The Badass Protector

Iris

MY HEART started to race. This would be my first time being with Colt for a long night.

I honestly didn’t know how to act or react because something between Colt and me was hard to explain. Every time we looked at each other, it took longer than necessary-it was like we saw our emotions, fears, and deepest emotive shades.

And there was something deep inside me that stirred, and I got that he had the same feeling as I had.

To be honest, I was attracted to him. It was not hard not to when he was nice and thoughtful despite our first encounter. He was bossy, yeah. And sometimes, it was difficult to understand his provocative nature, but that made him even sexier, if that even made sense.

I rose to my feet and used the nocs.

I couldn’t see anything other than darkness and trees. And I hated darkness. The cool breeze wrapped all over my exposed skin despite Colton’s long sleeves shirt I was wearing.

The night seemed unpredictable and terrifying. The crickets were the only occasional sound that lessened the tension surrounding the area and around us.

The rest of the night was dead silent.

My vision blurred. I was sweating profusely. My lips were dry as a desert, but I was not there. I was here, lying in an old hospital bed, fighting for my life. The humming sounds of the machines and faint footsteps from outside the room were terrifying reminders that I was still alive.

I could barely lick my lips.

I was shivering.

My heart was barely beating.

My dad occasionally shared his passion for his job. He told me how he saved lives when their patients had massive blood loss-I remembered my life with those patients. The only difference was that there was no Dad here to save me while they had drawn my blood dry.

Fears were my constant companion.

They threatened me.

Pursued.

Now, I was being hunted.

“Iris. Iris!”

“H-huh?”

“Care to share what’s in that head of yours?” he asked in a low voice.

Colt was lying flat on his abdomen. The size of the watchtower was not enough for his legs to extend, and he had to lift them up.

There was a gap enough for the muzzle to stick out, but he seemed comfortable, though.

“Nothing.”

He looked through the scope, watching across the distance, then spoke, “Seen anything unusual?”

“I got a good sight, but I couldn’t see anything other than leaves swaying in the wind.” I chuckled.

“Not the leaves, Iris.” That was what I thought. “You’re not watching monkeys or bats.” He always had something to say-he never ran out of words. “Under the trees, the ground. The moon is bright tonight, so you don’t need night vision to see if there are unusual movements.”

“Nothing per se, sir.” I kept looking. When a silence stretched between us, I glanced down, and he was staring at me. “That’s creepy, Colton. Should you not stay focused on what’s under the trees, the ground,” I mimicked his words.

He must have observed my reactions-a little edgy.

“Something is bothering you.”

“I’m fine.”

I watched him as he shook his head, and the night remained calm so far.

“You don’t have to stand all night.”

“I will fall asleep watching.” I chuckled.

It was a weird task to be a watcher because the military and guns scared the shit out of me. I knew how to shoot a hunting gun, but that was it.

I was the first to disagree when my brother enlisted, but who was I to argue when that was what he wanted? Until the virus destroyed us.

I forced myself to handle one of the most dangerous things humans had ever created because I had no choice. It quickly became a part of basic needs, just like Smartphones before everything had fallen apart.

“Frost will bring us coffee later before he sleeps.”

I slid my back down. “So, why did you choose me?” I tended to relax and started a conversation with him.

“To entertain me.”

“I’m a boring person.”

“I doubt that.”

“Tell me who you were before the plague?” he asked calmly.

“Is this a part of a job interview?”

“Hmm.”

“I was a wedding planner.”

Colt half-turned. “Really?”

His curiosity made me smile. “Why does it seem so hard for you to believe?”

“You must have planned many weddings.”

“Yes. Have you planned your own?” I stiffened at my own question. “Sorry, don’t answer that.”

“Yes, I was. In Vegas. Seventy-two-hour married.”

It piqued my interest. I ignored a minuscule pang inside my chest. “Then what happened?”

What’s wrong with me? Jesus, Iris, past tense. Was. Get that to the thick skull of yours! I inwardly shook my head.

“I was with Colton in Vegas to celebrate when he finished his short film.”

“Was he an actor?”

“His directing debut.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. I married a woman I met in the bar. So Colton and I went to Vegas, played in Casino, got drunk, then the cliche thing happened. Before we left, I divorced her when she didn’t want to come to LA with us.”

“You’re an Angeleno, huh?”

“Yep, to the core.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, making him groan. “Sorry. How did I not notice the accent?”

“What’s with the guys with accents, Iris? A friend of mine had a thing with a guy with an accent; Brit, Aussie, Italian, French, and she didn’t like an Angeleno dude.”

“Ouch, really? I find them sexy, too?” I raised a brow.

He shook his head in amusement. “See that? You’re a natural entertainer.”

“I quite doubt my ability to entertain people, but I’m glad I could help.”

“Honestly, I wanted you here to learn.”

“I know. Can we exchange places?” I suggested.

“Of course.” Colt got up, and I took his place.

The floor was still warm from his body, and it felt soothing somehow.

I focused my sight on the scope lens.

“Great.” I could see clearly from a distance-a large tree trunk was almost arm’s length.

“How about you?” he asked.

“What about me?”

“Married?”

“Nope. I had a boyfriend. He’s a good guy, and we’d been dating for five months before things fell apart. We didn’t get a chance to see each other again after that. My brother and I went to his apartment, but he wasn’t there anymore.”

“I’m sorry.” That was the softest tone I had ever heard from him-it was genuine, and I could feel it.

“I guess we’re not meant to be. Just like you and your wife.”Jesus Christ, Iris. Just shut up because you sound like a desperate woman.

“Ex.”

I frowned at something that caught my eye. “Colton, I think I see something. Three o’clock.”

A click behind me made me stiff. When I did a half-turn, a gun was already pointed at me.