Chapter 1
531 Words
Kai Anders
I don’t protect people because I care about them.
That’s the first rule.
The second rule is never let them make you forget the first.
I’ve learned what happens when you get attached. You hesitate. You make mistakes. You start thinking with your heart instead of your instincts.
And hesitation gets people killed.
My job is simple.
Watch.
Protect.
Leave.
No emotions. No connections. No exceptions.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
The file sitting on my desk is thicker than it needs to be.
Aria Monroe.
Twenty-four years old.
Singer. Actress. Global celebrity.
Millions of followers. Thousands of headlines. A life most people would do anything to have.
I flip through the pages, scanning the information.
Public appearances. Travel schedules. Known threats.
The list of threats is longer than I expected.
That’s usually the part people don’t see.
They see the cameras.
The designer clothes.
The perfect smile.
They don’t see people waiting for one mistake.
I close the file.
A celebrity assignment should be easy.
Keep her alive.
Keep my distance.
Simple.
The elevator doors open, and I step into the building that belongs to one of the most recognizable women in the world.
Immediately, I noticed the security problems.
Too many blind spots.
Too many people moving without proper clearance.
Too many opportunities for someone to get close.
My eyes scan the room before they ever land on her.
And then they do.
Aria Monroe.
The woman everyone thinks they know.
She’s standing surrounded by assistants, stylists, and people telling her where to stand, what to wear, and how to smile.
But she doesn’t look like someone who has everything.
She looks exhausted.
For half a second, before she notices me, the mask slips.
Then it’s gone.
The perfect smile returns.
Interesting.
Most people don’t know how to hide fear.
She does.
“Mr. Anders?”
Her voice pulls my attention back.
I turn toward her.
“I’m Kai.”
She looks me over, clearly unimpressed.
“So you’re the new person assigned to follow me everywhere?”
“Protect you.”
“That sounds like a nicer word for babysitting.”
I don’t react.
People like her are used to getting reactions.
“I’m not here to control your life, Ms. Monroe.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
There it is.
The attitude.
The frustration.
But underneath it?
Something else.
Someone who is tired of being treated like a thing instead of a person.
I ignored that thought immediately.
She’s my assignment.
Nothing more.
I hold out my hand.
"The rules are simple. You listen when I tell you something is unsafe. You don’t disappear without telling anyone. You don’t take unnecessary risks.”
She looks at my hand but doesn’t take it.
“And what happens if I don’t?”
I meet her eyes.
“Then I do my job anyway.”
For the first time, she looks surprised.
Not because of what I said.
Because I didn’t fall for the act.
Everyone else sees Aria Monroe, the star.
I see the threat surrounding her.
And I have a feeling…
She’s going to make protecting her a lot harder than it should be.
- Writer
