Falling For The Billionaire I Was Hired To Protect

Falling For The Billionaire I Was Hired To Protect

Elodiee

5.0
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Jace Maddox is a billionaire tech CEO known for his cold heart and strict routines. Behind closed doors, he's a man haunted by betrayal, grief, and secrets too heavy to share. River Hale is an ex-military bodyguard with nothing left to lose. Disgraced and angry, he's hired to protect the one man he can't stand, Jace Maddox. When a dangerous scandal threatens to destroy Jace's empire, the only way to survive is a fake relationship. A staged romance to control the media. But fake feelings start to feel real. As secrets unravel and enemies close in, both men must face their pasts, and the truth about what they've come to mean to each other.

Falling For The Billionaire I Was Hired To Protect Chapter 1 I Don't Fall For Men Like You

"Don't move."

Jace Maddox froze when he heard the voice behind him. His hand hovered over the espresso machine. It was just past four in the morning, his usual hour for coffee. But the night had been ruined, and so had his routine.

He turned slowly, eyes meeting the masked man standing in his kitchen. The intruder was tall, dressed in black, holding a knife like he knew how to use it. Jace stayed calm. He always did.

"I don't keep money here," he said. "And I don't panic. So whatever you want, say it now."

The man didn't answer. He stepped forward, blade raised.

But before the knife could reach Jace, someone slammed into the attacker from the side. The man was pinned down with brutal force. The knife clattered to the marble floor. Grunts filled the room as the two men struggled, but it ended quickly.

The masked man didn't get back up.

Jace stood frozen for a second before the other man rose to his feet, breathing heavily.

He was taller than Jace. Strong. Sharp hazel-green eyes locked onto him.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

Jace stared at him. "Who are you?"

"River Hale. Private security. Your team hired me."

"You weren't supposed to start until Friday."

River's face stayed unreadable. "I started early."

Jace's gaze dropped to the unconscious man on the floor. "You think this was random?"

"No," River said. "I think someone's coming after you."

The police showed up twenty minutes later. So did Sasha Lin, Jace's PR manager. She looked like she hadn't slept, which she hadn't, and cursed all the way into the living room.

"Jesus, Jace, you couldn't just stick to boring scandals?"

Jace sat on the arm of his leather chair, sipping his untouched espresso. "I didn't invite him in."

"You know what's worse than a break-in at 4 a.m.? A viral video of your bodyguard tackling someone in your penthouse, and covering your body like he's protecting his boyfriend."

Jace blinked. "What?"

"Yeah. That neighbor from the building across yours? They filmed the whole thing. It's everywhere. Twitter. TikTok. YouTube. People are shipping you two already."

"I don't even know him," Jace muttered.

River, standing by the wall, didn't react.

Sasha flipped her laptop around and hit play. A grainy video showed River lunging, tackling the masked man, then bracing one arm protectively across Jace's chest as he shielded him. The frame froze on that image.

"Look at this," Sasha said. "It's gold for drama. Bad for your image."

"It's a misunderstanding," Jace said flatly.

Sasha raised an eyebrow. "To you, sure. But to the internet? It's a romance novel in motion."

"I'm not interested in playing pretend."

"You don't have much of a choice," Sasha snapped. "Crane's been circling for months. He'll use this to raise hell at the board meeting. He'll call you reckless, unstable, secretive...."

"I am secretive," Jace muttered.

"Exactly! That's the problem. People fear what they don't understand. Right now, you look like a recluse billionaire caught up in a midnight tryst with his hired muscle. We have to give them a cleaner version of the story."

"Then deny it," River said flatly. "This fake rumor? Just shut it down."

Sasha glanced at him. "We could. But that won't stop the fire. If we deny it now, it'll look like we're hiding something."

Jace frowned. "So what's the alternative?"

"We give them what they want," Sasha said. "We play along. Just for a while. A fake relationship. Make you look more human, more relatable. The investors will calm down."

Jace stared at her. "You want me to pretend to date my bodyguard?"

"Only until things settle. A couple of hand-holding moments, maybe an interview. You don't even have to talk much. Just... smile occasionally."

River snorted. "He doesn't even know how to do that."

"I do," Jace said defensively.

River tilted his head. "When? In your sleep?"

Sasha waved her hands between them. "See? This banter? People will eat it up."

"I don't like manipulation," Jace said.

Sasha exhaled. "It's PR, not manipulation. We're painting a picture that makes you look like less of a machine and more like a man."

Jace hated attention. But he hated losing control more.

He turned to River. "Would you agree to this?"

River's expression darkened. "Do I have a choice?"

"You can walk. I won't stop you."

River was silent for a long moment. He looked down at the unconscious man again, then back at Jace.

"What do I have to do?" he asked.

"Public appearances," Sasha cut in. "Photos. A few events, maybe a cozy moment or two and definitely no more saving him shirtless, no matter how good the lighting is."

River ignored her. "This isn't what I signed up for."

"No," Jace agreed. "But someone broke in with a knife. That wasn't random. You think this is just about PR? I want to know who sent him. Why now."

River's jaw tightened. "Then we're on the same page. I'll fake it. But only because someone's clearly after you. And I want to know why."

Later that night, Sasha sent out a carefully crafted press release confirming the "relationship." The media ran with it. Jace's stock stopped falling. Crane didn't say a word. Not yet anyways.

River stood in front of Jace, arms crossed, eyes hard.

"This wasn't the plan," he said.

"No," Jace replied. "It's better than being seen as weak."

River stepped closer, voice low. "You want to fake this? Fine. But let's get one thing straight....."

Jace looked up at him. "What?"

River's eyes narrowed. "I don't fall for men like you."

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Falling For The Billionaire I Was Hired To Protect Falling For The Billionaire I Was Hired To Protect Elodiee Romance
“Jace Maddox is a billionaire tech CEO known for his cold heart and strict routines. Behind closed doors, he's a man haunted by betrayal, grief, and secrets too heavy to share. River Hale is an ex-military bodyguard with nothing left to lose. Disgraced and angry, he's hired to protect the one man he can't stand, Jace Maddox. When a dangerous scandal threatens to destroy Jace's empire, the only way to survive is a fake relationship. A staged romance to control the media. But fake feelings start to feel real. As secrets unravel and enemies close in, both men must face their pasts, and the truth about what they've come to mean to each other.”
1

Chapter 1 I Don't Fall For Men Like You

06/09/2025

2

Chapter 2 Smile and Chew, Maddox

06/09/2025

3

Chapter 3 To Close To Pretend

06/09/2025

4

Chapter 4 Not the Truth, The Lie

06/09/2025

5

Chapter 5 Knight Fall

06/09/2025

6

Chapter 6 We're Not Safe

06/09/2025

7

Chapter 7 Father, Son, and Secrets

06/09/2025

8

Chapter 8 Why Now

06/09/2025

9

Chapter 9 Playing the Part

06/09/2025

10

Chapter 10 Taking Control

06/09/2025

11

Chapter 11 Not Just a Job

06/09/2025

12

Chapter 12 Not So Fake After All

06/09/2025

13

Chapter 13 More Than Just a Kiss

06/09/2025

14

Chapter 14 The Unexpected Visit

06/09/2025

15

Chapter 15 You Care, Don't You

06/09/2025

16

Chapter 16 A Break We Don't Need

06/09/2025

17

Chapter 17 Five Hours to Paradise

06/09/2025

18

Chapter 18 Heat Under Hawaiian Skies

06/09/2025

19

Chapter 19 What We Can't Admit

06/09/2025

20

Chapter 20 Separate Rooms, Separate Hearts

06/09/2025

21

Chapter 21 You Don't Get to Be Jealous

06/09/2025

22

Chapter 22 I Love River

01/11/2025

23

Chapter 23 With You

01/11/2025

24

Chapter 24 No More Us

01/11/2025

25

Chapter 25 Gone Too Far

01/11/2025

26

Chapter 26 PIZZA

01/11/2025

27

Chapter 27 Unexpected Delivery

01/11/2025

28

Chapter 28 Who Are You

01/11/2025

29

Chapter 29 Privacy

01/11/2025

30

Chapter 30 Recovery

01/11/2025

31

Chapter 31 Stepping Down

12/11/2025

32

Chapter 32 The Return

12/11/2025

33

Chapter 33 Unwelcome Visitors

12/11/2025

34

Chapter 34 Protecting Jace

12/11/2025

35

Chapter 35 Stay Behind

12/11/2025

36

Chapter 36 Three Steps Ahead

12/11/2025

37

Chapter 37 Broken Trust

12/11/2025

38

Chapter 38 Unspoken Tension

12/11/2025

39

Chapter 39 Kiss After Choas

12/11/2025

40

Chapter 40 Finally Yours

12/11/2025