Necessary Risk: Wolff Securities, #4

By Jennifer Lowery

What was supposed to be a simple personal protection job turns private security specialist, Chris Wolff's life upside down.

A pirate attack on the yacht owned by the woman he was hired to protect lands him and Layla in a desperate situation when they are stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean.

Not only will they fight for their lives, they have to fight their attraction. Will they cross the line from professional to personal, or will their pasts get in the way of their happiness?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Lowery
• Release date: Feb 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393958833

Book preview

1

Chris Wolff stared at the sailing catamaran anchored in front of him. Seventy-five foot with tall, pristine sails that rippled in the wind. He cocked his head, studying her. Compared to the rest of the yachts and sailboats in this marina she was understated. Unpretentious. Not showy or loud like others he’d passed on his way here. The Scott family may be wealthy, but they didn’t flaunt it. At least not by this boat’s standards. He respected that.

A gray-haired man waved to him from the fly helm before striding toward Chris. The captain, judging by his white shirt, tie and navy pants. Of course the white and navy blue captain’s hat gave it away, too.

The man leaned over the railing to hold out a hand. Captain Tim. You must be the security the Scotts’ hired.

Chris shook the man’s hand. Chris Wolff. Wolff Securities.

Nice to meet you, young man. Come aboard and I’ll show you around.

Chris climbed aboard, followed the captain up the steps to the cockpit, doing a quick scan of the floor compartments that led to the bowels of the ship. The hatches blended well with the wood floor. Oak, if he had to guess. Plush seating lined the edges of the deck and in front of him a wall of glass doors and windows with a curving staircase to the upper level.

He didn’t mind a tour to learn the layout of the craft, but his main responsibility and priority was Layla Scott, the woman he’d been hired to protect.

Has Miss Scott arrived? he asked.

Yes. She’s in her stateroom on a business call. She asked not to be bothered until she finished.

Chris nodded, already getting a feel for his charge. He respected her dedication to her career, but he had a job to do, also, and her work would come second to that. Her safety was his only priority. Not conference calls. He’d worked with wealthy business executives often in his career and they all had two things in common: they didn’t like to follow orders and they were unwilling to put their safety before work.

He had a file on Scott Solutions, including all employees, backgrounds, job positions within the company. He knew it was a Fortune 500 company that Warren Scott started five years ago. Layla, his only daughter, was the main software developer for the company. Warren Scott had hired him as security for Layla’s trip to the Bahamas where she was giving a seminar on some new software. Chris didn’t foresee any immediate threats, but Mr. Scott felt the need for security and he intended to make sure everything ran smoothly.

How many crew members on board? he asked the captain as they walked through the glass doors into the entertainment area of the boat. Modestly combined with the dining area. Again, nothing flashy or overstated. Neutral colors. Organized. Efficient. Classy. It even included a small lounge bar and flat screen television.

Just me. Layla prefers to sail with a skeleton crew. Usually just me.

Layla. First name basis. Interesting. Not even a chef?

Tim shook his head. Nope. Just a captain. Layla is a novice chef and prefers to cook for herself.

And the captain? Chris wondered briefly about the relationship between the two. Intimate? Professional? The man was old enough to be her father, but he knew better than to assume that would hinder a relationship. Not that it would effect the way he did his job. Miss Layla Scott could sleep with whomever she wanted.

The captain led him to where the staterooms were located, indicating Layla’s closed door on the left. To the right he opened one of the doors and stood aside so Chris could enter.

This will be your stateroom, Tim said. There is an en suite bathroom with all of the amenities.

Chris set his duffle on the floor next to the bed. A king that took up most of the cabin. Built-in dresser, more neutral colors. It did, however, have it’s own flat screen. More than adequate for his needs.

I’ll leave you to settle in, the captain said. We’ll be setting sail in thirty minutes.

Mind if I explore a bit? he asked. He’d go stir crazy sitting in his cabin. He needed to move. Investigate the engine room. The bowels of the ship where the mechanics were.

Not at all, Tim said.

Chris followed him back out into the entertainment area and back out the glass doors into the warm sunlight. He glanced up, noticing a few clouds had formed. Florida was known for it’s pop-up storms that only lasted five minutes, but poured enough rain to give everything a good soak. And, increase the humidity. He could feel his shirt sticking to his back already.

While the captain parted to the fly bridge, Chris opened one of the hatches and climbed down. Miss Scott had her work to do and he had his. Time to learn what made this vessel tick.

2

Layla felt the gentle pull of the boat leaving the marina and let out a soft sigh of relief. She took off her reading glasses and set them on her laptop keyboard, then leaned forward to rest her elbows on the desk and rub her eyes. They felt dry and scratchy from working through the night. Her new program was deeply involved. A government contract with a tight deadline. Getting all the bugs out proved to be a difficult task. One she could handle, but it was definitely a ten on the stress scale.

Hence, this working vacation. The seminar she’d been asked to speak at just happened to be in the Bahamas at a five-star hotel. She’d been a guest speaker there before and she loved everything about the island and hotel. They treated her like royalty and although it wasn’t her style, sometimes she let herself enjoy the finer points in life. Never would she forget her humble beginnings and never would she fail to appreciate what she worked so hard for. She loved her father dearly, but they didn’t always see eye to eye on how to live their lives. He lorded his wealth over others. She kept to her roots.

This government contract was big enough she could retire on. Also, not her style. She loved her work. Loved creating with numbers and algorithms. It was her happy place. Even with a high stress level, she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Ready for a change of scenery, she pushed back her chair and rose to her feet. Maybe she’d take her yoga mat to the upper deck and stretch her tight muscles. Let her mind relax for awhile.

First, though, she needed to go meet the bodyguard her father insisted on hiring. He didn’t travel without one and he didn’t allow her to. His reason being that they were wealthy and there was always someone who wanted what they had. A tainted way of looking at the world, but she didn’t argue. Picking her battles was something