Guarded (Lloyd Hansen AU) 18+

4

Brontë

As I sunbathe out by the pool of my LA home, a shadow looms over me, blocking any chance of a decent tan. "Can you move?" I demand as I push the sunglasses down my nose to see Lloyd standing there. "How the hell did you get in anyway?"

I've been back here a week for some down time and now he's here to mess it up? I can't even catch a break in my own home.

"I'm your head of security, it's my business to be where you are". He says calmly. 

"Even the bathroom?" I bite back with annoyance flaring by the second.

He smirks at this, stache twitching slightly. "Depends on when and where".

"That wasn't an offer Hansen".

Now he just gives me quite a condescending look. "Trust me, you'll be begging for my assistance eventually, even though you don't want it now. This is how it is. My job is to keep the crazies away from you and that's what I'm gonna do. I didn't build this shit up to what it is for nothing - so deal with it. You're in the public eye, you need security. End of".

On this I get up and stare hard at him before my hand meets with his cheek. He lets out a soft grunt but still smiles as though it's the biggest turn on in the world. "Ballsy", the smirk doesn't leave his face. "My team and I will be taking the guesthouse, daddy's orders. He wants you as safe as possible". 

"Did he ever consider I might need to be safe from you?" My hands go to my hips. "My old team never lived here. I only had one guy just doing a patrol or two and..."

"That was your old team, your old team who failed to stop a guy from touching you up on stage and have fucked up on many occasion without you even knowing it. But it's fine - we can always leave. I'll just keep the gates opened so that the paps can come in and..." 

"Oh for fuck sake fine!" I yell like a complete diva, but this time it's warranted. "Just keep outta my way". 

Lloyd shakes his head. "That's gonna be a little hard considering that I'm going to be accompanying you everywhere. 

"Not around my own house!" I yell as I storm off to the sanctuary of my room. There's no point in ringing dad to complain, because he'll only tell me to stop throwing my toys outta my pram and to get on with it. 

Curtis. 

I pick up my phone and call him. He picks up after a few rings. "Hey Bron". 

"Hey, I need to vent and dad isn't the one to do it to". I say and flop down onto my bed. 

"Mhmmm, go on then - I'll put you on speaker". He replies. 

I frown. "Where are you?" 

"My house. Don't have a race this weekend so I came back until the next. I've just stopped my training with Edgar for the day though so you caught me at a good time". 

Edgar is Curtis's performance coach. He's young but knows his stuff - the pair have become good friends over the years and he kinda brings my brother out of his shell somewhat. 

"How's the whole rumour mill going?" 

"Shrivelled up and died thanks to Gilliam". He says but in a way that I don't quite believe him. It's like he wants to get off the subject. "So, I'm guessing this vent is about your new head of security?" There's some playfulness to his tone that is rarely there unless he's bantering with his driver friends. Curtis has always been the more serious type. People just assume that he's a moody bastard but he's not. He just doesn't like his privacy being invaded. Go figure. 

"How did you even guess?" 

I hear him clattering about. "Dad told me, said he'd taken on Lloyd and his team to oversee the security for your tour and stuff? After what happened last week at Monaco, I assumed that it's an obvious recipe for disaster". 

"Disaster? It's more than that. I wanna knock the stupid stache right off his face! He's so smug and it just pisses me off. I only have to look at him to feel like that as well". 

"Bron, I've seen how you try and punch. You suck". Curtis lays the truth down flatly. "Anyway, he's just doing his job. Sure at times he can be an ass but..." 

I interrupt him on this. "So you've seen that side of him?"

There's a silence from my brother before he speaks again. "Not seen, just heard - but even then I barely know him, so I can't exactly judge. As long as he and his team do their job then so what? Just be thankful that dad actually cares about you enough to pay what he has for round the clock security". 

Curtis is always the voice of reason, but in this circumstance it's not what I want to hear. He continues as the silence between us grows. "Bron. It's gonna be a suck it up situation. You have top security. You're in safe hands - appreciate that people care and just continue doing what you're doing. When do you get back to rehearsals?" 

"Tomorrow, then it all kicks off in LA in a few weeks time. You're coming to the first show right?" 

"Yep, although you do realise you won't catch dad there?" 

Yeah. I do. My father is one who supports behind the scenes, not publicly. You won't catch him at one of my shows rocking a t'shirt with my face on it and dancing to my hits. "Mhmm". 

"Anyway I gotta go make lunch. See you soon, and just ignore Lloyd. You do your job and let him do his".

"Talk later". I say and hang up. 

When I go back downstairs, Lloyd is nowhere to be seen, although one of his men is walking around making sure that no paps with a long lens are lurking outside. If it can be like this, then I'll be happy enough - but knowing he's on my property still annoys me. Like Curtis said - I'll just have to suck it up for now.