Deacon wasn’t kidding when he said the best of the best would be protecting me, and it made me curious as to the two’s connection. Was this a military buddy of Deacon’s? Or did they meet in the security business? Had they worked together on the same case, protecting the same person and forging some sort of bond? I never made it a point to get into the personal lives of those I employed. It kept things less messy that way if someone fucked up and needed to be fired.
But this connection, I was curious about.
The phone rang at my desk as I set the folder down. I picked it up and braced myself, ready for whatever company bullshit sat on the other end of the line. Even though my life was being threatened and people were somehow remotely breeching my compound, shit went on at work. Everything from office drama to a rise in stock price to clients who were unhappy with whatever product it was they thought they had purchased, it all stirred up something that needed my firm, demanding touch.
But instead, I found Griggs’ voice on the other end of the phone.
“Mr. Steele.”
“Griggs. How can I help you?”
“The bodyguard’s coming today. Have you read the file?” he asked.
“Yes. And I have to say, I’m very intrigued as to how Deacon knows someone like this. Any theories? Postulations? Hypothesis?”
“Probably from his Army days. That’s how Deac knows everyone.”
I chuckled. Most likely true. “Good to know. Now, I want you to make sure you can work with this new company. The last thing I need is the old crashing with the new while my life hangs in the balance.”
“Are you calling me old, sir?” he asked.
I could never tell when Griggs was being serious or joking. Then again, I wasn’t entirely sure the guy had ever made a joke in his life. “Fine. How about we call it, the antique and the modern. Sound fair?”
“Makes me sound like an ancient teapot. Either way, point taken. I’ve already been communicating with the company in order to coordinate the arrival of the new bodyguard. You know, maximum safety issues and all of that.”
“You do your job the best I’ve ever seen, Griggs. I trust you.”
“You shouldn’t. With an issue like this, you shouldn't trust anyone.”
“That mean you’re the one threatening me?” I asked. Again couldn’t tell if he was serious or joking.
“No, sir. It means you need to stay on your guard. Keep your body alert. Even a personal bodyguard can’t watch you every second of the day.”
“So, no burly men showering with me. Got it. You know this man’s only coming for an interview, right? I have the last say in all of this. And it’s not happening here. It’s happening at the office.”
“Yes, sir. But Deac keeps reassuring me you’ll sign off on it. So, I’m preparing for you to, and if you don’t, then it’s no sweat off my back,” he said.
“Whatever it takes to get the job done. Can you send for my limo? I need to get to the office and get this interview over with.”
“I’m your security guard. Not your personal assistant,” he said.
“Right.”
“But yes, I’ll send your driver up there for you.”
That time, maybe he was teasing me. I chuckled and smiled into the phone. “Thanks a bunch, Griggs.”
I headed downstairs and slipped into the limo, making my way over to the office. If someone was going to be with me every second of every day, then it meant my ass could get back to work. I couldn't be the effective owner and CEO I needed to be if I was trying to do everything remotely. Sometimes, people in this place needed a good staring down in order to pick their feet up and get shit done.
And I was damn good at giving that stare.
The car service dropped me in front of the office, and I made my way inside. I told the security firm to have Mr. Williams report to the main office of the building so I could go over details and give the guy a tour of the building. If Deacon was so insistent this interview would go well, then I had no reason to doubt him. He’d been nothing but loyal to me for the past two years I’d employed him, so his suggestions deserved some faith. Griggs approved as well, so that was the closing feature on the deal.