MALCOM
"The fool!" I sighed deeply, running my hands through my thick mass of hair.
I could've sworn that he did this shit on purpose. I picked up my phone again and dialled the number of the agency I usually work with. They picked up after the third ring.
"Good morning, Sir—" A woman's voice sprang through but I cut her off.
"I need a bodyguard and fast." I intercepted her greetings. I had no time for pleasantries at the moment. It was crucial that I get a bodyguard to accompany otherwise I'd be screwed and I mean literally. This was my first time leaving the house in six months and I cannot do so without one by my side.
"The idiot of a bodyguard you sent left me hanging on the most important day of my life!" My voice thundered over the phone. I am already walking on thin ice and this situation has made it even worse.
"Is this how your agency operates?" I snarled, "Are your services really that shallow that your incompetent workers can't even resign properly instead of going off the grid without a way to contact them?"
"I am deeply sorry, Sir?" Her voice threaded carefully enough not to provoke me.
"Apparently he had a call from home about his sick mother and—"
"I don't fucking care!" I fired back with the same intensity in my voice as before. "He better not show himself here anymore cause he's already fired."
"How soon can I get another bodyguard or God help me cause I will run your agency to the ground!"
I heard her swallow on the other end. "I'm sorry but that won't be possible right now, Sir. We are shortly staffed at the moment and won't be available for the next couple of hours. There are no bodyguards at the agency to spare." She informed me.
I ran my hands through my hair in defeat. How is it possible that my day is already going bad when It just started? Why today of all days?
"B-But..." She trailed off, trying to keep her voice professional even though I could hear it shaking. It was obvious that she was already freaking out. "I'll try my best to send someone over to you as soon as I can. I'm deeply sorry."
Unable to hear more, I disconnected the call and plopped down on my bed in blatant irritation. I would have prompted to sit this meeting one out but I can't.
The meeting I had today was with a major investor that will serve as a stepping stone to raise the company from ruins and they had only agreed to sign the contract if we met in person so I can't decline even if I wanted to.
"What would you do now?" Bakshi's voice came from behind. I had even forgotten that she was still in my bedroom. "Would you cancel the meeting? Should I ask them to leave?"
I shook my head. "No. I'll attend the goddamn meeting. Hopefully, things don't go more sour than they already have." I re-adjusted my tie and after drowning the contents in the cup that she had brought for me, I made my way outside my bedroom and out of the mansion.
I met my secretary waiting for me and as we walked towards the car, she began to fill me in on the rest of my schedule for the day.
I arrived at the company in less than an hour and is swarmed by the media and paparazzi who were already patiently waiting outside the building for me.
"Mr. Malcom, what can you say about the scandal that happened to you of recent?" One of them asked. "Care to elaborate?"
"Is that the reason why you disappeared and went MIA for six months?"
"What's the future of the McLaren Empire after what happened to you?"
"Will your company be ever able to go number one after the unprecedented defeat that knocked them out of the business race?"
"Are you confident that your family will be able to recover the loss of being blacklisted from the business world?"
"Mr, McLaren, over here..." The distorted voices grew louder with each camera click that flashed viciously, almost blinding my eyes and bringing back memories that I have been trying to bury up to the surface. I closed my eyes to block them away but it wouldn't leave.
The heavy murmurs and strained ringing sounds from all angle filled my ears as the camera shuttered loudly, taking more pictures of me.
My chest tightened and I could feel the air slowly leave my lungs as I looked around, my blurry eyes unable to make out any faces.
Sweat gathered my around my face and places that I couldn't even mention as I gasped for air. Everything was slowly suffocating me. I felt suffocated.
"No comment, leave him alone." I heard my secretary's voice from my dark hazel world as she grabbed my hands, pulling me away from the thick crowd that tried to corner me in every way possible.
We managed our way through the thick crowd with security fighting to keep them away from me until I was safe within the walls of the company. I need to take my depressants after this cause the stress of being there has only elevated my releases.
Minutes after escaping the paparazzi, we headed towards the boardroom just in time before the meeting commenced. Luckily, there was no hike and everything went on smoothly.
I managed to close the deal with the investor and we both proceeded to sign the contract. We finished the formalities and I decided to leave.
I took the elevator that led to the parking lot outside my company so that I wouldn't run into any more reported.
I was too occupied with the thought of heading home that I didn't give much thought to my surrounding. Halfway through the parking lot, I bumped into a wall or rather a person built like one. I almost tripped but he was quick grab my hands so that I was able to steady myself.
Our eyes met for a brief second and I am left entranced. Standing in front of me was probably the most sexiest man I had ever laid my eyes on or seen to walk the planet and believe me, I had seen my own fair share of beautiful people.
His features were well defined. He had a symmetrical face and attractive facial proportions. His dark skin tone complimented his curly brown hair that was packed in a manly bun and neatly styled in a way that accentuated his face making his chiseled jawline pop.
His expressive eyes and facial hair had me guessing his ethnicity. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he was an half-caste. He had multiple piercings on his ears as well as the corner of his lower lip.
His lips were always slightly parted and his hazel eyes complimented his long lashes. He was clad in a turtle neck top that had a tattoo almost peeking through from the corner and black trousers.
On his feet were a pair of white sneakers. This man was a piece of work. A sex symbol but then again, people like him only meant trouble.
I sniffed the air subtly around him but surprisingly, there was no scent. Like he didn't have one. The air around him felt cold and thick, elevating intense feelings around me but I couldn't tell if he was an Alpha or Beta.
Who was he? what was he doing here and why am I strangely attracted to him?
"My apologies, Mr. McLaren, I didn't see where I was going." He apologized in a deep British accent that had me reeling from shock.
How does he know my name? Was he one of the reporters hiding out here to attack me?
"Who are you?" I asked, straightening myself to full height, the brewing heat slowly rising in my spine. "And how do you know my name?"
"I was sent from the agency to meet you here." He blurted out, eyes holding my gaze as I waited for him to say more.
He stretched out his hand towards me for a handshake, "The name is Caden Martinez and I'm your newly assigned bodyguard."