Page 74 of Protecting his Secrets

As much as Malachi understood the sentiment of those words, he also hated them. He didn’t want someone else to die in order for him to survive, and the worst thing was, it happened every day. It was what Nick did. He stood in front of others to make sure they survived, even if it meant he died. Every time Nick left him to go to work, it might be the last time he saw him alive. It certainly brought clarity to what was important in life.

“I love you,” he said to Nick, kissing him once more before heading for the door, with Darius following.

“I love you.”

Despite the slim chance they would be the last words Nick said to him, they warmed his heart, and he sent another smile over his shoulder before the door closed. As they walked down the corridor towards the suite, he asked Darius, “How do you do it?”

Darius frowned. “Do what?”

“Leave the people who love you behind when, each day, you know you might not be coming back?”

Darius swallowed hard, and his gaze went straight ahead. “I don’t know what others do, but I make sure I love that person as much as I can while I’m with them. And then, as awful as it sounds, I put his voice, his laugh, his scent deep down inside me and lock it away until I finish that shift. And when I make home again, I let it out and love him all the more for it.”

And didn’t that make Malachi feel like shit? He hadn’t thought of it from the bodyguard’s point of view. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Darius smiled at him. “There are ups and downs to every job.”

And those words brought clarity to Malachi like nothing else had, and he knew what he had to do.

****

Chapter 24

Nick

“You have a shift later. Are you okay to do it?” Brett asked. “I can get someone else to cover.”

“I’m good. I need to get back to my routine. I don’t need to babysit Malachi anymore, surely?”

Brett’s mouth twitched. “I thought you liked babysitting Malachi.”

Nick scrunched up a piece of paper and threw it at him. “I don’t need to. He’s mine.”

Brett shook his head. “You’re all loved up. The lot of you.” He returned to the chair behind his desk. “Have you thought of what you’re doing for George’s birthday? You’ve only got just over a week.”

Nick grinned. “I’m all set. The only thing I need is security, which I’m sure won’t be a problem, as you’re the man for that.”

Brett sighed. “Where is it?”

“Check your emails. I sent a detailed email.” He winked.

“I dread to thinkhowdetailed.”

“Verydetailed.” He glanced around the room, seeing Felix hunched over his computer. Nick nodded towards him. “Is he okay?”

Brett exhaled and worked his jaw. “He’s beating himself up about the piggybacking thing. He’s got it in his head that he could’ve stopped things from happening if he’d found it earlier.”

“Well, that’s ridiculous. Whoever it is would’ve found another way of causing chaos.”

“We know that, but he’s not listening to reason right now.”

Nick sighed. “We’re all climbing the walls because of this. It’s no one’s fault.” Brett raised an eyebrow, and Nick chuckled. “Fine. It’s not my fault, either.”

“Glad to hear it. Do you know where you’re going with the king today?”

Nick frowned. “It’s the military barracks, isn’t it?” His eyes widened. “Military.”

Brett nodded solemnly. “Keep your eyes open, and stay safe.”

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