Free Her Billionaire Bodyguard Bridegroom by Lisa Weaver Page A

the syllables with exaggerated slowness, pausing dramatically between each one. “For starters, Tanya wasn’t a client you were guarding. She was a woman you cared deeply about. You had no idea she was in danger, nor could you have. She lied to keep what she was mixed up in hidden from you. Even if you had been cognizant of your girlfriend’s double life, you were too close to her to protect her effectively. But this situation is entirely different. You’re aware of the threat, and you’re not emotionally invested like you were with Tanya. Brianna is just a package.”
    “You’re right,” he sighed. So why, then, did the affirmation sound so weak to his ears? Could it be he wasn’t as emotionally immune to this package as he professed to be?
    If he were completely unaffected, he would have reacted differently to last night’s threat. The panic that had surged through him when the blast went off in Brianna’s room wasn’t the reaction of a detached professional. She was getting under his skin, and that was totally unacceptable.
    “What I would like to know,” Liz murmured, “is what the attacker would have done if you hadn’t messed up his plans?”
    “My guess is that he still would have set the bomb off as a scare tactic. No doubt Mendacci hired him to make it clear to Philip he’s serious about going after his family. It’s Mendacci’s not-so-subtle way of letting him know what will happen if he doesn’t come back into line.”
    “That’s as good an assumption as any.”
    “I’ve convinced Brianna to travel with me. That should throw her pursuer off the scent a bit.”
    “That doesn’t mean there won’t be trouble,” Liz cautioned.
    “I’ll be on guard. If it appears we’re being tailed, I have a plan B.”
    “Which is?”
    “We’ll travel to Maine in my helicopter.”
    A strangled sound escaped Liz’s throat. “You’re going to need a plan C, then. You didn’t read the dossier, did you?”
    “You know I just scan them for the highlights. I rely on my finely tuned intuition to fill in the blanks. Why?”
    “I don’t suppose your finely tuned intuition told you your package is terrified of flying? Airborne is not in her vocabulary.”
    “I’ll hatch a back-up plan to the back-up plan, then. No worries.”
    “I never said I was worried. Despite your aversion to doing your homework, I know Brianna is in the best of hands.”
    “Thanks. You’re a good friend, Liz.”
    “You forgot to tack on the ‘awesome boss’ part.”
    “That goes without saying.”
    “Okay, wise guy. I’ve got a briefing to get to. Stay safe out there.”
    Luke couldn’t help but chuckle. His affinity for taking risks was second only to Liz’s penchant for dangerous, by-the-skin-of-her-teeth maneuvers.
    “I won’t do anything you wouldn’t do.”
    Stepping back into the suite, he checked on Brianna again. She was still dead to the world, so he took the opportunity to shower and change before ordering coffee from room service.
    He finally heard her stir when a knock on the door announced his morning caffeine infusion had arrived. After ascertaining that the waiter was alone, he opened the door to the young man and accepted the coffee service from him. Once he’d tipped him and sent him on his way, Luke poked his head around the bedroom door.
    “Good morning. How’s your head?”
    Brianna blinked at him drowsily, still half-asleep. “Fine, thanks. What time is it?”
    “A little after eight.”
    “Ugh! I didn’t mean to sleep so late. You should have woken me.”
    For a moment, he didn’t reply. He was too distracted by the view. The sheet had slipped, giving him a tantalizing glimpse of creamy curves revealed by the low neckline of her nightgown.
    “You needed the rest.”
    He saw the exact moment the last remnants of sleep lifted, leaving her cognizant of the intimacy of the situation. Her cheeks flushed a becoming shade of pink, and she tugged the sheet back up to chin level.
    “I