An EXCERPT from Heart Stealer (The Cordoba Agency #3)

September 30, 2021

Heart Stealer, Cordoba Agency Book 3, by Delaney Diamond

As you know, this is a bodyguard romance. Katherine Stallworth hired Raheem to keep her safe. He’s her 24/7 protection, but she also has another bodyguard, a driver named Morris. He and Raheem work together as a team, but in this scene you’ll see Raheem get very angry because he caught Morris slipping on his job. There’s also an undercurrent of tension between the couple that’s not solely related to the job…

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They exited the apartment, and outside of the W Hotel, Raheem slipped dark sunglasses over his eyes and surveyed the street filled with passing cars and briskly walking pedestrians. He didn’t always wear shades, but they served a practical purpose when he worked close protection. In addition to shielding the eyes from direct sunlight, flashes, or glares, they kept eye movements hidden from potential attackers. As security personnel, his eyes constantly roved the immediate area around the principal, and this simple fashion tool made it a little more difficult for a would-be attacker to know where he was looking and which way he was going to move.
The first thing he noticed was that Morris was talking to the doorman and another man, his back turned to the Mercedes.
That’s when Raheem realized he had forgotten to let them know they were coming downstairs. Because he’d been distracted—by Katherine’s scent, the urge to caress her skin, and his own long held attraction to her.
The two men were relaxed, both laughing heartily at a joke.
Raheem’s temperature spiked. “Morris, can I talk to you for a minute?”
They stopped laughing, and Morris’s eyes opened wide and he walked over. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you say you were coming downstairs.”
“That’s beside the point. I didn’t alert you, but what the hell is going on here? Why aren’t you paying attention to the car?”
“What do you mean?” Morris asked.
“Have you already swept the vehicle?”
“Of course. I do that every morning,” Morris said, sounding offended.
“Then why don’t you have eyes on it?” Raheem demanded.
Morris’s cheekbones flushed pink. “Do you really think someone could do anything to the vehicle with me standing right here?”
“Do you really think it would be hard for someone to do something to the vehicle? How hard would it be for them to attach a tracking device or attach an explosive to the undercarriage while you’re yakking it up?”
Jaw tight and more color flooding his cheeks, Morris didn’t respond, probably knowing that Raheem was right. It was easy enough to do.
“It’s okay,” Katherine interrupted.
“No, it’s not okay,” Raheem said angrily.
“Morris is very good at his job,” she said, her glare signaling he should stop.
“Why did you hire me? To make sure that you stayed safe.”
“I would appreciate it if you don’t talk to me in that tone.”
“And I would appreciate it if you’d let me do my job.”
He didn’t care that Morris was silently watching the exchange. Katherine had to learn that she needed to trust him. He turned to Morris. “We need to do another check of the vehicle.”
“I’m going to be late for my meeting,” Katherine said.
“Then you’ll be late,” Raheem said.
Her eyes flashed at him. “May I speak to you privately for a moment please?”
She didn’t wait for a response and stalked away—heels clicking the sidewalk and the natural sway of her hips catching his eye. While Morris checked the car, Raheem followed and Katherine swung around and faced him.
“Is it really necessary for you to talk to me like that in front of Morris?”
“You have to let me do my job,” Raheem grated.
“I have no problem with you doing your job, I just don’t think it’s necessary for you to talk to me in that tone in front of Morris. You work for me,” she enunciated.
“Exactly. And my job is to keep you safe.” He removed his sunglasses and challenged her with a glare. “If you don’t like my methods, fire me.”
Katherine’s chin tilted a little higher. “Keep pushing me and I will. Get that damn chip off your shoulder.”
She swept past him and went to talk to the doorman. After Morris finished checking the vehicle, they all climbed in and took off.
It was going to be a long day.