Page 3 of Undefeated Love
“Sure. Hop in.”
Griffin glanced at the other men before he moved. “Grace is going to ask all your women to be bridesmaids. I know if the tables were turned, I’d hate to see Grace spend the day with some other guy. So, what I’m fumbling around here trying to ask is if you will be my groomsmen?” He looked directly at Alex at that point. “She’s going to ask Katlin to be her maid of honor, so would you be my best man?”
It’d been a long time since Alex had been in a wedding. “It would be my honor to stand next to you as you married Grace.” Those two were perfect for each other.
The other men echoed his sentiments as they shook hands with Griffin.
“Thanks, men. I really appreciate it. The wedding isn’t for a few months yet. We’re going to have it in my grandparents’ garden down in Georgia. General Standish has guaranteed the Ladies time off.” He grinned. “Looks like you’ll get some time with your women as well.”
Whenever Katlin decided to finally marry him, he’d intended to ask Griffin to be his best man. Since he and Katlin had been engaged first, Alex had always figured they’d be married first. That hadn’t happened. Nita and Daniel had married soon after they returned from Costa Rica with his two children. Now, Griffin and Grace were getting married in a few months. Maybe when Katlin returned from this mission, he’d suggest they set a date.
At the sound of jet engines revving, they all looked toward the runway. Within a minute, the sleek black plane they referred to as the Black Swan screamed down the runway and lifted, disappearing into the night sky.
An hour later, Alex was in the SUV by himself, except for Damnit who’d decided to stretch out and take up the entire back seat. Even that felt strange. Katlin often talked to the dog as though he were a person. Sometimes, those two carried on what he thought of as complete conversations. Damnit seem to be able to read her every mood and react appropriately. If he didn’t know better, he’d think the dog was her trained service pet.
The quiet of the car was almost deafening as he drove to Guardian Security D.C. Center. It felt weird. He and Katlin had spent almost every day and night together for the past several months. Reaching over and grabbing her hand, kissing her, turning to ask her a question or for her opinion had become their norm. For the first time in months, he’d be sleeping alone.
He’d concentrate on work. That was never-ending.
Before she’d been released to go back to work, Katlin hadn’t been allowed to go to Denver because of the extreme elevation and possible effect on her TBI. That’s where he’d start this next round of visits.
As he drove into the underground parking garage, his phone rang. Normally a call at this hour of the night was never good news but he glanced at the caller ID on his dash display.
It was Jael Jimina Martinez, his childhood friend. Better known to the world as JJ. It was only ten o’clock in Los Angeles, if that’s where she was. Technically, she lived in L.A. but as one of the hottest rising stars in Hollywood, she could be anywhere in the world shooting her next movie.
“Jae, are you alright?” Alex never called her by her stage name unless they were in public together. His oldest friend rarely called just to talk. Over the past year, she had a stalker he’d helped find and put in prison, then he and his men had acted as fight scene trainers and coordinators for her last movie, which was still in editing.
“I’m just fine, love.”
Alex thought she sounded a little drunk. He pulled into a parking space but let the engine run so he didn’t lose the call. “In that case, what can I do for you?”
“You can do all kinds of things for me, to me, and I’ll gladly recip…recipro…cate.”
Yep. She was drunk.
“Where are you, Jae? Do I need to send a car to get you and take you home safely?” It wouldn’t be the first time he’d called one of his other offices and had his men personally rescue her and take her home.
“I’m at a club. We’re celebrating. I got another movie deal. I get to play a kick ass and take names hard-ass woman again.” Her voice changed to that of a little girl. “Can you please come work with me again? This time from the beginning so we don’t have to reshoot any scenes.”
She was gone and the director from the last movie was on the line. “Wolf. I really want you on this movie with me. You got more out of her than I could. We’re willing to double your hourly rate if you can start right away. We’re going to release these movies six months apart. Ride that action wave.”
“Make a killing at the box office while viewers are begging for more of JJ and more action.” Alex knew what they were doing.
“So, you can start next week?” the director asked hopefully.
Alex immediately started rearranging his schedule. He could stop in Denver on his way to L.A. Work with the writers and Jae then hand her over to his local men to work on the scenes while he moved on to San Francisco.
“Late next week. Send me the script.” That would give him a head start on what scenes needed to be reworked. It was obvious screenwriters had never been in a fight and weren’t former military.
“Thank you!” Jae screamed into the phone. “It’s no wonder I love you.” In a sultry voice she added, “I can’t wait to work with you again.”
“Jae, promise me you won’t drive home, and you’ll ride home with someone who isn’t drunk,” he insisted.
“Silly. I’m here with the producers and the director. They all have limousines.” He heard her name called in the background. “Bye, love. I got to run.”
When the line went dead, he turned off the vehicle and went to his apartment on the top floor of the Guardian D.C. Center, Damnit on his heels. As he stepped in, the lingering smell of Kat made him smile. She’d showered just before she left. He was sure the bed would smell like the sex they’d had an hour before they had to leave.
As he thought about his upcoming job with Jae and the new movie, he felt guilty that he was glad Katlin was away on a mission. The last time he’d worked with Jae, he came home every night and slept next to Katlin, at least for a few hours. The commute from the studio to his Guardian Center in Los Angeles traffic, even in the early hours of the morning, was still a living hell. When they had an early morning call, the reverse drive was even worse.
