Page 3 of Guarded By the SEAL

The darkness shrouds me. The roads become a little foggier and hard to see. I need a break, really. I’ve been driving for hours, but there hasn’t been anywhere safe to stop for a while. I’ve been thinking that I will wait for Petra to wake up before I stop so she can stretch her legs, but she’s been crashed out for hours. I don’t think that she’s even pretending to be asleep to avoid talking to me because ever since my first failed sort of joke that didn’t spark any reaction, I’ve left her all alone in the quiet.

It’s actually my cellphone ringing which causes me to halt in the end. I don’t know if it’s going to be Max checking up on me or someone else, but I use the excuse to pull up on the side of the road to stretch my own legs and to get in some much-needed fresh air. But it isn’t Max. It’s actually my best friend from my time in the Navy SEALs, Benji, who probably just wants a catch-up. A smile creeps up as I answer.

“Hey, Benji, how are you? I don’t know if Max told you, but I’m on a job at the moment.”

All of my colleagues have a safe and secure line, so I can give some details to my friend. He ended up working for Max as well, on my advice, and he loves it just as much as I do.

“Yeah, I heard that you’re on an offshore job. That’s pretty crazy. How is it?”

“We aren’t there yet. We’re on the way. My passenger is actually asleep at the moment, so I’m having a rest. I know you haven’t been offshore yet, but it’s a bitch of a drive.”

“A she?” I make an agreeable sound. “Ooh, that’s exciting. You haven’t protected a woman alone for a while. Could Max have paired you with her for a reason? Maybe to fall in love.”

“Will you shut it with the love stuff, Benji?” I roll my eyes. “You know that my heart is hardened to love. It’s never going to happen again. Every time you try and set me up with someone who wants more than a quick fling, I tell you as much. I will never open myself up to someone like that again.”

“Oh, buddy, you can’t let what Cara did to you fuck you up forever. Sure, it might be fun to screw around now while you’re all young and handsome, but what about when you’re old and lonely, huh?”

“I won’t be lonely. I will always have my best buddy by my side,” I tease. “I’m not worried about that.”

“Well, you should be. You can’t be single forever, Harry. You have to open up.”

“I don’t know why you’re giving me that advice, Benji, when I don’t see you with a long-term relationship yourself. I’m fine. Plus, this is work. Definitely not the place to fall in love.”

“I guess.” Benji laughs, now turning this into a joke as if he wasn’t trying to push me again to find someone. Honestly, when will he ever learn? “Anyway, keep in touch as much as you can. I know it won’t be tooeasy while you’re working, but anything you need, anything I can do, I will help. I don’t have any jobs at the moment. Not protective ones, anyway, just office shit, so I’m bored.”

“Cheers, buddy.” I do appreciate him, even if Benji can be a bit of a pushy nightmare. “Speak soon.”

“Good luck offshore. I hope it all turns out okay. Even if you don’t fall in love.”

“Ooh, you are hilarious, Benji. Call you soon.”

I hang up the phone and pace up and down by the van for a while, just getting myself ready to start driving again. Every so often, I peek in the vehicle just to check that Petra seems okay. She’s still sleeping. I really don’t think she’s going to wake up anytime soon, so I guess it’s going to be more silence for me.

I sigh, telling myself that it’s going to be fine. Whatever happens offshore, I will get through it, and so will Petra. We don’t need to chat to keep her alive, and since that’s my main priority, nothing else matters. I check my watch, noting that it’s starting to get late now. I would rather arrive on the island before the middle of the freaking night, especially since the guy with the boat to take us over is already waiting for us. I'd better not waste any more time. My legs are stretched enough.

3

PETRA

The rocking sensation wakes me up. I feel like I’m swaying side to side as if I’m in a crib or something. At first, I assume it’s in my dreams so I don’t need to pull myself out from any of it. I can simply enjoy the sensation for what it is. It’s kinda relaxing, actually, so I don’t want to wake up from it.

But then it gets a little too real. The feeling gets a bit too much and I start to realize that it isn’t happening in my mind anymore. It’s coming from around me, but there’s no reason for me to be on the water. I don’t like being on the water. I’m not keen on cruises or anything like that. Plus, Jake hates water…

Jake. I bolt upright, allowing the shock to rocket through me, taking over my system completely. There’s absolutely no reason for me to be with Jake because he’s betrayed me in the worst way possible. He didn’t marry me for love, but to steal from me and sell me. It’s all coming rushing back to me in the most horrendous way possible. My life is in danger because of Jake, and now…

Now, I don’t know where I am. I’m on the water somewhere in the middle of God knows where, which could be bad. I couldbe being sold right now, being taken somewhere else. My heart pounds in my ears, in my throat, in the pit of my stomach. I could be screwed right now, about to lose it all.

“Ah, Petra, you’re awake.” A friendly voice greets me, which could be reassuring if I weren’t so scared. “Good, I was starting to get worried that you were going to sleep through the whole journey. We are just on the way to the island now, which is where the safehouse is. Then we can settle in.”

I nod at the man who I’m now remembering is Harry, my protector. Of course, he’s taking me to the safehouse which my father and his friend have organized for me to keep me away from Jake and his bullshit betrayal. I glance around, not that I can see much in the dark, and remind myself that this is all good. It might be unnerving to wake up when I’ve been in a deep sleep, but anything beats being anywhere near Jake. I don’t ever want to look that man in the eye again.

“Right, safehouse.” I gulp noisily. “We’re nearly there. What is the safehouse like? Is there any cellphone reception? Because I’m going to need to keep an eye on my father while I’m here.”

“Max didn’t tell you not to bring your cellphone?” Harry narrows his eyes at me suspiciously. “Those things can be tracked. You can’t have any way for anyone to search for you. Please toss it out.”

“Toss it out where?” I snap back. “I can’t just throw my phone away. I will need to speak to my dad.”

“Max will keep in touch with your father and with me as well. He will work in the middle.”

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