The Bodyguard (Book 1 in the Original BOC Series) ✔

Chapter Five

Jane saw her cousin standing frozen in place after the small cry then walked over to see what had stopped her. She was halfway over when Rory pushed open the door, past them both and was already scolding them.

Rory scrunched his face and closed his eyes tightly, shaking his head in disapproval, "Are you two crazy!? You want to switch places for the next month and risk being found out by your dad!?"

He turned to Mara, who had sulked her shoulders before finally having turned around to face him. She had her arms crossed and wasn't looking at him at all. She frowned, eyeballing the wooden floor at his feet.

Rory stared at her, waiting for her to look up. But she didn't.

"Mara."

Mara glanced at her cousin who shrugged a shoulder and rolled her eyes, before forcing herself to face her friend. Rory frowned, but it was a more... empathetic frown, not angry. He clicked his tongue against his teeth and dropped his arms to his side in defeat.

How could he not let Mara have these last weeks of freedom?

She was being married off in a month's time and never experienced life outside of the stone walls surrounding the entire estate. Mara only wanted this small request to be who she wanted---even if it was for just a little while.

But Rory was worried that they'd be found out, and if they were perhaps this team of escorts arriving the next day were more likely to not take kindly to any of them, not even to the Heiress herself.

He heard about the escorts and how they were specialized agents hand-picked out of some military database. Their life-style and line of work was dangerous and probably were themselves.

Rory couldn't fathom the thought of what they'd do to Mara if this little escapade of hers went awry. He looked upward and thought of what to say before looking at the girls.

He folded his arms over his chest and sternly said, "If this is to occur, which it would with or without my permission, I only ask that you two don't get too carried away. Who knows what your dad will do to me and Jane if he found out about this."

Jane rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip, "Well, I can tell you right now. Uncle is more likely to have you killed off or something and I... well..."

Jane blinked a few times. She wasn't sure how severe her uncle would punish her. Maybe he'd make her poor again...

Oh, no! That would be awful! 

She was so used to this life she now lived that Jane couldn't fathom having to lift a finger again because Mastermind-Mara needed her freedom. 

Good Lord!

Jane nodded, looking at Mara, "I agree with 'It' for once. Uncle can never hear of this."

Rory rolled his eyes when Jane referred to him as an 'it'.

They have had this on-going dislike for one another from the moment they met. He could judge a person's character accurately and boy was he spot on when Rory concluded Jane to be a stuck-up, high maintenance, and just a complete bitch.

It made it easier for him to participate in Mara's pranks on Jane because he disliked her so much.

Mara hugged him when he finally gave his word that he wouldn't spoil their plan and would even help. She rose onto the balls of her feet as much as she could and pulled Rory down to her, kissing his cheek lovingly.

"Thank you, Rory. You really are wonderful."

The lanky young man blushed, swallowing hard and nodded without a word. Jane, however, rolled her eyes and scoffed.

It was a surprise she didn't vomit at the stupid reactions Rory gave to even a small brush of Mara's fingertips against him and he'd melt. And it just would be that way that Mara was oblivious to it, too.

As much as she hated to admit it, Jane wanted a man to react that way to her. She's made men walk around with their tongues hanging out and had them chase after her since she was a young girl.

And because she knew she could, Jane liked to toy with their affections though she had no intention of giving in to them.

After all, it was not often to see eyes such as hers, a violet sort of color that yes, her eyes alone were captivating, but Jane didn't think that she'd want a man's affection so much due to her character until she'd grown up with Rory and Mara.

The way he followed her around with love in his eyes and taking in every word she said made Jane envious.

She always disgraced herself with the idea of being envious of plain-looking Mara.

As she pondered this little plan in the works her cousin conjured, Jane could only think that this military man who would be escorting she, 'the Heiress', would do everything in his power to win her over.

And it would be more work for her, really, to look past his appearance and features should they not be up to par, but she'd manage.

'Tomorrow is the beginning,' Jane thought, grinning to herself when she left the besties in Mara's room, heading down the two long halls to her own. 'The beginning to making this... Nathan Henry fall in love with me.'