CHAPTER 80: CHAPTER 80

Kira’s POV

"Please respect this boundary," I said firmly, stepping in front of yet another woman who was clearly trying to get closer to Damien.

This had to be the hundredth woman tonight. I wasn’t even exaggerating - I’d been mentally keeping count since we arrived at this engagement party, and the number was climbing faster than my stress levels.

The woman in the glittering dress looked at me like I’d personally insulted her. "Excuse me, but who are you to..."

"Security," I said curtly, crossing my arms and trying to look as intimidating as possible. Which, admittedly, wasn’t very intimidating given that I wasn’t up to my boss’s shoulders and I was wearing a suit that made me look more like someone’s little sister than a professional bodyguard.

The woman huffed and walked away, muttering something about "rude staff" under her breath.

I turned back to scan the crowd for more incoming threats. Being Damien’s bodyguard was like playing the world’s most exhausting game of whack-a-mole, except instead of moles, it was beautiful women who all seemed to have the same target in mind.

Gosh, protecting a handsome man is absolutely exhausting.

"Kyle," Damien’s voice came from behind me. "You know this is a party, right? I’m supposed to socialize at some point."

I glanced back at him, not relaxing my vigilant stance. "I understand that, sir, but anyone can be dangerous. Even the most beautiful woman could be carrying a concealed weapon, or have poison under her fingernails, or..."

"Poison under her fingernails?" Damien laughed, "What kind of spy movies have you been watching?"

"You’d be surprised what people are capable of when they want something badly enough," I said seriously, still scanning the crowd. "And judging by the way these women have been circling you all night, they definitely want something."

Just then, I spotted two more women approaching. An older woman in an elegant dress with black graying hair, and a younger sophisticated woman beside her. They were moving with purpose, clearly heading straight for us.

Not on my watch.

I immediately stepped forward, positioning myself between them and Damien like a tiny barbie in front of her knight.

"I’m sorry, but you’ll need to maintain a respectful distance," I said, holding up my hand.

The older woman stopped dead in her tracks, her eyebrows shooting up slightly. For a moment, she just stared at me, her mouth agape.

Then she exploded.

"What in the hell is this... this housefly doing, stopping me from approaching my son?"

My knees literally went weak as blood drained from my face.

Her son.

Oh no. Oh no no no no no.

I’d just blocked Damien’s mother from seeing her own child.

"I... I... oh God..." I stammered, my voice coming out as a squeak.

Behind me, Damien burst into full blown laughter that drew stares from nearby guests.

"Mother, please forgive my bodyguard," he said, still chuckling as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "He’s new to the job and perhaps a little too enthusiastic about his duties."

Mrs. Wellington looked between me and Damien. "A bodyguard? Damien, darling, he looks like he could be blown away by a strong breeze."

"He’s more effective than he appears," Damien defended, though I could hear the smile in his voice.

I wanted to disappear into the floor, feeling so embarrassed and foolish.

"I’m so sorry, Mrs. Wellington," I apologized. "I didn’t realize... I mean, I was just trying to..."

She waved a hand dismissively, "Yes, yes, protecting my son from danger, I get."

Then she stepped aside slightly, revealing the young woman who’d been standing beside her. "Damien, darling, I’d like you to meet someone very special. This is Hallie Hord. Her family owns Hord Industries, and she just returned from studying international business in London."

Hallie stepped forward with a smile, extending her hand toward Damien. She was stunning - tall, graceful, with the kind of effortless elegance that came from generations of good breeding and expensive education.

"It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Damien," Hallie said, her voice carrying just a hint of a British accent. "Your mother has told me so much about you and your brother."

Olivia’s POV

I wandered through the party, trying to put as much distance between myself and my mother when I spotted the most ridiculous scene ahead.

Kira was literally trying to shield people from getting too close to Damien. She was darting back and forth like a hyperactive chihuahua, positioning herself between him and various women who were clearly trying to approach him.

The sight was absolutely hilarious. With her standing guard in front of Damien’s tall, imposing figure, it looked more like he was protecting her than the other way around. How had he even hired her as a bodyguard in the first place? She looked like she could be knocked down by a strong handshake.

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud as I watched her intercept yet another woman, this one in a red dress.

Poor Kira. She has no idea what she’s gotten herself into.

Still chuckling to myself, I continued moving through the crowd, eventually finding myself in a quieter section of the venue. This particular area was beautiful, with towering palm trees and soft lighting that created an almost tropical island.

I could still hear the party’s music and chatter in the distance, but here among these tall trees, it felt peaceful. Private. The night air was cool against my skin, and I was finally beginning to breathe properly.

This is perfect. I could hide out here for a while, let my heart rate return to normal, and figure out how to scale through this night without running into my mother.

I wandered deeper into the garden area, admiring the way the soft lights played through the palm fronds. The cool breeze felt so good that I was tempted to pull off this uncomfortable wig and let the air flow through my real hair. Maybe I would, just for a minute. No one was around to see.

As I walked around one of the larger palm trees, taking in the peaceful beauty of the space, I felt a sudden shift in the air around me. The hair on the back of my neck stood up immediately, every nerve in my body going on high alert.

Before I could turn around, I felt strong arms envelope me from behind, pulling me back against a solid chest in an embrace that was both gentle and possessive.

My heart stopped, then started racing for an entirely different reason.

It was him. My mysterious stranger was back.

"Hello, Livy," he whispered against my ear, the feel of his lips sending shivers down my spine. "It’s been awhile."