Thank you for your kind words!

For the guest if there's gonna be any hurt Harvey... Yes, basically if Harvey doesn't get hurt it's not one of my stories lol. But you gonna have to wait to read that :)

The contract had been signed a few days after their meeting, once Jessica and Louis agreed on the terms. Harvey had reviewed the document twice, ensuring that nothing in the fine print mentioned the protection of Max, even though Jessica had promised him. That was a line he wouldn't cross, no matter the danger, he'd had his share of children to protect, and it hadn't always gone well. He refused to take that risk again.

As stated in his contract, he had agreed to move into Donna's property, which he found more convenient for impromptu outings or the lack of security at this estate.

The second floor was entirely dedicated to him, which he greatly appreciated for his privacy. The ground floor focused on the common areas. The first floor had many bedrooms, including those of Donna, Max, Rachel, and Mike. The second and last floor was the attic, and it had been converted into a studio. Floating wood floors, neutral but modern decoration, and a space large enough to add a desk and a sofa in addition to the king-size bed.

.

As he was unpacking his belongings, Harvey heard knocks on the open door.

"Come in, Mike."

"How did you know it was me ?" The young man asked, intrigued.

"The footsteps on the stairs. Too heavy to be a woman but not heavy enough to be Louis. It was either you or an intruder," Harvey explained, as he continued to unpack his things.

"It could have been an intruder."

Harvey looked up at the driver for the first time and said confidently, "Not on my watch."

Mike smiled at the new employee's repartee. He was sharp and sarcastic, just the kind of person he liked.

"What brings you here, Mike?"

"I just wanted to, you know, get to know you," the young man stammered, suddenly unsure of himself as Harvey's gaze seemed to pierce his soul.

"Do you think we're friends?"

"What ? No… I… Uh…"

"Relax, Mike, I'm kidding," Harvey teased.

"I knew that," the young man recovered. "So… friends?"

"Absolutely not," Harvey replied bluntly. "But getting to know you is fine. The more I know, the better it is for my job."

Mike leaned over the dresser where a case containing firearms surrounded by protective foam was open. He was itching to touch them but figured that probably wasn't the best approach.

"What do you want to know ?"

"Tell me about yourself. How did you end up here, working for Donna? You look like a baby, barely old enough to have your driver's license."

"I do have my license, thank you, I'm not a fraud," Mike said, pretending to be offended. "Before I met Rachel, I was kind of…on my own. My grandmother raised me, but she was an old lady. It was tough for her to handle a teenager going through an existential crisis. I made some mistakes," he admitted, looking ashamed.

Harvey sized him up, trying to guess what kind of mistakes. He didn't seem to fit the profile of a bad guy.

"Drugs?"

"How'd you know ?"

"You don't exactly have the profile of a murderer or the leader of an organized crime gang," Harvey smiled.

Mike nodded. "I met Rachel three years ago, and it was…it was like everything finally made sense, like she healed my world with a snap of her fingers. We started dating, and shortly after, Donna was looking for a private driver. At first, it was just supposed to be a stopgap, you know, to get my head above water. But it's been almost three years, and… I love being here. I love these people. Louis can be a pain in the ass, but he's a good guy. Max is the most adorable kid on this damn planet. And Donna… Donna is the best boss and now one of my dearest friends," Mike confessed in a whisper.

It might seem strange to be close to your boss as Mike was with Donna, but Harvey understood that too well. The bond he had with Jessica was also special, they cared for each other far more than what a boss and subordinate usually would.

"My parents died when I was 11," the young man continued. "I have no siblings, no uncles or aunts. It was just me and my grandmother, and she passed away a while ago. These people are my family, Harvey. We're far from conventional, but that's what we are to each other."

Harvey nodded in understanding, and even though he wasn't used to protecting celebrities, he knew that kind of bond was rare in this industry.

"What about you? Have you always been a bodyguard?" the driver asked, trying to change the subject.

Harvey shook his head. "No, I was in the military before this. When I retired, I turned to private security."

"What branch?"

"Marine Corps."

Mike's eyes widened at Harvey's response. "A Marine. Wow. Well, thank you for your service."

Harvey let out a sad laugh. "I'm not sure what we did merits gratitude."

Mike shrugged. "Depends on how you look at it. You know, sometimes the good guys got to do bad things—"

"—To make the bad guys pay," they finished together, which managed to bring an honest smile to Harvey's face. "Maybe we will be friends after all," the bodyguard concluded.

Mike smiled broadly at the remark from his elder and, feeling a wave of confidence wash over him, reached out his hand towards one of the guns in the case.

"Don't touch !" Harvey growled.

Harvey certainly wasn't joking when he announced that he would be undertaking work on the property to reinforce the nonexistent security. The installation of tall iron fences without footholds to make them impossible to climb, security cameras placed in strategic locations, running electrical cables for said cameras, changing the gate and intercom, and many other things Donna didn't even want to know about. It annoyed her to no end. She had come here to get away from the city, to have a quieter lifestyle with more freedom, and now she was watching the walls of her property rise higher and higher. It felt like they wanted to lock her up in a golden prison. But a golden prison was still a prison.

She saw Max on the terrace, leaning against the railing, and went out to join her.

"Hey, monkey, what are you staring at?"

"Harvey," she sighed dreamily, not taking her eyes off the man.

Donna looked up and saw the man in the distance with the site foreman, walking around the property, explaining the different areas to work on. She couldn't help but watch him herself for a few minutes. To say the least, Harvey exuded something magnetic. The kind of man anyone would follow to the ends of the earth, who could convince anyone to do anything, the kind of leader who could be dangerous depending on what he demanded. And that charisma. And those dark eyes that seemed to pierce you through and through. She could have dropped to her knees for his eyes and done whatever he asked of her, and much more.

Good thing he was a giant pain in the ass, kneeling was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Come on, let's go inside," she said, guiding her daughter. She didn't need her daughter to idolize the newcomer.

"How about a snack in front of a cartoon?" Donna asked, running her hand through her daughter's hair.

"What do you have in mind ?" Max asked playfully.

"Cookies. Milk. And Nemo."

"I love Nemo."

"I know. This will only be the 206th time you've watched it," Donna joked as she started opening the fridge.

.

Harvey chose that moment to enter the kitchen and refresh himself with a glass of water. He was lost in thought, thinking about the plans for the exterior work, so much so that he almost didn't hear Max speaking to him.

"Hey, Harvey!"

The bodyguard turned towards the high-pitched voice of the little girl, looking annoyed.

"Hey," Harvey replied in a monotone voice, feeling obligated to engage in conversation even though his expression clearly showed he didn't want to.

Max was too young to realize that. "I'm gonna watch Nemo and eat cookies, do you want to join me?" she asked, stars in her eyes, full of hope.

He frowned at the question, unable to imagine a scenario where he would have given a positive response.

"Um… No." The reply came out colder than he intended, and Max's disappointed look tugged at his heart a little, but he didn't show it and took another sip of water.

"Max, can you go to the living room and get settled? I'll be right there with your snack," Donna intervened as she poured a large glass of milk.

The little girl didn't respond but headed towards the living room, the disappointment disappearing as quickly as it had come. Donna slammed the milk bottle onto the kitchen counter, hard enough for Harvey to look at her in confusion.

"What the fuck is your problem?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You know, everyone gets that you're doing your job, that it's important, and whatever bullshit, but you seem to forget one thing, Specter. This is my home, which means it's her home," the redhead snapped, pointing towards the living room. "So, I don't know what your fucking problem is, but deal with it because there are only two solutions here: Either you change your behavior with my daughter, or you make sure you're never in the same room as her. But I can assure you, that's the last time you talk to her that way," she finished, red with anger. "Is that clear?"

"Donna—"

"Is that clear ?" She repeated impatiently.

Harvey internally acknowledged that he had messed up, even if he wouldn't admit it to her. He had reservations about children, but Max had nothing to do with that and had only been polite and enthusiastic whenever she'd spoken to him.

Harvey swallowed several times, uncomfortable with the way the conversation had turned. "Clear," he muttered.

Donna turned and headed for the living room, and the only thing Harvey could think about was how stunning she was when she was angry. Her cheeks almost as red as her hair, her nose scrunched, and her lips tight.
She may be a tiger, after all.

Rachel was in the process of scheduling appointments for Donna when Harvey showed up at the office door. It was a spacious room on the ground floor where she and Louis mainly worked.

"Hey, Harvey, what can I do for you?"

Rachel was a charming young woman who seemed far too kind and naive for this industry. But Harvey had enough experience to know that you had to be wary of nice people; the toughest ones weren't always who you thought they were.

"Am I interrupting you?"

"You're giving me an excuse to take a break," the young woman smiled.

Harvey approached the shelf at the back of the room, where several photos were displayed.

"Is this Donna's family?"

Rachel nodded as Harvey picked up a photo of an older couple holding a baby who was probably Max.

"These are Donna's parents, right?" When Rachel nodded again, Harvey continued, "Does Donna get along with them ?"

"With her mother, yes. They don't see each other much because her parents live in Seattle, but she talks to her mother on the phone quite often."

"And her father?"

"The relationship is more strained, though Donna has made an effort since Max came along. He's not mean, but he's not… trustworthy."

"Define 'not trustworthy.'"

"He's a businessman, and let's just say he's not very good at what he does. When Donna was younger, he squandered the money they had saved for her college. She had to work hard to pay for it herself because her scholarship didn't cover the full cost. And when Donna started to make a name for herself, he rarely called except—"

"Except when he needed money," Harvey finished for her.

"Exactly. She tries to put on a good face for Max, but it's pretty superficial compared to her relationship with her mother."

He didn't seem like father of the year to Harvey. Damn, people should really need a license to have kids.

"Who is this?" the bodyguard asked, picking up another photo and setting down the one of her parents. A dark-blond man in his thirties, with a beard and broad shoulders, very handsome in fact, and Harvey had definitely seen that smile somewhere before.

"That's... um... that's Max's father," Rachel said softly, looking uncomfortable.

"Is he still in the picture?"

Rachel shook her head, suddenly looking sad. "He died when Donna was seven months pregnant. Car accident."

Harvey held his breath at the news, though he managed to hide his surprise from Rachel. He loved his father dearly and couldn't imagine being a child and not having the chance to know him and build memories with him. And a daughter on top of that, who needed it even more, in his opinion, to be able to build herself properly. From what he had seen, Donna seemed to be a great mother, but children were made by two for a reason—they needed both parents. Harvey knew that all too well. Despite that, Max was always a smiling and bubbly little girl, as if she wasn't literally missing half her world. Yeah, Harvey was definitely the asshole of the year.

"After that, Donna had to stay on bed rest because the emotional shock triggered contractions. She managed to keep Max safe for another month," Rachel continued, unaware of Harvey's thoughts.

"Did you know her at that time?"

"Yes, I wasn't working for her yet, she didn't really need an assistant back then, but we were friends long before that. I was with her for the birth, and it was... both the most beautiful and the most painful moment of her life," she smiled sadly at the memory of the little girl's birth.

"Bringing up bad memories wasn't the purpose of my visit, sorry."

Rachel shook her head, coming back to the present. "No, it's okay, and besides, Max is so incredible. It's a good thing she was there, she kept Donna out of a depression, and with a baby, she had a purpose. I like to think it made the grieving a little less heavy."

Harvey nodded and put the photo down. He knew enough for now, and the point wasn't to invade Donna's privacy.

"So what's your role in all of this? How do you work?" Harvey asked, eager to change the subject.

"As her personal assistant, you could say I'm Donna's second brain and her liason to the world. Very few people have her personal number. People who want to contact her for work go through Louis, and everything related to personal matters goes through me. From booking a table at a restaurant to booking flights and hotels. I'm also the contact for insurance, the bank, and Max's school," the young woman explained, trying not to forget any important details. Harvey was there for a specific reason, and the more he knew, the easier his job would be, and the sooner he could leave. He appreciated that Rachel was so willing to give him details.

"So, consequently, you work a lot with Louis?" Harvey asked, wariness creeping into his tone.

Rachel nodded but squinted at the suspicion in Harvey's voice. "You don't trust him, do you?"

"Well, it's pretty hard for a bodyguard to trust someone who hides from his boss—and friend, if I understand correctly—that her life is under threat."

"I wasn't a fan of the idea either, but... you should know that Donna overreacts to a lot of things. And I mean really overreacts."

"What do you mean ?"

"If I go out and say I'll be back by 5 p.m., and it's 5:10 and I'm not there, she's capable of calling the police to report me missing."

Harvey stifled a laugh at the sight of Rachel's exasperation. She was definitely speaking from experience, given her pout.

"Is this—"

"Yes, it's happened before," she cut him off, anticipating his question. "And that's just about me. I'll let you imagine what it's like when it comes to Max. How do you think she'll react when she finds out someone broke into the house?"

"She'll probably burn the house down and move to the North Pole," he said, dead serious, though his gaze was mocking.

"Exactly. I know Louis's decision is debatable, I just want you to understand that everything he does, he does with Donna's best interests in mind. He has no bad intentions."

Harvey turned serious again and headed for the door. "I'll be the judge of that."

His conversation with Rachel had lingered in Harvey's mind for the rest of the day, even late into the evening. He was enjoying a drink on his private terrace, having dropped his jacket and tie, as he reflected on everything he had learned. He might have judged Donna too quickly—she seemed far from the spoiled diva he had imagined, and she had faced many trials in her life that probably justified her not letting anyone walk all over her.

A movement below interrupted his thoughts when he saw Donna settle into one of the garden armchairs. She stretched her legs out on the side table and began massaging her temples. A few days ago, Harvey might have laughed, wondering what could possibly tire out the queen in her kingdom, but tonight… tonight, he realized that no matter the facade, everyone had their problems, and fame and money were no guarantees of happiness.

.

Max had fallen asleep, and Donna could finally relax in the gentle warmth of the spring evening, in the outdoor lounge. Max was an extraordinary little girl, but sometimes her endless questions drained all of her mother's energy. Today, the school had brought up the subject of Father's Day, which would be in about a month, and it had stirred up many questions for the little girl about her dad. Donna, of course, had infinite patience and answered all her questions, but once she left the room, it felt like a huge weight had settled on her shoulders. She pressed her fingers against her eyes to keep her tears from falling. She had long since made peace with her grief, but every year, Father's Day brought her back to what could have been her life with Peter, what could have been Max's childhood, and all the memories they could have had but never would.

Footsteps made her lift her head to find Harvey approaching with two glasses of scotch, offering her one. "You look like you could use this."

Donna accepted the glass as a sort of truce between them, though still wary. As Harvey sat down in the armchair opposite her, she took a sip, and the slight burn in her throat relaxed her a bit.

"What are you doing here?"

Harvey didn't say anything for a moment, playing with the amber liquid in his glass, so long that Donna almost thought he wouldn't answer her question.

"I'm sorry," he said rather sheepishly, finally looking at her.

And although he seemed sincere in his apology, he was clearly uncomfortable. He didn't seem like the kind of man who apologized easily, so Donna decided to play along with him.

"For what ?"

"Don't push it!" Harvey growled, pretending to be annoyed, which made Donna smile.

"I'd tell you that it's not me you need to apologize to, but trust me, she didn't notice anything."

Harvey nodded, relieved that he hadn't hurt the little girl's feelings. "What ?" he asked when he saw the redhead scrutinizing him.

"Do you ever take off that suit?"

"Are you saying you want to see me naked, kitten?"

"Don't put words in my mouth," Donna laughed, pointing at him. "That's certainly not what I said and stop calling me like that."

A comfortable silence settled between them, each lost in their thoughts, sipping their drinks and savoring a moment without hostility while it lasted.

After a moment, Donna looked at Harvey again, squinting. "I heard we have a Marine among us."

"I see the puppy can't keep his mouth shut."

"He's a puppy, what did you expect ?" Donna joked, picking up on his metaphor. "Seriously, I didn't know it was a secret."

Harvey shook his head. "It's not, but I know that the day I have a secret to share, I won't tell him."

"So what should I call you? Petty Officer?" Donna teased, knowing it was the lowest rank.

Harvey pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. "Petty Officer is the Navy, not the Corps," Harvey explained with condescension, apparently delighted that Donna had gotten it wrong. But that didn't stop her.

"Oh, of course, what was I thinking? Let me guess…" she said, thinking for a moment, absorbed in the idea of guessing his rank. "Private first class? Oh No I know! Corporal?" she tried, as if she were playing a board game.

Harvey finished his drink and then leaned towards her, resting his elbows on his knees.

"You're a civilian, so you can just call me Harvey," he murmured in a smooth voice, and fortunately, Donna was sitting because it was exactly the kind of tone that made her knees weak. Harvey leaned a little closer to her. "But if you insist on calling me by my rank, you'll have to call me Master Guns," he confessed in a soft but firm voice, which made her swallow nervously. He had clearly bested her at her own game.

Master Guns ? This guy was no joke.

She was sure Harvey could see what his tone was doing to her, so she tried to regain some confidence : "So Gunny it is ?"

He smirked at the informal name of his rank but made no comment and stood up, taking his leave for the evening, and Donna couldn't help but watch him go. Without his jacket, she had a better view of his build and his muscular ass. But she would deny having checked him out, even under torture.

Oh, I'm in trouble.

Just for you know, Gunny is the unofficial nickname for Master Guns. (Thank you Kas for all the little details that I would never find on google lol) and It's gonna be Donna's favorite nickname eheh.