The Bodyguard: A BWWM Bad Body Romance(14)
How, Juliet wondered, did someone like him to get to be a Federal Agent? Not that she knew a lot about the FBI, but she’d always assumed that federal agents were fairly straight-laced. Well-educated and extremely aggressively vetted agents of the law. They might have pulled Hank Compton out of some highway truckstop. Juliet couldn’t see him setting foot in an Ivy League institution or speaking to anyone without cussing them out. Hell, he’d all but insulted Crowley and Bosh for being nice to her…
Goddamn, she was getting herself worked up again.
She had to look on the bright side here: She wasn’t out on the streets and, at least hypothetically, she was out of harm’s way. Certainly, one of them wasn’t the most enthusiastic about his job, but she had three men watching over her now. That meant that, at the very least, Solomon and his goons wouldn’t be able to just walk up and take her.
And that gave her some semblance of relief.
Her accommodations, however, were another matter entirely. Not that Juliet had expected the Ritz, but she’d be willing to bet money that no one had lived in this cabin for a decade. Every surface had a thick layer of dust on it and she had to take a good twenty minutes to find a set of sheets that wasn’t moth eaten. After about an hour of sitting idle, Juliet got fed up of being helpless. She didn’t need Hank to help her in and out of the house. Despite the fact that it took her a good half hour, she hobbled her way down the staircase of the cabin and down the long drive towards Bosh and Crowley’s cars.
On the walk down, it occurred to her that wilderness was oddly peaceful. While the Aguiler Mansion had been outside the city, it was always bustling with activity. The staff, Aguiler associates, the family themselves. There had never been a single moment of stillness. Juliet had no idea where she was - just in the middle of some forest somewhere in the mountains - but it was peaceful. Beyond that, there was no one to dictate where she should be and when she had to be there. She could take her time making her way down the drive - taking in the way the sunlight filtered through the leaves and cast patterns on the gravel, listening to the birds and inhaling the fresh air.
It was the first time in years that she’d been able to take things at her own pace, and, though Juliet’s ankle twinged with every step she took, she savored that small facet of her newfound freedom.
The moment Bosh caught sight of her in his car’s rearview mirror, however, her quiet was shattered. He and Crowley scrambled out of their vehicles and rushed to her, both of their expressions tight.
“What is it? What’s going on?” While Bosh was the first to make demands, his partner went the route of reprimands.
“You shouldn’t be out here by yourself, Miss Brown. We can’t have constant eyes on the entire driveway. Where the hell is Compton? He’s not supposed to leave your side.”
Juliet rolled her eyes. “He tossed me on a couch and then commandeered the biggest bedroom. Just between me and you guys, I don’t think he gives a rat’s ass about anyone but himself.”
Bosh smirked. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
Juliet laughed. It felt good to laugh - she couldn’t remember the last time she had. “Look, I know I shouldn’t be out alone, but I wasn’t enthusiastic about prodding the sleeping asshole, so to speak.” She jerked her head back in the direction of the cabin, wincing at the way it made her shoulder ache. “So I thought I’d come and talk to you guys.”
The two men shared a look that obviously meant that talking to her probably wasn’t in their job description, so Juliet rushed to clarify, turning on the charm. “What I mean is...that place is barren. Besides the TV, there’s nothing there. Hank mentioned wifi but I don’t have a phone, so I was wondering how I go about getting stuff I need? Maybe a laptop, some clothes...um...sorry if this isn’t you guys’ job-”
“It’s technically Compton’s job, Crowley interjected flatly, casting a glance up the drive towards the cabin. “You have no idea how thrilled I’ll be to report that he’s not doing it.”
Seemed like she wasn’t the only one who obviously disliked Hank. He didn’t occur to Juliet as the type of man that went around ingratiating himself to people. “What’s his deal?” She found herself inquiring, shifting her crutch from one arm to the other to alleviate a bit of pressure. “I mean, I don’t expect to be best friends with him, but he obviously hates my guts. What have I done to deserve that?”
Crowley and Bosh shared another look, and this time, Juliet couldn’t read it. “Miss Brown, I wouldn’t take Compton’s actions too personally,” Bosh scratched the back of his head, his expression apologetic. “He’s a bit of a black sheep in the department. Simmons deals with him because he’s good at what he does.”
“And what does he do?” Juliet arched a brow, genuinely curious. She might have expected them to tell her that Compton was the queen of bitching and passive aggression - she’d have believed that.
When Crowley opened his mouth to answer, Bosh merely elbowed him in the stomach, shooting him a warning look. “Let’s just say he...uh...he’s pretty dedicated when it comes to dealing with the Aguilers.”
“Has he ever arrested someone in the family before?” If Juliet could obtain just a tiny hint of intel on exactly what this man’s connection to her ex was, maybe she could start to try and be civil with him.