Before sitting down, I took a deep breath and shook out my hands as I paced Renaldo’s small work area. “Why are you so nervous?” I asked myself, then closed my eyes before answering, “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because your father appears to be selling weapons of mass destruction to terrorists.” A bitter laugh erupted at the absurdity of the situation.
It wasn’t that I didn’t love my father. I truly did. But Dad was a control freak. I’d studied enough psychology in college to understand he had many of the classic criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder*, often considered the archetypal CEO signature, and, sadly, what makes them, and my father, so successful. Yet he was charming, enough to manipulate just about anyone into doing just about anything. If they didn’t comply, he’d humiliate them, without shame or remorse. He’d exploit every frailty to get what he wanted, and was proud of it, because he was successful and powerful and no one ever challenged him. He’d be called a sociopath if it weren’t for his ability to love. He genuinely cared for my mom and me. Yet I’d always believed there was someone in his past, someone special, unlike anyone before or since, someone he loved but lost. I asked him once after catching him with that wistful look on his face, and, for a moment, he looked like he might shed a tear, but he recovered and denied it. I even asked my mother, and her reaction was similar. Made me wonder if this woman who didn’t exist had anything to do with how my father had ultimately turned out. But while I loved him, I wasn’t willing to endure what my mom had, his need to dominate, control, and demand total loyalty. That became obvious with every crush I’d had since I was fifteen. But the captain was different. My father had chosen him for me. And he was someone my dad would envy for a number of reasons, his military service most notably. Dad admired the brave souls who served our country, so I understood his interest in the captain. Thinking back on the info I remembered concerning my new bodyguard, I became curious, as well. And who could resist talking about themselves when someone else was so interested, right? That could be my way in. But I had to be contrite first if he was ever to believe my regard was genuine. To that end, I went in search of the dashing Captain Esprit. No time like the present since I had no idea how susceptible he’d be or how long it might take to compromise him. Knowing how seriously he took his job, I chose his one day off to get the ball rolling. Since I knew nothing about his personal life, I started chatting with his detail backup, Cyril, a cheerful-looking fellow, and one of the few men Captain Esprit seemed to trust and like. “Cyril?” I said as he scouted the food court at the U-Dub’s Husky Den. “Yes, Miss Lasette?” he replied with a glance over his shoulder. “Would you mind sitting down with me? I’ll buy dinner, and we can eat while I ask your advice about something.” He nodded to his team member nearby, then said, “I’d be happy to. Let me secure a table. Go ahead and grab me a spinach salad. My wife says I need to eat better.” He patted his stomach, which was pretty damn lean for such a large man. I grabbed our food, paid, and joined Cyril in the far corner near an emergency exit. He helped unload the tray, but instead of digging in, he sat back in his chair and cracked a jovial smile, the white of his teeth in stark contrast to the smooth darkness of his skin. Though an intimidating giant, Cyril was gentle, kind, and soft-spoken, and I both liked and trusted him. “What’s on your mind, Miss Lasette?” he asked, his southern drawl smooth as honey. “Cyril, it’s been over a month. I hope you feel comfortable enough to use my given name.” He grinned. “Sure thing, Miss Reina. Now, what can I help you with?” I started in on my salad and motioned for him to do the same. It was easier to keep my attention on the food rather than meeting Cyril’s eyes. “It’s Captain Esprit.” “Ah, a very good man,” he said after swallowing a bite. “It’s no secret we haven’t gotten off on the best foot. Not that I blame him. As team leader, he’s been caught in the middle of my feud with my father.” I glanced at Cyril to gauge his reaction, but I saw no judgment. “I admit, I’ve been acting poorly, hoping the captain would reconsider and move on. It’s common knowledge I don’t want a security detail following my every move.” “But necessary, Miss Reina. There’re all kinds of crazies out there, jus’ waitin’ to stir up trouble, hear their names on the news, ‘specially when it comes to pol’tics. Your daddy’s a target now, which puts you at risk. Collateral damage. It’s the skipper’s job to see that doesn’t happen, and he takes it very seriously.” “I understand. And I want to trust him as much as you, my father, and the rest of my team. It’s just that…he’s more or less in charge of my life right now, and yet, I know so little about him. With all the tension between us, I doubt he’d open up if I asked. I just want to feel at ease about him, to know what kind of man he is. “The day I met Captain Esprit, my father told me a little about him, but I refused to listen, hoping I’d get my way and he’d back off. Now, I’m stuck in this position for at least the next year, feeling vulnerable to the one person sworn to protect me, all because I don’t know enough about him. Can you see how unnerving that is, to know nothing of the man who holds my life in his hands?” Cyril pushed the remains of his lunch aside and swiped a napkin across his lips, then rested his elbows on the table with his hands knotted together. “Sure, I guess I can understand that. So, what d’you wanna know?” “Anything. Everything. Whatever you feel comfortable sharing. I’m not asking for any deep, dark secrets. I just want to know the man better.” He relaxed back in his seat, and over the next hour, I learned about Captain Kynan Esprit’s past, his time in the Marines and the incidents behind many of his commendations. Then there were his years in the Secret Service and the scandal he was scapegoated for, all professional aspects easily confirmed with a little research, but nothing personal I could use. The captain and Cyril had met in the Corps, served together in Iraq, and grew close during Kynan’s last days there, then even more so after his discharge. While Cyril explained he couldn’t share any details—Top Secret, he said—he’d helped pull the captain out of a horrendous situation during his last mission. They considered their friendship sacred, to such a point he felt he couldn’t share much without permission. Frustrating, but I respected him for that. “Any advice on how to approach him?” I asked. “I don’t want to continue with this strained relationship. It’s too much work to constantly fight.” Cyril rested his warm fingers along my forearm. “Apologize, Miss Reina. And treat him with the dignity and respect he deserves. That’s all anyone wants really. The captain’s a good man. Honest. Hard-workin’. Give him a chance to prove it to you.” He ended with the kind smile I was so used to. “Thanks, Cyril, I will,” I said and paused. “In fact…I’d like to get started right away. Do you know where he is?” “On a Thursday night? Probably down at Kells.” “That Irish pub in Post Alley?” “The very one.” I wiggled my brow. “You know, I haven’t been down to Pike Place in months. Care for a little sightseeing?” “Oh, Miss Reina, that whole area down there’s a zoo of tourists.” “Better bring Felix then. Come on, let’s go.”
“It was kind of…musical, don’t you think?” I said. He snorted then turned onto his side and ran his finger across my cheek. “A virtual symphony.” He leaned in and kissed me like we’d been reunited after a long separation then laid his head back down and stared into my eyes. “I could make music with you forever, Reina.” I sucked in a short breath. “What does that mean?” “I think you know.” “Maybe, but you should tell me anyway…just to be perfectly clear, so we’re on the same page of sheet music…so to speak.” The corners of his eyes crinkled, and he continued to gaze at me. “I might not have an extensive history in the romance department, but I think what I’m feeling is…love.”
