For Her Protection: An Alpha Romance

by Amber Bardan

  He lowered the front of the car until the wheels returned to the ground then turned to her. “Are you okay?”

  She rubbed her head despite the throb moving her arm caused.

  Tiers screeched. The car took off.

  He spun around, starting after it, before stopping and glancing back at her.

  Conan-the-freaking-barbarian.

  He stalked towards her. “Are you injured?”

  “No.” Just bruised and liberated of dignity.

  He grabbed her uninjured arm and hauled her out of the gutter. She regained her footing, the chill turning the cold on her very wet ass, freezing.

  Wonderful.

  He muttered something under his breath, and led her down the footpath.

  “Wait, where are we going?”

  He muttered again, before answering. “I’m taking you home before you end up in more trouble.”

  Trouble?

  She wasn’t the crazy person tearing around at night without headlights. Maybe he meant the kiss? That kinda, definitely could be trouble. They reached a car parked around the corner. He jammed a key into the lock, turned, then opened the door for her.

  His car was old, a classic, not that she’d know what kind without asking, but clean and obviously refurbished going by the gleaming white interior.

  Was she really going to let this strange guy just drive her home…but then he had saved her life.

  “Um, I have a wet…” She paused, and cleared her throat. “I sat in a puddle.”

  His gaze raked over her, and although her soaking wet backside didn’t face him, his attention lingered at her hips as though he could see it. “Woman, I don’t carry spare skirts in my trunk, but I’m taking you home where you can get dry, and that’s the best I got.”

  Woman…

  Conan the Barbarian suited him perfectly.

  She rubbed her goose bump riddled arm. Shivers rolling over her skin.

  His scowl evened to more of a frown. “The seats are leather. You’ll be fine. Get in before you get frostbite on your ass.”

  She went inside, experiencing the delightful sensation of sodden cotton underwear squishing against chilled flesh.

  He shut the door, then climbed in and started the car.

  “Wow.” She grabbed the sides of the seat. The motor roared, vibrating her thighs. “That’s some engine.”

  He shot her a look, just one, and if she didn’t know better, she’d have sworn she saw a hint of a smile.

  They drove in complete silence with the exception of Charlie telling him her address. He pulled up in front of her townhome.

  “Well thanks for the—”

  He got out of the car.

  “Ride…” She whispered to herself.

  The door next to her opened. She glanced up and got out of the car. He followed her to her front door. For someone so surly, he sure was doing the whole gentlemen bit too well.

  “Thanks for the ride home.” She turned her back to the front door. “And for not letting me get run over.”

  He stared at her with narrowed violet eyes.

  “My name’s Charlie.”

  He kept on staring. Her pulse skipped. Damn, he was big. Bigger when she was between him and the door.

  “For Charlize. Because, I’m a girl.”

  His lips curled to the side, the first hint he experienced real amusement. “Yes, you are.”

  Her middle flared with heat again. Yes, she was a freaking girl. A fact her subconscious had obviously needed to remind him of. The stubble coating his jaw was the same length as the hair on his head, and she couldn’t help wanting to touch it. Wanting it to scrape her palm.

  “Stay out of trouble, Charlie.” He stepped back, freeing her of the thrall of his closeness but didn’t leave.

  Trouble? If trouble was making out with a man like him, she’d take all the trouble she could get.

  She let her gaze flirt over him. No man had never worn a pair of blue jeans quite so well. They clung to his broad hips and thick thighs. His black t-shirt was just tight enough for his pecks to make an impression.

  “I can’t make any promises.”

  She turned and unlocked her front door, opening it and stepping inside, before facing him again without closing the door. Her heart gave a little flip. If he wanted to visit she wouldn’t stop him.

  Possibly, she’d let him right on in.

  But he just stood, unmoving and brooding, until awkwardness forced her to close the door—and bolt the lock.

  THREE

  Freaking fantastic.

  Charlie thumped her head once, then twice on the steering wheel. A picket line. Workers protesting impending mass job cuts.

  How did they even find out?

  The decision to close two more factories in favor of overseas manufacture, a decision she’d fought tooth and nail, had only been made on Thursday.

  She hit the turn signal and veered left away from the crowd. She wouldn’t be able to park in her usual place, she’d have to find a space in the rear lot. Her father would die if he understood exactly what had been done to his legacy.

  Dad had built a company based on loyalty, people and family. Her uncle claimed he’d be the one to drag Halifax into the twenty-first century.

  She pulled into the parking lot, wheels kicking up a cloud of dust in the crushed-rock driveway, then eased into a free space and cut the ignition. She pushed a pair of glasses up her nose and pulled on her suit jacket, doing up the single button under her bust and made her way briskly to the pavement.

  Chants jolted through the air. Dammit, she should’ve snuck in the back exit. Hopefully the crowd wouldn’t notice her. She reached the entrance and walked closely behind a couple of guys from the mailroom. Workers jeered, shaking signs. Two security guards struggled with the crowd. They’d need to up the security detail if this continued.

  A few feet from the entrance someone called her name. The crowd roared but she kept her head up, her pace steady. She reached the doors and her muscles relaxed. A sharp force impacted the back of her skull. She jolted. Pain radiated into her brain and she clutched the back of her head, stumbling inside.

  In the foyer she lowered her hand in front of her face. Sticky red blood streaked her palm.

  “Are you alright?”

  She glanced up at Jenny, the front desk receptionist. “I think so. Call Bob down here please.”

  Holy crap. As the public face of Halifax, she’d been getting abusive messages for months. Now it seemed like things were really about to get nasty…

  Charlie held the cold pack the first aid officer had demanded she keep applied “for no less then fifteen minutes” against the back of her skull.

  “Two security guards, Bob? That’s all we have for dozens of protestors?”

  Bob adjusted his tie. “You know how Frank has been about hiring new staff at the moment.”

  Yeah, and one point on which she actually agreed with Frank. This damned economy. It was impossible to justify hiring anyone for the office when factory workers were losing jobs en masse.

  “I wish I could just go out there and tell them it’s going to be alright…” She glanced out the window, watching two girls from accounting struggle to get into the building. “But we’re going to have to look into a security firm. We were lucky it was only me hurt today.”

  “I’ll make some calls.” Bob stepped forward and placed his hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Don’t give yourself such a hard time. There’s no magic wand.”

  She placed her free hand over his wrinkled one and gave him a tight smile. Thank god for Bob. He’d been her dad’s best friend and was now one of the precious few board members who didn’t seem set on watching her go down in a blaze of flaming glory.

  “Thanks, Bob.” She released his hand and then took the elevator to the top floor. She collected herself in the bathroom and fixed her hair before heading to her office.

  Melanie sat behind Charlie’s desk, swinging the chair from one side to the other. “H
ey, doll.”

  “Hey, yourself.” She took off her jacket and hung it on the rack beside her door. “Comfortable?”

  Melanie stilled the chair and grinned. “Just trying things on for size, Madam President.”

  “You know you could easily quit and be President someplace else?”

  “I don’t think the world is ready for that.” Melanie tugged at the pearl necklace perfectly accessorizing her white power dress—feminine and badass.

  Charlie laughed and took the seat on the other side. “Probably not. First President then total world domination.”

  How the hell did Melanie manage to get in early, and also look like she’d just stepped out of a Chanel advertisement.

  She’d gone to a little extra effort today herself, and arrived nearly half an hour later than usual as a result. Did people actually blow out their hair before work every-single-damn-day?

  “You’re looking foxy today.” Melanie leaned her forearms on the desk. “Is there a meeting I don’t know about?”

  “Nope.” She ran her palms over the fitted black knit blouse, she’d paired with yet another pencil skirt. “You’re the DUFF that’s what happened.” She cringed on the inside. No neither the bosom enhancing shirt or her hair were going to erase Friday night from her mind, but dressing up was a little confidence boosting act of defiance. Reminded her the only opinion that really mattered when it came to her looks—was her own. And today she let herself feel good. “Just felt like mixing things up a bit.”

  “How’d you go with Blake on Friday?”

  Charlie fished for an answer. Blake. Spew. She’d prefer not to remember his name. It was surprising enough Melanie had.

  “Oh crap, that bad?” Melanie’s gaze scanned hers. “I’m so sorry, you should have tugged your ear.”

  Charlie waved her hand. She didn’t need Melanie feeling guilty for that debacle. “It was nothing. Just total lack of chemistry.”

  “Ah, well there has to be chemistry.”

  Chemistry. That hot melting feeling she’d had with her silent brooding barbarian. The hot melting feeling flaring back to life in her middle just remembering him. Except he hadn’t been interested in coming inside when she’d made it clear he could.

  He hadn’t even told her his name.

  Barely said an un-grumbled word to her.

  “Chemistry is over rated.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “There’s nothing worse than having amazing chemistry with someone only to find out they have no personality.”

  Melanie burst into laughter. “Doll, when the chemistry is really good there’s no talking or personalities required.”

  Charlie rolled her eyes. “I assume you weren’t waiting in here just to compliment my outfit, or discuss my abysmal sex life?”

  “Well, I wanted to give you a little heads up before you hear it somewhere else…”

  Oh, shit.

  Melanie gave a reassuring smile. Never a good sign. She wasn’t a PR magician for nothing. She could make, “Hey, your hair is on fire.” sound more like, “You’re looking a little flushed today.”.

  But not even her magic, spinning of “We’re taking work offshore,” to “We’re provide industry leading products at rock-bottom prices,” could convince the people whose lives got screwed in the process.

  “Jives Tech decided they’d like to investigate other avenues for raising capital.”

  “Fuck.” Charlie closed her eyes. Jives Tech pulled out of the acquisitions deal they’d worked on for months. “We needed their sales channels to expand our market. And they have no other avenues, they’re about to fold.”

  Melanie pulled herself out of the chair, and walked around the desk, then patted her shoulder. “Sorry, wish I had better news on a Monday morning.”

  Charlie’s chest wheezed. Winning Jives Tech, had been her master plan to raise profits. “Someone leaked about the closures.”

  “Looks that way.”

  “If it’s Uncle Frank, I’m going to find out.”

  “Just be careful.” Melanie gave her shoulder one last squeeze. “He can make your life more difficult than he already has, if he really wants to.”

  Charlie rose from her chair, and flashed Melanie a small smile of her own. “Not for long.”

  “Uncle Frank.” She pushed open the door to the CEO’s office, then stopped.

  Her uncle stood in the doorway, pulling on his jacket.

  “Charlie, I was just coming to you.” He gave her one of his Frank Halifax smiles. The trademark smile enemy’s of Halifax Technologies would see right before their fate was sealed. Or doomed. Depending on what kind of mood he was in.

  “Did you leak the closures?”

  Frank simply raised one refined silver eyebrow. One thing she’d learned about her uncle was that the direct approach was the only approach.

  “I spent forty-years building this company, the last thing I want is to see it fail.”

  She matched his cynical brow movement. “If that was really true you’d be my mentor and not my opponent.”

  “I will happily be your mentor. Your mentor who’s your boss not your subordinate.” His smile flattened. “If you don’t like that you can leave, Charlie. You’ll live very well on what I’ve offered.” His voice dropped a notch. “Maybe you’ll discover your true passion instead of pursuing this useless quest to satisfy your father.”

  She took a jolting step back. That was the thing that made him such a formidable opponent. He knew how to find a weakness and strike a person right in it.

  “You should know by now that Halifax men are never satisfied.”

  Hurt blazed through her chest but she sucked it in and met his gaze again. “So I’m learning.”

  They stared at each other. They both new the bogus lawsuit he’d launched for her father’s controlling shares, would only last so long.

  Eventually Charlie would be in charge no matter who disapproved.

  If she could last until the time came that was.

  “Come.” He moved out of the door. “I’ve scheduled a meeting in your office.”

  They moved down the hall to her office. Bob stood talking to the front side of a broad, suit-clad body. A tall, suit-clad body that filled out every corner of the fabric with wide, wide shoulders that tapered to narrow hips.

  They approached the pair.

  Rich, spicy cologne entered her lungs with the same achy satisfaction as inhaling from a glass of whiskey. She stepped closer, ready for another hit.

  He turned.

  Freaking Barbarian!

  She froze. Damn her eyes, they drank in every inch of him—no subtlety possible, they gorged—feasted on him. His snug grey jacket hung open above a starched blue shirt. His top two buttons hung open, drawing her gaze to his tanned skin.

  Her lips opened. A fine patch of dark hair dipped below the button of his shirt. Her gaze stuck there, her mind filling in the gaps. The way that patch would form a trail between his pecs, down his belly toward his—

  “Charlie?” Bob asked.

  She coughed and glanced up, looking straight past her car-lifting-barbarian-hero to Bob. “Sorry, Bob, I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “Charlie, may I present Mr. Connor Crowe, of Crowe Security.”

  Connor—he had a name.

  He moved in her peripheral vision. She forced herself to look at him as if all her blood wasn’t coursing straight to her extremities—and other more sensitive places.

  How fitting he worked in security. How bizarre was it that his would be the firm they’d called. His grey-flecked, violet eyes met hers, captured hers, made her want to either disappear or run toward them. She wasn’t sure which.

  “Actually we’ve met.” She extended her hand. Yes they had. When he’d kissed the breath out of her in a bar.

  Saved her life.

  Driven her home.

  What were the freaking odds?

  Connor reached forward and clasped her hand in a mock-professional handshake. Mock, because when his fing
ers closed around hers he showed her the strength of his grip—showed her with restraint—and rubbed the skin on the back of her hand with his thumb.

  Her cheeks went warm, and she slipped her hand free before her uncle could sense and exploit this apparent new weakness.

  “Yes, we heard about your encounter, which is why we’re all here.” Frank shut the door.

  Her stomach lifted. What? They’d heard about her making out with a guy in a bar?

  “Since you’ve refused all manner of personal security, we’ve been forced to employ Mr. Crowe to provide covert protection.”

  “Covert protection?” She turned to her uncle. Holy-shit-balls. His winner-takes-all smile was back.

  What had he done?

  “Connor has been acting as a discreet bodyguard this past month.” His smile leveled. “He informed us this morning that he was forced to reveal himself to you in order to prevent you from being run down on Friday.”

  “Run down?” She glanced back to Connor, who seemed to stare straight ahead. “No, it was just some idiot with their lights off.”

  “Ah, but we can’t be sure.” He held up his hands. “Between the death threats, the incident on Friday, and the unfortunate accident this morning—”

  Connor’s gaze twitched and slammed back on her.

  “Mr. Crowe feels that the only option to ensure your safety is with full bodyguard service.”

  Full. Bodyguard. Service.

  Her breath caught—with him.

  It all sunk in. Friday night when he’d kissed her, he’d been on the job. Undercover on the job. Had he been doing his job when he gave in to her request?

  “You’re the DUFF that’s what happened.”

  The words rolled through her in a wave of hurt. She’d told herself she didn’t care what that one nasty drunk person said. She wasn’t ugly. And she wasn’t a token designated anything. But did she really believe that a man like this sexy, rugged one, would really take one look at her, and be overwhelmed by passion?

  She took a deep breath, and ran a hand down her front. “That won’t be necessary.”

  “Oh, but it will.” Frank downright grinned. “Our risk management insurer demands that you have a bodyguard or it will be too risky to have you in the building.”