Page 30 of Impossible Rapids
“And how did you survive?” She clutched a fistful of his dress shirt in her small hand. He had a vision of her pulling him in and kissing him, but his eyes were adjusted to the dim lighting and he could see how agitated she was. Her intent and focus was not wanting to intensely kiss him. His own thoughts needed to stop straying there.
“I shoved Franz off the side of the couch when I caught a glimpse of the assault rifle in the man’s hands just off the patio and realized it wasn’t our security. Then I got him behind the couch and our security came and killed the shooter.”
She pulled in a ragged breath, collapsed against his chest, and started sobbing. Her tears wet his shoulder and made him feel horrible.
“Ah, Jules. I’m so sorry. It’s okay. We’re okay.”
She slid her arms around his neck and cuddled closer to him. Shawn’s pulse raced. He should’ve savored the moment, but he wanted to reassure her.
“We’ve increased our security team with eight of Captain Aiden Porter’s men. We’ve hired private investigators recommended by Sutton Smith and Aiden. We’ll figure it out. We’ll keep you safe.”
“Keep me safe?” Julie arched up and stared at him. She was so close he could smell sweet mint on her breath and the lilac scent of her perfume. “Nobody is after me. It’s you that needs to be safe.”
He was much more concerned about her safety and couldn’t forget that if anyone outside their intimate circle saw how he felt about her, the paparazzi could catch wind of it and there would be a media explosion and then she would have a target on her back. Lucas and Arianna, or whoever else might be after him, would try to use her as a manipulation tool.
Cradling her closer as if he could shelter her in his arms, he felt her soft lips brush his jaw. Fire raced through him. For the moment, safety was the furthest thing from his mind.
Julie’s deep-brown eyes found his, and the world outside this darkened theater didn’t exist. He wasn’t a newly made billionaire and a target of sadistic cousins. They hadn’t both just lost their best friend. Julie didn’t believe he’d loved Mercedes desperately because Julie knew, she knew all the way to her bones, that she was the only woman Shawn wanted to love, hold, and kiss. Ever.
He bent closer. Their lips were a fraction of a centimeter apart.
A soft rap came on the theater door.
They both startled and drew back. Shawn lifted her off his lap and to her feet. He popped up next to her as the door cracked just an inch.
“Is she all right?” Franz asked softly through the slit.
“I’m fine,” Julie said. “You can open the door.”
The door swung farther. Franz looked repentant and concerned.
“Julie, I’m sorry. We want to protect you and not cause you more stress.”
“I understand.” She glanced up at Shawn. “But please don’t keep things from me. I’m not fragile.”
Shawn could only nod and try not to look at Franz. They were keeping something huge from Julie and everyone else, also in the name of Julie’s protection. She wasn’t fragile. He’d sometimes treated Mercedes like the deathly-ill person she was, and it had irritated her. Julie was a strong woman, both physically and emotionally. She could run a boardroom, a banquet, or a charity auction without breaking a sweat. She didn’t need him or his protection.
He needed her.
As Julie walked to the theater door and hugged Franz, Shawn wondered if she’d ever need him back.
Chapter
Eight
The next three weeks passed slowly and too fast at the same time. Julie worked and had security surrounding her like flies. She talked to Shawn and Franz daily. It was all business from Shawn and more emotional with Franz. No more shootings or even threats from Lucas and Arianna.
Shawn wanted to cancel the rafting trip, but Julie knew he wouldn’t. It was Mercedes’s wish that they go and finish her ‘epic reality show.’ She and Shawn would both do what needed to be done. For Mercedes.
Hays flew home with them from Kauai. Julie was asked into a meeting with Shawn, Franz, Hays, Paul Braven, and Chad Featherstone, their security team leader. Shawn wanted to utilize Hays and Aiden Porter’s men in the best way possible without disrupting the trust their team already had or upsetting any of the men by bringing in outside help.
Shawn wanted Hays to stay with Franz while they went on the trip, but Franz and Chad were insistent that Julie and Shawn were at greater risk and he finally relented. Hays’s arm was all but healed, and he promised he was at full strength. Hays, two of their long-time security guys, and Paul would follow them in their own raft, staying a fair distance away at camp so they wouldn’t be in the camera shots. The rafting company agreed to set up extra tents and bring in plenty of extra food for the men.
The morning of the river rafting trip finally arrived. Julie usually coordinated everything for the participants. She’d gotten a text from Brylee a week ago saying that she and Cash were taking care of everything, including Julie’s clothes and toiletries. Apparently ‘turnabout was fair play,’ and now Julie could only bring one personal item.
How do you like them apples? Brylee had asked.
Julie had only smiled. She felt really out of her element having the tables flipped on her and was apprehensive and excited about how the adventure would go.