Bound to the Billionaire Playboy

Chapter 4: A Warning From a Good Friend

“Thanks, Mom." I kissed her forehead and then headed toward the stairs.

“Hey! Where are you going?" Ari scoffed, dabbing at her eyes. “We have to throw you a party!"

“Later!" I yelled behind me, smiling as I leaned over the railing at the top of the stairs. “I haven't gone for a run for a while, and I've been dying to do it."

“A run? Now?" Mom walked over to stand at the bottom of the stairs. “But you just went into remission!"

“And I'm going for a run to celebrate!" I headed toward my room, not wanting to explain further. It was high time I started making my own decisions.

“Oh, let her go, dear." Maxwell chuckled at the bottom of the stairs, but I closed the door and quickly changed into my jogging shorts, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes. Then I looked at my purse and thought, “Why not?"

I took out his card and texted, “I appreciate the invitation, but I can't meet you tonight."

“Then when can you meet me?" To my surprise, he texted back right away.

I burst out laughing. “Hey! Don't you ever work?"

“LOL! I worked earlier today... or don't you remember?"

I laughed. “Oh? You call that working?"

“Touché. Actually, I was flirting with a gorgeous girl."

I chuckled, feeling a blush color my cheeks. “Do you flirt with all your patients?"

“I have you know that you are no longer my patient... or have you already forgotten?"

I was going to tell him that he was quite unforgettable, but I wasn't about to add fuel to the fire. “Well, GTG! I didn't want you waiting around for me all night to call! He, he, he!"

Right! As if!

“Oh, you already know me so well!" he teased. “So, what are you doing now? Meeting your boyfriend?"

I blushed again. It appeared that he was the only one who could do that to me so easily. “Nope! He's busy." I laughed. “I'm going jogging."

“So, you have a boyfriend?"

I waited for a moment and then texted, “No, never had time. Well, off for a run. Bye! And thanks for the clean bill of health."

“That was all you," he texted back. “I was just the messenger. Enjoy your run, but don't overexert yourself."

“Yes, doctor."

“Ha, ha!"

“Bye!"

Then I clicked off and threw my phone into my dresser drawer before I was tempted to talk to him some more. Or better yet, agree to meet him tonight, which I wasn't going to do. No, tonight was definitely not the time.

I quickly jogged down the stairs and out the door past Mom's stunned face.

“Hey, wait up!" Gerard ran up quickly behind me.

I laughed, pouring on the speed. But he quickly caught up with me, and I slowed back down to a regular pace.

He was dressed in his service-issued jogging pants, a gray T-shirt, and tennis shoes. “What was that all about?"

I shrugged, breathing hard. “Just goofing around. It feels good to be out. This is the first time I've been jogging in a long time." I looked over at him and smiled. “So, what are you doing here?"

We stayed inside the castle grounds, following the walkway around. Since this was my first jog, I wasn't sure how far I'd be able to go, but I wanted to enjoy it while I could.

“I heard you were going for a jog, so I thought I'd tag along." Gerard looked at the scenery as we passed, keeping an eye out even though we were inside the palace walls. Even though he was tall and muscled, I was surprised that he wasn't even winded. “So, you go jogging often?"

He shrugged. “Sometimes." Then he looked down at me and raised an eyebrow as he smiled. “I mainly like to work out in the gym."

I rolled my eyes. “Figures."

He scoffed. “What's that supposed to mean?"

I lowered my voice, imitating him. “I mainly like to work out in the gym." I scoffed. “Typical guy."

He laughed. “Yeah, I'll show you 'typical guy'!" He reached for me as if he was going to tickle me, but I ran off, and he ran after me but caught me easily and swung me around as I laughed and then set me down on my feet. I looked up at him as he looked into my eyes, his hands on my waist, but then he quickly stepped away, and I bent over to catch my breath, winded. “I think we'd better be going back."

I nodded. “Yeah, just give me a minute. I used to jog all the time, but I'm out of shape."

“You're in good shape," he corrected. “You just need to strengthen your body, get it used to working out again. But take it easy and don't go alone, just in case."

I scoffed as I stood up, placing my hands on my hips. “Now, you're sounding like my mother."

“No, seriously, Henley." He let out a deep breath, completely serious. “You don't want to overdo it."

I nodded. “I guess you're right. But the last thing I want to do is to play it safe anymore." Then I started walking back.

“What's that supposed to mean?" He grabbed my arm and turned me around.

I looked down at his hand on my arm but didn't pull away. “It means that I want to start living my life."

He nodded as he let my arm go, his lips pursed. “Henley, I need to talk to you about something. It may not be my place, but I need to say it anyway... as a friend."

I took a deep breath, placing my hands on my hips as I looked up into his eyes. “Oh-kay. Shoot… but not literally."

He didn't even crack a smile. This must be serious.

“It's about... the business card." He let out a deep breath. Whatever he was trying to tell me was hard for him.

“What about it?"

His eyes met mine. “You're a beautiful girl, and guys will try and take advantage of you if you let them. Just… don't let them."

Sudden anger welled up within my chest. “So, you think I'm going to let men take advantage of me? Gerard, I'm not that stupid."

“No, Henley, that's not what I meant." He let out a deep breath, looking up at the sky, obviously gathering his thoughts, and then looked back at me. “Henley, just be careful."

I nodded. “I will. Gerard, I know it's your job to look after me, but I can look after myself."

“Henley, it's more than that."

My head snapped up. “Then what is it?"

He took a step back. “It's just that you're young and inexperienced, and I know men better than you."

“I think you've made your point." I turned and started walking back toward the castle.

Then I heard his footsteps quickly approach, and he grabbed my arm and quickly turned me around, sincerity coloring his eyes. “Henley, I just don't want you to get hurt."

“Gerard, you can't protect me forever."

He nodded. “I know." Then he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. “That's why I have to teach you how to protect yourself." When he let me go, it dawned on me. Did Gerard have feelings for me after all these years?

“Gerard, I appreciate that, but I can handle myself." I bit my lower lip trying to think of a way not to hurt his feelings. “Maybe we've been spending too much time together...."

He nodded. “Henley, no matter what, I'll always be here to protect you as long as you need me."

“Gerard, thank you for all you've done for me." I placed my hand on his cheek as I looked into his eyes. “You've always been a good friend."

He nodded, understanding, and smiled. “And I always will be."

I started walking back toward the castle. But this time, he kept his distance, letting me walk ahead. I hoped that he hadn't ruined things between us. Even though he was good-looking with dark brown hair and tall with muscles for days, I had always thought of him as a big brother of sorts. Gerard had always been my best friend, one of the only people in the palace that I could talk to. Now, I was afraid I had lost him, but I couldn't let that happen.

“Gerard, can we talk?" I turned to face him.

He nodded.

“You've always been my best friend, and I've always thought of you as my big brother, not just as a bodyguard." I let out a deep breath. “I don't want to lose you. But if things have changed between us, let me know, and I'll understand. You can protect someone else, and I won't tell anyone why."

He looked at me as if I were crazy and smirked. “I have no idea what you're talking about." He smirked, acting as if none of it had ever happened.

“Oh, so that's how you want to play it?" I laughed, shaking my head. “Typical guy move."

“Hey, wait a minute!"

I laughed as I took off toward the castle, and he followed, laughing. I was glad that everything was back to normal between us. Then he grabbed me around the waist and swung me around and set me on my feet, his lips were pursed together.

Then he took a step back, suddenly serious as he nodded toward the castle. “You'd better go inside."

“And you'd better shower." I smiled, looking up at him with my hands on my hips. “You stink."

He burst out laughing. “I'll see you later, Henley." Then he jogged off toward his quarters. But as I watched, I thought about what he had said about men and to be careful. Gerard really was a good friend.