Page 1 of Rock Me

Chapter One

Ben

There are benefitsto working for Alpha Security, I think, as I throw the dart at the board in the company game room, nailing the bull’s-eye on the first try.

“Score,” I mutter, smirking at Jared Wilson, the colleague and friend I am playing with.

“Son of a bitch,” the other man says.“At this rate, I’m going to be broke.”

I shrug.The guy should know better than to wager with me.I am a crack shot at shooting range practice we attend together on occasional weekends.

“I don’t know why you bother playing him,” Ava Talbott, the female bodyguard in our group, says.“He kicks your ass every time.”

“Because I’ve been practicing.”Jared picked up a dart, took aim, and hit right outside the coveted inner circle, groaning at his near miss.

Ava snickers.“Obviously not enough.”She snags a fry off his plate and walks away.Jared doesn’t tear his gaze away from her ass as she leaves, heading for the table laden with food.

“Enough games.Time to meet up.”The booming voice of our boss, Dan Wilson, echoes through the game room in the offices of Alpha Security.

We make our way to the conference room where Dan discusses cases and hands out assignments.We are missing the other members of the staff, Tate Shaw and Austin Rhodes, who are out on assignment.

We file into the room where Dan has already taken up lead position at the head of the table.When not working, our boss is a big believer in blowing off steam during off hours, hence the game room with the pool table, dart board, and during lunch, an endless supply of eats.Located in the Whitestone area of the Bronx, there is no better bodyguard agency to work for in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

“Okay, kids, time for new assignments,” Dan says.

I do my best to hold back a laugh.Dan considers all of his employees his children of sorts, although Jared is the only legitimate child of Dan’s in the room.Still, he practically raised Ava from the time she was a lost teen whose mother was more interested in drugs than in her only kid.Dan stepped into the role of parent, and though Jared and Ava have coexisted in the same house, the friction between them now isn’t that of siblings.

There is sexual tension there, pure and simple.Except it isn’t, because neither is willing to acknowledge it.At least so far.

“Sit,” Dan directs, pointing to the chairs around the table.

We do as we are told, glancing up at the man who brought us into his business and pays us well.Standing before us wearing a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt, he is every inch the professional face of the security and bodyguard firm.

Dan begins speaking immediately, giving us an update on where each team member is or will be headed.“A lot of our assignments are status quo.Tate’s in L.A., and the assignment was extended.Austin’s tied up with the governor who’s had threats leveled against him.”

“What do you have for us?”Ava asks.

“Slow down, little girl,” he says, using the affectionate endearment that always causes her to cringe—because she is a grown woman now.“I need you to meet with a new client.A mother who’s worried her ex will come after her kid.She wants a female so her daughter isn’t completely freaked out.”He tosses a file Ava’s way.All the preliminary information she needs will be included.

“Consider it done.”Ava tucks her hair behind her ear and begins to peruse the papers.

“Jared, you’ve been requested by a repeat client.”He hands the folder to his son.“And that leaves Ben.”

I roll my shoulders, leaning my elbow on the table.“Let me have it, boss.”

“You might not be so eager when you hear what it is, but keep in mind, we are out of options.Everyone’s on another assignment.”Dan eyes me with a healthy dose of an apology in his gaze followed by his tough-shit look.

The hair on the back of my neck stands on end.“What’s going on?”

“A little show-and-tell is in order for this assignment,” Dan says, gesturing to the screen behind him.He pulls out his computer and taps a few keys.

Up pops a photograph of Jade Glow, one of the world’s most popular contemporary recording artists in the world.“Jade Glow needs an opening act for her fall tour and couldn’t decide between two up-and-coming singers.Her solution?To give both women a chance to build theirstar powerwhile she waits, watches audience reaction, and makes a decision.”

Dan chooses his words carefully.He always does.Which is why the wordsstar powerstand out like a beacon to me.Four years ago, I was a security guard on the set of the hit television show of the same name, where I met, fucked, and then proceeded to be fucked over by one of the show’s up-and-coming stars.

I not only had an ongoing affair with one of the contestants, Summer Michelle, I violated my contract by doing so.Someone turned me in, and the producers made it clear to me—the word leaked from Summer herself.I lost my job for consorting with the talent, while she went on to tie for runner-up in the show.My current boss knows the whole sordid story, but he believes in second chances, and besides, I came highly recommended from the firm I worked for prior to Dan’s.I had to take a trial period while I earned my position and proved to my then-bosses I could be trusted to think smart on the job.Be a professional.Keep my dick in my pants.Not get taken in by a pretty face.

My lesson was learned the hard way.