Page 1 of The Bodyguard Situation

1

BRODY

The room is dark, except for the flickering blue light from the television mounted above the fireplace. It casts eerie shadows across the walls of my penthouse, which feels emptier with each passing day. I sink deeper into the plush cushions of my couch, twisting off the cap of the beer I just grabbed from the fridge.

Today has been a complete mindfuck, hours wasted, staring at my laptop screen and chasing digital ghosts. My brain feels bruised from overthinking.

As the cold bottle meets my lips, a loud pounding shatters my solitude. It’s hard, aggressive, like someone is using their entire damn fist.

I glance toward the door and let out a long sigh, wondering if it will stop if I ignore it. I’m willing to try.

Pound. Pound. Pound.

Only assholes knock like that, and unfortunately, I know more than my fair share. My mind ticks off possibilities. It could be my identical twin cousins, Easton and Weston Calloway—the biggest pains in my ass, who are also my employers. They’re like my brothers though, and I’ve risked my life for them on more than one occasion, but they’re not exactly who I want to see right now.

The condensation from my beer bottle drips onto my knuckles as I decide whoever it is can fuck straight off. My feet hit the coffee table as I crank up the TV’s volume and let the crisp, bitter liquid slide down my throat.

“Brody! I know you’re in there! I can hearThe Golden Girlsin the background!” Billie shouts from behind the door.

I roll my eyes.

Billie is my younger cousin by eight years, and she’s a constant but lovable thorn in my side. But there’s something in her voice that I can’t ignore. It’s a tightness, edged with panic, that makes me pause mid-sip.

She pounds again.

“Brody!Please!Damn it! It’s about Harper!” Her voice is more strained and urgent.

The mention of Harper’s name sends a jolt through my chest, slicing straight through my irritation. My heartbeat increases—a reaction that surprises even me. I lower my feet from the table and set my beer down against the wood with a clank.

Harper and Billie have been inseparable since childhood, co-founders of Bellamore—the billion-dollar fashion empire, born from their teenage sketches. If Billie is coming to me about Harper, it’s serious.

Dread twists in my gut as I cross the room and open the door.

Billie stands there with red-rimmed eyes and cheeks stained with tears. Beside her is hersecretfiancé, Asher Banks. They haven’t exactly told everyone yet and are currently in the process of making the announcement to close friends and family.

Asher’s tense, and his jaw is locked tight. It’s a tell of his when he’s upset. Right now, his anger is simmering beneath a controlled surface. Asher’s presence is protective, and he shadows Billie closely. I know as long as he’s around, my cousin is safe. Asher won’t let anything happen to her. But it doesn’t stop the alarm bells from ringing loudly in my head.

“Notthe assholes I expected to see,” I say dryly, stepping aside to let them in. “What a fucking delight. Now, what’s going on?”

Billie brushes past me and immediately turns to face me. Her gaze locks on to mine, and it’s fierce but fragile. Something’s very wrong.

I soften my voice instinctively and push all jokes aside. “Tell me what happened.”

“We invited Harper and Micah to dinner at Asher’s,” Billie says, her voice trembling. “I went to grab a bottle of champagne, and Micah followed me into the kitchen and …”

Instantly, my muscles tense, and my fist tightens with anger because I know Micah is skeezy. The guy gives me the fucking creeps.

She draws in a deep, shaky breath, fighting to steady herself. Billie is resilient, a force of nature, a survivor. The ice queen doesn’t melt easily, but the fear shining in her crystal-blue eyes as she searches for her words makes my blood boil.

She isn’t easily shaken, which makes this situation worse.

“Take your time.” My jaw hardens. I don’t like seeing her like this.

“Brody,” she whispers, “Micah’s my stalker. He whispered in my ear in Asher’s kitchen. The same way he did the night of my twenty-first birthday. I’ll never forget the sound of his voice in my ear.” She physically shudders.

The memory from over a decade ago will be forever burned into my mind. I remember a young Billie Calloway, vulnerable and terrified, after an older man invaded her space, her safety. For years, Billie was tormented by an unknown predator who broke into her vacation homes several times and even went as far as to assault her in public. My little cousin is my honorary sister, and anyone who messes with her fucking messes with me.

Suddenly, Asher’s murderous expression makes sense. Micah Rhodes isn’t just dangerous. It’s clear that he’s a fucking psychopath.

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