Single Mum's Bodyguard. Lisa Childs

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       Chapter 2

      Emilia’s heart pounded as she gave in to the nerves fluttering inside her. This was it, her chance to finally prove herself to her benevolent boss. Penny had been so sweet to take a chance on her, to give her not just a job but the responsibility of overseeing the woman’s wedding.

      Nothing could go wrong.

      But Penny’s premonitions were legendary. When she had one of her feelings that something bad was about to happen, it always did.

      So Emilia didn’t waste time checking on the flowers. She already knew they were perfect. The minister had arrived, as had all the guests. The photographer had already begun taking pictures and setting up the camera to record the ceremony. The caterers were ready to serve for the reception in the banquet room in the chapel basement.

      Emilia hadn’t lied when she’d assured Penny that everything was ready. For the ceremony...

      But Emilia had that sense of disquiet, too, the same way that Penny did. Something bad was about to happen. That feeling compelled her to quickly cross the foyer to the steps leading down to the nearly walk-out-level basement. This was where the offices were and the banquet hall and kitchen.

      And the nursery...

      Along with all the Payne babies, Blue was there, too. Two nursery workers—teenage girls—watched all the children. But they were only teenagers. If someone tried to take one of the babies...

      They wouldn’t be able to stop them.

      But Emilia would.

      She hastened her pace, her heels clicking against the stairs as she nearly ran down them. In her haste, she slipped. Her grasp on the railing kept her from tumbling to the concrete floor below. She steadied herself, finished descending the stairs and hurried down the hall.

      Waiters and cooks milled around inside the banquet hall and the kitchen as she rushed past. Excitement hummed in the air. This was the wedding. The one everyone wanted to be absolutely perfect—because this was Penny’s wedding.

      They all loved Penny Payne.

      Emilia hadn’t known her as long as everyone else had, but she loved her, too. Loved her like the mother she’d never really had, because Mom had gotten sick when Emilia had been so young.

      Penny was youthful and vivacious and affectionate. She was everything Emilia wished her mother had been and everything she wanted to be as a mother. Emilia didn’t want to let down the woman she admired so much.

      But at the moment the wedding was the least of her concerns. She had to make certain Blue was safe. He was what mattered most to her now.

      “Emilia...”

      A deep voice murmured her name. She ignored it. She had no time now for questions about the colors of the napkins or when to serve the cake. She would answer all those again after she held her baby, after she made certain that Penny’s ominous premonition hadn’t been about Blue.

      She was in such a rush that she nearly passed the door to the nursery. But she drew up short and reached out, grasping the knob. Her hand trembling, she turned it and pushed open the door. Little kids chattered and laughed. A soft voice sang. Small hands clapped.

      Like the kitchen and the banquet hall, this room was abuzz with excitement, too—the excitement of little kids and babies.

      One of the teenagers glanced up from where she played patty-cake with a black-haired, blue-eyed toddler. So many of the kids looked like that, with the blue eyes and black hair of the Payne males.

      “Miss Ecklund, is everything all right?” the babysitter asked. With black hair and blue eyes, she might have been a Payne herself. Some of the kids were getting older now.

      “That’s what I came to ask you,” she said. “Is everything all right?”

      The girl’s brow furrowed. “With your son?”

      “Yes.”

      Looking at her as if she were being overly anxious, which she probably was, the girl nodded. “He’s fine.” She gestured toward one of the cribs against the wall. “He’s napping.”

      Emilia stepped around children so she could get to her son. Like a few nights ago when she’d heard the crying, she approached the crib with fear and dread. And expelled a breath of relief when she found him sleeping peacefully.

      She had overreacted to Penny’s premonition. It probably had nothing to do with Emilia. With a family that comprised of all bodyguards, Penny’s children were all exposed to danger.

      Now Lars was a bodyguard, too. And she suspected he would soon be an official member of the Payne family if he was smart enough to ask the amazing Nikki to marry him. Her brother was smart.

      She wished she was as smart as he was, as strong. She felt like she was losing her mind. But she’d rather lose that than her son.

      He was here, though. He was safe just like he had been that night she’d been so worried she’d wound up bruising her shoulder crashing into doorframes. She glanced down at the bruise now. Maybe she shouldn’t have worn a sleeveless dress. Or at least she should have remembered to put on the sweater she’d left hanging over the back of her chair in her office.

      She hadn’t needed to worry that night. Or now.

      But yet she couldn’t step back. She had a million and one things to double-check. And she didn’t want to miss the ceremony, either.

      She wanted to see Penny marry her soul mate even as she felt a pang of envy that she might never find hers. Her judgment was as poor as her mother’s had been. Just like her father, Blue’s father hadn’t been a man she could count on. He’d wanted only one thing from her. And it hadn’t been her heart.

      Now her heart belonged to another male. To her son. She continued to stare down at her beautiful baby...until a shadow fell across him.

      Then she glanced up at the window. Since this was the daylight section of the basement, the window was halfway up the wall. So she didn’t see a face. She saw only legs standing in front of that window. Then she saw the black-gloved hands reaching down to try to lift the sash.

      To try to get inside that nursery full of children.

      And a scream slipped from her throat.

      * * *

      Her scream tore at Dane’s heart, making it race with the fear he heard in her voice. Other cries echoed hers, startled cries of kids. He pushed open the door he’d seen her enter moments ago—as he’d followed her mad dash down the stairs and hall toward this room.

      Toward her son...

      He saw her hurriedly step back from the window with the baby clasped in her arms, nearly falling over the children sitting on the floor behind her.

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