The CEO And Her Bodyguard

2: Under His Watch

The ocean stretched out in front of me as if nothing had happened last night. It was an endless reach of blue, waves rolling with deceptive calm while sunlight scattered like diamonds across the surface. Somewhere farther down the private beach, children’s laughter rose and fell with the wind, so carefree it felt like a cruel joke. The whole scene was something from a glossy travel ad...perfect, neat, untouched. But I wasn’t a tourist. I was hiding, trying to convince myself that daylight meant safety.

I sat on a cushioned lounge chair by the infinity pool, my tablet balanced on my lap. My fingers trembled every few seconds against the glass screen. A tall, sweating glass sat within reach, coconut water dripping down the sides in slow lines that stained the linen coaster beneath. My skin was wrapped in a white bikini under a thin silk cover-up, oversized sunglasses masking my eyes. To anyone watching, I looked like the picture of luxury. But appearances lied. Beneath the fabric, my shoulders were rigid. I wasn't a woman on vacation; I was a woman who’d almost been dragged into a van less than twenty-four hours ago.

“Rebekah, we’ve flagged the shipment delays at the Singapore branch,” James, my P.A., said through the tablet speaker. His voice was quick and nervous, as if he was afraid of disappointing me.

“Resolve it,” I said, tapping the screen sharply. I scrolled through the stacked documents from Grant Enterprises. “Contact the head of operations there and tell him I want numbers by tonight. No excuses.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The line cut, leaving only my reflection in the black screen...calm, collected, the CEO I’d trained myself to be. Untouchable. But under the table, my foot tapped restlessly against the stone, a tell I couldn’t kill no matter how many boardrooms I’d conquered.

I drowned myself in the work. Numbers, contracts, schedules… I let the sharp edges of business fill my head because if I stopped, last night would come rushing back. The sound of those voices echoing through the hallways. The weight of my own breath as I crouched behind a cabinet, praying they wouldn’t find me.

I reached for my drink, tilting my head back as the cool liquid slid down my throat. It didn't stop the faint tremor in my hand.

Then I heard it...shoes against stone, steady and deliberate. My heart lurched before I even saw him. Michael.

He walked toward me with a manila folder in one hand, his shirt sleeves rolled high over his forearms, his jaw locked tight. He hadn’t softened since last night.

“You’re really out here like nothing happened,” he said, his voice cutting. He dropped the folder onto the table beside my tablet, his eyes sharp and judgmental. “Coconut water by the pool, while your board is still recovering from last night’s headlines.”

I slid off my sunglasses slowly, meeting his stare. “Do you want me crying in a corner? I’m working, Michael. Grant Enterprises doesn’t run itself.”

His hand pressed flat on the table, veins showing against his skin. “I don’t care how you cope, Rebekah. What I care about is keeping you alive long enough to actually run that company.”

I leaned back, exhaling. “You’ve already given me the lecture.”

“And I meant it,” he shot back. Then his tone shifted, softer but with an edge. “I’ve spent the last ten hours going through profiles. Former soldiers, private contractors, ex-agents. Over a hundred men. I’ve narrowed it down to one.”

I arched a brow, picking up the folder. The name at the top was bold: Derek Kane.

Michael sat forward. “He’s the best. Special Forces background. Private assignments protecting high-profile clients. He’s trained to spot threats before they reach you. This man doesn’t fail.”

I closed the folder. “And you trust him?”

“I did my digging,” Michael said. “His record is clean. He’s exactly what you need.”

“And what if I don’t want a stranger following me?”

His eyes narrowed. “Then you might not live long enough to regret it.”

The words hit hard. I hated that he was right. Michael pulled out his phone, tapping quickly. “He’s here. I told him to wait until I gave the signal.” He stood, looking toward the sliding glass doors of the villa. “Rebekah… try to keep an open mind.”

“Why?”

“Because this man may very well save your life.”

His phone buzzed. He typed something, then glanced up. “Come.”

And then he did.

My breath got caught in my throat. He had been standing nearby for a while, and already the air felt different. My fingers tightened. Black shirt, black jeans, that steady way he carried himself.

But to me, he wasn’t just a name on a folder. He was him.

A year and six months ago, in a city I never talked about. I hadn’t even met Michael then. I’d gone to a networking conference in Barcelona, determined to stay professional. And then there he was. Sitting across the hotel bar, quiet, watching.

We hadn’t even exchanged last names. Just… heat.

I’d told myself it was one night. A mistake, but the kind that branded itself into your skin. The way he’d looked at me like he could read everything I wasn't saying. The way his hands had held me, steady but careful.

And now here he was, standing like an answer to a question I hadn’t dared to ask. Brought here by my fiancé.

Derek didn’t react. Not an eye twitch. His face was a mask, his mouth set in a hard line. If he recognized me, he buried it so deep I couldn’t tell.

But I knew.

Michael’s voice broke the silence. “Rebekah?”

I blinked, realizing I’d been staring. My throat tightened. “What?”

He tilted his head. “Are you okay?”

I forced air into my lungs. “Yes.” My voice came out steady, which surprised me. I sat straighter, sliding my sunglasses back over my eyes like armor. “I’m fine.”

Michael turned to Derek. “This is Rebekah Grant. She’s the one you’ll be protecting.”

Derek’s gaze shifted to me, calm and professional, like we were strangers. Like we hadn’t spent hours tangled in sheets, me gasping into his shoulder, his name falling from my lips over and over.

“Ms. Grant,” he said, his voice deep and even. “It’s good to meet you.”

A lie. We’d already met. Too well.

I pressed my lips together, lifting my chin. “Likewise.”

Inside, my heart was racing so fast I thought it might break.

Michael smiled faintly. “Good. Then we’re all on the same page.”

But we weren’t. Not even close. My fiancé had just hired the one man who had ruined me for anyone else… and now he was supposed to save my life.