Page 28 of Unguarded

He pulls out a bottle of amber liquid. “One drink? Dammit, tonight was stressful.”

Normally, I would never drink alcohol while still on duty. But the concert tonight has left my nerves fried. Some whiskey might help take the edge off, and with so few people knowing where Monroe is actually staying, I feel like she’s safe for the night.

I nod, removing my baseball cap and running a hand through my hair. “Fuck, this is not what I expected.”

Brooks pours us each a generous glass before handing meone. He smirks. “Yeah, being a bodyguard for a world-famous superstar turns out to not be all that glamorous. The way people act around her is just … scary as fuck.”

I nod, sitting on a plush red armchair in the sitting area. A long swig of the whiskey burns down my throat, almost instantly throwing a blanket of calm over the layer of uneasiness I’ve been feeling all night.

“Is it always like this with her?”

I feel a connection with Brooks. He reminds me of my brothers—mostly my younger brother, Duke. I didn’t expect to get homesick in just a few weeks away from the ranch.

Brooks leans back against the barstool in the small island in the kitchenette. “Yeah, but I’d say tonight, everyone pretty much behaved. Zade was a dick, but he’s not usually here. He likes to throw his weight around when he is. I expected more drama with him and Clint both around.”

“What’s the story there?” The words are out of my mouth before I have time to catch myself.

Shit.I don’t want anyone to get the impression that I care about what goes on in Monroe’s personal love life.

Brooks doesn’t seem to be thrown off by the question. I take another drink of whiskey. He opens his mouth to answer when a quiet knock sounds on the door. I stand, reaching for the gun concealed at my hip.

Brooks steps closer to the door and peers through the peephole. He unlocks it and swings it open to reveal Ember. She’s changed into a matching pink hoodie and sweatpants.

“Hey, I just came by to check on her. How is she?”

Brooks closes the door, a smile forming on his lips.Ember’s hand comes out of the baggy hoodie to reveal a bottle of wine.

“We always have to unwind after night one. The nerves and stress leading up to it come crashing down like a tidal wave.” She sighs, taking a seat at the island next to Brooks.

He takes the wine bottle from her and twists open the lid. He finds a wineglass in the mini kitchen, pouring her a generous amount.

“She went straight to her room and crashed,” Brooks says. “We were just talking about what happened between Clint and her.”

Ember takes a long gulp of the wine and heaves out a heavy sigh before answering, “She was madly in love with Clint. Fucker cheated on her with a fan while on tour. Monroe was the one who had really shot him into stardom. No one had given a shit about him until they dated. After the breakup, her next album went viral pretty much worldwide.

“Zade and she met at some LA party, but Katherine, her publicist, is the one who really pushed for the relationship. I think Monroe wants to break it off, but her love life is twisted up with the business side of things now. Katherine strongly advised her to wait until there’s a viablereplacement. After tonight, I wouldn’t be surprised if Katherine wanted her to get back with Clint.” Ember’s face twists with disgust.

Brooks leans against the island. “The way all her personal life decisions are based on public opinion sounds fucking exhausting.”

Amen. Fuck that.

“Don’t the fans hate Clint for what he did to her?” I ask.

I feel like a gossipy teenage girl. Brooks shrugs, chuckling as he tips his whiskey glass back over his lips.

Ember answers, “You would think so, but when they were together, you couldfeelthe chemistry through the screen. They know she actuallylovedClint, and they can tell Zade is a douchebag she tolerates because he’s famous. Lately, they’ve been seeing him photographed with his female costars all over the world. Monroe’s fans never latched on to their relationship the way they did with Clint, and I think, after tonight, they’re officially going to turn on Zade. If some other guy comes along and they really see and feel that chemistry again, then they’d probably go for it. But the Blue Babies are super unpredictable, as well as obsessed with her.”

“Blue Babies?” I ask.

“Her fans.Blue Babies—it’s what they call themselves.”

“Feel bad for the guy who does get roped in. What a nightmare,” Brooks says. He refills Ember’s wineglass and pours himself some.

She rolls her eyes. “Sure, dating a drop-dead-gorgeous celebrity is such a shitty thing to go through.”

He chuckles, stretching his arm around the back of her chair. “Not for me.”

The thought of dating Monroe Blue sounds like a nightmare and a dream come true rolled into one. She and I couldn’t be more different, and after tonight, I still don’t know how much I can take of this job.

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