Captured by the Bodyguard Read online

  Captured by the Bodyguard

  Copyright 2013 Dez Burke

  Chapter One

  Alexandra Duke could not believe what her father was telling her.

  “What do you mean, you’ve hired me a bodyguard? Why on earth would I need one?” she asked in amazement as she stared at the tall, distinguished and darkly handsome middle-aged man standing in front of her in the plush study.

  When Alexandra had been summoned to the house to see her father, this was the last thing she’d been expecting.

  Her father, Donel Duke was a man of many sides when it came to business. Takeover ace, whiz entrepreneur, property maven, commodities specialist…Whatever he was labeled, he was good at making money and he had loads of it – more than he could ever possibly know what to do with.

  Ever since his wife, Alexandra’s mother had died when Alexandra had been seven, he’d thrown himself into the business of reaping from the many portals of wealth available to a man fueled by ambition and determined to make use of every opportunity. But even with all his business concerns, he always made time for family. Alexandra could never fault him that. If he couldn’t be there, he paid someone to do it. And that person was always the best even though for the growing Alexandra, the best staff, be it chauffeurs, maids, nannies or other types of caretakers had never been good enough to replace a father’s undivided attention.

  Now, at twenty four, she’d long broken from the protective wings of her father and had moved out to stay at her own place- and now she felt a stinging irritation at the thought of being imposed upon by some bodyguard she didn’t need.

  Her father let out an impatient sigh. “You know I’ve always been security conscious, and ever since you’ve started living on your own I’ve been feeling more and more uncomfortable. Especially with the recent acquisitions I’ve made concerning a few key companies. There are many disgruntled parties involved – dangerous people and I’m worried there might be an attack on you to get to me.”

  Alexandra frowned in confusion. She already knew her father made a huge amount of money with his corporate bidding but nothing had ever put him or her in danger. Being very rich it was no surprise he’d have security detail and she always remembered how carefully guarded the house was. But was there really enough of a threat to her safety to warrant the need of a personal bodyguard for her?

  As she paused, she felt her father take her elbow and lead her to the adjoining living area of the house. A man rose from the couch when they appeared, and Alexandra’s eyes immediately pinned to him.

  “Alexandra, meet Cane Hutchinson. Cane, this is my daughter Alex,” she heard her father say as they advanced into the living room.

  The man stood there in the middle of the room and Alexandra took a few moments to study him.

  Chestnut brown hair cut almost military short, and very tall – at least six three. He was quite good looking, early or mid-thirties with a smooth jaw and piercing green eyes.

  He had to work out because even in his smart black suit and tie with a white shirt, his shoulders looked hard-packed, his waist trim and his hips tapering. He had a striking, tanned face, full of sharp angles and features that hinted at high intelligence, wit and interest. Good looking? Heck, the guy was freaking hot, thought Alexandra. Far too hot to be a bodyguard. Her bodyguard. He looked more like he belonged in GQ than working as a close protection agent.

  He nodded politely in greeting when Alexandra appeared. Now, she promptly turned to her father.

  “I don’t want him,” Alexandra said with a brisk tone.

  “Alex, this isn’t a day at the toy store,” her father said impatiently. “You can’t send someone back like an order of shoes you don’t like. Hutchinson stays. He’s the best in the business, highly recommended. I considered that only the top man would do for your personal security.”

  Alexandra rested one hand atop the curve of her hip. “I can’t help but be surprised my bodyguard happens to be white. Wouldn’t a black guy have been more inconspicuous next to me?”

  “Hutchinson is trained to keep a low profile. It’s not going to be so obvious to the outside world, not when he knows how to stay in the background,” her father said, before glancing at his watch. “Look, I have to make an important conference call in ten minutes to my links in China. Talk to him, he’ll tell you about your security details. This could be just for a little while, until I can be sure there’s no threat to you. Till then, just play nice,” Donel Duke told her, saying the last three sentences under his breath as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

  He gave the bodyguard a nod, and then walked out in direction of his study, shutting the double doors after him.

  ***

  Cane couldn’t blame her for wanting to send him back. Hell, he didn’t want this job either. Chaperoning or babysitting – whatever he was supposed to do on this assignment, he wanted out. Now.

  For one thing, he’d thought he’d be handling some billionaire business man’s wife. Instead, he’d been assigned to Alexandra Duke, the daughter. Who looked every inch a bodyguard’s nightmare: the spoiled, daddy-wrapped-around-her-finger type.

  Oh, and one other thing. She was going to be one hell of a damn distraction.

  Alexandra Duke was a classical beauty, with a heart-shaped face, pretty nose and big, melting brown eyes. And lips so puffy and soft-looking a man started to ache in places just looking at them. Her skin was a toasty caramel, and smooth – free of make-up except for the tint of bubble-gum pink lip gloss on those man-killer lips. She was tall, well above five feet but still not reaching his shoulder even in her heeled sandals. Her long hair was straightened and done up in an elegant topknot which was in contrast with her casual attire of snug blue jeans and a white t-shirt. The kind of body she had in those clothes, Cane noted, would make a porn star envious.

  A tiny waist set off her generously rounded breasts straining against her shirt, and then her hips seemed to explode, in a nice way that put a whole new spin on the Coke bottle shape. Long, shapely legs ended in a pair of high-heeled brown sandals that showed off her pretty feet with the powder blue nail polish.

  It had taken Cane all of five seconds to take all this in, his expression schooled into a polite, calm mask. She took far more time in looking him over, a fact that unlike him, she made no pretence of hiding. He took her scrutiny in his stride, finally holding out his hand.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Duke,” he said, opting for friendly with just the right hint of formality. He had to make an effort, he knew. Noah, his best friend who owned the protective services firm was well known and respected. Cane wasn’t about to do anything that would jeopardize that reputation. He might not like the situation he’d been placed in, but he was going to make the best of it till a solution could be found.

  Alexandra Duke ignored his outstretched hand. Her beautiful deep brown eyes swept over him once again. “You don’t look like a bodyguard.”

  Her factual words made his lips tilt in a tiny smile. “Let me guess; you’ve got this image of someone huge and towering like in the movies? Guys who look like they’d just fallen out of a bean stalk?” He huffed, adding mildly, “Those are the type of guys that in my trade, we call crowd controllers. It would take seconds for a man with my training to bring a guy like that down. The bigger you are, the slower your reflexes.”

  She turned away to admire a colorfully arranged bouquet of fresh flowers making the centerpiece on the nearby ornate table. Cane took this chance to examine her in more detail.

  He was still trying to figure out why Noah had set him down for this job. With his expertise and field experience, Cane was used to getting hired for high-risk clients. Those who were under some kind of major hazard, such as kidnappi
ng, stalking, death threats, or if they had to visit a dangerous location. Cane’s services didn’t come cheap, so how come he was getting paid a truckload of money just to babysit some billionaire’s princess?

  “I don’t want a bodyguard. I’m pretty certain I don’t need one,” Alexandra Duke told him in that same factual tone. Cane found that he liked hearing her talk. She sounded sexy even without knowing it; cultured with a musical intonation that stirred him in the gut. Was there nothing about this woman he didn’t find outrageously attractive? Even her irritated expression intrigued him, made him want to smudge the tiny frown away from her beautiful forehead gently with his thumb.

  “You’ll just be in the way,” she added with an angry sigh. “I’m a very social person. My lifestyle demands it and I generally just am. I have school, friends. The one thing that would ruin my perfect existence would be knowing there was some handler watching my every move. Breathing down my neck.”

  “Keeping you safe,” Cane added sensibly, keeping his tone neutral. He was a professional; it would take more than an impolite young lady to get on his wick. He was pissed off but mostly not at her, but at the guy who’d fixed him up in this.

  “I’ve taken care of myself for the past three years living on my own. I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “Which is great, because I’m your bodyguard, not your babysitter. And I wouldn’t be here if your father didn’t think it was absolutely necessary,” said Cane, reining in his temper.

  She spun her gaze from the flowers and back to him. Cane had to snatch in an inaudible breath as he was almost struck down by the fresh, alluring beauty of her face. Her eyes…they could set a man on fire. He wasn’t sure how she did what she was doing, but even Cane knew she didn’t really have to do anything. Women like Alexandra Duke had that gift of being incredibly beddable even without an effort. If he stayed on this job, then she’d definitely be more of a distraction than he cared to risk.

  But then again, it was a job. And one thing Cane knew how to do, was get the job done. That was why he was, as Donel Duke had called him, the top man.

  “When you said something about crowd controllers, you meant for famous people, right?” she was asking curiously, her beautiful neck curving to the side as she regarded him with a tipping of her head. “Like A-list actors or big-time music stars and all those other kind of people who’d pull crowds or something.”

  “Exactly. For instance, we do a lot of security detail for a movie company and we have men who handle normal crowd control duties for the major stars.”

  She nodded with interest. “So if you don’t handle those, just what’s your specialty, if I may ask? I’m assuming there hasn’t been much babysitting of spoiled rich girls in your work history.”

  A smile of humor he fought hard to hold down slanted Cane’s lips. He liked her turn of phrase. Hell, he liked her – or he would have if she wasn’t going out of her damned way to be difficult.

  Cane wasn’t about to disavow the ‘spoiled rich girl’ allusion; she’d probably read his mind and knew what he was thinking about her attitude. Instead, he went straight to the point of her question.

  “My specialty? Politicians. Heads of state, the occasional oil sheik or tycoon. I have experience guarding women, but mostly those who’ve received a definite threat.” Cane paused, thinking of his last assignment.

  It wasn’t two months ago he’d got out of hospital after an assassination attempt on his former client. A certain former senator’s wife had taken it upon herself to provide relief materials in a predominantly Muslim village off some West African coast. Cane had been assigned as her bodyguard when someone tried blowing her up with a pipe bomb. Cane had got in the way, rescuing the senator’s wife but getting injured in the process. He still had a few metal fragments in his body but he’d got right back on his feet as soon as possible. However, some stitches still remained that would completely heal in a week or two. Other than that, he was doing great.

  And now this? Cane owed Noah a lot of favors after Cane had left active service with Special Ops. But now Cane had to shake off the thought that Noah had got him this gig because he was worried Cane needed to slow down after that last accident in western Africa.

  Once again, Cane decided he’d do what needed to be done for now but as soon as he could, someone else had to take on this job. He didn’t relish the prospect of escorting some over-pampered female who’d give him more lip than he could be bothered to deal with.

  Watching her suddenly spin on her heels and walk to the door, Cane cursed his best friend and boss for the umpteenth time. Noah had to know just how gorgeous Duke’s daughter was, and still he’d sent me up here, thought Cane. Well, that was one hell of a vote of confidence. Noah trusted him and obviously, so did her father Donel Duke. Cane could only hope he trusted himself just as much.

  Cane had always had a take-it-or-leave-it stance when it came to women. Meaning, that he’d never really had to do the chasing. And if a woman played too hard to get, he got bored. No one woman had ever sparked his interest enough for him to make the extra effort.

  He’d taken one look at Ms. Alexandra Duke, and knew he was in deep trouble. He wasn’t sure how, but this assignment was going to put a strain on his hard-won control. Not just as a bodyguard used to the whims and caprices of the rich and spoiled, but as a man having to be in close contact with a very beautiful, sexy and attractive young woman. His charge. Under his protection.

  Shit.

  Chapter Two

  It was a very classy restaurant, newly opened that served a high end seafood menu. Alexandra walked into the dining area done in welcoming design and heaved a sigh when she saw the friendly face send her a happy wave.

  She made her way through the spacious tables and took her seat next to her best friend, Malia whom she’d known since middle school. They embraced quickly and then Malia hissed, “Now who is that gorgeous hunk?”

  Alexandra stiffened, drew in a slow breath and then turned to glance over her shoulder. Cane had taken a seat just a couple of tables away. Even in the restaurant half-filled with other guests, she could make him out with his clear-cut good looks and impeccable attire. Inconspicuous to others perhaps, but never to her, thought Alexandra with an angry sigh. He didn’t look their way but she was certain he could feel their gaze on him.

  “I saw you both come out of the same car so I know he’s with you. I just don’t know why,” Malia murmured, sitting forward, her dark brown eyes dancing. She was the epitome of the pretty full-figured woman comfortable in her own skin. She had on a wrap-around silk dress which showed off her very ample assets. She was the same age as Alexandra and had a deep cocoa skin tone that was set off by her tinted gold short locks. Her expression was full of curiosity and Alexandra pursed her lips as she quelled her deep annoyance.

  “That’s my bodyguard. Cane Hutchinson.”

  Malia’s eyes widened, and her eyebrows rode way up. “Since when?”

  “Since two hours ago,” Alexandra muttered. The waiter appeared and courteously handed them menus. Alexandra barely scanned through the lines, still far from happy with the way her day was turning out. She gave her best friend a brief rundown on the new state of events since she arrived at the house in answer to her father’s summons. Alexandra Duke officially now had a personal bodyguard to follow her around 24/7 because her father thought she’d be harmed or kidnapped by some mean, disgruntled corporate competitor. How screwed up was that?

  She posed the question to Malia who looked rueful. “Well, it is a cut-throat world out there,” Malia said with a shrug. “I think your father would know better about the kinds of people he’s dealing with. I heard about a magnate who had some employees laid off and they got pissed off enough to try and take down his wife and adolescent twin sons. It was all over the news. The perps got caught before they could get away with it though. The fact is, maybe it’s best to be safe than sorry.”

  “Well, I’m already sorry if that’s what you mean,” Alexandra
said angrily. “I thought I’d distanced myself from my father and his issues. I moved out, got my life on track. Now I’m doing my Masters at FIT and on my way to realizing my childhood dreams of designing wedding dressings with the top fashion houses. I really don’t need any of this boardroom melodrama.”

  Alexandra cut off when she saw Malia was hardly listening but craning her neck beyond Alexandra’s shoulder, obviously still checking Cane out. For goodness’ sake!

  “Really?” Alexandra quipped, staring at her friend who suddenly pouted, sitting up and removing her gaze from the bodyguard sitting calmly a few tables away as he glanced through the menu in his hand.

  “Hey, girl, don’t look at me. If I’d known you’d be showing up with Bruce freaking Wayne, I’d have been better prepared. I mean, damn. You know I have a thing for those brooding John Statham types. And this guy is hot enough to make even a Greek god feel inadequate.”

  “Malia, he’s my bodyguard,” Alexandra reminded her exasperatedly as she flung down her menu. “What part of that doesn’t spell off-limits to you?”

  Malia smiled mischievously. “He might be off-limits, but you can’t stop a sister from fantasizing. Imagining getting rescued in those big, strong arms…”

  “Just forget it,” Alexandra snapped, looking away with an angry shake of her head. Malia was no help at all. Everything in life was just one big joke to her. No one would guess she was a highly qualified psychiatric nurse; she acted and looked so hip and cool and never seemed to take life seriously. But once she was at work, she was all professional.

  Right now she was acting just like a woman and Alexandra couldn’t really blame her. Alexandra had already made the observation that she was stuck with a very sexy, possibly irresistible bodyguard. Though why on earth she’d think she’d ever be in a position to need to resist him was beyond her. Alexandra was never going to be in any of those cliché situations regarding a female and her bodyguard. She was too grown for that.