Latvis Security Services

by Lexie Ray

  She heaved a sigh and retrieved a carton of milk from the fridge, remembering what could have been always brought a little bit of melancholy. But when Gawain couldn’t keep himself out of trouble and their parents were unable to rein him back in, it was either the army or her brother. Just like always, Gawain got his way.

  Opening the lid, she took a few mouthfuls before Gawain made a protest. “Come on, Gwen, that’s just gross.”

  “I’m going to finish it off,” she dismissed. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “Oh, no, I just got in.”

  She slammed the fridge door shut, and he instantly put up his hands in defense.

  “Before you start,” he said, “just remember, I have a very good reason for coming in so late.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “I have a life,” he smirked.

  Gwen finished off the milk before she tossed it into the trashcan across the room. It went in without hitting the rim.

  “I’m going to say this once, and them I’m going to bed.”

  Gawain grinned. “Hit me.”

  “If I ever get home before you, I am going to go down to that disgusting bar, throw you over my shoulder, and bring you back here.” Gawain’s smile wavered as Gwen took a step closer and held his gaze. “And I mean that literally.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” he chuckled.

  “Try me, and you’ll get downgraded to bridal carry.”

  All of his bravado seeped away, and he was left shifting on his feet.

  “Well, now that we’ve got the standard threats out of the way, I’m going to bed. After all, I’ve got to take all those rich tourists up the mountain in the morning. I need to get some sleep.”

  “Good call,” Gwen said. “No one trusts a hungover tour guide.”

  “Point taken,” Gawain said as he disappeared into his room. “I’ll make sure to still be drunk.”

  Suddenly exhausted, Gwen decided that her small, rickety bed seemed like an incredible idea. She knew Gawain was just teasing her. Though he was astonishingly irresponsible in many areas, his job wasn’t one of them.

  She didn’t bother to change out of the work dress and instead just flopped face first onto her bed. Letting her eyes fall closed, she blindly reached out for her porcelain doll. It had been in the family for generations, passed down from mother to daughter, with the greatest care taken to keep it in pristine condition. Even its elaborate princess dress was perfect. Gwen curled up with it clutched to her chest and let sleep wash over her.

  ***

  Jamie tried to hide his smirk as he watched Mads shuffle out of the elevator. Their office was large enough to be comfortable, but not so big that their boss could make it from the elevator to his office without being noticed. Dwayne was the first to point it out.

  “Mads is hung over!”

  Mads staggered back, one hand pressed to his temple, his glare hidden behind his mirrored glasses.

  “Sorry, man. I know that must hurt, but this is like seeing Bigfoot. It demands some ceremony,” Dwayne said.

  Put Dwayne to a task and the colossal man was a force to be reckoned with. Get him excited in a casual setting and he was like an oversized puppy, running into every possible object and never seeming to notice. He hurried toward Mads, bobbing on his toes with a sudden excess of energy.

  “Please tell me you did something crazy. No, wait, it would be better if you woke up covered in glitter with a parrot you didn’t remember buying. Oh, and it quotes Poe.”

  “Settle down. Give him some space.” Faced with a patient, Jai had slipped into his doctor mode. He pushed past Dwayne and grabbed Mads’ wrist, checking his pulse as he coaxed Mads to remove his glasses and let him check his eyes. “Anyway, when has that ever happened to anyone?”

  “It happened to me. Twice.”

  “What happened to the parrots?” Daren asked.

  “My nieces have them. They’ve gotten very wordy.”

  Daren’s brow furrowed. “The parrots or the girls?”

  “Both,” Dwayne shrugged.

  “With all due respect,” Mads said. “Will someone please shoot me? If it is not an imposition.”

  Jamie laughed. “And clean up the blood? Not on your life.”

  With a groan more befitting a dying animal, Mads sank down onto the nearest couch. Daren had already retrieved a bottle of water from the staff fridge and taped the end against Mads’ shoulder. He blindly reached for it.

  “You’ll live,” Jai declared with a twitching smirk.

  “Do not tell Natalie about this.”

  “Right. Of course,” Jai nodded.

  Mads grunted. “You already have.”

  “She’s visiting.”

  Mads snapped his head up and instantly regretted the move. Swallowing thickly, he asked, “You persuaded her to leave Scotland?”

  “You can’t persuade that woman to do anything.” Jai didn’t even attempt to hide his pride. “She offered.”

  Even though it pained him, Mads still smiled and tilted his head back against the wall.

  “You’re really fighting the urge to say ‘I told you so,’ aren’t ya, Mads?” Daren said.

  “It is proving quite painful to resist.”

  “That’s the copious amount of alcohol,” Jai said. “Now, buck up. We leave in a few hours.”

  “I am the one who chooses which cases we take.”

  “You are our gallant leader,” Jai agreed, “but we have promised to lend our services to someone, and you’re coming along for the ride.”

  “No, I am not.”

  “It’s for Willow,” Dwayne said.

  That got Mads’ attention, and he lifted his head once more. “I fail to understand.”

  “There’s some kind of party going on in a mountain town, and Willow got hired to do the flowers. We help get them all down there, and we can stay for the shindig,” Dwayne said happily.

  “I do not care for parties,” Mads said.

  “But you care for Willow,” Jamie cut in. “And she needs the help.”

  “Very well,” he groaned.

  Daren squeezed Mads’ shoulder as he passed by on his way to the door. “We’ll come get you when everything is loaded.”

  Mads’ next groan sounded a bit more relieved.

  Chapter Three

  The day had been nothing but arrangements. Well, for her it had been nothing but heavy lifting and listening to Cheyanne telling her that it ‘didn’t look quite right.’ Honestly, Gwen had no idea of what ‘just right’ was supposed to look like, but she didn’t try and bring that up. She was quite happy being on the unloading team and was keen to keep it that way.

  The first snowflakes were drifting down, and the air had taken on a crisp, sweet edge. She loved it. And, in all honesty, she actually liked the manual labor. Loading tables and chairs off the back of a truck wasn’t mentally taxing, but at least it let her get a workout.

  The Winter Festival had been a staple since the town had been founded. But none of the parties had ever rivaled the sheer grandeur of a Cheyanne Heist affair. The second she had arrived in town, she had embraced life as the mayor’s wife. She was a living shot of elegance into the rural town, and just about every man had been instantly smitten with her. It wasn’t hard to figure out why.

  She looked like Snow White come to life. Raven black hair, flawless skin, and eyes that capture a lot of men’s attention. Two kids in, and she still had a birdlike delicacy to her. By all appearances, she was perfect. Until you got to know her. Behind all her smiles and sweet words, Cheyanne was cold and calculated. Not the type of woman Gwen would have chosen for Arthur, but it was never her choice. Never would be.

  Gwen had just lifted down another stack of chairs from the truck bed when the sound of an engine made her look up. The driveway to the mayor’s home was long and curled around a water fountain that had been turned off for the change of season. She didn’t recognize the trucks quickly making their way toward the house and kept them in the
corner of her eye as she hauled the chairs toward the front door, fresh sweat beading across her forehead.

  The mystery was solved the second the men started piling out of the trucks. They had to be Cheyanne’s friends. Pretty people tend to flock together. Gwen almost lost interest in them until she noticed how they moved. The men bustled around the vehicles with a coordinated precision that suggested military. Why would five men trained in the armed forces be unloading flowers into the mayor’s house?

  Dropping the chairs, Gwen jogged across the slush to cut them off. Her hand twitched to reach for the Taser strapped to her hip.

  “Morning.” She tried to sound casual as her eyes flicked over each man in turn.

  The big one might be an issue if he charged. But all that muscle would slow him down. Bodybuilders weren’t known for speed. The skittish one, and the one who’d decided to wear a three-piece suit to do manual labor, both looked like they’d be faster. The smallest one’s hands were too soft to have been heavily trained in hand-to-hand combat.

  Gwen shifted her eyes to the woman. It hadn’t been more than a flinch, but Gwen was sure that her hand had twitched toward her hip. Shooter, maybe?

  “Morning.”

  Her attention flicked to the man who had spoken. While he wasn’t small, he was quiet on his feet. She hadn’t noticed him moving about. Now that he had her attention, it was hard to keep from noticing him. If Cheyanne was Snow White, this guy was Prince Bloody Charming.

  His hair shone like spun gold and was just long enough that he could do that weird flick thing that they put in so many moves. His jaw looked like it had been chiseled from marble, and his easy smile was enough to make Gwen’s legs go weak for a moment. Caught off guard by the sensation, she searched for her weapon. The man stopped walking.

  “Easy there, quick draw.”

  His smile remained as his eyes drifted over her. She straightened her spine, but it wasn’t going to make the view any better. Quickly, she berated herself for caring at all. They had gained the attention of the others, and she closed her hands around the device.

  “This is private property,” she said crisply.

  “Oh, sorry,” the woman said as she sorted through a pile of papers attached to a clipboard. “I’m Willow. We’re here to deliver some flowers.”

  “And you hire only military men as some sort of outreach program?”

  The big one suddenly seemed interested in the conversation. “How do you know we’re military? Dwayne, by the way. Hey.” He finished with a slight wave.

  The suit put another basket of sunflowers down and pressed the back of his hand to his forehead. He looked a good jolt away from vomiting. “There are signs, if you know how to look. She displays them, too. I would guess army.”

  “He’s Mads,” Dwayne told her before leaning forward and stage whispering, “Is he right?”

  “Yes,” Gwen said, her fingers tightening on her Taser. “And I will drop you if you come a step closer.”

  Dwayne took a big step back. “We’re just bringing the flowers. What have you got there?”

  “Taser,” Mads said, before leaning against the side of the truck. “I would suppose she is part of the home security for the mayor.”

  “How does he do that?” Gwen asked.

  “I have a theory that he’s the little boy from the Shining, all grown up,” Dwayne said.

  “I pay attention,” Mads snapped.

  Dwayne actually pouted. “You’re mean when you’re hungover.”

  “Here,” Willow said, obviously speaking louder to interrupt the conversation. “I’ve found the receipt. The delivery is for a Cheyanne Heist.”

  “Cheyanne Heist?” Prince Charming snapped around to face Willow.

  He groaned when the tell-tale sound of high heels on stone echoed toward them. Groaning, he began to rub the back of his neck. “This is going to get awkward.”

  Before anyone could follow up, Cheyanne burst from the house.

  “Finally! I was starting to worry that you weren’t going to arrive at all.” Cheyanne’s eyes flicked to Charming.

  “Jamie?”

  “Hi, Chey.”

  “Hey, I know you,” Dwayne chirped. “You were in the newspaper. You’re Jamie’s ex. Didn’t you marry a guy while you were still dating…” His eyes widened, and he quickly glanced around. “Look, pumpkins! Sorry, don’t have time to finish that sentence earlier. Whatever that was even about. Who remembers? Who cares? Pumpkins need moving.”

  “Smooth,” the shy one chuckled.

  “You know them?” Gwen asked Cheyanne.

  “Yes. Well, I didn’t know that Jamie now worked for the florist I hired.”

  “I don’t work for her,” Jamie said. “I’m just doing a favor for a friend.”

  “A favor that just so happens to give you an excuse to see me,” Cheyanne challenged.

  “I didn’t know they were for you.”

  “How could you not?”

  “Why would I ask?” he countered.

  “While this is all quite pleasant, and in no way uncomfortable, I desperately want an excuse to leave,” Mads cut in. “May I inquire as to where the flowers are to go?”

  “Hungover Mads is sassy Mads,” Dwayne whispered to the man beside him.

  “Of course.” Cheyanne lifted her chin, and from that point on didn’t so much as glance toward Jamie. “I’ll show you where. Follow me.”

  Jamie stood still as the men began to file into the house. A word didn’t pass between the men, but the arrangement was clear. Jamie was now on unloading duty, as far away from Cheyanne as he could get. It was a sign that these men had been working together for a while. Jamie kept his silence as he went about his work.

  ***

  Jamie shoved the next arrangement into Dwayne’s hands with a little more force than necessary. The taller man gave him a strange look but didn’t comment, which was actually worse. He could deal with every thought in Dwayne’s head flowing out of his mouth without much thought for the consequences. But Dwayne walking on eggshells was just strange, irritating, and more than a little creepy.

  “I’m fine,” he insisted for the eighth time.

  “Of course, you are. Why wouldn’t you be?” Dwayne’s voice climbed higher in volume with every word.

  “It’s awkward, yeah. But it’s been years. I’ve moved on.”

  “You never date.”

  “You only have a girlfriend because Mads decided it was time you had one,” he shot back.

  “Yeah,” Dwayne said gleefully, “he looks out for me.”

  Jamie shook his head and tried not to laugh. “I’m waiting for the day you call him Dad and ask him to play catch.”

  Dwayne snorted, then paused. “You know, as a joke, you think he’d be up for that?”

  “What did your parents do to you?”

  It was hard to tell if Dwayne was joking or not as he turned his back to Jamie and reached up to hang the flower basket onto the fixed hook. All of the ladders were being used, so Dwayne was the only one who was tall enough to reach it.

  “But I am curious why she has a security detail.”

  “She’s the wife of a mayor,” Dwayne shrugged.

  “You’ve seen this town, right? Who the hell would want to assassinate him?”

  Dwayne opened his mouth but paused. “Huh. Good point. What’s up with that?”

  “I don’t know. She’s a crazy chick.”

  “The girl that hires security for no reason or the girl that almost tasered us for delivering flowers?”

  Jamie chuckled as he turned to pick up the next pot.

  “That was a smile. I saw it.”

  “Yes,” Jamie sighed, “that was a smile.”

  His mind drifted back to the woman they had met outside. She was a goliath. It would be interesting to see her up close. It was possible she might be as tall as Dwayne. And she wasn’t like a reed stretched too thin. She was solid muscle, with shoulders as broad as Jamie’s. The soft blonde of her hair
didn’t dull the bright blue of her eyes. But all of that failed to compare to her legs. There was no hiding them under work boots and baggy jeans. They went for miles.

  “Jamie?”

  Jamie raised his eyebrows. “What?”

  “The next one,” Dwayne prompted. “Where is your head at? Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I didn’t hear the question,” Jamie said.

  Dwayne’s brow furrowed with concern. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for at least a minute. Maybe we should check out the second these are up.”

  Jamie had to assure him several times that he was fine, but he wasn’t paying much attention to his own words. A minute? That couldn’t be right. Although, that woman did have a lot of leg to think about. He probably should have gotten her name.

  Chapter Four

  It had taken a long time for Gwen to get used to the cocktail dresses that Cheyanne liked servers to wear during her parties. But, just like the heels, it was a part of the job. And she could always use the extra cash.

  It wasn’t a bad dress. The neckline hung loose, and the brilliant blue material was so smooth that it almost looked like water. But the dress sat very differently on her than it did on others. On them, it ended just above the knees.

  On Gwen, however, it was almost enough to earn her a public citation for indecency. She pulled at the hem, trying to work it down. But no matter how many times she pulled, more material didn’t magically appear.

  She knew she didn’t look any different than she had yesterday, but today she felt exposed. Pushing the thought aside, she gathered up her tray of drinks and ducked out into the crowd. The party was in full swing and even more crowded than the one last night.

  It was Cheyanne’s established party season, and she would milk it for everything she was worth. Each party would be different, perfectly arranged, and impressive to behold. And Gwen would be working each of them. It was going to be a long couple of weeks.

  Clusters of people shuffled past, trying to sneak glasses off her tray instead of just asking her to wait a moment. It made it harder to keep the fine crystal flutes upright. After a couple of near misses, she took advantage of her height. Under the guise of needing to navigate the crowd, she held the tray higher than most people could reach with any kind of dignity.