Chapter 2

Chapter

Two

Aiden wascertain Mercedes Belle and his good friend Cash Trapper were playing the worst prank of his life on him. He was being paired with Chalisa for this reality show? His Chalisa?

He couldn't do it. He was the strongest person mentally and physically that he knew. Possibly stronger than his hero and mentor Sutton Smith, or his idol and older brother Ike. But not as strong as his beloved, deceased father. Nobody was.

Aiden was also realistic enough to know he wouldn't survive emotionally if he had to spend a week in Chalisa's glorious presence. His heart was screaming ‘yes' to this situation while his head was giving him an unequivocal ‘no.'

Aiden had thought leaving his security empire in the hands of his top specialist Lieutenant Nick Jacobs, very capable forty-two operatives, three assistants, and five tech specialists for a week would be difficult. The level of difficulty had just shot past a ten.

If he'd known he was to be paired with Chalisa, he never would've agreed to come on the show. Maybe heaven was playing a joke on him. He didn't believe in heavenly intervention. He believed in making his own destiny. His dad had taught him he was superhuman and nobody could stop him from protecting, serving, and changing the world.

His two hours spent with Chalisa Anderson were the only weak, and unimaginably incredible, moments in his mapped-out, not-wasting-a-moment, twenty-eight years of life.

‘Keep your emotional fortress impenetrable' was one of his dad's mantras that he and Ike had internalized since childhood. Well, Aiden had. Ike had learned, fought, and excelled just like Aiden, but hadn't adhered to all their dad's instructions. His brother had let down his guard and fallen in love two years ago, and then been broken when his fiancée was murdered while he was deployed, just as their own mother had been.

Aiden had never fallen, never let himself get emotionally invested in a woman. He'd never been tempted to fall.

Except with her. Chalisa's angelic sweetness had somehow penetrated all his protective layers and pierced straight into his heart in their short time together.

He stood straight and strong and pretended nothing was wrong. The slight smirk he'd perfected on his lips. His blue eyes giving nothing away. He was an expert at that. He was a machine.

Except with her. Chalisa's trust in him, the way it felt to touch her, her life-altering kiss … No!

When he'd walked away from her three months ago and mandated to himself that he would never make contact, he'd been proud of his iron self-control and wished he could call his dad and brag about it. He missed his dad every hour.

He didn't even tell Ike about Chalisa. It had been on the tip of his tongue during every phone call, but talking about his angel and their unreal connection would make it real. It wasn't real. It couldn't be.

But there she was—talking with her family, meeting his gaze, the light and love and beauty in her blue eyes making him want to fall to his knees, admit she was the light and love of his life, and beg her to forgive him and love him back.

He shuttered his gaze and thought about his brother. One of his three heroes. But Ike was letting a woman into his heart again. He could hardly believe it. Ike had called last Thursday and admitted he was falling for a beautiful fellow security guard, Myra. The famed ‘Warrior Woman'. Aiden had reminded him of his fiancée's death and asked if he wanted to feel that pain again. Maybe that had been wrong of him, but his brother had been shattered after losing his mom and fiancée.

It was much smarter to stay emotionally locked away and focus on his and his dad's plan to be the top security specialist in the world. ‘Protect, serve, fight for the innocent, others before self, and never let your guard down.'

Aiden had repeated their family mantra and tried to reprogram his memories since he'd walked away from Chalisa that fateful night. He had to believe that those insane two hours in the most angelic woman in his world's presence hadn't been real. They were a gushed-up fairytale that he'd made bigger and better in his mind. Every touch that seemed to sear into his soul, the innocent lure of her gorgeous blue eyes, the protection and desire and even love he'd felt for Chalisa, everlasting love to boot—all over-inflated. Not real. Nothing to worry about.

His vow at eighteen and his carefully constructed life plan were securely in place. Now he had to execute it without Ike by his side, and that hurt, but no woman had a part of his life. A relationship would slow him down, distract him, maybe get him killed, devastate him emotionally like his dad and brother had both experienced, and it would be a travesty to an innocent beauty. It was infinitely kinder of him to stay away.

Chalisa could never understand his role. She was too innocent. Not part of his world at all. She'd want to love him, hold him, create a family and a future together. A heady warmth filled him even imagining such a picture. Especially as she currently had an adorable little girl in her arms. Then she glanced his direction and those blue eyes threatened to take his knees out from under him.

Seeing Chalisa again … he now feared that every word, touch, and kiss they'd exchanged were as perfect, mind-blowing, and life-altering as they'd felt that fateful night.

Life-altering kiss.Had he actually admitted to that moments ago? A stupid slip of the tongue.

Aiden never made stupid slips of the tongue.

Thankfully, she hadn't touched him besides the punch to his gut. It had been a great punch. He was impressed but not surprised. Everything about Chalisa blew him away. She was perfect.

Her massive brother-in-law would've attempted to wipe the asphalt runway with his face if Chalisa hadn't admitted Aiden had never disrespected her. He hadn't. At least not in the way the general meant. He'd disrespected her by letting himself fall for her and then leaving her behind without an explanation. He was an idiot and a jerk. He loathed what he'd done to her, but he couldn't deviate from his path. It was much bigger than them.

He wouldn't have minded her saying he'd disrespected her and having the general throw the first punch. General Kingston Magnum had three inches and fifty pounds on Aiden, and none of it was fat. Aiden knew the general had impressive training and skills, but Aiden's were more than impressive. He would've welcomed the fight—a chance to blow off the frustration building inside his chest and show off for Chalisa—but he didn't want to fight with the brother-in-law of the woman he loved.

Woman he loved? Seriously? His always-in-control brain had to stop this madness.

He'd never disrespected Chalisa. That was the truth as far as not taking advantage of her. He also hadn't shown her the respect, commitment, and love his somehow susceptible soul begged him to. He'd never been tempted to fall for any woman before her. If only he could tell her the truth about what she meant to him and what his life journey was like. Then he would hold her close for a very long time, store up memories for when he left her again.

How he'd stayed strong and sent her away on his jet that fateful night was beyond him. Even knowing he was one of the strongest men on earth, it had been devastating. He'd better dredge that exemplary self-control up again. An entire week alone with the angelic sweetheart from his every dream over the past three months? Should he risk such a daunting mission?

He'd handed his phone over to Mercedes Belle. How could he get it back and stage a security emergency that only he could handle? There was no way he could admit that being around Chalisa was too precarious and he feared he'd fail his dad and himself.

He'd never turned down an assignment or failed at a mission. He was Aiden Porter, son of Eisenhower Porter III, and no woman got through to his heart or altered his life plan.

Chalisa Anderson had come awfully close.

Everlasting love. He glanced at her neck, but thankfully it was bare. Her blue eyes sent him a questioning glance. He closed his eyes so he couldn't stare at her for a moment and tried to regain his bearings.

His brother Ike prayed to heaven above, and Aiden knew Sutton and other impressive people did as well. If only Aiden could turn to a merciful God for help.

No. He was strong enough to fight through on his own, just as he always had.

"Aiden?" Mercedes questioned from shoulder level.

He opened his eyes and glanced down at her, pasting his charismatic smile on his face. "Yes, my illustrious benefactor?"

She smiled at him. She knew as well as he did that the million dollars she was paying him to be on the show wasn't necessary. He'd use it to hire more people or install another security base. He currently had bases in mansions in Long Island, Newport Beach, and Costa Rica. A European center would be a great focus.

"Was Miss Anderson only a protection detail?" She blinked long, fake eyelashes up at him. Her teal-blue eyes said she knew he loved Chalisa.

How did she know? Was she a genie? Had she set this all up? Nobody knew about Chalisa and his feelings for her. Well, maybe Paul and Nick had guessed, but he'd never admitted anything to them. When Paul told him that Chalisa had asked if he was coming for her and Paul had told her he wasn't, it had about broken him. He'd acted like nothing was wrong then.

Everything was a mess now.

He did a quick inventory as he thought about how to spin this. Shawn held Mercedes's hand and was close enough to hear his answer. The blond Viking listened in but didn't seem to care one way or another, and the cameraman was focused on Chalisa and her family reunion.

Family. He should've let himself research her at some point. He would've known everything about her and her family connection to the illustrious royals of Magna.

Instead, he was going into this blind. He'd feared if he researched her he'd lose all control and rush to her side. He didn't know that he could walk away from her a second time. He'd assigned his trusted pilot, one of his top men, retired Air Force Reconnaissance Lieutenant Paul Braven, to watch over her until Aiden and Nick had successfully taken down Jorge and his empire and eliminated any risk to Chalisa. He'd instructed Paul not to give him any information about Chalisa beyond her being safe. He'd also allowed actress Jezebel Noir's media team to do an extensive photograph and video session and pretend they were a couple for the past few months. It helped his name and image, but it also assured Chalisa wouldn't go looking for him. He hated to hurt her, but a man could only be so strong.

The illustrious General Prince Kingston and Princess Reagan were her family. That was impressive. The media claimed he needed to marry a princess. Chalisa could fill that role by family association. She also conducted herself like a princess—benevolent, patient, and regal. The perfect fit for him.

No! He could not let his mind spin like that. Marriage was not part of the plan. He had to accomplish everything he'd laid out and promised his dad, become as well-known as Sutton, and bring drug dealers, mafia lords, and traffickers the world over to their knees.

"Aiden?" Mercedes's brow wrinkled. She was waiting for his answer.

"Of course she was only a protection detail." He winked at the famed billionaire. "No woman is equipped to handle all of this." He gestured to himself, grinning like the cocksure idiot he portrayed to the world.

Inside, his heart ached. Everlasting love. With Chalisa. Had anything sounded as appealing as that dream? Had anything felt as perfect, tantalizing, and inspiring as Chalisa in his arms?

Yes. His goals. His dad had given everything to help Aiden and Ike succeed after losing their mom to a senseless act of crime when Aiden was only five. He hardly remembered his mom beyond soft touches and snippets of songs about Jesus, but his dad ... He remembered every word the man had said, everything he'd taught him, everything he'd done for him. His dad had saved every dollar of their mom's fortune and invested it for Aiden and Ike's future. He'd trained them to fight, protect, and sacrifice their entire lives for others. Aiden had made an oath at eighteen to focus on his life path and never let his emotional guard down. He'd sworn again to his dad the night he died that his life purpose would be to protect and help as many people as possible, not feel the sorrow his dad had felt at losing his wife. His dad had clasped his hand, his blue eyes shining at him, and told him how proud he was and how much he loved him. It was the first and only time his dad had said ‘I love you.'

Aiden's chest poked out. His dad was strict and had pushed him and Ike beyond what most boys, or men, could handle, but they were his pride and joy and he'd been effusive with praise and showing love, just not saying the words.

Of course his dad was up in heaven, finally with his mom, and even more proud of Aiden for accomplishing all he'd set out to do. He'd already dismantled mafia, traffickers, and drug dealers, saving innocent people around the globe. He would continue to rid the world of evil. His security team was elite and growing. Nick was almost as well trained as he was at this point.

Aiden teased Sutton often that he'd pass him up as the top security specialist. Sutton always chuckled at that, affectionately called him a ‘barmy chap,' and then returned to teaching or discussing with him. Aiden revered Sutton, and he would accomplish more than even his idol.

Not even the mesmerizing Chalisa, his everlasting love, could distract him.

This show was supposed to be a break, a fun week of exposure for him. The million dollars wasn't the motivation. He'd taken his mom's carefully-guarded-by-his-dad fortune and made himself a billionaire with commercial real estate projects. Aiden could live off the interest and even buy some fun toys like his jet, his yacht, and a garage full of motorcycles, supercars, and off-road vehicles at his family estate and eastern headquarters in Cape Cod.

"We'll see," Mercedes said softly. "Because she is incredible."

She tilted her head toward Chalisa. Mercedes was right. Incredible wasn't enough to describe the love of Aiden's life. Charitable, inspiring, angelic, life-altering.

Stop it, he commanded himself.

A week of fighting against his own mind and heart?

This was going to be miserable.

But his path had been set since he was five years old, confirmed at eighteen, and written in stone when his dad died. Nothing and no one would change his trajectory.

Chalisa turned with her niece in her arms. She and her family walked back toward them. She was every bit as beautiful as he remembered. The silky blonde hair, the arresting blue eyes, the full pink lips, the lean lines of her body.

Seeing her with an adorable toddler in her arms, witnessing firsthand the love she had for the child and her family, made her even more appealing.

Not letting down his guard and kissing that exquisite woman the entire week? Not admitting to her that if he was any other man in the world, he'd never spend another minute away from her side? He could spend a lifetime talking and teasing with her, soaking up her kindness and love.

Please help me, Dad, he begged.

Apparently he wasn't above asking help from heaven, in a twisted sort of way.

This week would be sheer agony.