Protecting What’s Mine (Alpha Security 2)

2

Charlie

Last night was like any other night. I went home alone, ate dinner and went to bed. I’m twenty-five years old and live my life on my own terms. I have no desire to date. Most of the men I have known, with the exception of the men at Alpha Security, have shown me how unreliable they can be. Starting with my father who left when I was only two years old. Then, when my mother passed away when I was five, I was shipped around to ten different foster homes. I was never adopted and eventually aged out of the system. Being alone is all I’ve ever known.

Getting dressed this morning, I put on my black Alpha Security uniform. I grab a cup of coffee and head out the door. Thinking about yesterday, I hope that I am not going to have to deal with Kevin again today. I had heard such good things about the people of Knox Tavern, I was a little surprised that someone like Kevin was working for them. I’ve never backed down before and I’m a little disappointed in myself that I didn’t finish the job yesterday. I should have kneed him in the nuts and then completed the project while he moaned in pain. Pulling my shoulders back, I put my game face on.

I’m here today and no matter what, I won’t leave until it’s finished.

“Hello,” I call out when I walk in the front door.

“I’ll be right there,” a voice hollers out from the back.

Standing there with my bag over my shoulder, I decide to go to the back to the sound of the voice. “I’m Charlie, from Alpha Security. I’m here to finish your…” But I don’t finish. A man comes around the corner and I stop, stunned at the sight before me.

A man, a large man with dark brown hair and beautiful eyes, is looking back at me. Even from here I can tell his eyes are a bright blue, probably the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.

He towers over my five-foot-six frame and I tilt my head backwards to look up at him because he doesn’t stop coming toward me until he’s standing right in front of me.

“Charlie. You’re Charlie?” he huskily asks me and I can’t help but notice the vein in the side of his neck vibrating against his skin.

“Yes.” I clear my throat. “Yes, I’m here to finish the install. I apologize for leaving yesterday, Mr.…”

“Call me Brody. And you don’t have anything to apologize for. It’s me that should be apologizing. I don’t tolerate anyone mistreating women and I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“It’s not a big deal. I’m going to get started,” I say, trying to change the subject.

“It is a big deal. No woman, especially you, deserves to be treated like that. I’ve fired Kevin. He won’t bother you again,” he assures me.

“Uh, okay, thank you,” I tell him, confused. I’ve never been treated like this before, and I have to stop myself from tearing up because I realize this man that I just met has looked out for me more than any other man of my life. Geez, Charlie, get it together.

He keeps looking at me, and I can see the look in his eyes. Like he feels sorry for me.

I take my eyes off him and walk away. From him and the conversation. It’s too serious for me, especially this early in the morning.

Walking into the back, I get to work. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t get my mind off the blue-eyed hottie in the front.

Brody

Fuck. That’s all I can think when I watch Charlie’s wide hips sway as she walks into my office. The poor woman had to put up with Kevin hitting on her yesterday and now I have to reel myself in before I make the same mistake. But it’s hard, in every sense of the word. Charlie is pure perfection. She’s curvy, just the way I like them. Her long blond hair is up in a ponytail and it sways back and forth as she walks. I can’t get the memory of her deep green eyes out of my head. Every emotion she felt was shining through them. Anger when she was talking about Kevin, sadness when I said I had fired him and I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure I saw desire in her eyes before she quickly walked away from me.

I have so much to do today, but I know at this point, I’m not going to get any of it done while I’m in such close proximity to my dream girl. She is every fantasy I’ve ever had and I don’t plan to let her escape so easily.

I work most of the morning in my office, just so I can be around her. I catch her looking at me when she thinks I don’t see her. By midmorning, my cock is hard in my pants as I watch her ass in the air. I have to will it down, just because of everything she went through yesterday. I don’t want her to compare me to Kevin.