KATIE
My life was a series of patterns. The patterns had steady rhythms, and all the moving parts fit inside a tidy little space. That idea had always been intrinsically comforting for me, necessary even. Until the day Thomas Christopher had walked into Jack’s coffeehouse.
With him, I lost count of my heartbeats. The vital organ in my chest fluttered out of control, elevating from the usual constant rhythm with abandon. He’d taken me out of my comfort zone. And for once, I didn’t care. As in math, when one manipulated quantity, structure, and space, change occurred.
I was changing.
The way we’d crashed the wedding and danced was burned into my memory, imprinted on my heart. I needed only to close my eyes to re-create how well our bodies fit together, his soft words close to my ear, the warm scent at the base of his neck, his lips touching my skin.
It had been six days and forty-nine minutes since he’d left me at the curb, and I missed him desperately. It was my own fault. Pained with guilt and shame for what I’d done, the lies I’d told, I’d pulled away from him, asking for time.
But now, I needed to see him. To come clean, as Lena had put it. It was the right thing to do. I wanted him to know everything. I would tell him how hard I’d fallen, that I wanted him. Then, if he never wanted to see me again, I would get what I deserved.
I didn’t know how to make that meeting with Thomas happen with the bodyguard coming on board.
My mother had invited the guard to my party in Albany, and he was waiting for me with my parents in the East Room of the luxurious Victorian mansion.
Once I hit the staircase, my privacy will be completely gone.
Mom had been right to be concerned. I was sure someone was watching us, that there had been eyes on me when Lena and I shopped for the gown I was about to wear.
The boutique owner had delivered my dress to the mansion before our arrival, and on-site stylists had taken care of my hair, makeup, and nails. I’d had highlights added to my already-blonde hair. The result was subtle but added shimmery depth to my long tresses.
As I took in my reflection before the full-length mirror, my thoughts turned to Thomas again. I wished he could see me tonight. I looked sophisticated, even a little sexy, I thought. Like someone who might hold his attention for longer than a day in the park.
Lena interrupted my thoughts as she came into the room. She’d been summoned by my mother. “Almost ready? I brought a little something to take the edge off.” She winked.
My eyes darted to her hands as she revealed the open bottle of champagne she had been hiding behind her back.
“Lena! The chief of police is here.”
“As if. He’s in your mom’s back pocket, and you know it.”
She offered me the bottle, but I shook my head. Maybe being the governor’s daughter made me too cautious.
“Suit yourself.” She took a swig.
“How is it?” I asked, eyeing the damn bottle.
“Nice. Girl, it’s your party—”
I snatched the champagne and pulled deep from the bottle. “You’re right. This is my party. And this is nice.” I took another drink before setting it on the dressing table. “Help me into the dress?”
Lena laughed. “Damn, I like the feisty new Katherine.” She swept across the room to pick up my lacy pale-blue gown. “Turn and step backward into it.”
“Remind me to make you my maid of honor,” I teased while she zipped me up.
She gasped. “So, you’ve talked to him?”
“No, I just meant someday.”
“Forget about him. This is your night. We’ll have more champagne, you’ll party your brains out, and later, we’ll curl up in our pajamas and watch one of those horrible ’80s movies. You know, Pretty Pink Candles or Dirty Flash Dancing.”
I chuckled. Lena always had a way of making me feel better. “Somehow, I doubt a charity-event-slash-birthday soiree is the best place to party my brains out. But I’ll try.”
I smiled at her reflection in the mirror.
“You never know. I caught a glance at your new bodyguard, and oh my God, Katherine. Girl, he’s so hot. Now, let’s go down there and rock it because you’re also hotter than hell. Who knows? I might get you both drunk and pull a little ménage à trois.”
I laughed, almost snorting up the mouthful of champagne I’d just consumed. Leave it to Lena to put me at ease and help me forget about life for a while.
She went down ahead of me to let my parents know I was ready, as instructed by my mother.
Five minutes later, I was at the top of the stairs, hearing my name as it was announced like I was about to be presented to the Queen. Orchestrated music played as I made my way down the grand staircase one step at a time. My back was ramrod straight, and I held my chin just as I’d been taught. All eyes were on me, guests toasting and smiling up at me.
I put on my best pageant smile, doing everything in my power to wear the proper mask while taking care not to trip on my gown.
As if drawn by a magnet, I spun my head left, and my eyes swept over the man in the midnight-blue tuxedo standing beside my father.
Thomas.
Power and strength. Eight. Infinity. Flashes of sapphire danced through my mind. Eight was a feminine number, which contradicted his remarkable masculinity.
The sight of him made me falter in my stride.
I grabbed on to the railing for a moment to recover and then continued down.
My mind shot to a thousand possibilities as to why he was there. In my confused state, I imagined he’d reached out to my parents and wanted to surprise me, or maybe he was really good at crashing parties, just like the wedding in the park. But then the cold realization hit me. Lena’s words. The hot bodyguard.
Mom and Dad stepped forward to embrace me as I reached the bottom, and then they turned us to pose for photos. There wasn’t a lot of press there, but a charity event called for some publicity. They completely failed to introduce me to my new bodyguard, keeping him at a distance, like he was part of the scenery.
A glance at Thomas broke my heart even more than if he’d disappeared from my life forever. His expression was impassive and stern, and he refused to make eye contact with me. All part of the job, I supposed.
My insides twisted into a tight ball.
Had he already been on Mom’s payroll the day we reached for the same coffee at Jack’s? Was he the one watching me?
Lena tucked her arm through mine and tugged me away from my parents. “I told you he was hot. Let’s see if he follows us.”
We made our way through the crowd, politicians and donors greeting me, offering me birthday wishes. Some pursued small talk with me, asking about Columbia and what my plans were for the future. I gave them all dismissive, practiced comments—something I’d learned from growing up as a politician’s daughter.
“Is he following us?” I whispered to Lena.
She turned her head, pretending to wave at someone, and quickly snapped back to me. “Yes. He’s prowling behind us like a lion.”
“Lena! What am I going to do?”
She chuckled. “I told you what I wanted to do.”
“I’m serious.” I knew the mansion like the back of my hand and took Lena to a quiet hallway, where we could slip into an office. But they were all locked for the evening. “Bathroom. Now.”
A few doors away was a spacious restroom with a small lounging sofa. I pulled Lena in and locked the door.
“What’s going on, Katherine?”
I put a hand on my forehead. “This is bad. No, it’s fucking awful. I was going to tell him everything, Lena, I swear.”
“Hey, come on. Talk to me. You never speak that way unless you’re truly rattled.”
Bracing myself against the marble vanity, I checked my reflection in the mirror. No mask, only me. “It’s Thomas,” I said quietly. “He’s Thomas.”
Lena touched on my arm. “Wait, do you mean … are you saying he’s the bodyguard?”
I took a deep breath. I didn’t want to say the words aloud. “I don’t understand it, but yes, Thomas is the man waiting in the hallway.”
She gasped. “No way!”
I responded with a small nod after shushing her, fearing he might hear us.
Lena’s features went from shock to indignation to wicked. “Ooh, this twist makes it even hotter. Think about it.”
“Really? That’s what you have to say? Remember, I lied to him.”
“You were aware that he was on your mother’s payroll then?” She didn’t wait for me to respond. “He lied too. And he’s in a position of authority. Now, he’s going to tell you where you can go, who you can see.”
I leveled a hard gaze at her. Where are my numeric expressions? I needed the math to regain control over my life. I closed my eyes to see the numbers. “You are absolutely no help.”
“Okay, look. You said he hasn’t touched you, that his kisses were sweet, on the lips. So, either he kept his promise and just wanted to go slowly or he lied, same as you, and you’re his forbidden fruit. Whichever it is, he totally wants you, and it’s unbelievably hot.”
“I wish I knew what he wanted,” I said.
“Only one way to find out.” She pointed her chin at the doorknob, daring me to turn it.
The truth was, I’d grown obsessed with Thomas. I wasn’t sure there were any scenarios that would make me want him less. I was an adult, and we’d both withheld information, so why would I give him up now?
“Okay, you’re right. I’ll talk to him. Cover for me if my parents start asking where I’ve gone.”
“Always.”
When I emerged from the restroom, Thomas was leaning on the opposite wall, and his blue eyes burned into mine with a fiery glower. His stare was equal parts fury and carnal want.
I reached for his arm. “Go somewhere with me to talk privately?”
He slipped away an inch, just enough to dodge my touch. A storm bubble dropped into my stomach.
“Lead the way,” he said. Cold and indifferent, a trace of conflict in his tone.
We found an alcove one level up, where I knew we wouldn’t be interrupted. As we walked along the corridor, I pushed down all emotion, playing every part the stoic woman.
“Tell me the truth,” I said. “The day we met—”
“I didn’t know who you were, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Then, what’s going on here? Why are you employed as my personal bodyguard?”
He pushed his hand through his hair as he stared at me. “I’ll explain myself, and then you’ll tell me why you lied to me.”
“That’s fair,” I said softly. “But you do already know the reason.”
He nodded. “I’m not a bodyguard, and I’m certainly not employed by your mother. What I do is quite worse. My family has a history of running security detail, but not in the traditional sense that might come to mind.
“My father was an intelligence agent for the British government. He served his own political agendas as well, so he trained my brothers and me to be his private soldiers. After my father’s death, we continued his work to pay for his sins, to protect our family.
“What I told you about my education, my home, my company is true. I didn’t share that I’m conducting a backdoor investigation for a high-ranking official in the British government—payment to save my brother from prosecution. At the time, it didn’t matter. I had no idea you were connected to the case until your mother supplied me with your records a few days ago.”
It pained him as he spoke the words, like something deep in his soul was tearing, and it hurt me to see it. None of what Thomas had said explained why he was acting as my bodyguard if he wasn’t one.
“I don’t understand why you’re here.”
“Your father is the subject of my investigation, Katie. Whatever comes of it, keeping you alive is now my priority,” he said.