The next morning, Kayla woke up to find him already there.
The sound of the door opening softly pulled her out of a restless sleep. Her eyes fluttered open to see Jeff standing just inside the threshold of her bedroom, his silhouette outlined by the early morning light streaming in from the window. She knew it was him before he even spoke.
"Good morning," he said, his voice smooth and unbothered, as if it was perfectly natural for him to be standing in her private space at 7:00 AM.
Kayla blinked, disoriented for a moment. She quickly glanced at the clock on her nightstand and shot out of bed, pulling the covers closer around her body. It wasn't the intrusion that bothered her the most.It was the fact that he had already made himself at home.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice tight with irritation.
Jeff didn't flinch. He wasn't fazed by her anger. "I'm here to protect you," he said, as if the answer should have been obvious.
Kayla bit back a sharp retort. She didn't need his protection, not like this. She was a grown woman. She didn't need a bodyguard watching her every move.
"Out," she snapped. "You're not welcome here."
Instead of retreating, Jeff crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe, his dark eyes studying her with an intensity that made her heart beat faster. His presence was commanding, like a force of nature, and it made her feel small,something she absolutely hated.
"Not an option," he replied calmly. "You have a meeting in an hour. I'll be your driver for the day. Get dressed."
Kayla opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. The way Jeff spoke, his calm confidence and the unspoken authority in his tone, made her feel as if she didn't have a choice.
"I can drive myself," she said, though it came out less convincing than she hoped.
"I'm aware," Jeff said with a slight smirk. "But I'm not just here to drive you, Kayla. I'm here to ensure that nothing happens to you. That means I'm your shadow, whether you like it or not."
Her chest tightened. The last thing she wanted was for this man to become an unavoidable part of her life. But the truth was, she had no choice. The threats were real, and though she hated admitting it, she needed him. Even if it meant having him underfoot every waking moment.
Reluctantly, she slid out of bed and walked toward her closet, pulling out a sleek, black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. She might not want Jeff around, but she would still show up for her appointment looking the way she always did,confident and in control.
Jeff watched her every move, his gaze lingering on her form as she undressed to change. His eyes flickered with something unreadable as she slid the dress over her body, the fabric stretching tight over her hips and chest. He didn't say anything, but she felt the heat of his attention on her, like a touch she couldn't escape.
She ignored it, trying to maintain her composure. She wasn't here to please him, wasn't here to play into his game. But the feeling of his presence,so solid, so intense it made her skin prickle with awareness.
"Ready?" Jeff asked as she turned to face him.
She nodded curtly. "Lead the way."
As they walked down the hall to the elevator, Kayla couldn't shake the feeling of his proximity. He was always just a step behind her, a shadow that loomed large despite her attempts to ignore it. His presence was a constant reminder that she wasn't alone anymore, that the world she had built for herself, the one where she called all the shots, was being disrupted.
But as they stepped into the elevator, her mind shifted to the day ahead. The meeting at the gallery. It was important,far more important than Jeff's presence. She had a reputation to uphold, and she wasn't going to let anything, especially a bodyguard, get in the way of her success.
"Are you always this intrusive?" she asked, her tone a mix of frustration and curiosity. "Or is it just me?"
Jeff's lips quirked up into a barely-there smile, and for a moment, Kayla could have sworn she saw a flash of amusement in his eyes. But it disappeared almost instantly.
"I'm just doing my job," he said, his voice as steady as ever. "And right now, my job is to keep you alive."
Kayla couldn't stop herself from muttering under her breath, "I don't need someone to babysit me."
"You'd be dead without me," Jeff countered smoothly, his tone clipped but not unkind.
Her eyes shot to his, surprised by his bluntness. His words, though harsh, held an undeniable truth she couldn't deny.
The elevator dinged as it reached the ground floor, and they stepped out into the lobby. The heavy scent of expensive perfume and polished marble met her senses, but it was the way Jeff moved that caught her attention. His every step was calculated, precise. He was like a predator on the hunt, constantly scanning the room, aware of everything and everyone around him.
Kayla couldn't help but feel a prickle of unease, despite herself. Her heart raced a little faster. It wasn't just his physical presence that overwhelmed her. There was a sharpness in his demeanor, something that made him unpredictable. And that, if she was being honest, both terrified and intrigued her.
They arrived at the gallery, and as she made her way through the bustling crowd of artists, critics, and buyers, Kayla felt his eyes on her,never far, never too close, but always watching.
And she hated it.
But at the same time, she couldn't help the way her pulse quickened whenever he was near and glances every few seconds .