he was talking about. “What is that?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”

She frowned and returned her attention to him. “Why would you do that? Who are you?”

“Elliot Sawyer, your new personal security officer. Olivia Solomon and my company, Guardian Security, moved heaven and earth to get me here today.” He stood up and offered her a hand up. The relief on her face was instantaneous.

“Well, for that and the great catch, I’m thankful.”

“Maya, what was that ruckus?” a small blonde woman asked as she walked out of the rooms down the hall. Her eyes grew large, and Elliot could only imagine what she was thinking with him towering above her boss. “What happened? Should I call security? Are you all right? Who is he?” She ran toward them, and both he and Maya held their hands out.

Maya yelled, “Jessica, stop!” The woman skittered to a halt.

“There’s something all over the floor,” Maya said as she accepted his help to stand. “If it weren’t for Elliot, I’d probably have a fractured skull.” She stood up with his help and adjusted her clothing, but he kept his hand on her elbow to ensure she was steady because she was shaking like a leaf in a windstorm. “I twisted my ankle a bit, but other than that, I think I’m okay.”

“Who’s Elliot?” Jessica squeaked the question and then asked, “What’s on the floor? What happened?” The blonde’s face was red, tears were in her eyes, and her voice trembled.

“He’s Elliot, and he’s my new bodyguard,” Maya said while rubbing her neck.

“Personal Security Officer,” Elliot corrected.

Maya looked at him and then rolled her shoulders. “Okay, whatever you want to be called is fine. He’s from Guardian, and he’ll be in charge of my security from now on. Olivia arranged it.”

“Ms. Solomon? Why? What happened? You said none of the things that have happened are related. They are, aren’t they? Someoneistrying to hurt you. I knew it. I just knew it.” Jessicasniffed, wiped her eyes carefully, walked past them, and picked up Maya’s tablet. He made sure to be close enough that if she fell, he could catch her. The write-up on Jessica Hall included a picture and a briefing on her education and employment. She had no criminal record, paid her bills on time, and had no known issues that could be used for blackmail or exploitation. She’d dated a couple of men, but nothing serious, and she wasn’t currently in a relationship.

“Things?” Elliot’s briefing didn’t include a list—just a notation of a suspicious incident that had recently happened.

“Yeah, the letter, the false whistleblower thingy, and the slashed tires.” Jessica handed the notebook back to Maya as Elliot escorted them both onto the carpet in the reception area.

“I’ll need all the details on those things.”

“I can get you the letter,” Jessica said. “I kept it.” She looked at Maya. “I was afraid for you. I kept it in case we ever had to call the police.”

“Please retrieve it for me.” Elliot smiled at the woman, and she seemed to grow in stature under his smile.

“I’ll go get it. Maya, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. I'm embarrassed and slightly slippery.” She motioned toward the back of her clothes, but she was fine.

Her assistant’s eyes flashed, and Elliot wasn’t sure he liked what he saw. He registered that gut feeling. Then, Jessica looked at him, blinked, and said, “I’ll be right back.” She turned and hot-footed it to one of the doors nearby.

“May I escort you to your office?”

Maya glanced up at him. “Thank you. I’m sure the stuff on the floor was just an accident. Somebody must have spilled something.”

“Of course.” Elliot agreed with her, though he wasn’t so certain. “How long have you and your assistant been up here alone?”

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