Page 12 of Protecting Her

"Northwest sector clear," Sarah's voice crackled through her earpiece, startling her back to duty. "But we've got increased activity around the hotel perimeter."

Jude welcomed the distraction. "What kind of activity?"

"Local police patrols. More than usual. And they're paying too much attention to our security positions."

"Send me the footage." Jude moved to her laptop, grateful for something tactical to analyze. But as the security feeds loaded, she caught her reflection in the dark screen, her fingers subconsciously touching her lips where Carmen had kissed her. She could almost still feel them…

Focus. She pulled up the footage, noting the patrol patterns Sarah had flagged. The local police were indeed showing unusual interest in their defensive positions. Just like in Yemen before.

Her phone buzzed. David's text was brief but concerning:Corporate security team checking in. Same unit as last summit.

The same summit where Carmen had lost two vehicles to an ambush. The memory of Carmen's earlier warning about patient enemies twisted in Jude's gut, mixing with the echo of her whispered apology before retreating.

She needed to clear her head. "Sarah, I'm doing a perimeter check. Keep monitoring those patrols, and radio me if you see anything that suggests the situation is escalating."

The hotel corridors were quiet at this hour, their thick carpet swallowing her footsteps. Jude moved with practiced stealth, checking security positions and sight lines. Everything looked normal, but experience had taught her that “normal” was often when things went wrong. She wouldn’t get complacent in normalcy.

Passing Carmen's door, she heard muted voices from within. She knew she shouldn't listen. But her training—and something more personal—made her pause and linger.

"—increasing pressure on the indigenous communities." Carmen's voice, tired but determined, filtered through the door. "Yes, I understand the corporate interests at stake, but—" A pause. "The peace treaty means nothing if it's built on corrupt foundations."

Jude's chest tightened at the strain in Carmen's voice. She wanted to go in, to offer... What? Protection? Comfort? Both seemed dangerous after what had happened on the balcony.

A movement at the end of the hall snapped her attention back to duty. One of the hotel's security staff was speaking quietly into a radio, his posture triggering warning bells in Jude's mind and body.

"Kate," she murmured into her comm. "I need a background check on the night security supervisor. Something's off."

"Already on it." Kate's fingers clicked over keys. "He's new. Hired right after the staff changes Carmen mentioned. And his bank records show some interesting deposits."

The pieces started falling into place. Carmen's warnings about patient enemies. The too-interested police patrols. New security staff with suspicious finances. They were being watched, assessed, and measured for weaknesses.

Including, perhaps, the growing connection between protector and protectee.

Jude completed her perimeter check, each step strengthening her resolve. She couldn't take back the kiss, couldn't unfeel what was building between them. But she could ensure it didn't compromise Carmen's safety.

When she returned to her room, the connecting door seemed to mock her with possibilities and temptations. She could hear Carmen moving around next door, the soft sounds a reminder of everything she couldn't have. Shouldn't have.

"Activity update," Sarah reported. "Two unmarked vehicles just parked in our blind spot on the south side."

"Track them," Jude ordered, forcing her mind to security concerns. "I want IDs on anyone who exits those vehicles."

She spent the next hour coordinating with her team, reviewing security footage, and updating protocols. But every few minutes, her eyes drifted to the connecting door thatseparated them. Every shift of movement from Carmen's room made her hyperaware of the woman on the other side.

Finally, when the night had grown deep and the city's lights sparkled like fallen stars, Jude allowed herself one moment of weakness. She pressed her palm flat against the connecting door, feeling the wood's smooth grain beneath her calluses.

"I'll keep you safe," she whispered to the silence. "Even if that means keeping my distance."

But as she turned away to continue her watch, Jude knew she was lying to herself. Distance might protect their lives, but her heart was already too far gone for protection.

The night stretched out long ahead, full of security threats she could fight and feelings she couldn't. Tomorrow would bring new challenges: a peace summit to secure, enemies to identify, and professional boundaries to rebuild.

But tonight, alone in her room with the ghost of a kiss she couldn't forget, Jude accepted a hard truth: sometimes the greatest threat wasn't the enemy you could see coming.

It was the way love could slip past your defenses when you weren't looking.

4

CARMEN

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