Chapter 1 - The job

Ethan POV

I walk towards the tall building and I look up. I have a meeting with Mr Lockwood. He is hiring my company for a big job. I still don’t know what job it is but it’s not the first time that he hires our services.

I’ve done my background check and I know what he does. I know everything there is to know about him. More than he imagines. 

I walk inside and I walk to the desk where a beautiful blonde girl is answering a phone call.

I stand there tapping my fingers on the desk until she ends the call and focuses her eyes on me. 

“Can I help you?” - she asks with a bright smile.

“I’m here to see Mr Lockwood” - I say

“Do you have an appointment?” - she asks looking at the diary in front of her

“Wood” - I say

“Very well Mr Wood, the elevator is on the right, top floor and the secretary will be waiting for you” - she says and I smile at her walking towards the lift. 

“Bloody Americans and not knowing how to speak proper English” - I think to myself.

I press the top button once I am in the lift and I grab my phone from the inside pocket of my suit jacket and put it to silent. 

I receive a text message at the exact same time the lift pings announcing I am at the right floor and the doors open.

I put my phone back and once I step out of the lift I am greeted by another woman, this one with long straight hair pulled into a ponytail. 

“Mr Wood, welcome back” - she says offering me her hand to shake.

I shake her hand and then she guides me towards the corridor to the conference meeting. 

“Mr Lockwood will be with you shortly” - she says 

I nod my head and I take a seat on one of the many chairs around the big table. I take my phone out to read the text message and it is from Johny.

11:27

Mate, who’s the blonde?

11:32

Keep it in your pants 

I reply to his text shoving my phone back into the pocket.

We always wear surveillance cameras. They are small and really not detectable. That’s how Johny was able to see the receptionist. 

Me and Johny go way back. We met while we were doing training for the SAS. 

I stay there sitting for what seems like forever until I hear the door opening next to me and Raphael Lockwood walks in.

“Ethan nice to see you again” - he says shaking my hand

“Raphael” - I say

“I am sorry I am late but I was held on a video conference”

“Not a problem” - I say

Raphael takes a seat at the end of the table and looks at me.

“I am going straight to the point Ethan, I would like to hire your services and your services only to be security detail for my daughter” - Raphael says

“For how long?” - I ask

“No date for ending, forever?” - he says

“I see”

“Amelia is travelling to London tomorrow for work and I know you are British so I think that Amelia would be safer with you standing next to her” - Raphael says

I nod my head understanding what he is saying. I have a lot of connections in London. 

“What time is she leaving?” - I ask

“I will send you a folder to your email once we sign the contracts with all the details”

“Will she know?” - I ask as most of my jobs are for me to protect without people knowing. 

“Yes she will know about you and your job”

“Very well” - I say

Not long after we were both signing copies of the contracts with a huge monthly pay from Raphael himself.

I leave the building and I grab my phone from the pocket and call Johny.

“Hello mate” - he says when he answers the phone

“Hey, I will be going to London tomorrow”

“Nice” - he says

“I’ll be protecting the princess” - I say with a scoff

“I wouldn’t mind protecting her ass” - he says

“She’s probably one of those bratty upper east side princesses” - I moan.

“She is hot though” - Johny replies

“How many times have I told you to stay out of my emails?” - I ask him

“Yeah right. Are you coming over?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in half-hour”

“See ya mate”

“See ya” - I reply and end the phone call.

I open my email and open the folder to have a look at the princess. Fuck me she is beautiful.