Free The Billionaire's Bodyguard Bride by Lisa Weaver Page A

remember rule number four in our rule book?”
    “Keep a clear head at all times,” Megan dutifully parroted.
    “Very good,” Stephanie affirmed. “That especially means not muddying the waters by getting emotionally involved with a subject you’re guarding.”
    “The rule book doesn’t say we can’t enjoy an emotionally unencumbered tumble or two,” Megan pointed out with a wicked grin.
    “She learns fast,” Liz chuckled. “Anyone for dessert?”
    It was a fabulous evening, and Lauren was grateful to have such wonderful friends. She made it a point to tell them so as the women said their good-byes.
    Stephanie drove her home. “Would you like a cup of coffee,” Lauren invited, “or is it too late?”
    “You know I’m a slave to your java. I’d love a cup.”
    A short while after they’d begun working together, Lauren had learned she and Stephanie had more in common than their proficiency on the shooting range. Both women had been raised by widowed men who’d been victims of addiction.
    Lauren’s father had turned to liquor to dull the pain of his wife’s untimely death in a car crash. The alcohol that anesthetized his emotional agony made him mean and vindictive. Each time he’d gone on a binge Lauren had lost a little more of him until all that remained was a shell of the man she loved.
    For Stephanie’s father the demon had been gambling. Lured by the false promise of easy wealth, his dance with the devil left him destitute and desperate. He’d been shot and killed holding up a neighborhood gas station.
    Stefanie understood what it was like to grow up trying to pretend everything in your life was normal when it wasn’t. It had been easy for Lauren to forge a strong friendship with her because of the common ground they shared.
    Once inside, Lauren set the coffeemaker brewing and grabbed two mugs from the cupboard. Placing the mugs on the table, she noticed Stefanie checking her phone, a frown of worry creasing her forehead.
    “Is everything okay?”
    “What? Oh yes, everything’s fine. I sent Frank a text message earlier this evening, and I was just checking to see if he’s replied yet.”
    “So that’s why you’ve been jumping every time your message alarm goes off. Seems like an awful lot of anxiety over a simple text. What gives?”
    Stephanie drew in a breath, puffing out her cheeks before exhaling a sigh. “Liz told me today she’d like to hire Frank. She’s given him an overview of our operation, and he’s interested in coming on board. She wants him to tag along on one of my shifts so he can see what a typical day in the field is like before he makes his final decision. I’m waiting to hear from him so we can set something up.”
    “Interesting. So now Frank knows you’re a Sentinels agent.”
    “Yeah. I haven’t talked to him since Liz clued him in. I’m a little worried about how he’s going to react to my not having been honest with him about what I really do for a living.”
    “He’s a government agent. He should understand better than anyone why we can’t go around broadcasting what we do,” Lauren assured her. “But why is he thinking about joining Sentinels when he’s a dedicated, card-carrying member of the CIA?”
    “Because he isn’t with the CIA any longer. He resigned after his superiors forced him to abort his most recent case. He was pursuing a solid lead when they strong-armed him into shutting down his investigation. Liz told me Frank was certain he was onto something big, and he thinks they pulled the plug because he inadvertently stepped on some politically connected toes. She says the whole fiasco has soured him on the agency.”
    “It must have been something really huge for him to walk away from his career like that.”
    “That’s what I gather from what little Liz has told me. Obviously Frank can’t share any specifics, but no doubt the case was one he felt very passionately about. I’m relieved he’s thinking about joining Sentinels