Jack Carson had only recently transitioned into bodyguard work — a departure from the life he’d known, but a necessary step after leaving the Special Forces. The assignment was far from simple. He’d been placed in charge of protecting one of the fastest-rising stars in the industry, a responsibility that demanded constant vigilance and left no room for error.

Months of tours and packed arenas had blurred together, each night louder and more dangerous than the last. Now, at the final concert of the month, the last note had barely faded before Jack was already backstage, waiting with a towel and a bottle of water in hand. Anticipating her needs had become second nature to him — something he hadn’t experienced with any client before.

“This was a long night,” he said quietly as he passed them to her. “We should head back to the hotel soon. The paparazzi will flood the highway.”

His tone remained calm, controlled — but beneath it was an unmistakable edge of concern, the kind that came from a man who never stopped measuring the distance between safety and disaster.