Page 4 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 1

I exhaled. It wasn’t that I was trying to protect my husband. I was hiding from my own shame for falling for his lies. “You need to understand, when we first got together, he was charming and gave good woo. But all that changed the moment our vows were said. He chose me because I don’t have any family. I was raised in foster care. He wanted me to look good on his arm, and bear him children, but little else. And when I decided I couldn’t live with it anymore and had divorce papers drawn up, he informed me the only way he would ever let me go was if I was dead. And unless I wanted that to happen anytime soon, I was to shut my mouth and be the good, dutiful wife he’d married.” I nodded toward the wall with the television. “My husband had a fish tank against that wall. The thing was massive. Inside was an entire school of piranhas he used to get rid of bodies. Ask me how many times he threatened me with those damn fish?”

“Where are the fish now?” the man named Axel asked me with a deadpan expression.

Had these guys been carved from stone?

I slid my gaze over Axel, taking in the huge, muscular man. I connected with his jade eyes and shivered. “I donated the entire thing to an aquarium. I hated that tank and everything it represented.”

“So, you destroyed evidence?” Gideon accused with an arched glare.

“My husband was smart enough to have the tank cleaned and disinfected after ridding himself of problems. There wouldn’t be any DNA evidence for a forensic analysis to discover. And I didn’t say anything to the police because they’ve been little to no help. I would wind up an accessory to my husband’s murders when all I was trying to do was survive each day intact.”

“Noted.” Gideon nodded. “What our company can offer is round-the-clock, on-site security by myself and my team.”

“And what are your qualifications?”

“We are all retired Marine Raiders. We are highly skilled in both offensive and defensive maneuvers. Chase here was the sniper in our unit. Mateo oversaw comms. Axel can fluently speak six languages and can take down any opponent.”

I could envision each one of them wearing military fatigues. I found it deeply arousing with a side helping of comfort. These guys were Marines. They wouldn’t quit on me, wouldn’t leave me behind if things got sticky, and would fight to protect me with a level of proficiency other security firms most likely wouldn’t be able to match.

“And you? What did you do?”

“Lead,” Gideon replied, as if that answered my question.

Where would he lead me? Into the bedroom? I need to take my mind off my suddenly active libido and focus on the conversation at hand. “And the four of you would live here...with me?”

“Would that be a problem?” Gideon’s gaze was unwavering, like he was attempting to divine all my secrets.

“No.”Yes.But only because I kept wondering what they looked like without their shirts on. Considering how long it had been since I had gotten horizontal with a guy, I worried I’d do something stupid, like proposition one of them or maybe all of them, until I enticed one of them into bed with me.

But it wasn’t what they were here for at all. They were here to protect me. Not to fuck my brains out and give me screaming orgasms.

“Good. Because I think it’s the best way to keep you alive, short of contacting the U.S. Marshals and trying to get you into witness protection. Mateo would install security cameras, providing our team with eyes on every inch of the house, inside and out. One of us will always be with you.”

“Okay. But Luka Santos is not going to stop until I’m dead.”

A tight smile spread over Gideon’s face. “That’s where we come in and use our skill set. We eliminate the threat. It will take time. Since we’re here, we’ll need you to give us all the intel you know about the Santos organization.”

“I don’t know much. Carlos, my husband, never talked about it with me.” It made me feel foolish and stupid.

“Did he keep any records anywhere?” Gideon pinned me with a piercing stare.

“Of course. It’s all stored in his office. It’s one of the few rooms I’ve yet to redecorate. I’ve avoided that room as much as possible.” Because it reminded me of the night he almost killed me. Walking into that room still gave me nightmares and resurrected memories I’d rather forget.

“We would need access to all his files,” Gideon explained, studying my reaction.

“I understand that and would grant it. But how certain are you that you’ll be able to get rid of the threat?” I couldn’t bring myself to say kill Luka Santos. For me, it made the act too premeditated. And I knew in asking there would be blood on my hands, just not in the literal sense. But it was him or me, and I’d choose myself every time.

“While no op is ever one hundred percent, I know my team and their skills. We’ll do whatever is necessary to eliminate the threat. Worst-case scenario, I contact a buddy of mine with Homeland Security. I’m sure he’ll have a contact with the Marshals.”

Gideon’s response was good enough for me. He was promising that if they couldn’t get the job done, they would ensure I lived to see twenty-four with outside help. “You’re hired. When can you start?”

The money didn’t matter. I had more than enough. And it would be worth it.

“We can move ourselves in this afternoon.”

I almost whimpered in relief. I’d have protection today. I wouldn’t be fighting this fight on my own any longer. It made the weight of it, the fear surrounding it, lessen slightly. Time would tell whether these guys were as good as they claimed.

“Great. What else do you need from me?” I was done being the victim. It was time I salvaged my life and my future.

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