Nixon: An m/m bodyguard romance (Hunter Security), page 2
Now who’s the one with the ego?
Not having enough brain power to fight anymore, I resort to scowling.
Anna giggles. “This is going to be so much fun.”
I throw the pillow sitting in my lap at her.
Fun is the exact opposite of what is going to happen. I can tell that already.
Chapter 2
Nixon
Dante glares at me as I get everyone’s attention, ready to review a few things. Of course, his piercing eyes and the heated glare directed at me don’t make him any less handsome, which is kind of irritating.
I’m extremely attracted to this man.
Ten years ago, I started Hunter Security when I got out of the Army, and for the first time, I’m wondering if I can be on this protection team without being distracted.
“The doctor is going to release you in the morning, so we need to go over the game plan for when you get out of here,” I inform him, resulting in a deep scowl, which seems to be his go-to expression.
“Why does there need to be a game plan?” He scoffs, his hazel eyes shooting daggers at me. I bite my tongue to avoid berating him for his rude tone. “You can drive me and Anna home, then leave. I have a state-of-the-art security system, so we don’t need you there.”
“Stop being such an ass,” Anna scolds him.
Brat is the term I would use to describe him, but ass works as well.
When he sticks his tongue out at her like a child while rolling his eyes, my hand twitches. If he were mine, I’d tan his ass for that, but he isn’t, and I need to stop that train of thought immediately.
First, he’s straight.
Second, he’s taken.
Third, he’s my fucking client.
“You’re right about the security system. It’s a good one. As of right now, you don’t need a live-in bodyguard, but that could change if things escalate…” I pause, and again, he rolls his eyes. Such a brat. “I’m going to have another member of my team come along with us to escort you home tomorrow. Your house is surrounded by paparazzi, so the extra vehicle will make getting into your property easier. When we get to your place, I’ll need to gain access to your security system. The system you have allows second-party apps to attach to it. That will let me get all the notifications. If, for any reason, you need to leave your house, you need to call me, and I’ll escort you. Also, if you want any visitors, I need to approve them before they gain access to your property,” I explain to Dante and Anna.
“This is bullshit,” Dante barks out. “You do not get to tell me who I can and can’t have over.”
“Can we add people to the visitor list now?” Anna asks calmly before I can respond to Dante and tell him that I do, in fact, get to tell him that.
“Absolutely,” I assure her. She smiles brightly in response, something I’ve yet to see Dante do.
“He’s already signed the NDA, but remember, there may be listening ears around here,” Elanor informs them.
“I’ll make a list. We can go over it when we get home tomorrow,” Anna says.
“That sounds perfect. What about you, Dante? Would you like to make a list of regular visitors?” I inquire, prepared for a snarky response.
Dante runs a hand through his silky brown hair that normally sits at his cheekbones and shakes his head.
“Nah, I don’t like people,” he grumbles.
“Well, that makes my life easier,” I respond dryly. “Do either of you have any other questions?”
“Are you going to find the fuckwad who tried to kill me so I can go back to living a normal life again?” Dante growls.
The fact that he’s doubting me makes me want to prove how good my company is. I’ve worked my ass off to make sure we are the best protection and security company out there. I put my all into the company, even going as far as to set up our head office where we are instead of my hometown. My parents hated me moving away but understood why I did it, and I’ve always been grateful to have an amazing support system.
“My team is working on it. I promise they are the best of the best. We’ll catch him, but it’s hard to say if your life will ever go back to normal. You aren’t a nobody anymore. Having a permanent security team for when you do events or travel is probably a smart idea.”
“You just want to keep making big money,” he mumbles.
I desperately want to respond but keep my mouth shut. I hate asshole clients. Unfortunately, even dicks need protection. Sometimes more than nice people.
Pulling out my phone, I text one of my best guys, Denver, to take my place guarding the room while I head out to run a few errands.
“Denver is going to be watching your room for a few hours. I’ll be back later,” I state, stand, and head toward the door.
“Thanks for all your help.” Anna beams at me, and I’m thankful she is going to be a part of this job. At least she’ll make things a bit brighter.
“It’s what I do.” I shrug.
“I’m sorry Dante is being so hardheaded,” Elanor apologizes when we are in the hall.
“You warned me ahead of time,” I remind her. “He isn’t the first person to think they are above needing security, and he won’t be the last.”
“He’s a secretive person. He doesn’t like having people in his life, and he doesn’t trust easily. I’ve known him and Anna since high school, and I’m sure that’s the only reason he hired me as his publicist slash manager. He knew I wouldn’t blab his secrets to the world.”
“They are high school sweethearts, right?” I inquire, making sure the facts I pulled up after background checks and a shit ton of internet sleuthing are correct.
Her eyes dart back and forth, and she presses her lips together before cooling her expression and plastering on a fake smile. “Yup,” she responds, popping the p.
She isn’t telling the whole truth, but I don’t need to push it right now. I make a mental note to look into her further to see if I can find what she’s not telling me.
Denver arrives, greeting me with a bro hug and a slap on the back. “No one gets in this room except the people who are currently in it, Elanor here, Dr. Murray, and that nurse right there.” I point at a pretty young nurse.
“Got it,” he replies and leans against the door.
“He signed the NDA already, right?” Elanor checks.
“Yup. I had everyone at my company sign them just in case,” I assure her.
She smiles, appearing relieved. “Thank you so much for all of this. I know Dante is a lot, but deep down, he is a great guy.”
I have no idea how to respond to that, so I don’t. My impression of him is that he’s a douche, but I don’t know him well yet, so I’ll try to give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being.
“Are you sticking around?” I ask Elanor, and she shakes her head.
“No. I’m just going to say goodbye, then I’ll be heading home. I’ll be back first thing in the morning.”
“Perfect. I will see you then,” I say and walk away.
I need to get my shit together, both physically and emotionally. I will not let the sexy brat lying in a hospital bed get under my skin. I’ll do my job like I always do. And I sure as shit won’t let a man I just met be my downfall.
Chapter 3
Dante
This morning, I was discharged with strict orders to stay hydrated and rest for the remainder of the week. After that, I’ll be able to return to the set and get on with my life. Unfortunately, I will now have a new permanent shadow anytime I leave the house—a giant sexy shadow who has eyes that suck me in while he stares directly into my soul.
I wonder what he sees there?
Shit.
I need to stop thinking about him like that. The last thing I will be doing is falling for my bodyguard. I’ll appreciate his god-like looks, but that is as far as I will let it go.
“I think I’m going to quit acting,” I whisper to Anna as Nixon drives us home.
“You can’t quit for at least five years. Contracts, baby,” she teases. I glare at her, but it only makes her grin grow. “Besides, you love acting. You’re not going to stop just because we’re finally forcing you to have protection.”
“Stop being right. Smugness isn’t becoming of you,” I grumble, and Anna laughs.
The rest of the drive is quiet. Nixon is focused like a hawk, not saying a single word to us. His large hands grip the steering wheel firmly, and the way his sleeves are rolled up shows off his thick forearms in the most delicious way.
Why am I getting turned on by watching him drive?
Ringing throughout the car jolts me out of my daze, and when I glance at Anna, her eyes are lit with a devilish gleam.
Shit, I was totally caught staring.
“You’re on speaker,” Nixon advises.
Even his voice is a huge fucking turn-on. Before Nixon came into my life, voices didn’t really do it for me, but I would pay him to read me stories at night. Hmm… could I add that to the bodyguard package? I mean, I’m already being forced to have him be a part of my life. I might as well get all the benefits of it. But letting anyone close to me is dangerous. The last thing I need is for the world to find out I’ve been lying.
“The driveway is clear, but you need to hurry. I’m pretty sure the reporters are tipping off their friends that Dante is coming home today,” a male, who must be Denver, reports.
“We’re right around the corner. As soon as you see me, open the gate for us and make sure it’s closed behind us immediately. After that, do a walk of the perimeter. Make sure no one is trying to climb a wall or anything,” Nixon instructs.
“On it,” Denver replies, then ends the call.
“Why can’t people just leave us alone?” I complain.
Anna squeezes my hand, offering me a warm smile. “Because people are assholes and have nothing better to do.”
She isn’t wrong. The paparazzi are only doing their job, but I still wish they were more respectful. I try to get them photos when I can. Anna and I even tip people off from time to time when we are making public appearances so they’ll leave us alone other times, but it doesn’t always work. With a crazy thing like what happened on the red carpet, these people are going to be vultures for at least a couple of weeks before they move on to a new piece of meat.
“Look into my eyes,” Anna commands as we pull into the driveway.
I do as I’m told, my lips slowly turning up as she beams at me. “No one out there matters. They are just trying to get a look into your life that they are not entitled to. Once we are past the gate, this will be over, and we’ll be able to be us again,” she assures me, but I’m not sure I believe her.
Nothing is going to be how it used to be.
Someone tried to kill me. The same man who somehow knows I’m gay.
We now have new people in our lives, and I’m not sure if we can truly trust them. So, no, we can’t be us again. Not yet, anyway. Because the us she is talking about are the people no one gets to see. With Nixon and his crew being around, it’s not safe to be us.
“I’m going to work on the security system. After, we can go over your list of people,” Nixon tells Anna after we are inside our house.
“Thank you so much.”
“Are you sure you want to tell him about Brittany?” I ask quietly as we make our way to the living room, the opposite direction Nixon is heading.
“I’ll just say she’s a friend,” Anna replies, but it’s still risky. I’m chewing on my lip when her warm hand lands on my arm, and she stares into my eyes. “Dante, Brittany and I have been together for three years. She already deals with the fact that I’m in the closet and our relationship only exists behind these walls. What do you expect me to do… break up with her because we are now more or less on lockdown?”
I shake my head and plop onto the couch. Anna does the same, landing close to me.
“I’d never ask you to break up with her. You and Brittany are amazing together. But if people find out you’re together, they are going to wonder why I’m pretending to date you.”
“Just tell them it’s to protect me. No one will find out you’re gay, I promise,” she assures me, her firm eyes on mine, and I want to believe her.
“The guy on the red carpet knew,” I remind her.
Her brows pull together, and her lips twist. “But how? We’ve always been so careful, and you’ve only ever been with two guys. How could he possibly know?”
“I’ve been asking myself that same question. I wish I had a better memory. Maybe I could figure out how he possibly came to that conclusion. Was I seeing Jeramiah during the filming of Music in the Trees?”
“No, you broke up before then. You wanted to focus on your first big movie,” Anna reminds me, triggering a memory.
“But he did come to my trailer one night,” I admit.
Anna’s eyes shoot open wide, and she gasps. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“I didn’t think it was a big deal. He was begging me to take him back, but I refused. Jeramiah wasn’t comfortable being in the closet anymore. Even if I could have balanced a relationship and a big movie, it was unfair to him to be my dirty little secret.”
Anna nods with sad eyes. “I understand that a lot,” she confesses with a slight tremble in her voice.
“Anna, are you and Britt only staying in the closet for me?” I ask, this sudden realization washing over me.
Why hadn’t I come to this conclusion sooner?
Maybe I assumed she wanted to keep it a secret because of her acting career, but by the way she’s acting right now, I’m not sure if that’s true.
“Maybe,” she admits, nibbling on her lower lip. “It wasn’t always that way. At first, I didn’t want to come out because I was scared it would tank my career, but so many actors and actresses are coming out, and they aren’t facing the backlash I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been happy playing the role of your girlfriend, but I kind of want to ask Brittany to marry me.”
“Holy shit.” I gasp, throwing my head back against the couch. “I’m the worst friend ever.”
“No, you’re not. I should have spoken up sooner.”
I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have been a self-centered asshole,” I admit. “It’s obvious how in love you two are. Just seeing you together almost makes me sick because it’s so… nice. If I was a better friend, I would have been pushing you to make it official and end our fake relationship.”
“Don’t beat yourself up too much. We both could have done better.”
“Let’s ask Elanor to create a game plan for us to break up.”
Anna’s face lights up as tear glistens in her eyes. “You’d really do that for me?”
“You’re my best friend. I want you to be happy. If that’s with Brittany and not me, so be it,” I joke.
My best friend launches herself at me and wraps her arms around my shoulders for a tight hug.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too.”
“Okay, I’m ready to go over your lists now,” Nixon calls out, and I slowly let Anna go before kissing her cheek.
Anna stares into my eyes as if asking permission to tell Nixon the whole story about Brittany. I nod, silently giving my blessing. If she trusts Nixon already, she can obviously tell him anything she wants about herself. I’m not ready to spill my secrets yet. Not sure if I’ll ever be.
“We’re ready,” Anna replies with a giant smile.
I can’t believe I was so blinded by what I wanted that I didn’t see my best friend was ready for more. But now that we’re breaking up, what am I going to do? How am I going to keep prying eyes out of my personal life? Even though Anna is ready to come out of the closet, I am not.
“Do you have a lot of people coming and going from this place?” Nixon asks, sitting across from us in an oversized leather recliner. Most people are swallowed up by it, but it actually looks like it was made for him.
“Not really. We keep a close circle. We only have two people who help with meals and cleaning,” Anna supplies. “The main person who is here a lot is my girlfriend, Brittany.”
Nixon’s expression doesn’t change at Anna’s admission. I’m impressed by his poker face. Note to self—don’t play card games with that man. He obviously would be able to bluff well.
“Are you in a poly relationship?” Nixon asks, and Anna and I shake our heads.
“Our relationship is fake,” I inform him.
“I wasn’t ready to come out of the closet, and Dante wasn’t ready to settle down, so creating a fake relationship was something we came up with to keep people away and keep the gossip at a minimum,” Anna adds.
I reach between us and squeeze her hand, silently thanking her for not outing me. Not that she would do something like that.
“We are going to be ending our fake relationship soon, though,” I explain, filling Nixon in. “Anna and Brittany are ready to make things official soon.”
“Congratulations,” Nixon tells Anna. “Does anyone know the relationship is fake?”
“Only us and Elanor,” Anna answers. “Why?”
“I’m just wondering if that might be the motive behind the drugging.”
“What… you think someone tried to kill Dante to be with me?” Anna shrieks, and Nixon shrugs.
“The more I know about your personal lives, the more I can connect the dots,” Nixon states.
“You know enough,” I bite out.
Nixon narrows his eyes at me at the same time Anna elbows me in the ribs. When I turn, one of her brows is lifted, and her jaw is tight. She’s silently warning me to behave, but she knows how I am.
“While we are on this topic, I did want to ask you a few questions about the night of the red carpet.” Nixon’s expression is more neutral now, but instead of listening to him, I stand, stretching my arms above my head.
“I’m tired. We can do this later,” I snap and make my way to my room.
He’s going to ask what the nerd said to us, and I’m not sure how I’m going to tell the truth and keep my secret at the same time. Would it be the end of the world if one more person knew? Fuck, I don’t know. This is all so overwhelming. Too much is happening all at once, and I hate it.
