Page 5 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 1

And if I thought my new bodyguards were smoking hot slabs of grade A prime beefcake that I wanted to bone, it was my problem, not theirs.

Chapter four

The Asset

Gideon

IassessedCarlosVega’swidow, Kylie. I’d seen pictures of her as we built our case file against Luka Santos. But I wasn’t prepared for the full impact of meeting her in person. Because Kylie Vega was stunning. Likely the most gorgeous woman I had ever met.

Slender and delicate with curves for days, her cinnamon brunette hair with golden tones lay in loose curls over her slim shoulders and ended at a generous swell of breasts. But it was her heart-shaped face with her gently arched brows, high cheekbones, slim nose that was slightly upturned at the tip, and the lushest lips imaginable that stole the show. It took everything in me not to imagine those blush-hued lips circling my shaft.

And I failed, rather miserably, to boot. It was uncommon for me to fail at anything, but I couldn’t rid myself of the vision.

But it was her eyes, a soft blue color of a gentle morning sunrise framed by long inky lashes, that arrowed straight through me. They held secrets and failed to hide each one. Kylie was an open book. All I had to do was look into her eyes to know she had lived through hell. It made her more than a case to work. It made her human. It made me want to protect her. And I couldn’t help but wonder if she would come out the other side and the dark shadows I spied would dissipate?

Just how much did she know about her late husband’s mafia dealings?

I intended to find out.

At least she didn’t suspect that we weren’t an actual security team. We’re CIA agents on a joint task force trying to take down the Santos crime syndicate. Luka Santos might have given us the in we needed to bring him down by killing Kylie’s husband and then going after her.

I always knew when we were close to making a collar and hauling a criminal in. It’s why I had the nickname the Hound with the agency. I could sniff out the right angle to crack a case wide open.

But this case was personal. As long as there was breath in my body, I would never stop and would use whatever means necessary to end Luka Santos. That monster was the reason my twin brother was dead.

“What do you need from me to get started?” Kylie glanced at us, her uncertainty and fear clear.

Was the fear because she’d been party to her husband’s clandestine activities and knew where he had hidden the diamonds? Or was there truth to her story and there was no love lost between them? Had her husband really threatened her with feeding her to piranhas if she tried to leave him?

Fuck, Carlos Vega had been a sick bastard. I wouldn’t put it past the man, not after what my team and I had uncovered about him. What had Kylie seen in him?

Moreover, why couldn’t I shake the desire to shield her, keep her from all harm, as if she was mine? Which was ridiculous.

“Could we get a tour of the house and grounds? That way, we’ll know what equipment to bring.” I knew Mateo would already be cataloging different vantage points. But I still wanted to get the lay of the land.

She set her coffee mug on the table with a strained smile. “Certainly. If you would follow me.”

I caught a whiff of her fragrance as we walked. Nothing fruity or floral but a deep, sensual amber that made my gut tighten. I admired her slender legs and smoking hot ass as we trailed her into the state-of-the-art kitchen. Light golden pine cabinets with glossy ivory granite countertops and all the appliances were top-of-the-line stainless steel.

She gave us a friendly smile, but I noticed her nerves. “The kitchen is always fully stocked, so you guys can help yourself. The pantry is in there.” She pointed at a closed wooden door. “And there’s an extra upright freezer in there as well, stocked with most anything you might need.”

“We can buy groceries.” I didn’t want her thinking she had to feed us, too. That was not in the contract, nor would I make her do that.

She glanced at him with confusion marring her brow. “Why would you need to do that? I mean, if there are certain foods you prefer, brands you would like more, or things that aren’t stocked in the pantry, freezer, or refrigerator, then knock yourself out. But this place is built to withstand a siege if necessary.”

“We appreciate it.” I looked at my partners, men I served with in the Marines and now we were spec ops CIA agents, and noted their raised brows. She wasn’t anything like they’d expected, and it showed on each of their faces.

With as much money as she had inherited from her deceased husband, we had assumed she’d be haughty and condescending. There were ascribed characteristics usually associated with wealthy individuals. And we had been wrong. I had been wrong.

Kylie was upending all our preconceived notions. It left me needing to re-examine what I knew about this case.

But at least she had hired us. I would have sweetened the pot and given her a discount if she had hemmed and hawed over the decision.

I stayed at her side as Kylie led us through the sunroom. The walls and ceiling were made entirely of glass windows. There were comfortable chairs and plants throughout. I could see her in here, curled on one of the chairs with a book. And it charmed me despite the serious nature of our being here. We didn’t linger but continued with the tour, following her into the ballroom with its glossy golden hardwood flooring and vaulted ceiling that was three stories high. Massive crystal chandeliers were spaced throughout the ballroom and cast their golden light.

Considering I had grown up in a small, three-bedroom ranch in the Phoenix suburbs, it never ceased to amaze me what wealth could buy. I was standing in the middle of a ballroom inside a house.

But we weren’t done with the tour by a long shot. Kylie led us through the dining room, foyer, and into the parlor. There was an enormous library that I noted Axel took particular interest in. The guy was always reading something. I’d bet next month’s pay he would wind up in here often. And then there was the billiards room with a pool table and arcade games lining the wall. There was a small, fully stocked bar and even an air hockey table. This room would be a nice place to blow off steam between shifts.

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