Page 104 of Modern Romance Collection May 2024 Books 1-4

His chest tightened with dread. He clicked. It was from a little over a year ago, a parade through Rodina’s capital. The video panned over floats from local schools, companies, the military. His father rode by in a sleek car, commentary from the video host noting the vehicle had been manufactured in one of Rodina’s factories.

Then he saw himself, an odd sensation to watch as he walked behind the car, occasionally waving to the crowd with only the hint of a smile on his face. A stark contrast to the elegant yet friendlier waves of his father.

Esmerelda and a man he now recognized as Burak had walked just behind him. Both wore black suits with white shirts. Esmerelda’s eyes roved, taking everything in, assessing. In the few seconds he watched her, he saw immediately why she had been so good at her job. She never stopped looking, alert as she soaked in details. He once again cursed her parents for eroding all sense of personal confidence.

Off-camera, someone shrieked. His heartbeat accelerated. Esmerelda’s head whipped around. She didn’t waste a second as she turned and ran toward Julius. A horse bounded onto screen, its rider frantically clinging to the reins even as he started to slide off.

Esmerelda was safe. Julius knew she was, had seen her with his own eyes just hours ago. That didn’t stop his heart from pounding as he watched the horse rear up, watched Esmerelda push him out of the way just as the hooves came down on her back. She collapsed onto the road, rolling just as the horse reared up and came down again on her chest.

The camera zoomed in, capturing both Julius and Burak rushing to her side, before the feed cut off.

He slammed the lid of the computer shut and scrubbed his hands down his face.

It provided another piece of the puzzle, another clue as to what had happened between them. He couldn’t remember, couldn’t hear the sounds of the crowd, the scream of the horse, the shouts of terrified onlookers. But something told him his life had changed after that moment when Esmerelda had unflinchingly flung herself into harm’s way to save his life.

Thinking about it now, he wanted nothing more than to storm her room and pull her into his arms. Touch her, reassure himself that she truly was all right.

To hell with it.

Esme jumped as a loud knock sounded on her door.

“Esmerelda. Open up.”

Her eyes fluttered shut. She lay on her bed, curled up with a yellowed copy of her favorite Jane Austen novel. The familiar words had brought comfort while the scent of well-loved pages had soothed her errant emotions after the incredible events of the morning.

Reading had also provided a distraction from the way her lips still burned from his kiss. The way her body still tingled in places it shouldn’t after she’d nearly let him undress her on the deck of a boat in the middle of the sea.

“It’s open.”

The door swung open. He stalked into the room, his steps almost silent. Yet the energy he brought into the room, the sheer power that filled up every corner, made her breath catch. It took every ounce of willpower to stay where she was propped up with a mound of pillows at her back.

“When were you going to tell me?”

Her fingers tightened on the pages. Her hour of reckoning had come.

“Julius—”

He moved to the edge of the bed, his large frame looming over her.

“You put yourself in harm’s way, Esmerelda.”

Her mind screeched to a halt.

“Wait...what are we talking about?”

“I saw the video.” He turned away and began to pace her room like a restless wild animal prowling about a cage. “You pushed me out of the way.”

The parade. She stifled a groan. The event had gotten some minor attention on the international circuit.

“I was doing my job.”

“By putting yourself in danger?”

His voice vibrated with anger and pricked her own temper.

“I believe the definition of a bodyguard involves something akin to that, yes. More of a focus on serve and protect, but protect does imply—”

“Parar.”

---