Guard Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Guard

  Hard Hit #11

  Charity Parkerson

  Copyright © 2017 by Charity Parkerson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The scanning, uploading, and distributing of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Brief passages may be quoted for review purposes if credit is given to the copyright holder. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. Any resemblances to person(s) living or dead, is completely coincidental. All items contained within this novel are products of the author’s imagination.

  --Warning: This book is intended for readers over the age of 18.

  Editor: Hercules Editing & Consultants

  ISBN-13: 978-1-946099-24-2

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  About the Author

  Introduction

  The only thing worse than suffering a broken heart is being forced to pretend it never happened.

  For two years, Mara kept a secret. She was in love with two members of her security team—Landon and Early. As an actress, she’s always in the spotlight. Keeping her reputation intact is more important than anything. Until the day came that she no longer cared. Loving Early and Landon meant too much to keep hiding. That was the day she lost them.

  For a year, Mara has suffered in silence. The world doesn’t see her loss. They don’t know she’s broken. She’s never been more alone. Her downhill spiral forces Kieran Steele to step in, sending her someone to watch over her. Someone every bit as shattered. Now only time will tell if a bucketful of secrets will draw them closer or tear them apart.

  Meanwhile, something is happening with Henley, causing problems in his marriage with Kieran. As Kieran struggles to find the key to save their relationship, Henley pulls farther away.

  I have to send a huge “thank you” to award-winning producer, John Foutz from Foutz Studios, for answering all my research questions about movie production and set life. Your friendship is beyond priceless.

  Chapter One

  Mara seriously considered sneaking out on her own, making a liquor run, and then hiding in her bedroom for the rest of the night. Fortunately, some sane part of her brain took over, reminding her she’d like to stay in one piece. Most days, being a celebrity was amazing. The trade-off was she never went anywhere without her full-time security team. She recognized she had more than most—was blessed and all that shit. Tonight, it didn’t feel like it. She wanted to crawl out of her skin. Something felt off. She was tired of hiding in her home, shielding her personal life. Most of all, she was sick of hiding behind a line of fake relationships to camouflage reality. It was all for the benefit of others. She wasn’t ashamed. Instead of giving in to temptation, disappearing under the cover of darkness, and risking ending up tied up in some freak’s basement, Mara tried sneaking downstairs to grab a bottle of vodka. She’d hoped to grab it and run away to be alone before Landon and Early realized she was still home. Her hopes were dashed upon the rocks as soon as her fingers curled around the bottle’s neck.

  “Got stood up again, huh?” Landon called out, freezing Mara in her tracks.

  For a moment, she stood still, foolishly hoping he wasn’t talking to her. She snuck a glance his way. Dark eyes met her gaze. Mara blew out a sigh. “It’s Friday night, isn’t it? Isn’t it par for the course for me to get stood up?”

  Landon shook his head and tossed his cards down on the table. She’d hoped his poker game would keep him too preoccupied to notice her presence. Not only had Mara been wrong, now both players watched her expectantly. Their eyes were night and day—Early’s were as blue as the sky on a summer’s day. Landon’s were so dark she’d damn near call them pitch black. They always reflected the light of the room, capturing her gaze. Tonight was no different. Mara couldn’t move.

  “Why haven’t you dumped this guy yet?”

  It was a fair question. She’d been fake-dating Sean Pearson for six months. He’d shown up for a total of four scheduled dates in that length of time. Mara would like to claim she knew how busy the man was. After all, being one of the biggest names in rock didn’t leave much time for anything else. She’d equally like to say their schedules were constantly clashing, since being an actress took up most of her time. The truth was something altogether different.

  Mara tugged at her short nightgown, feeling more exposed than she’d care to admit. She’d made up her mind about a few things recently. Unfortunately, she hadn’t discussed them with Landon and Early yet. “Seems nuts to have to dump someone I’m not really dating.”

  Early smiled. Her beautiful dimples came out to play. She cast Landon a devilish glance. “Sounds to me like she’s trying to say she’s a free woman.”

  Landon’s heated gaze traveled from Mara’s toes to her face. “You’re not a free woman.”

  It took every ounce of Mara’s strength not to press her hand to her stomach as the butterflies stirred. No. She wasn’t free. Sean meant nothing to her, but Early and Landon—they were everything.

  Landon pushed the empty chair at the table out with his foot. “You should join us then, since you’re free to play.” There was something dark in the man’s tone. It was a hint of something unnamed. Mara had been noticing it more and more as of late. Her nipples hardened at the promise behind his words.

  While still clinging to her bottle, Mara shuffled closer. Most people didn’t hang out, playing cards with their security team. Of course, Landon and Early didn’t really work for her, and they were so much more to her heart. “Will we be playing poker?”

  “Yes,” Early answered before Landon could.

  Mara winced. “I’m not good at that.”

  Cheshire grins stretched their faces, but Landon was the one who spoke first. “You should never admit to being bad at poker, especially when the stakes are high.”

  “I have deeper pockets,” Mara said, wincing as the words left her mouth.

  “You’re wearing less clothes,” Early said just as fast.

  So it was like that. Her mouth went dry. Mara wouldn’t play the idiot. She sat down. The pair watched her every reaction with matching hungry gazes. Mara twisted off the vodka’s cap and turned the bottle up. The alcohol burned her throat and gut. She didn’t care. Mara needed liquid courage. The pair wanted to play tonight. Mara had something she needed to say.

  Landon shuffled the cards. Early watched her. “Did Sean really stand you up or did you cancel on him?”

  Mara’s brow furrowed in confusion at Early’s question. “Why wou
ld you ask?”

  Early flipped her long blonde curls over her shoulder as she sat forward, holding Mara’s gaze. “See, Landon and I have a bet going. He thinks Sean’s a prick who keeps standing you up. I think Sean’s a loser who can’t eat pussy, so you keep canceling on him to stay home with me.”

  To buy some time, Mara turned up the bottle again while pressing her thighs together. Liquid heat rushed to the apex of her thighs just hearing Early talk about eating pussy. She couldn’t deny Early had an awesome mouth. “What’s the bet up to now?” Mara asked around the burn in her throat.

  “A hundred,” Landon grunted as he tossed cards in their direction.

  The alcohol hit Mara’s brain. “Hmm,” she hummed. “Maybe I’ll wait until you’re up to two hundred before answering.”

  Mara glanced between them before turning the bottle up once more. Early and Landon exchanged glances but didn’t press. Instead, they picked up their cards and eyed them in silence. Mara did the same. She blinked at the three aces and a king in her hand, wondering if Landon had slipped her a good hand for some reason all his own.

  “How are we doing this?” Mara asked while trying not to show her excitement over the prospect of winning. “Do we get chips or something?”

  “We have our own set of rules,” Landon said. “The losers of each hand have to draw a card. The person with the lowest card has to remove one item of clothing of the winner’s choosing.”

  “Sounds legit,” Mara said, taking another swig.

  Early chewed her bottom lip while staring at her hand. Mara couldn’t stop watching her. Early slid two facedown cards Landon’s way. He gave her two more. The woman’s expression never changed. Landon’s eyebrows rose in question. Mara shook her head. She was happy with her hand. At Landon’s nod, they each showed their hand. Early had a handful of nothing. Landon had two pair. Mara beamed. She’d won.

  “Draw,” she ordered, mentally rubbing her hands together. Mara loved to win.

  They each drew a card. Landon a seven. Early a two. A smile that felt wicked even to Mara stretched her lips. Early’s stare dared Mara to make the most of her win. After glancing under the table and assessing how much clothing Early wore, Mara made her decision. She’d ease into this.

  “I want your shoe.”

  Early snorted but dutifully kicked off one shoe. The sound hardened Mara’s nipples to the point of painful. Everything about Early had always turned her on. Landon pushed the cards her way to shuffle. She cut them and did her best to mix them up again before tossing them in Landon and Early’s direction. This time, Mara didn’t have shit. Only two cards matched. She exchanged three of them, hoping for better odds. No luck. Landon and Early both traded a few as well. Neither of them gave away a single hint as to their chances of winning. Once they’d done all they could do, they showed their hand once more. Early had a straight. Landon had four of kind. Mara’s stomach muscles clenched as she drew a card. She drew a jack. Her muscles relaxed. Landon drew a king. Her heart slammed against the wall of her chest. Too late, she realized she wasn’t wearing much. Early’s expression said she wouldn’t take the same mercy on Mara as Mara had on her.

  “Panties,” Early said, wiggling her fingers, waiting for Mara to hand them over. Since the choice had been between her nightgown or panties, Mara couldn’t decide if she was relieved or not. Either way, she lost a key article of clothing. While keeping her lower half hidden by the table, Mara wiggled out of her underwear before handing the scrap of lace over. Early’s eyes turned devilish as her fingers closed around the material. Mara turned her bottle up. There was no way Early missed how wet those panties were.

  Early played the dealer next. This time around, Mara lost again but won the draw. Landon lost his shirt. She’d seen the man’s golden brown and muscular chest hundreds of times. Tonight, Mara was barely holding it together. There was too much sexiness in one room. Too much heat between players. The alcohol in Mara’s blood was soaking her brain. Instead of making her forget her worries, it reminded Mara of all the nights they’d spent twisted together—straining. She kept breathing through her nose, trying not to demand they stop this game.

  Somehow, Mara hung on to her single article of clothing for three more hands until Landon won it. Mara slipped the satin material over her head and held it out to him. She kept her head held high. After all, they’d seen her nude hundreds of times. Matching hungry gazes eyed her body. It was her turn to deal. She shuffled as if she wasn’t on display. Once again, she had nothing, and no clothes left to lose. If she lost this hand, her debt might be more than she could afford. After all, both Landon and Early were sexual deviants. Early won the hand. Landon won the draw.

  Mara met Early’s gaze. “I’ve already lost everything.”

  Early shook her head. Her lips turned up in an evil smile. “Not everything.”

  Mara’s pussy soaked the chair. She licked her lips, refusing to back down. “Name your price.” Even to her ears, the words sounded like a dare. Mara couldn’t help it. She wanted to blame the alcohol for making her weak. Mara knew the truth—their love had made her weak long ago.

  “I should go to bed,” Mara said before Early could say anything Mara couldn’t turn down.

  “We should,” Early agreed. “All of us. Together,” she added.

  Mara snuck a glance at Landon, curious about his thoughts on the matter. The heat meeting her stare nearly blasted her from her chair. His gaze dropped, eyeing her nude body before meeting her stare once more. Mara licked her parched lips. She’d never been more turned on or thankful for having skipped another fake date.

  She stood. Mara fucking wanted everything their gazes offered. She wanted them with a crippling desire she couldn’t control. They were seated and staring at her nude body, hungry and waiting for permission to feast. Mara fought the urge to press her hand to her mound and ease the pulsations. Her inner thighs were slick with her juices.

  “Are you running out on your debt here?” Early asked, sounding calm and nowhere near as affected as Mara.

  “No. You never named your price.”

  Early’s mouth lifted in one corner. “Okay. Here it is—did you cancel on Sean or did he stand you up?”

  “I cancelled.”

  Early nodded. “Why?”

  Mara shifted, feeling exposed for the first time. As much as they needed to talk, Mara was scared. “I’ve already met your price.”

  Without a word, Landon stood, as if calling an end to their game. Mara couldn’t look away from his intense stare as he moved in her direction. She was forced to tilt her chin back to hold his gaze when he came to stand over her. He slipped the nightgown over her head, leaving Mara no other choice than to lift her arms and let him dress her like a child. His thumbs brushed her hardened nipples as he smoothed the material over them. A gasp escaped before Mara could call it back. The satin slid down her body, falling into place. Landon didn’t move away. Without warning, he swept Mara off her feet, stealing her breath. Before her mind came to terms with the change in position, Landon sat her on the edge of the table, coming to stand between her knees. Mara’s tongue wouldn’t work. All she could do was stare into his dark eyes.

  “Why did you cancel?” Landon’s question came out sounding deep, low, and sexy. Mara sucked in a sharp breath at the open lust in his tone. She was hyper aware of her hands resting on his waist. His body felt ridiculously tight and hard. Everything took on a surreal edge. “Tell me,” Landon said, refusing to back down.

  “I don’t want to hide any longer.” The words burst from Mara without her permission—like they’d been waiting on the edge of her tongue for the past two years.

  Landon’s expression transformed, shutting her out. “What?”

  Mara took a breath. Even to her ears, it sounded shaky. “People come out all the time, Landon. I’m not saying I’ll call the press tomorrow and announce our relationship, but if rumors start…” Mara shrugged.

  With a small shake of his head, Landon flashed a sa
d smile. “It’s not fair for you to taunt us with a life we’ll never have.” Landon’s voice grew stronger. “How dare you make us question if you’re acting—if this is improv and we’re your test audience?” Mara didn’t know how to react. She’d never heard Landon sound so angry or seen his mood change so quickly. Mara couldn’t keep up. “How dare you say something like that when it’s all a game to you? It’s our job to be with you. We’re disposable. If you do this, no one will ever hire us again, and I just now got back into acting.”

  Mara’s eyes and nose stung. Her lungs burned as if she’d been running a marathon. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from his anger. “Being with me won’t hurt you career. People come out all the time,” Mara repeated, because she had no other argument other than her love. Right now, she wasn’t sure that mattered much.

  “You’re cruel.”

  Mara drew back, feeling like she’d been slapped. She cared about them—more than they’d ever know. The burning behind her eyes increased. She’d never felt more exposed. Her throat wouldn’t work. She couldn’t defend herself. Landon didn’t seem to need her words. He had plenty.

  “Yeah, people come out all the time. They come out as gay,” Landon roared, backing away from her and leaving her feeling exposed on the edge of the table. “How many people do you know who’ve come out with a relationship like ours? Exactly zero,” Landon said without waiting for Mara’s answer. “This might not ruin you, but it would cast a shadow over everything you do. All your charity work. Your domestic violence intervention program. Everything, Mara. No one will care about the good you do. All anyone will talk about is what you do in bed with Early and me. All anyone will talk about is how I broke into acting because I’m fucking you.”