Forgotten Bodyguard Box Set: A Forbidden Fruit Series

by Ali Parker

  "She thinks you killed Pauly, Ian. Don't be ignorant here. She's not going to fully trust you until she forces herself to accept that the man that raised her is a bad guy." Cole walked into the house behind me and lifted his hands as I turned to give him a 'shut the fuck up' look.

  "Chloe?" I set the box on the kitchen table and tried hard not to think about the events from the night before. My life had been one fuck up after the next. I'd learned a long time ago to compartmentalize anything and everything that I couldn't handle. It was the only way to live on the streets, to belong to a world that would sooner see you dead than housed and fed.

  Nothing.

  "Her car was out back, right?" Cole's voice followed me as I walked into the bedroom.

  "Chloe?" I moved around the room, hoping to find her in the bathroom, but coming up empty. Fear stole the air from my lungs. "Where are you, baby?"

  "Hey." Cole bumped into me as I walked out of the bedroom. "She in here?"

  "No," I barked and moved past him. "And I'm blocked on her damn phone."

  "I'm not. Here."

  I turned and caught my brother's phone before sitting down on the couch and typing in her number. The phone rang twice before she picked up. Her voice was thick with sleep or maybe she'd been drugged.

  "Hello?"

  I gripped the phone tighter. "Chloe, it's Ian. Where are you?"

  "I'm at my dad's house in Santa Barbara. Daniel came by this morning really early and picked me up."

  "Did you ask him to?" Confusion rolled through me as Cole sat down beside me and gave me a curious look.

  "No. He found out about Pauly and they wanted me protected. They assume that Jeremy killed him." She seemed to be waking up a little.

  "I'm coming up there. I don't want you unprotected." I got up and walked toward the kitchen. "No one's hurting you, right?"

  "No." She sniffled a little. "I'm not sure what to think about everything."

  "I'll explain all of it. Just stay there and I'll be there in four hours tops, okay?"

  "My father said that you were going to be his bodyguard in Pauly's place. How is that possible?" The accusation in her voice left my stomach tight, my chest burning.

  "It wasn't my fault that Jeremy got to you at UCLA, Chloe. You know that." I closed my eyes tightly, hating the lie that left my lips. "It was Pauly that was supposed to be watching you. He isn't the man you thought he was."

  "I know," she whispered. "I'll see you when you get here."

  She dropped the call before I could tell her that I loved her. Maybe it was too much to say so early, but it was true. After all the shit we'd been through, there was no way I could deny it anymore. I would have done anything for her... even lie through my teeth and become a man I couldn't even begin to respect in order to keep her safe.

  "She's up the coast?" Cole stood behind me as I turned.

  "Yeah. I gotta get up there. Daniel came down to grab her this morning for Mitch. I guess he's playing the part well."

  "Then you go play your part until we can figure this shit out."

  "She's going to fucking hate me when she realizes that Pauly was one of the good guys." I ran my fingers through my hair and tried to think through how the hell I was going to get out of the web of lies I was stuck in.

  Cole reached out and patted my chest. "You didn't kill Pauly, Ian. If she unwinds the truth, then you tell her the rest of it. Pauly was forced to kill for Mitch because he loved Chloe. You're in the same exact spot. The only question now is whether the girl is really worth it."

  I gave my brother a stern look. "Absolutely."

  "Then stop trying to figure this shit out, and let's get up there."

  "You're not going with me. You have too much on your plate. I'm not dragging your ass deep into this too." I brushed his hand away and pulled out the keys to my bike. "I'll be fine. Just stay at the apartment and I'll bring Chloe there."

  "No. We'll take the truck. I'm coming with you. Period."

  Damn. There was no arguing with him when he got his mind set on something. It was one of the many reasons I loved the guy. He was as stubborn as me, but his heart was three times as big.

  Truth be told, I wanted him beside me. I had no clue what the hell was waiting for me in Santa Barbara. With the way things had been going lately, Chloe was in on the scandal and her being up there was simply a death trap to lure me in.

  It was a scary thought, but not enough to stop me.

  She was my woman and no matter what it took to remind her of that, I was up for the challenge.

  *

  "What do you really think is going on?" My brother glanced over at me as I picked at my nails. We were two hours outside of Santa Barbara and my nerves were on edge.

  "I don't know." I shook my head. "I wish I was a smart guy that could figure this shit out, but I'm not. I just want a simple life with a good woman and a good job. All this political bullshit and having blood on my hands isn't at all where I thought this would go."

  "Politics are so much more involved than you think." He reached up and turned on the windshield wipers as it began to sprinkle. "I almost feel bad for getting you the job. I should have taken the job instead. Mitch wanted me. At least then you wouldn’t be stuck in the middle of this nightmare, you know?"

  "It's all right, man. I wouldn't have met Chloe either." I closed my eyes and let my head fall back. "It's all worth it because of her. I just have to work through who's being honest and who's a fucking liar."

  "Well, you know Senator Moore isn't at all who he plays to be."

  The truck jerked to the left, causing me to open my eyes and sit up. "What's wrong?"

  "The engine is jerking." Cole moved the old truck over to the edge of the road. "Maybe it's just bad gas. I'll turn it off and we'll restart it. It's fine. It does this all the time."

  "You gotta get a better ride, bro." I slumped back against the seat and turned to study my older brother. His dark brown roots were getting worse, leaving him to look like a has-been with his blond tips. "I'm dying your fucking hair the minute things settle down."

  He chuckled and tried to start the truck with no success. "No, you're not. I'll shave it off soon. I figure when the time comes for me to transition to something new, I'll just remake myself into the man I am inside." He tried to start the car again. "Cindy wanted me to have blond hair."

  "Pussy-whooped." I couldn't help it. He was going through hell, but I was still his little brother no matter the flavor of suffering we were collectively sucking on.

  "Absolutely." He opened the door and got out. "Never again though. I'm done with women for a while. I'll just do like you for the last few years. Love 'em and leave 'em in the morning."

  I started to respond as he shut the door and moved toward the hood. The storm was only getting worse, and there was no way in hell I could leave him out there to fend for himself.

  The need to panic roared to life deep inside my chest, but I forced it back down. Whatever was going on with Chloe, I would remedy. I'd help figure it out and we would work through everything together. Although I hated the thought of wearing a mask in front of her where Pauly was concerned, I'd lie through my teeth to protect her.

  I got out of the truck and jogged to the front. "What's up?"

  "The battery is fried." Cole shook his head. "I should have just let you go on your own. Then you wouldn't be stuck on the side of the fucking road with me."

  "Shit." I patted his back. "Let's call a tow and I'll get a lift to a car rental place. I gotta get up there."

  "I know." He nodded toward the cab. "Go get back in the truck and call for us. I'm going to keep tinkering with the damn thing."

  "It's fucking pouring out here." I leaned into the hood farther as we yelled over the sound of the rain.

  "I'm not made of sugar like you. I don't melt." He chuckled and pushed at me, forcing me back out in the rain.

  "Fucker." I jogged to my side of the car and got in. After calling the tow truck, I leaned back and closed my
eyes. There was nothing I could do at the moment, but that didn't stop me from berating myself over and over.

  Mandy's whole life ended because of me. She trusted me and loved me and I fucked her over. Was I doing that again? Did I want love so bad that I was willing to bend over backward to get it? The best thing I could do for Chloe was go to the police, but somehow I knew that would only end in Mitch getting to her and me, so I stood still in my lie.

  I wasn't sure what she would choose to believe in the end. Was I a good guy in a shitty situation or a bad guy with no redemption in sight?

  Hell, maybe it wasn't about her making the determination about me.

  Maybe it was about me making it about myself.

  Chapter 4

  Chloe

  “Who was that?” My father looked up as I walked back in the room from talking with Ian.

  “Jessie. She’s making up with her father.” I shrugged and tried hard to play off the fact that Pauly being involved in all the shitty parts of my life now made perfect sense.

  I didn't want it to make sense, but it did. The event at ULCA came flooding back as I stood there in my father's study. Pauly wanted Ian to go look after my dad, and Pauly promised to watch over me. I'd gone to the bathroom and Jeremy snatched me up with calm resolve, as if the bastard had no worries in the world.

  Maybe he didn't. If he knew that Pauly was watching me instead of Ian, and Pauly was his father, then... then Pauly was involved. He was part of the reason why I'd been taken so easily. And who'd come to the dilapidated house when I was shot and Ian was toted off to the police station? Pauly.

  Who picked Ian up at the station and told him that he was fired? Pauly.

  And it was Pauly that told me that Ian up and quit. He admitted to being involved in the deaths of Brant's family as well.

  I slid my fingers through my hair and tried to catch my breath as I walked to the floor to ceiling window that overlooked our pool. I tugged back the curtain and pressed my forehead to the glass.

  "I can't figure out how to accept this. Pauly loved us. He loved Mom." I glanced back to watch my father stand up.

  "He's not the man we thought he was, Chloe." He stayed in place and wrapped his thin arms around himself. "He told me that Ian was at fault for you getting taken, but he wasn't, was he?"

  "No," I whispered. "I tried to tell you that."

  "I know. Pauly has been beside me for a really long time, baby. It's hard to dismiss his counsel. I thought he was part of our family, but I was wrong."

  "How did you find out about Jeremy?"

  "About him being Pauly's kid?"

  "Yes." I turned around and pressed my back to the cool glass.

  "Daniel found out for me. I guess the two of them knew each other from childhood. Daniel had to step in and play friend to Jeremy just to figure out what the hell was going on. He confessed and we had one of our guys in the FBI dig into it." My father shook his head. "I feel like such a fool."

  "It's not your fault." I forced myself across the room. Nothing was making sense, but every word uttered added up to a picture I couldn't stand to gaze upon. Pauly was Jeremy's father and they'd worked together to kill off Brant's family and put together evidence against my father.

  "It is my fault. I was so wrapped up in my grief over your mother's death that I let things get by me that should have stopped me dead in my tracks." He wiped his nose. "I'm sorry about Ian. I should never have listened to Pauly."

  "Did you let Jeremy go free because he had something against you? Some kind of evidence?"

  "Yes." My father nodded. "Forgive me for needing to protect us both. I knew Daniel would protect you while Jeremy was free, and Ian would as well. He's a thug and a half, but he's in love with you. That much is obvious."

  "What did he have, Dad?" I couldn't force the conversation over Ian and get the answers I needed to everything else. I wasn't quite sure the fight for Ian was worth it just yet. Him killing Pauly, regardless of the reason, had my emotions on lock down. Everyone was willing to protect my body, but it would be me alone that could protect my heart from the shit storm that had to be headed our way. This wasn't over. Jeremy was still on the loose, and I had more questions than answers.

  "The night Pauly and Jeremy set fire to Brant's house," my father paused and brushed his fingers by his thin lips as he swallowed hard, "they called me out there under the pretense that Brant wanted to join my side and work together, not against each other. When I got there, I rushed toward the house, but Jeremy stopped me, gripped my shoulders and told me what happened. The bastard is cunning and slick. He has this way about him where he will play you so well that you'd never imagine him to be the vicious wolf in sheep's clothing that he is."

  There was no denying that fact. I'd honestly thought that he loved me when we dated. The conversation Jeremy and I had on the dance floor in New Hampshire ran through my mind. He was so convincing, so emotionally compelling. But what was the truth?

  "Listen, I know you're terrified of me, but I need to explain myself." He gripped my hands and pulled me firmly against him near the dance floor. "Don't scream, or I'll get my gun."

  "That would be why I'm terrified." I stepped on his toe hard and pulled back.

  "If I wanted you dead, you would have already been dead, Chloe. I didn't mean to shoot you. You fucking rushed me, remember? It was an accident."

  "I don't think so. You tore me down with the truth about our relationship first, remember?" I pulled again as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pressed the back of my head, locking me against his thin chest as he pressed his lips to my ear.

  "I lied. I shouldn't have said that shit to you, but if I didn't villainize you in my mind, I never would have been able to hold you hostage."

  "And why did you hold me hostage? What do you have that they want, Jer?" I pushed at his chest softly, wanting to run, but not wanting to miss what the fuck was going on. Ian was searching for the truth, and I had the guy with all the answers right in front of me.

  "I can't tell you, but you need to tell your bodyguard friend to watch his back." He moved back a little and gave me a dark look.

  "What? Don't you threaten him, you bastard!" I jerked back and glanced around for Daniel. Now he was too busy to help. Typical.

  "I'm not threatening him, but they're not going to let him get ahold of something that might condemn your father and live to tell about it." He reached for me, turning us as the music shifted again. "I would never hurt you or anyone really. Your dad ruined my fucking life and I had proof of all of it. That's why I took you. I needed to drag him out to the house, but your fucking guard got right up in the middle of all of it."

  "That's his job." I let out a shaky sigh. "What do you have on my father? What has he done?"

  "You remember eight years ago, just a couple of years after your mom died when your dad went after the presidency? I was his campaign manager."

  "You told me that part already."

  "The other candidate, Brant Thomas. Remember him?"

  "Yes, I know Mr. Thomas, Jeremy. Get to the fucking point before my friend or my new bodyguard sees us out here." I spun around and moved back to press my hands to his chest.

  "There's evidence that the house fire that killed his family wasn't an accident at all." He glanced around as sweat collected at his brow.

  "You think my father would murder his opponents' family?" My voice was a little too loud by the looks I got. I forced myself to whisper. "That's a fucking joke, right?"

  "He wasn't trying to kill the family, Chloe. He was trying to take out Brant. I have the evidence at the house, or did. I got word from the lady watching the place that my house was broken into and ransacked two days ago." He glanced around again.

  "Why did you come up here? If you have the evidence, just go to the police." Terror washed through me. Was my father really capable of something so heinous? My source was a creeper that had not only kidnapped me and shot me in the chest, but used me for several years to try and get cl
oser to my dad. Sadly enough, I didn't know which one of them to believe in.

  "I wanted to try and talk sense into him, but I can't seem to get him alone." He sighed. "I don't want anything but my life back."

  "What did he take from you?"

  "My reputation."

  "And how the hell is he supposed to give you that back?"

  "So you were there, but you weren't involved in the fire?" I came to and glanced up at my dad.

  Horror crossed his features and he paled. "Of course not. I would never hurt anyone. Ever. No matter what. Nothing is worth that."

  Jeremy was so fucking convincing. I'd almost started to believe that the bastard was innocent and had a case against my father that was worth hearing, worth possibly fighting for.

  "I want Ian beside me, Dad. I need to know that I'm safe until you get Jeremy locked up. That's the plan, right?"

  "Yes. That's the plan. Daniel is working on it." My father pulled out his phone and pressed a button before lifting it to his ear. "This is Senator Moore. Unblock my daughter's phone and offer Mr. Matthenson another chance."

  Relief spread through me, validating my true feelings about Ian. I believed him to be the good guy though certain signs were pointing in the opposite direction. Was I letting love and lust sway me?

  My father reached out and touched the side of my face. "I'm going to put him in Pauly's position. He's got street smarts. Maybe he can help us figure out what happened to Pauly exactly. I know it's sick, but I can't help but think that Jeremy got to him."

  "You think Jeremy would kill his own father?"

  "He killed Brant's whole family, Chloe. He stood there while the kids and Brant's wife burned to death, locked in the house."

  A chill of disgust and horror ran through me though some part of my mind pushed against it. Jeremy didn’t seem like the kind of guy that had the stomach to kill anyone, much less kids.