Excerpt of His Guarded Heart by Lia Davis

"I don't need a bodyguard." Beau fisted his hands atop his desk.

"It's not your choice. The orders came from—"

Beau slammed a palm against the wood, silencing his chief of staff, then took some deep, slow breaths. Notes on postcards weren't reason enough to call in a Federal Protective Service agent to cover his personal security. "I know where the orders came from."

FPS didn't usually play babysitter unless the orders came from the President, which told Beau they had made a threat assessment and the results must be grave. Yet, no one would explain to him how serious. With a sigh, he sat back in his chair and tapped his fingers against the desktop. "It was two separate incidents, both of them accidents."

Jaw tightening, Greta folded her arms and stared at him. No doubt his chief of staff wanted to choose her words carefully. If she'd known about the notes, she wouldn't have waited this long to escalate the security issue. "I have to disagree, sir. Those so-called accidents were avoidable, and happened in public places."

She pointed to the file she placed on his desk upon entering his office. "The file has everything you need to know about your new security detail."

Exhaling a heavy, growl-like breath, Beau opened the file and scanned over the details.

Judd Wolfe

Intelligence Security Lead

Federal Protective Services, Homeland Security

"Would you like me to cancel your dinner reservations?"

Beau raised a brow and returned his attention to Greta. "No. I'll just take my babysitter with me."

She pursed her lips. "Judd Wolfe is not a babysitter. He's a highly trained operative."

"I can read. Thank you, Greta. That is all."

When she didn't move, he raised his gaze to meet hers and lifted a brow. With a huff, she pivoted on her heels and left. Beau returned his attention to the file. Wolfe had served in the Air Force from the time he turned eighteen until three years ago. The records in front of Beau said it was an honorable discharge due to an injury in the field, but gave no details. Figures. Military documents listed only the most basic information.

Nothing else.

A heavy knock on the door drew his attention. It swung inward, revealing a tall man with lean muscles that filled out his white button down and black slacks well. Even the briefcase in his hand didn't take away from his attractiveness. Beau studied him from his shaved head to the strong, clean-shaven, yet familiar face before he locked onto the agent's stern stare. The dark brown depths told him nothing of the man's emotions. Cold and uninviting. The memory of a younger version of the man before him flashed across Beau's mind. Then it dawned on him. Beau had represented Judd Wolfe a couple of times during his time as a JAG.

"I see the Air Force didn't make you less of an ass." Beau watched one dark brow rise.

"No. I'd say the same about you."

Beau stifled his amusement behind a slight rise of his mouth. As his lawyer, Beau had found it entertaining to get under Wolfe's skin. "Who did you piss off to get babysitting detail?"

Judd lifted one shoulder as he moved to the windows along the wall behind Beau, scanning the grounds outside. "The list is too long."

"So tell me, why has Homeland Security put a bodyguard on me?"

Meeting his stare, Wolfe narrowed his eyes. "You've been targeted for assassination."