Tangled Vows(11)

Like the professional he was, Everett didn't even glance at Bay at the  mention of bodyguards. "This is my home too, Frank. Didn't think I  needed protection from my family." His words were clipped.

Bailey could feel the tension between the two and wondered what had set the two brothers apart.

"Well let's hope not," Frank retorted. "Wouldn't wanna ruin Sarah's big day."

Everett put his palms on the table and leaned forward. "Is that a threat?" he ground out between clenched teeth.

"No, no, of course not." Frank laughed, but even Bailey could tell it  was fake. She wondered what was going on and made a note to ask Everett  about it later. Was this why he'd wanted a discreet bodyguard for his  own sister's wedding?

Everett leaned back in his chair again but didn't relax. His shoulder  muscles still bunched under the fabric of his shirt, and Bay could see  the tendons straining in his neck.

"Good. Let's try to be civil then. I leave on Sunday and you'll be rid  of me then." He paused and neither man said anything for a long moment.  "Is there something you wanted?"

"It's not enough that I just wanted to say hello to my big brother?"

Everett folded his arms across his chest. "It might be if you actually treated me like a brother instead of an outcast."

"All right." Frank glanced at Bailey. "I came to see if this beautiful woman wanted to dance."

Bailey cringed internally but managed to keep a pleasant look on her  face. She didn't really want to spend any time with this man, even if he  was Everett's brother. However, if he did happen to be a threat of some  sort to Everett, maybe she could get a better read on him if she did.  Surveillance and intel was part of being a bodyguard.

"What makes you think she'd want to do a thing like that?" Everett asked.

Bay put a hand lightly on his arm. "Everett, it's okay." She stood and leaned down to speak softly in his ear. "Trust me."

As Bailey began to step away, Everett grabbed the hand resting on his  arm. He searched her eyes, and Bailey wondered what he was looking for.  "I do," was all he said before releasing her.

As Frank led her to the dance floor, she contemplated the best  conversational routes to get the info she needed. However, before she  could say anything, Frank spoke. "You can do better than him, you know."                       
       
           



       

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he's an asshole. Doesn't care about his family at all. Just  because he's rich and famous doesn't mean he's a good person."

"How do you know it's not his money I'm after?"

Frank laughed. "I've been watching you. Anyone after his money would  have been bored sick with this event. No cameras, no famous people, no  publicity. You, on the other hand, seem perfectly at home."

Bailey shrugged and stole Everett's line from before. "Maybe I'm just a good actress."

"Honey, nobody's that good. Not even Everett." He paused for a minute  while they continued dancing. "Why are you with him, anyway?"

Now what was she supposed to say. She didn't want to tell Frank the  story they'd told everyone else. Admitting she actually was a security  guard would put Frank's guard back up. "He's charming. We just stumbled  into each other one day, and he was so polite and attentive, I couldn't  resist when he asked me out," she told him in partial truth.

"So then, he's not really your type? What is your type?"

Bay could have kicked herself for her answer when he picked up on that  little tidbit. "Ah, men in uniform, I guess." At least that was an easy  answer.

"Well, darn. Guess that rules me out," Frank said halfheartedly.

Bay let out a forced laugh. "So what is it you do?" It was the perfect  segue into prying information out of him, and she took it.

"Oh, just whatever comes my way. It's a little hard to find decent jobs  in a small town, you know." No one could have missed the bitterness in  his voice at his last comment.

"Why don't you leave?"

"You mean like Everett did? Abandon my hometown and my family and pretend to the world they don't exist?"

And there it was, Bailey thought. The reason for the animosity between  the brothers. Or at least part of it. "You think Everett abandoned you?"

Frank stopped dancing abruptly, and Bailey stumbled. He gripped her  elbow cruelly. She couldn't stop the wince that came to her face, but  she did manage to refrain from trying to pull away.

"You don't know anything he's done," he hissed. "You should get away from him while you can."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Frank dropped her elbow and regained a calmer expression. "Nothing. I  just mean you should leave him before he breaks your heart like he's  done to so many other women."

Bailey didn't answer before Frank walked away, leaving her alone in the midst of the other dancers.





Chapter 10




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Everett didn't even look at her as she took her seat next to him. "You okay," he asked.

"Of course. You weren't worried about me, were you?" she joked.

He turned to her then, face serious. "You don't know what he's capable of. You should be careful."

She raised her eyebrows. "Is there something I need to know? I don't  like being kept in the dark when I'm responsible for your safety."

Everett sighed and leaned an elbow on the table. "He won't hurt me, at  least not physically. You should still be wary of him though. He's a bit  of a … con artist. Likes to manipulate people. Why'd you agree to dance  with him, anyway?"

Bay grinned. "To manipulate him. Keep your enemies close, and all that.  Besides, I'm always ready for anything." She lifted the edge of her  blouse enough for him to see the edge of her pistol.

Everett's eyes widened. "You brought a gun?" he whispered incredulously.

"Of course. You didn't think I would agree to this one-woman job without protection, did you?"

He shook his head at her audacity. "I guess I underestimated you."

"Exactly. You and everyone else. That's why you picked me, remember?  Because no one will think I'm anything other than your girlfriend. It  doesn't matter I'm also a soldier and a security guard. People look at  me and see nothing past the boobs and the pretty face." She stopped  abruptly as she realized bitterness had crept into her last words.

Everett contemplated what she'd said. She'd surprised him yet again.  Seemed she had a habit of doing that. He admitted to himself it was hard  for him to see past the "boobs and pretty face" as she'd put it. He  wondered if that was part of her issue with her family too. "Bit of a  sore spot?" he asked.

She looked out at the room, anywhere but at him. "I guess a little."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.                       
       
           



       

That got her attention, and her head whipped around to glare at him. "Why are you sorry?"

"I'm sorry I've treated you unprofessionally. You're right. It's hard  for me to see past your … femaleness too." No way could he comment on her  breasts. Or how attractive she was. If he thought about that, he would  only want to take her clothes off and explore her lovely body in more  detail.

She frowned. "I don't need your apologies. You're paying me. Putting up with crap is part of my job."

"If it's not the job that bothers you, what is it then?"

He picked up her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. Bailey looked  down at their joined fingers and blinked in surprise. What was he doing?  There was no one around watching them. Did he really want to hear about  her problems, or was he only making casual conversation to pass the  time?

"It's not important," she hedged. She tried to pull her hand from his, but he tightened his grip, not letting her go.

"It is important." His voice had turned husky, and she shivered in response. "Why don't you want to tell me?"

"Look, Everett, we don't even know each other. Do you want to know the personal lives of all your bodyguards?"

"No," he admitted. "But to be fair, I don't sleep with all my bodyguards  either." Her shocked eyes shot up to meet his. "Figuratively speaking,  of course." He grinned at the expression on her face. She was so  controlled most of the time, never showing any emotion. He loved getting  under her skin and forcing her to react.

"You're impossible," she spat out, trying again to tug away from him. "Let me go."

"Just answer my question. Who are you mad at for treating you like just another pretty face?"

Bailey grimaced. She didn't want to talk about it. Really she didn't.  She could easily get away from him, but she didn't want to cause a  scene. Pasting a fake smile on her face, she stated through gritted  teeth, "My father, okay. Are you happy now?"