Lara Lacombe - Colton K-9 Bodyguard

A sharp knock sounded in the room, and the door swung open. “You’ve been in here long enough,” Fenwick snapped. “I need to see my daughter.”

Micah bit his tongue to keep from responding as Bea’s siblings filed in behind their father. Patience offered him an apologetic glance and reached out to touch Fenwick’s arm.

“Dad,” she said. “We can’t interrupt Micah’s interview. It’s inappropriate.”

“It’s fine,” Fenwick said. “Anything Bea has to say, she can say in front of us.”

“I’m done for now,” Micah said. He turned to Bea. “I’ll start making the necessary arrangements.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“Arrangements for what?” Fenwick sounded irate. “I can take care of anything you need. There’s no reason he should be involved.”

Bea glanced at her father, and Micah recognized the glint of steel in her eyes. Oh, boy, he thought. Things are about to get interesting.

“Micah is going to act as my protection until this case is closed,” she said calmly. “We agreed it was the best course of action, given the circumstances.”

“What?” Fenwick’s face turned an unhealthy-looking shade of purple, and Micah eyed the emergency call button on the wall. It wouldn’t surprise him if the older man had a rage stroke on the spot.

“You heard me,” Bea said calmly. If she was upset by her father’s reaction, she didn’t show it. Then again, she’d been dealing with the man her entire life. She’d probably learned a few tricks for handling him in that time.

Apparently, her siblings had, as well. They moved forward as a group, each one speaking in low, soothing tones as they circled their father.

Fenwick ignored them, his gaze locked on Bea. “Absolutely not,” he said in a low voice. “I forbid it.”

Bea arched one eyebrow. “I wasn’t asking for your permission.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.” Fenwick’s voice softened, as if he were speaking to a child. “You’ve had a bad scare and a nasty bump on the head. You’re not thinking rationally.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Bea replied.

Her father tried another tack. “I can arrange for you to have a bodyguard, if that will make you feel better. I’ll even get you set up in a temporary apartment. Let’s just talk this over like two adults, and I’m sure we can figure out a way to keep you safe without making any...rash decisions.”

“Dad—” Patience tried to interject, but Fenwick waved his daughter away.

“This is between me and your sister,” he said firmly.

Bea sighed heavily. “No, it isn’t. There’s nothing for us to discuss. I can see you’re upset, but I’ve made up my mind and I’m not going to change it. Accept it or don’t—I really don’t care either way.”

Admiration swelled in Micah’s chest, and for a moment, he was proud of Bea for standing up to her father. She’d always had an independent streak, but back when they were dating, she’d sometimes had trouble going against her father’s wishes. That didn’t seem to be the case anymore, and Micah was happy to see Bea wasn’t living under Fenwick’s thumb.

Fenwick straightened his shoulders. “I’m going to pretend your insolence is due to your injuries,” he said stiffly.

Bea shrugged. “Okay.”

Patience placed her hand on her father’s arm, and one of her sisters did the same on Fenwick’s other side. “Let’s go,” Patience said softly. “Bea needs her rest.”

Fenwick shook off the touch of his children and straightened his tie. “Yes, I’m sure she does.” He smoothed a hand over his suit jacket, then leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Bea’s forehead. “I’ll check on you later. I expect you’ll be back to yourself by then.”

Without another word, Fenwick turned on his heel and stalked out the door. The room seemed to deflate after he left, the tension dropping dramatically in the wake of his exit. As if responding to some invisible signal, Bea’s siblings moved as a group to surround her bed. They began talking to her in low, soothing tones, and Micah could tell by the way Bea’s features relaxed that she was happy to see her sisters.

He moved quietly toward the door, wanting to give the family some privacy. The thought that Fenwick might be lurking in the hallway gave him pause, but he cast off the concern and left the room. He’d actually rather face the mayor than infringe on Bea’s time with her siblings.

Fortunately, the older man was nowhere to be found, so Micah finally had a moment’s peace to think.

He walked over to the small waiting area just down the hall from Bea’s room and sat, his mind racing. How in the world was he going to protect Bea when there was so much left unsaid between them? He knew from experience how dangerous it was to be distracted on a mission, and he wasn’t sure he could simply set aside his emotions where Bea was concerned. Could he stand to be around her, knowing his heart had never really moved on?

But could he risk saying no? Bea had made it very clear she’d only cooperate if he acted as her protection. If he didn’t at least try to push his emotions aside, Bea wouldn’t have anyone looking out for her.

The thought of Bea in the crosshairs of the Groom Killer was enough to strengthen Micah’s resolve. Right now, she was the best lead they had in this case, and he owed it to the people of Red Ridge to do whatever he could to bring the Groom Killer to justice. If that meant spending time with Bea, then that’s what he would do.

Hopefully his heart would understand.

* * *

Maybe this isn’t such a good idea, after all...

An orderly had helped Bea into a wheelchair and had taken her as far as the hospital entrance. Micah had taken it from there, pushing her through the dark parking lot and over to his car.

“Almost there,” he said quietly.

The evening air was cool, and she could feel his body heat at her back, enveloping her like a comforting blanket. The hospital had planted rose bushes around the building, and their perfume filled the air. But Bea could still smell Micah’s scent—warm, male skin, some kind of woodsy soap and the barest hint of laundry detergent. It filled her head and made her feel soft inside.

Am I really going to be able to handle being around him 24/7?

It was something she should have thought about before she’d made her knee-jerk decision. But when Micah had told her she was a possible target of the Groom Killer, she’d acted out of fear. Micah had always made her feel safe, and that hadn’t changed in the years since they’d been apart. Her insistence on his being the one to guard her was an instinctive reaction, and she hadn’t stopped to consider the consequences for her heart.

It’s just a job to him, she reminded herself. Micah had only agreed to protect her because he was working on the Groom Killer case. As long as Bea remembered that, she might be able to get through this with her dignity intact.

“Here we are.” Micah stopped next to a dark SUV, and Bea noticed the windows were down. “Let me get you settled in the front, and then I’ll take care of Chunk.”

“Chunk?” Bea echoed. But as soon as Micah opened the passenger door, she understood.

A basset hound was curled up on the backseat, looking quite at home in a nest of blankets. “Oh, hello,” she said, a little surprised at the unexpected sight.

The dog lifted his head and regarded her curiously. He sniffed at the air and, apparently finding her harmless, laid his head back down on his paws.

Micah helped Bea to stand. “That’s my partner,” he explained as he guided her into the passenger seat.

Bea was so distracted by the dog she was surprised by the feel of Micah’s hands on her skin. Even though there was nothing personal about his touch, her body still responded, sending sparks down her limbs.