Page 1 of Sexy Bodyguard

1

LANA

Aline of cars creeps along the curb outside Avon Preparatory Academy just before 8 AM. Children hop out of the vehicles to walk, skip, or begrudgingly stroll toward the front doors of the prestigious elementary school. My years doing security for a diplomat’s daughter have every nerve in my body tingling.

There aren’t any security guards at the entrance, but one sits lazily at a desk when I step inside.

My voice snags his attention, but not for long, as he looks down in his lap while I speak. “Good morning, I’m Lana Casey. I have an appointment with the principal, Mr. Drummond.”

The guard sighs, peers up at me, and points to the ledger sitting on top of the desk. “Please sign in.”

“Don’t you want to see any identification?” I ask him.

He huffs and shrugs. “If you want. The guards at the front gate should have checked it.”

The guards at the gated entrance to the school’s parking lot aren’t following protocol either. My car is sitting in the parking lot like I’m already a part of the staff.

Instead of fussing over the lax security measures, I sign the ledger and make my way to the administration office a few feet away. Anxiety sparks as this is probably my thirtieth job interview in the past six months.

None of my achievements seem to matter. My experience doesn’t inspire these companies to pay me what I’m worth. I’m a few weeks away from taking my talents onto the criminal side of things. Everyone wants to be protected, but there aren’t as many openings for private security personnel as expected.

“Where are we going? Dad’s on his way to work already,” a child says from behind me, forcing me to glance over my shoulder.

Something feels off as I watch a woman in an Avon Preparatory blazer grip the child by the wrist. They’re pulling the young boy toward the desk, where the lazy security guard sits, his eyes glued to the phone in his lap.

“Miss Casey?” Mr. Drummond emerges from his office, steering my attention back to him and the reason I’m here this morning.

“Yes, Mr. Drummond. It’s a pleasure to meet you?—”

He interrupts me before I can get my greeting out. “Oh dear, I’m sorry. I thought you got the email I sent. The position’s been filled.”

Mr. Drummond’s voice trails off as I walk away from him without another word. Fuck him and this job. I can tell they don’t take the proper precautions, which would make any job I do here an absolute nightmare.

Following my gut, I hustle toward the door. The woman’s now tugging the child out of the front entrance. I can’t let it go.

The sun’s glare isn’t enough to hide the panicked woman frantically looking around, scanning her surroundings. Her hand trembles as she fumbles with her phone while the small boy pulls away from her. They’re too far for me to hear what’s happening, but everything about this is wrong.

The navy blue blazer with the school's crest on the breast pocket sways loosely around her torso. The sleeves swallow her hands as she fights with her phone and the kid. Every nerve ending tickles as I pick up my pace to get closer.

I'm only five steps away when an SUV with windows tinted too dark to be street-legal pulls up to the curb. The engine is still running as the back door opens.

"Excuse me, ma'am," I call out to her, but the fear in her eyes is the only thing I see.

My pulse skyrockets as she hoists the child under her arm and takes off in a mad dash for the SUV. I immediately give chase, gaining on her easily, and jumping forward to grab the boy.

My arms get a firm grip around his legs as I pull him out of her grasp and down to the ground. The force of my back hitting the concrete knocks the wind out of me, and I land with a thud, the boy landing against me. I kick my leg out to trip the woman to stop her from fleeing the scene.

The woman stumbles onto her hands and knees as the waiting SUV shuts the door, speeds away, and nearly crashes through the front gate of the school’s parking lot. I pull out my phone just as Mr. Drummond and the lazy security guard run out of thebuilding. The would-be abductor doesn't wait for them to reach us before she takes off in the same direction as the SUV.

After helping the boy to his feet, I stand beside him, protective and scrutinizing our surroundings.

"Are you okay?" I ask the young boy who clings to my arm. I gently pull my arm away from him and ask, "What's your name?"

"Jeremy." His voice trembles as a shade of crimson blankets his little face. Panic and fear pour out of him. It triggers something maternal inside of me. He reminds me of my teenage years when I had to take care of my little brother.

I kneel beside him to grab his attention from the staff running toward us. There’s something inside of me that needs to ease his fears. I attempt to put on my most soothing tone when I speak. "Thank you, Jeremy. You really saved me a minute ago. Thanks for being really brave."

"You're welcome?" Jeremy says, unable to hide that he doesn't believe me. He spares a glance at my black leather boots and offers me a timid smile for my attempt to get his mind off how scary this is.

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