aHunter4Trust (2 page)

“I would never expect someone to die for
me.”

A shiver of awareness went through Tamsin
as she focused her gaze on the giant standing in front of her. She looked away
and ignored the sensation. She didn’t need a man in her life, especially not
one that her father was employing.

“Nevertheless, I will.” Darrogh’s sincerity
resonated in his voice. “As will all of my team. It will be an honor to serve
you.”

Tamsin glanced at the rest of the men in
the room. They didn’t deny Darrogh’s words. She inhaled a sharp breath and
turned back to their leader. Stopping her father’s interference in her life was
going to be more difficult than she’d imagined. Usually he came up with some
innocuous excuse to visit, or have his assistant, Henry, accompany her
somewhere.

Hiring bodyguards was new.

And what bodyguards.

They all stood over six feet tall, with
broad shoulders and muscles bulging beneath their brown camo military-styled
jackets and tight-fitting jeans. These men looked prepared to battle an army.
Darrogh, their leader, looked tougher than the rest. She would hate to face him
in a battle. She didn’t know where her father had found these men, but they
would instil fear and respect wherever they went.

“What did my father tell you was the threat
against me?”

“He did not say.” Darrogh looked to the man
he’d introduced as Savis. “Show Miss Creighton the video we received.”

Savis opened a computer and clicked on a
site. It was an email with a video attachment. It was sent from her father’s
private email address and the video opened onto her father’s face. He was
leaning close to the computer screen and his voice was low.

“I need help protecting my daughter. I
don’t know who is threatening her. She isn’t safe and your website said that
you would help as long as my concerns were sincere and true. I understand the
penalty if I lie, but I swear I am telling you the truth. I will pay you whatever
you need. Please protect my daughter.”

Tamsin was shocked by the intense fear in
her father’s voice. “What happens if he lied?”

“He will die.” Darrogh spoke without
hesitation.

Tamsin gasped. “You can’t kill him for
lying.”

“He knew the risks when he contacted us.”
Darrogh’s gaze didn’t waver from her. “I believe Sir Robert thinks your life is
in danger. It would be foolish to ignore his concerns.”

Her father had done some outrageous things
in the past, but never something like this. To risk death so that he could
control her life was extreme. If she knew her father, he had a backup plan.
He’d probably hired a lawyer to get him out of the deal. She would have loved
to see the lawyer’s face when he found out the penalty for breaking the
contract was death.

Tamsin forced herself to be serious. If it
was a matter of her father’s life, she could put up with these men for a while.
First, she wanted to insure that he would be safe.

“If I let you guard me, my father won’t be
killed?”

Darrogh hesitated a second before he
replied. “We must be certain that there is a danger.”

“Isn’t it enough that my father believes
that my life is at risk?”

Darrogh nodded. “I believe your father is
sincere.”

“I’ll bet this is tied up with
Creighton’s.” Tamsin tried to keep the bitterness from her voice. “He’d do
anything to make certain his precious bank was safe.”

“It is you he wants protected.” Savis
clicked on another email. “He is paying a lot of money to hire our services.”

Tamsin looked at the figure.

It was one million pounds.

Her father easily had that much money and
plenty more. To pay that to a security team was ludicrous, though. She
considered the possibility that there was a real threat against her and then
she dismissed it. Her father wanted only one thing and that was for Tamsin to
reconcile with Winchester Nethercott.

“He wants me to marry my ex-fiancé.” Tamsin
didn’t hide her contempt. “I’ve already refused. I won’t have you trying to
change my mind.”

“A woman makes her own decisions about her
mate.” Darrogh frowned. “A man has no say in this. Why would we force you to
marry someone?”

“Because you’re working for my father.”
Tamsin threw the challenge out. “With the kind of money he has paid you, you’d
be obligated to do what he wanted.”

“We are warriors, not matchmakers.”

Kerm stepped forward. “I am more familiar
with the traditions in this country than Darrogh. I understand your concerns.
Darrogh speaks the truth. We are here only to protect.”

Tamsin glanced at all of the men. They
seemed sincere enough and except for their leader Darrogh, she felt comfortable
with them. It wouldn’t take them long to realize that she wasn’t in danger and
then they’d leave.

“You can stay, but remember, if I ask you
to leave, you go.”

“Of course.” Darrogh nodded. “We will obey
your wishes. Now I need to secure this house so that we are aware of everyone
who comes and goes.”

“That shouldn’t take you too long.” Tamsin
walked to the window. “I’m the only one who lives here, and I seldom go out
during the day except to the park.”

“Two men will accompany you.”

Tamsin rolled her eyes. What a sight that
would be. Two gorgeous giants walking beside her. The neighbors would
immediately suspect something was wrong. Perhaps the park wasn’t such a good
idea.

“What happens when I go clubbing?”

“Clubbing?” Darrogh’s voice held confusion.

“It is a term for going out and partying,”
Kerm said.

Darrogh nodded. “Is this at a private
house?”

“It’s at a nightclub. I’m a member of
several and if my father insists on knowing my actions, I think I should give
you something to report back to him.”

“Your father has not asked us to tell him
your movements,” Darrogh said. “I need more information about your nighttime
activity. Are there many people at these clubs?”

“Hundreds.”

“Then we would need to setup surveillance
outside and accompany you inside.” Darrogh’s voice was serious. “We are a large
team. We will be able to guard you no matter where you choose to go.”

Tamsin grinned. “I might take you up on
that challenge.”

She couldn’t let these men or her father
interfere with her life. Since she’d freed herself from her engagement to
Winchester Nethercott and her father’s dynastic dreams, she’d been able to make
her own decisions about her future. That future didn’t include being bound by
the demands of Creighton’s Bank. Even though the bank had been in the family
for centuries, she didn’t want the burden of continuing the traditions. She
wanted to use her knowledge to make a difference in the world.

She wouldn’t allow her father’s concerns to
destroy her plans.

When she’d turned twenty-five she had
gained access to her trust fund and started to invest on her own. Soon she
would see her dream of a bank that made a difference, come to fruition. Her
father didn’t know what she’d done. As far as he was concerned she’d wasted the
last year with partying and spending money. She’d guarded her privacy to ensure
that nothing would stop her from her goal.

“So we are clear on the rules.” Tamsin
raised her hand and folded her fingers as she made each point. “You do not spy
on me. You do not report my activities to my father. You do not interfere in my
life. This is my house. You don’t question my actions.”

Darrogh crossed his arms over his chest.

A fission of doubt went through Tamsin. He
was a formidable opponent and it might have been a mistake to challenge him.
For several seconds there was silence and then she noticed a gleam of approval
in his gaze.

“I respect a woman who knows how to
command.” Darrogh’s voice held admiration. “I am a Hunter and am bound by the
Sacred Code. My team and I will abide by your commands except where your safety
is concerned.”

Tamsin released the breath she’d been
holding. “I have your word.”

“As long as you understand that if you are
in danger, we will act as necessary.”

Tamsin glanced at the rest of the men. They
were as serious as Darrogh. She didn’t believe for a minute that she was in
peril. Her father had dreamed up this ploy to gain access to her life. What did
it matter? It couldn’t hurt to humor him as long as these men abided by her
rules.

Tamsin held out her hand to Darrogh. “We
have a deal.”

Darrogh looked down at her outstretched
hand and paused before taking it in his. A jolt of electricity passed through
her. It felt as if energy passed from Darrogh to her. There was a whisper of
sensation at the back of her head and then it was gone. She inhaled a sharp
breath and looked up at him.

Darrogh scowled and released her hand as if
she’d burned him.

Whatever had happened, he’d felt it too.

Tamsin straightened her shoulders and
turned to the rest of the men. She’d have to be more careful around Darrogh.
She didn’t understand what had passed between them and she had no intention of
finding out. Keeping her distance from him was the best solution.

“I’ll show you where you can sleep.” She
forced her voice to remain steady.

“We will not need much space.” Darrogh’s
tone was gruff. “We will guard in shifts.”

“I’ll put you all up on the top floor.” She
headed toward the stairs. “It’s an open space, with a couple of futons. If you
need more beds, then you’ll have to use the bedrooms downstairs.”

When they reached the third floor she led
them into the open area. There was a bathroom with a shower, closets, soft carpeting
on the floor, and three futons that were set up as a seating area. The previous
owners had used the space for a playroom and Tamsin had kept the space open. On
the right side of the stairs was another room that was unfurnished.

Tamsin opened the door of the spare room.
“If you need extra space we can arrange to have a bed put into this room.”

Darrogh stepped close and peered into the
empty room. Tamsin’s heart started to beat fast and she gripped the door handle
tighter. Her breath caught in her throat and she had to force herself to remain
beside him.

“We will set up our controls here.” Darrogh
moved away.

“There is a control room in the basement.
That’s where the house’s security system is installed.”

Darrogh glanced at Savis. “Will that be
sufficient?”

“I will connect into the system.” Savis
clasped a black backpack and headed down the stairs.

“These arrangements are more than adequate.
Firbin and Kerm will set our gear up here. Breanon will scout the outside.” The
men did as Darrogh asked and then he turned to her. “I need to see where you
sleep.”

“I sleep alone.” Tamsin’s voice rose. “No
one is guarding me there.”

“As you wish.” A nerve twitched in
Darrogh’s jaw. “I want to make certain that the room is secure. We will guard
you from the outside at night.”

Tamsin shut the spare door with a quiet
click. “I overreacted. I apologize.”

“There is no need.” Darrogh followed her
down the stairs. “I would never intrude on your personal space unless you were
in danger.”

Tamsin paused on the landing to the first
floor. “I have your word on that?”

“You have my vow.”

Tamsin would have to accept that. She
walked into the master retreat. It took up the whole first floor with a
bedroom, ensuite, sitting room, and a private outdoor terrace. She’d decorated
it in muted tones of cream, beige and slate gray. It was her sanctuary and the
one place she could relax in. She waited while Darrogh looked into each room,
testing the locks on the windows and walking out onto the terrace. He was there
for several minutes before coming inside.

“I would like to set up camera surveillance
on the terrace,” Darrogh said. “I’ll have a man on the roof at all times too.”

“Is that necessary?”

“Yes.” Darrogh’s voice was firm.

“My father thinks I can’t take care of
myself. He’s wrong.”

Darrogh nodded. “I understand your
concerns. Every man of my team is committed to protecting you. We will keep you
safe. You have no need to be worried.”

Tamsin raised an eyebrow. “The only reason
I’m allowing you to stay is because my father insisted. I have no intention of
relying on you for my safety. I trust no man.”

It had been a week since Darrogh and his
team had accepted the assignment of guarding Tamsin Creighton. She still did
not trust their motives and she made no secret of that fact. Every night they
had followed her from one play spot to the next. Tonight was no different. They
were in Beauvie’s, an exclusive, members-only London nightclub.

Colored strobe lights flashed to the beat
of ear-shattering music.

Bodies crowded the floor, gyrating to the
deafening noise.

It reminded him of the battlefield. The
only thing missing was the smell of death. He did not understand humans. Why
would they deliberately reproduce the sights and sounds of the frontlines of a
war zone? Was it because they liked warfare or was it just a coincidence?
Whatever the reason, the constant barrage of stimuli had his senses on full
alert.

Darrogh’s eyes narrowed as he focused on
Tamsin. Her name was a constant litany in his head. He could not ignore the
effect she had on him, but he was stronger than his fellow Hunters. He would
not succumb to the lure of a woman. It was forbidden. A Hunter had no right
being near women, much less feeling a connection to one. Some of the warriors
in his unit had found mates, but he did not believe in the legends.

She moved in and out of the flailing bodies
as she made her way to the long steel bar at the edge of the dance floor. She
was a vision of grace and poise in a short red dress that hugged her curves.
Darrogh inhaled a quick breath and followed.

She did not want him near.

He ignored her rejection.

Her protection was his job and he had never
failed a mission before. She would not be the first to underestimate his
abilities as a warrior. He reached her side and stood a step behind her. It was
right and fitting for a Hunter to show deference to a woman. Despite customs
being different on this planet, he had sworn to live and die by the Hunter’s
code. Nothing would change that.

“Leave me alone.”

Her voice sent a frisson of heat through
him.

Darrogh ignored the sensation.

“I cannot. My mission is to protect you.”

“I’m not in danger here.”

She swirled around and glared at him. Blue
eyes flashed and even in the darkened club, Darrogh could see her wariness. Her
reaction to him was always the same. It was not his place to judge her
behavior, but he had observed that this was how she treated most of the men she
encountered, except her father.

“Your safety is my concern.”

Darrogh kept his voice neutral. He had spent
his life fighting among men on the frontlines and was used to barking orders.
Since arriving on Earth, he had come to learn that women did not respond to the
same tone of voice as men did.

“It’s a waste of time.” She turned back to
the bartender and waited until he presented her with a concoction of frothy
pink liquid. She took a couple of sips before turning to face him. “I don’t
know how you expect anyone to hurt me in this place.”

“There are enough people here to do harm.”

Tamsin took a step closer to him and looked
up into his face. She was a tiny woman, barely reaching his shoulders. She
stood near enough that he could smell the exotic perfume she was wearing and
feel the brush of her breath against his neck.

“And enough witnesses to ensure that they
wouldn’t get away.” Tamsin pushed a finger into his chest. “My father’s worries
are not mine. In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t live by his rules anymore.”

Darrogh glanced around the nightclub. It
was a scene of constant motion and lights, a stark contrast to the elegance and
quiet of Tamsin’s residence. Every day she spent in quiet seclusion at home,
only to leave it for the noise and confusion of the nightclubs. Even though she
laughed and danced, Darrogh sensed it was an act. He did not know if it was for
his team’s or her father’s benefit.

“To live by another’s rules can be a
burden.” Darrogh looked down into Tamsin’s deep blue eyes, fighting the
temptation to succumb to their lure. “That does not mean those rules are not
necessary.”

Tamsin opened her mouth to speak and then
shut it. She continued to stare at him for several seconds before glancing
away. “Have it your way. I’m going to the Ladies’ Room. Don’t follow me.”

She took another gulp of her drink before
handing it to him and walking away. Darrogh clenched his jaw. He was a warrior,
not a servant. He had never had a charge who fought his security before. Tamsin
might not think his protection was necessary, but her father did. He took a
step forward and then stopped.

His presence only antagonised her.

She treated the rest of the team with
relaxed tolerance.

“Firbin, follow her. She has gone to the
Ladies’ Room.”

The ease of being able to mind connect with
his fellow warriors was a relief on a mission like this. It would have been
impossible to hear each other with all the noise and chaos of the nightclub. It
was not the first time it had been a tactical advantage, and that was why it
was a closely guarded secret among Hunters. Firbin was the youngest of their
unit. He had taken to life on this planet quicker than the rest of them and had
an ease of interaction with humans that Darrogh would never have.

“
Did she refuse your protection again
?”
Firbin’s words held a hint of curiosity.

“
Yes.
” Honesty between warriors was
necessary for survival. “
My presence is unwelcome.
”

“
She thinks you hover.
”

“
How do you know this?
”

There were a few seconds of silence before
Firbin answered. “
She told Jehon
.”

The fact that Tamsin had spoken to Jehon
about their protection was the first sign that she was accepting their
presence. The soldier in him knew that he could use this to make their security
more effective.

“
When did she communicate this?
”
Darrogh’s tone was clipped.

“
Before we entered this place. You were
still with the vehicle. I did not think it was important.
” Firbin’s voice
held regret. “
We would have told you at the debriefing this evening.
”

“
I can use this information to keep her
safe now.”

“
She is not pleased with your commands.
”

“
A warrior does not take words personally.
Survival depends on knowing everything, no matter how small.
”

“
I have located Tamsin. She is exiting
the restroom.
”

“
Keep close.
” Darrogh’s eyes
strained through the crowd, searching until he spotted her. “
If she
prefers
your company, then you can guard her tonight.
”

“
It will be done.
”

Darrogh watched Firbin take his place
behind Tamsin. The tightness in his chest still did not ease. He should be
pleased that he had found a way to overcome her reluctance to having them guard
her. Instead, his anxiety increased. His eyes scanned the overcrowded dance
floor before looking up at the second-floor balcony that surrounded the main
floor.

It seemed as crowded as the main floor.
Patrons were leaning over the railing with drinks in their hands and fingers
pointed down below to the dancers. The crowds alone made this place difficult
to provide protection. Add in the low lighting and flashes of strobes, and it
was a nightmare. Darrogh’s only consolation was that it would be just as
difficult for someone to abduct Tamsin from here as it was to protect her.

He refused to let his thoughts linger on
Tamsin’s harsh criticism. He had sensed since their first meeting that she was
not comfortable with him. Her father’s insistence that she was in danger had
not changed her attitude toward his security detail. She wanted them to leave
her alone.

She was a woman.

Hunters obeyed women.

Tamsin was human and unused to the ways of
commanding warriors. He could not trust her to make the right decision. He did
not even trust her to stay with them. She tried to escape their protection at
least once a day. Today had been an easy one until they had come to her
favorite night spot.

Tamsin had been unusually compliant. She
had not once tried to escape. He glanced around the floor searching for her,
breathing a sigh of relief when he caught sight of her beside Firbin. She was
leaning close and laughing, something she had never done with him.

Darrogh crossed his arms and turned away.
He did not want her to treat him like the others. He was in charge of the team
and he needed to maintain control of the operation. If Tamsin was too friendly
with him, he might be tempted to bend the rules. That could only lead to one
thing. She would slip away from their protection and be at risk.

Her father, Sir Robert Creighton, was
paying a lot of money to have his daughter protected, and it was his job to
stop any harm happening to Tamsin. It did not matter that she did not
cooperate. He had seen enough combat to know how to defeat obstacles.

Darrogh continued to survey the patrons in
the club for the next half hour. Every few minutes he would locate Tamsin and
ascertain that she was safe. He had just finished another assessment of the
front entrance and dance floor when a familiar twinge of apprehension stopped
him.

A tingle of unease raced up his spine.

It was a sensation he had not felt in over
a year. In the past, the feeling had warned him of danger. He had learned never
to ignore it because it had saved his life more than once.

“
Jehon, do you have anything unusual
happening at the door?
”

“
People are still arriving.
” Jehon
answered immediately.

“
Breanon report.
”

Breanon was doing surveillance outside. He
was on the roof of a building across the street with a rifle trained on the
road. He was one of the best marksmen in their unit. If anyone tried to snatch
Tamsin his orders were to shoot them dead. The Sacred Code was very clear that
there was only one outcome for someone doing harm to a woman. Death.

“C
ars are still arriving with guests.
None of them are gaining access. They are lining up outside the building.
”

The knot of disquiet had settled in his
stomach.

“
Firbin take Tamsin out of the club.
”

He headed toward Firbin. He would feel better
once he was certain Tamsin was safe. She would be upset over his orders to
leave, but he could not risk ignoring his gut. Something was not right about
this place. He needed to get her to safety.

“
She has gone into the restroom again.
”

“
Go after her.
” Darrogh bit the
words out. “
We need to leave immediately.
”

“It is restricted to women.
” Firbin’s voice held a note of horror. “
It is wrong to invade a
woman’s space.
”

“I’ll do it.” Darrogh had reached Firbin’s
side. There was no longer any need to mind connect. “How long has she been
there?”

“Ten minutes.”

“Prepare to leave as soon as I come out
with her.”

Darrogh opened the door that led to the
Ladies’ Room and found himself in a long hallway. There were several doors on
one side and one at the end of the hall. The knot in his stomach grew tighter.
He pushed the door labeled Ladies’ Room open and was greeted by several
shrieking women.

He ignored them.

“Tamsin.”

There was no answer.

He went down the long row of stalls and
pounded on the doors. Only two were occupied, and neither one by Tamsin. He
turned back to the group of outraged women clustered at the sinks.

“Did a woman with long, dark hair and a
short, red dress come in?”

“I’m a sucker for the tall, dark, and jealous
act.” A blonde woman in her early twenties staggered toward him. “Will I do?”

Darrogh clenched his jaw. “Have you seen
her?”

“Have it your way.” The girl shrugged. “She
came in and then left again.”

“How long ago.”

“Ten minutes, maybe more.” The girl looked
back at her friends and they nodded.

“She was not seen leaving.”

The girl giggled. “I guess she used the
escape door.”

“Where is this door?”

“It’s at the end of the hallway.” One of
the women leaning against a sink answered. “Every club has one. You never know
when you’ll have to evade a possessive man’s attention.”

Darrogh ignored the laughter behind him as
he left the room. He rushed down the hallway and pushed open the escape door.
Stairs led down to an alley between the buildings. Tamsin was not in sight. If
she had left this way, then they would have difficulty locating her. This door
was locked from the outside so they had never considered it an access point for
an assailant. He went back into the club and stopped beside Firbin.