Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protection Crisis (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Rochelle Paige Page B

of my stalker… then what’s it for?”
    “Because I’m going to shoot that girlfriend-stealing bastard who’s trying to take you away from me.”
    Holy crap! Was it possible? Could it be? Was Julian my stalker?
    “I don’t understand what you mean. I thought we were friends.”
    “Friends?” he spat out. “We were going to be more than that, and you damn well know it!”
    I shook my head wildly, and he grabbed my hair as it swung back and forth. The sting at my scalp made me hiss in pain.
    “I thought you were different, better. But you proved me wrong, didn’t you? You led me on for all those months only to spread your legs like a whore when that asshole came sniffing around.”
    The security system chime went off, signaling the opening of the back door. I opened my mouth to yell out a warning to Kael, but Julian slapped his hand over my lips and it muffled the sound. Swinging around until his back was against my front door, he yanked me close and lifted the gun until it was jammed against my temple. My knees almost gave out in relief when Kael walked into the foyer, his hands held high in front of his body.
    “Be careful, Julian. You’re going to hurt her, and neither of us wants that.”
    “I don’t care what you want!” Julian shrieked.
    I wasn’t sure what to do. Kael had on his swim trunks and nothing else. It didn’t leave him anywhere to hide a weapon, and he was empty handed. If Julian wasn’t holding a gun to my head, Kael would have been able to take him down with a few well-placed punches, but that wasn’t an option as long as he kept me close.
    Trying to calm him down, I spoke in a low voice. “It’s not what you think, Julian. Kael is my bodyguard.”
    “You’re lying,” he roared. “I saw all the pictures. Read all the stories. You’re cheating on me with him.”
    Kael picked up on my cue. “It’s not like that, man. When the studio let her other guards go, Drew hired me. I’m just here to keep her safe for you.”
    “For me,” Julian repeated, sounding confused.
    I forced my body to relax, and leaned into him, playing the most important role of my life. “You know how the media loves to stir up drama, Julian. They’ll take any little thing and blow it out of proportion just to make some money.”
    The gun moved the barest of a fraction of an inch away from my head. “It’s happened to me before.”
    “It’s because you’re such a big name,” I said, pandering to his ego.
    “Drew told me that’s why she needed a bodyguard,” Kael added. “Her name’s connected to yours, and it makes her a prime target for the paparazzi.”
    His hold loosened slightly, and Kael’s eyes darted towards my purse on the entryway table.
    “You can call him yourself and ask,” I suggested. “My phone’s in my purse. You and I can stand right here while Kael gets it and puts the call on speakerphone. I don’t blame you for being angry with me, sweetie. I’d be pissed too if I thought you were cheating on me.”
    “I’d never cheat on you, Chloe. I love you.”
    My hair stood on end at his eerie tone of voice. He’d lost touch with reality, and I prayed Kael would find a way to get us both out of this alive.
    “I love you,” I mouthed the words to Kael before repeating them aloud to Julian.
    “Just let me call Drew for you. He’ll clear up this whole misunderstanding and you’ll see there’s no need for the gun.” When Julian didn’t argue, Kael moved towards my purse and slid his hand inside. “What’s your passcode, Chloe? You never gave it to me and your phone’s locked.”
    I took a small step forward, relieved when there was a little more room between Julian and me, when an idea popped into my head. “Zero six one two.”
    “As in June twelfth?” Julian asked. “That’s my birthday.”
    “I know. That’s why I used it.”
    Several things seemed to all happen at once next. The gun moved farther away from my head. Kael jerked his head to the left once. He swung