Stephan

by Hazel Gower

  “That may be, princess, but I’m getting a bad feeling. I always listen to my gut.”

  Princess? Why on Earth would Brand call me that? “My name is Jade. I am anything but a princess.”

  Brand halted at the doors leading outside. “To this family, you’re a princess. They will treat you like one.”

  I narrowed my gaze on Brand, how did he know this? Why did he think this? “I don’—”

  “Quiet,” Brand said. “I need you to listen and do everything I say. Derick knows the drill. He was trained as soon as he could walk to know what to do when we are on alert. You haven’t. You follow behind me. If I say down you get down. If I tell you to do anything you do it without argument.”

  Okay, this guy was freaking me out. I looked to Derick but he seemed calm like this happened all the time. “What the hell is going on, Derick?”

  “Just follow Brand and I promise I’ll explain later.”

  I stared at Derick. I was unsure, and I wanted explanations. “Fine, but you better explain what the hell is going on.”

  “Let’s go, princess.” Brand opened the door and moved out of the building and I followed.

  This was stupid. Brand was standing in front of me and Derick was close behind me. I was sandwiched between the two. I could see the car and frustrated with this silliness I stepped away from the guys and moved onto the walkway. “This is stupid, guys. I’m not playi—”

  A loud fireworks bang sounded around me and I was tackled by Brand as he covered me with his body and yelled, “Owen, I need back up now. We need to get the packages to safety. David is in the car on standby.”

  I tried to look around Brand’s body but he was so big I only caught glimpses of the surroundings. My heart was about to beat out of my chest and my body ached. I was terrified. We were being shot at.

  Brand slowly lifted me and hunched over me as he rushed to the car where he opened the door and shoved me in. “Stay down.” I did as he instructed and Derick climbed in next to me.

  “Keep down, Jade. David is going to get us out of here.”

  Who was David and what was going on? I wanted to say something but my brain and my mouth wouldn’t cooperate. I lay down in the car while David sped us away.

  I don’t know how long I laid there in the car. I was scared. I wished Stephan was with me. I promised that if I got out of this I’d give Stephan a chance. Tears rolled down my cheek and I prayed I got out of this.

  “You can both sit up now. Brand just called me to say we’re in the clear.”

  I couldn’t move. I felt Derick get up, but I couldn’t. Feeling sorry for myself, I lay there and wallowed in my bad luck and pitiful life. Why couldn’t anything go right for me?

  “Jade, you can sit up.” Derick patted my back.

  Shaking my head, I curled into a ball and cried.

  “No, no. Jade, please don’t cry. We’re safe now. David, Brand, and Owen won’t let anything happen to us.”

  Who was Owen? I only knew about David and Brand. “What’s happening?” I whispered.

  “Argh, Stephan owes me big time.” Derick eased me up. “Are you sure you want to hear it from me? I mean, Stephan should be the one telling this to you.”

  Derick was right but I needed something to think about other than what just happened—almost getting shot. “We have time.”

  “Has Stephan told you what my family does for a living?”

  “You buy things. I know your dad was buying an apartment building. Stephan said your family has your hands in a bit of everything.”

  “That’s about right. The Silverman’s are an old money family. We originate from Russia. The story goes we fled with everything we could when the royal family was killed. We changed our name to English. The rest as they say is history.”

  I raised my eyebrow. I knew he wasn’t telling me everything. “That’s why you need the bodyguards and people shoot at you?”

  “Well, we sometimes piss people off when we buy things or sell something. Also people think if they kidnap one of us they can get a ransom.” Derick shrugged like everything he’d just told me wasn’t a big thing.

  “So why were they shooting at me too? I’m not a Silverman.”

  “Yes you are.”

  “I may be living with you, but I’m not a Silverman.”

  “You’re a Silverman now. Stephan claimed you. You’re his, which makes you a Silverman forever.”

  “You do know your brother’s reputation?”

  “Yep. But there’s another thing Stephan should have told you, but now it looks like I’m going to have to. When a Silverman finds their one, their soul mate, they never stray. The Silvermans have what Stephan calls a curse, I call it a gift. The story is in the old country we helped save a group of gypsies, and they gifted us with prosperity and the ability to know our soul mate. Great, you say, well they forgot to mention when we find our soul mate we turn into possessive cavemen.”

  “So you’re saying I’m Stephan’s soul mate?” I highly doubted what Derick was saying, but it was keeping my mind off everything that happened.

  “That’s what I’m saying. So when he was getting rid of that chick, he was doing it because there is no other woman now for Stephan other than you.”

  “Uh-huh, if you say so.” I don’t know if I believed Derick but it would be nice.

  *****

  Stephan

  I was alerted when the gates opened and stood waiting at the kitchen’s garage entrance. Brand was at the hospital with Owen, they’d been hit by bullets while protecting Derick and Jade. I was furious with myself for not being there. What the hell had happened? Who the hell had shot at my woman and brother?

  Dad had been on the phone with my uncles for the last half an hour eliminating suspects. The annoying thing was the list of who it could be was growing quite large.

  The SUV drove into the garage and parked. I didn’t even wait until David turned it off before I opened the back doors. Derick sat with his arms around Jade. I didn’t care he was touching Jade. I just needed to know she was all right. Derick got out and I gathered Jade to me, surprised when she clung to my body snuggling into my embrace. Lifting her, I cradled Jade in my arms, went to the family room, and sat on the sofa.

  “I heard your evening got even more eventful. Are you hurt anywhere?” I ran my hands over her checking she was safe and needing to touch her, to feel her.

  “Just grazed knees and shook up, otherwise unhurt. How is Brand and the other guy…Owen?”

  “They’ll be fine.” I didn’t know how much she knew so I didn’t say they were shot but will be okay.

  Mum rushed in. “Oh are you both alright?” She gathered Derick, who had just come into the room, to her looking him over. “You look safe. What about you, Jade?” Mum gazed at Jade.

  “I’m safe. Brand covered me when the shooting started. I have lived in the neighborhood all my life. I’ve never been shot at before. I don’t even think I’ve ever heard shots.”

  Mum came over and patted Jade’s legs. “You’re safe here, sweetie. I hope you never have to hear that sound again.”

  “I’d like to say thank you to Brand. It’s nice of him to protect me when I’m not a Silverman.”

  “Argh, Stephan’s right. You don’t listen. I told you in the car you’re a Silverman now.”

  I chuckled at Derick.

  “Little bit, Derick’s right. You’re a Silverman and extremely important to me. I’m glad Brand protected you. He would have been in trouble if he didn’t.”

  Mum kissed Jade’s cheek. “Stephan and Derick are right. You’re a part of this family now, Jade, which means our bodyguards protect you with their lives too.”

  Jade didn’t say anything for a while and I enjoyed having her in my arms. My mum left, and Derick turned on the TV flicking through the cable stations

  “Why haven’t I seen your bodyguards before?” Jade broke the quiet.

  “They’re hidden. We don’t have them follow us at the school. The sc
hool has high security. We have a lot of high profile kids so we put money together and the school is very high tech. Did you notice we have the high fences around it with wire at the tops? We also have cameras everywhere.”

  “How can you have all that in a public school?”

  “The cameras and safety things are what parents have provided. The government hasn’t spent any money. They did look at building a private school, but with all the costs and maintenance it works out cheaper and easier to change the school. Everyone has been grateful for the extra safety and all the better quality things they get. It’s why the school gets the best teachers and with the parents on the richer side we have the best of everything, so the lower income families get the goods too.”

  “Everything you’ve said makes sense I suppose. I guess I need to take more notice of my surroundings. I never really noticed what you’re saying.”

  I shrugged. “You’re not meant to notice. You’re a student so you wouldn’t have been questioned by any of the undercover bodyguards.” I didn’t want to scare her more than she’d already been scared but I wanted Jade to know she was safe. “You’re safe at the school. We’ve never had any incidents where we’ve needed the security. It’s all just a precaution. I’m sure tonight was nothing and you were just caught in some gang fight.” I was lying, but I didn’t want Jade to worry.

  “If you say so.” She hugged me and I held her tight, calming my ragged nerves. I couldn’t let anything happen to her ever again. I wouldn’t let anything happen.

  *****

  It was late and I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to let Jade go.

  “We have school in the morning. I still want to go. But…well…can I sleep with you…in your bed? I um…I’ll be wearing a nighty and…er…you could put me back in my own bed once I fall asl—”

  I was so shocked Jade asked to sleep in my bed it took me a moment to respond. “Jade of course you can sleep with me. You know, I would have had you back in my bed as soon as you got here almost a week ago.”

  She sighed. “I know. I’m doing it tonight because I was scared and you make me feel safe. I need that tonight.”

  I was willing to take her, however, she was willing to come to me. Jade eased off my lap and stretched, pushing her shoulders back and her chest out—tempting me. . My body ached, reminding me it had been weeks without any satisfaction. But oddly enough I didn’t care. All I cared about was making sure Jade was happy and cared for. When she was ready it would make it all the better.

  Jade walked toward the stairs and I got up to follow. She went into her room and I walked to my own putting in my code and leaving the door open for Jade. I went to the bathroom and did my business, coming back to bed, stripping and getting into the covers. Jade came in not long after in silk pink shorts and a white cotton tank top. Her hair was in a plait and she had a fresh clean face. She went to the opposite side of the bed from me and climbed onto it.

  “Please tell me when I get in you won’t be naked?”

  “Can’t do that. I haven’t slept with clothes since I reached puberty.” I yanked the covers off and gathered her to me. She squealed and closed her eyes. I chuckled. “You’re clothed. So you’re safe.”

  “Ha, I’m in bed with you, Stephan. The clothes I have on couldn’t stop you.” Her legs settled on either side of me and she laid on me, her arms resting on my arms.

  I stroked her back. “I know you’re not ready. I promise I’ll wait for however long you need to be ready. You’re important to me, Jade, and I want you happy and safe.” She sighed and snuggled against me. I loved the feel of her against me. I wished we were skin to skin but I knew she wasn’t ready and Jade was worth waiting for, I was sure. “Right now I want you to lie down and sleep.

  “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about earlier today. I haven’t. I’m pissed at you. If you ever treat me like that poor woman at the movies I swear we’ll be through and I’ll never give you another chance.” She eased up and cupped my face. “The next woman or girl who throws themselves at you, you better throw them off quicker than you did today. If not I swear I’ll drag them off by their hair and kill you. If you want me to give this,” she let my face go and pointed to me and then herself, “a chance, then you need to take me serious when I say this. I will never become one of those women. I won’t chase you around. I won’t follow you like a puppy waiting for any attention. I will not beg you to do anything. I am my own woman.”

  I pulled her down and brushed my lips over hers. “Good. I don’t want that.” I kissed her, fusing my mouth to her mouth, showing her she was all I wanted, and I didn’t need what she’d said. All I needed was her.

  We broke apart panting to catch our breath and I knew it was going to be a painful night for me. I laid her across my chest and her fingers stroked my chest. “Go to sleep, little bit.” I closed my eyes and I heard the soothing rhythm of our hearts as it beat together. I waited until her breathing slowed and her fingers stilled, then I fell asleep holding my one, my soul mate.

  *****

  Jade

  Standing with my hands on my hips ready for school I glared at Stephan. Why did he have to ruin a perfectly good morning? I was a cold body, I was always cold, I learned it was just me and I put up with it, but this morning I woke warm, snug, and listening to the soothing beat of Stephan’s heart. I hadn’t even been bothered about his hand in my undies cupping my bare arse. The alarm had gone off and we’d taken our time getting up, I’d gone to my room to shower and get into my school uniform. I now had all new school clothes instead of the secondhand ones I’d bought. I still had Stephan’s jumper he’d given me the first day I’d met him and because it still smelled of him, I put it on. I knew Stephan would get a kick out of me wearing it especially now I had three others in my closet my size.

  Stephan had been waiting at my door for me and together we went downstairs and had breakfast together. It had been turning out to be the perfect morning until Stephan got off the phone and David—who I’d met last night because he’d driven Derick and I away from the gun fire— and a guy named Rex, who I had yet to meet, came into the kitchen. Stephan introduced them as my personal bodyguards.

  “You’ll share the guards with the ten we have.”

  “Holy crap, why the hell does your family need ten bodyguards? Why on Earth do you think I need two? I don’t even need one.” I placed my hands on my hips and gave my best death glare.

  Stephan shrugged. “We have ten because there were four in the family, now five with you. Two to each person, rotating shifts, and two spares for when we need them. Brand will be interviewing for another two at some stage this week. Brand is the head of our security, and Royce, is his second. They’ve both been with the family for years. I think I was about four when Brand joined the team. Anyway, you’re a part of the family now so David and Rex will be your day guards so look for them if you need them, they shouldn’t be far. I’ll be with you when you’re not in class so you’ll have me with you if you need anything. ”

  Okay, so I’ve stepped into the Twilight Zone. Looking around me I searched for cameras or a TV host lurking and ready to pop out and tell me this was all a game or a prank. Giving a tight fake smile to David and Rex I studied the two beefy men as I held left hand out. “Hi. I’m Jade. I really don’t think you need to follow me or be my guards. I’ve gone almost eighteen years without any. I think I’ll be fine for another eighteen or more.”

  David raised a blond eyebrow and shook my hand. “I was there the other week when you were almost beaten to death. I don’t know if you would have survived anymore of those.”

  Darn, I hated it when men were right. I still thought a bodyguard for me was stupid and a waste of money, but I knew I wouldn’t win this fight. I shook Rex’s hand too, he was massive with a bald head and big green eyes, that studied me with intensity. I knew he was committing every detail to memory.

  So I now I had guards, David and a guy named Rex. I wanted to laugh and not just because one of m
y guards had the name of what I’d call a dog if I’d ever been blessed with having one, but nope, it's because me, a girl who only last week had less than two hundred dollars to her name, now lived in a mega mansion and had bodyguards.

  Grabbing my new name brand school bag, I followed a happy Stephan to the garage and got into his jeep. “Am I going to see that stupid grin every time you get your way and I don’t argue?” I asked Stephan as he drove down the road grinning like a loon.

  “Probably. You fought me so much for weeks now I think any time you don’t argue will be a win, win situation.”

  “Arsehole.” I rolled my eyes, but I wasn’t hugely bothered. I liked seeing Stephan smile and he had stuck by me so he deserved a bit of slack.

  *****

  What the hell was I thinking? You give a man an inch he thinks he can go a mile. I didn’t need a babysitter. Stephan had organized one of his mates to watch over me in my classes. I had no idea I had at least one of his friends in each of my classes. I could feel eyes on me all the time. It was like I was in a bad B-movie. Every time a class would finish a friend of Stephan’s would materialize in front of me to take me to my next class, because obviously, I couldn’t do it on my own or even with Cassie or any of my other friends.

  I put up with this for almost a week and only because I was worried about Stephan, he was in the bloody home gym or out at what they called the no go zone, on the property, where they practiced using guns. It was Friday and today at lunch, I swear whoever showed their face I was going to wallop them one. Now I tried very hard not to be violent, especially with my upbringing, but Stephan brought out a violent streak in me where I wanted to throttle him and anyone associated with him.

  My girlfriends thought it was cute what Stephan was doing. The bitches had no sympathy for me. I told them karma would get them but they said they couldn’t wait if they got someone like Stephan. Ha. They needed to put up with him for even a day and I bet they wouldn’t say that.

  I wasn’t even sleeping in my bed, not that I minded. I enjoyed Stephan’s heat and falling asleep to the sound of his heartbeat. We never had a break from each other, we drove home every afternoon and it was driving me batty. He was super careful and he made every excuse under the sun to go straight home and not anywhere else. I missed hanging out at the beach, going to Cassie’s house or even rugby practice. Ah, rugby practice, half naked boys…mmm. It was tonight and I was going whether Stephan went or not.