Never Too Far Novel

“Do you need something?” Angela self-consciously crossed her arms after realizing she was not wearing a bra.

Richard gave her a withering look as he ordered, “You are not allowed to use the public bathroom for your night showers.”

She narrowed her eyes and asked, “Why not?”

He met her incredulous gaze steadily and said, “Because it causes inconvenience.”

Frustration welled up in her. She had already gone out of her way to not make trouble for him, and she could not understand why he was nitpicking on her still.

He did not turn away and leave. Instead, he paused for a few seconds before saying, “I’m sorry I was harsh with you today.”

Angela blinked, clearly caught off-guard by his out-of-the-blue apology. When she recomposed herself, she looked away from him and muttered, “Apology not accepted.”

“You wanted to hike, right? Be up at 6.00AM sharp tomorrow and I’ll take you there,” Richard said.

Her competitive side came out as she retorted, “As if I’d back down from that.”

“We’ll meet at the entrance. Don’t be late.”

“I won’t,” she bit out.

Richard spun on his heels and walked away just as Angela closed the door. She glanced at the time and saw that it was drawing near to 11.00PM. I have to sleep now, or I won’t be able to wake up in time and I’d never hear the end of it!

She burrowed into bed, but her mind kept replaying his apology and the events from earlier. In hindsight, it appeared that she was the one in the wrong. After all, she was the one who got mad and started the whole conflict in the first place.

And the only reason why she was mad was that she found out Richard was only here to protect her at her parent’s behest. In other words, she was just another job.

A bitter laugh then escaped Angela as she realized she was more upset about this than she should be. What am I getting so worked up for anyway?

She tried to analyze her own feelings, but she ended up boring herself to sleep instead.

The next day, Angela’s alarm rang at precisely 5.50AM. She bolted upright in bed and threw the covers off, then hurried into the adjoining bathroom to wash up. To call it a bathroom was an exaggeration though, as it was more of a washroom with a small showering space.

It was 5.59AM by the time she was done putting on her clothes. She hurtled out of her room toward the entrance of the base, whereupon she saw Richard’s tall and straight silhouette standing there.

She walked up to him, and he made it a point to glance at the watch on his wrist. “You’re late by a minute.”

Defiance colored her delicate features as she glowered at him and said, “Okay, fine, I’m late. Are you going to punish me? Go on, tell me what you want me to do to make up for my tardiness.”

Richard gazed down at the girl who was openly challenging him, and his eyes lingered briefly on her shell-pink lips. He swallowed, and there was a steely edge to his expression as he barked, “Let’s go.”

Angela had been waiting for him to mete out punishment, but when he did not, she couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

Presently, he carried a backpack full of everything he thought they would need for a hike. Angela, on the other hand, was wearing a cap and sunblock, knowing that UV rays were the most vicious foes she could meet on this hike other than the mountainous terrain.

Just like that, the both of them hiked up along the groove through which the mountain spring water flowed. There were no steps here or mapped-out trails for novice hikers, making the hike a tough exercise—albeit, an authentic one.

Angela kept up her pace with Richard, but halfway through, she was starting to regret her decision to agree to the hike. Goodness, this trail is hard. It was no wonder he had forbidden her from going hiking on her own last night; she would have lost her way or tripped several times in a row.

However, she was not a quitter, and pride had more to do with that than ambition. She didn’t want Richard to laugh at her after all the big talk she had given him last night.

When it came to slopes or uneven ground, Richard would hike up first, then turn and offer her a hand so that he could help her up.

Thankfully, it did not take long for them to reach the rocky terrain where the trees were not quite as tall, and the shrubbery was not quite as dense. The ground here was rife with wildflowers, and Angela exclaimed in awe, “This is amazing!” She picked a couple of flowers and formed a bouquet, then sniffed its sweet fragrance as she tried to keep up with the man in front of her.

Richard walked ahead for a few minutes before turning around to see if Angela had followed him. When he saw that she had fallen behind by a dozen feet, he stopped and planted his hands on his hips to wait for her. She’s not here to hike, he decided grimly. This is just a field trip to her.

“I’m thirsty,” she said when she reached him, panting. “Did you bring water?”

He unzipped his backpack and took out the standard-issue canteen, which he handed to her. She twisted open the cap and gulped down a few mouthfuls of water, then passed the canteen back to him.

Angela had been wiping the corners of her mouth when Richard took the canteen wordlessly and gulped down some water.

She paused and gaped at him incredulously as a fleeting thought crossed her mind, Does that mean we indirectly kissed? A pink flush crept over her cheeks, and she wondered how he could so readily drink from the same canteen she had used mere seconds ago.

Oblivious to her thoughts, Richard shrugged on his backpack and pointed to the tallest summit in the distance. “That will be our destination, so let’s move!”

Her eyes widened at the sight of the summit, which looked grayish-blue under the thin layer of mist that shrouded it. “I’m sorry. Are you suggesting we climb all the way up there?”

“Yes, how astute of you,” Richard drawled sarcastically. He raised a brow at her and asked snidely, “You’re not scared, are you?”

Falling for his trap, Angela snapped, “Of course I’m not scared! I’ll climb that mountain without a problem!”

He smirked. “Then, shall we go?”

She watched him turn and memorized the silhouette of his back as he trekked forward. Though her legs were already wobbly and her clothes soaked through with sweat, Richard did not look the slightest bit out of breath. If one didn’t know better, they would think he had been walking on flat ground all this time.

“Richard, wait up!” Angela cried out as she tossed aside the wildflower bouquet and ran up to him.

Hiking was, she decided, absolute torture at this point. But she refused to give up; her pride and determination did not allow her to even though she was on the brink of collapsing.

Before long, they reached a slope that inclined at a sixty-degree angle. Just looking at it made her weak.

As though sensing her reluctance, Richard threw an amused look over his shoulder at her, taking in her defeated expression.

“Captain Lloyd, pull me up,” Angela said, reaching out her arm toward him

He looked at her hand and naturally gripped it. For some reason, this gesture warmed her. At least he’s not leaving me out here to perish on my own, she thought, cheering up considerably. “You know, you didn’t have to apologize to me last night,” she began hesitantly, her exhaustion compelling her to re-evaluate her conscience. “I should be the one to say sorry instead.”

Richard stared at her in surprise, only to see her grinning sweetly back at him. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were twinkling with mischief. She looked so bright and beautiful at that moment that even the wildflower field around them could not compete with her smile.

Just as Richard was lost in her eyes, she playfully tugged on his arm and pulled him close to her. The poor man was already in a daze, and the sudden pull made him take one step closer to her.

They ended up standing so close together that the tip of Angela’s nose nearly pressed up against his chest. She had only wanted to tease him for fun; this proximity was not what she had planned for at all.

Her breath hitched, and she narrowed her pretty doe-eyes for a second before looking up to see the perfect, sumptuous curve of his lips. Abruptly, she found herself thinking audaciously, What if I kissed him?

Mind and body coordinated, Angela rose on the tip of her toes, and before Richard could react, she gave him a quick peck on his lips.

Startled by the unexpected kiss, Richard looked at the girl incredulously, but she had already pulled away from him and ran away like a kitten that got caught scratching up the furniture.

Meanwhile, Angela was blushing madly as well. She couldn’t believe she had kissed him. Of all the ways she thought this hike would go, this was not one of them!

As for the man who had just gotten a peck on his lips, he stood frozen in place and did not try to go after her. The soft touch of her lips on his earlier had stunned him, and he was having a hard time recollecting his thoughts.

After a while of running, Angela slowed to a stop and panted as she turned to look at him. When she realized that he did not catch up to her, she winced and decidedly waited for him to come over to give her a harsh talking-down.

Richard straightened his backpack and tightened his grip on the straps as he trudged over to her. Blood rushed to her face when she registered his approaching figure. To hide her embarrassment, she looked down and picked up a random blade of grass, then toyed with it to look busy as she sneaked a glance at the man’s expression.

If he looked furious, then she would apologize immediately.

Much to her astonishment, however, he looked as stoic as ever when he came to a stop next to her. Upon seeing that she was running the flat of her thumb along the length of the grass, he pointed out, “Don’t play with the grass, not this one, at least.”

“Huh? Why not—” She did not get to hear his answer before she broke off in a hiss. The tough and sharp edge of the grass had cut her finger while she was distracted, drawing blood.

She tossed the offending blade of grass aside exasperatedly and frowned at the blood beading from the cut on her finger. Without a second word, Richard unzipped his backpack and produced a band-aid. He then cleaned her small wound with a piece of tissue before taping the band-aid on it.

Angela was standing on higher ground, making her half a head taller than Richard and allowing her to look at him from an angle she never had seen before. She took in his defined brow bone and the straight line of his nose. He had his gaze down as he helped put a band-aid over her finger, and his dark eyelashes hid the steely look in his eyes. He looked almost… gentle, the most tender she had ever seen him.

Startled by the contrast between his present demeanor and his usual stoic self, Angela could only gape at him speechlessly. After a while, she blushed and said apologetically, “I’m sorry for what I did earlier. I hope I didn’t offend you.” She was filled with regret over how forthright she had been.

“Just don’t do it again,” Richard said as he looked up at her, his eyes like two clear pools. He seemed unaffected by the kiss as if it meant nothing to him, like a piece of lint on his coat.

Disappointment flashed in her eyes as she pulled her finger away from him. Then, she took a breath and promised, “I won’t do it again.”

He eyed her darkly for a second, then slung his backpack over his shoulders as he declared, “Let’s call it a day and go back to base.”

self-awareness, and she knew she could never

dismount from higher ground, but her foot landed on a wobbly rock that detached from the

fall, a large hand

slope, but she felt defeated. Did the kiss mean nothing to him? Doesn’t he feel anything

as he said, “Come on,

knew how his gestures could give her the wrong idea, and how he could easily lead her on to think he liked her when in truth, taking care of her was nothing more than an obligation on his part—nothing

said, turning him down with a smile

long strides, she trekked down the way they came. From the back, her slender frame looked like it could carry the weight of the

beat or two before he followed her, striding easily, but very

down it. At any given moment, Angela could very well step on a loosened

ahead of her, and whenever there was uneven terrain or steep slopes, he would stand close to her, ready to catch her

on below the slope. However, the tree was so young and weak that she uprooted it completely, causing her to

to catch her, keeping her from hitting the earth. He pulled her against him and

her heart beat frantically under her rib cage. Tired from the hike, she nuzzled into his broad and firm chest, then closed her eyes as she relished the

lay there. Her cheeks were flushed, and there were beads of sweat

his relaxed stance, she

breeze whistled through the trees, and the sun was beaming down on the mountain, coating everything in its gentle, golden rays. For a moment,

and steady heartbeat. Inexplicably, her own heartbeat quickened

this dedicated to every target you are assigned to protect? I guess what I’m trying to say is, if I were

his gaze

when she gets hurt? Leap to protect her and shield her from every harm at any given moment? If she were the one holding onto you now, would you hold her even

eyes grew misty as she spoke. Flustered, she looked down and broke away from his intense

all the questions she threw

her one, a bitter smile curled on her lips as she asked challengingly, “It’s not rocket science. All

to answer,” he said monotonously as

more than a job and that he would have

did not have to torture herself and delude herself

Angela thought her legs would give up on her. She quickly found a large and flat rock to sit on, then called out to

glanced at her for a while

figure, but for some reason, tears sprang up to her eyes once more. She sniffed to ease the prickling sensation in her nose. Crap, what’s wrong with me? Pull yourself together, Angela. You were the one who asked him to leave, and now that he did, you’re

herself. She wished she was less sentimental because nothing good ever came out of it. Back in the day, she had been so duped by Dexter’s occasional kindness that she was blind to his other flaws. Now, Richard was being nice to

hated that she was

deep breath and cleared her mind. When she opened her eyes once more,

slept. She had woken up at an ungodly hour that morning, and the arduous hike had left her

little did she know that Richard had received bad news while

his phone tightly, then turned to look at his subordinates.

men working in front of their computers exchanged a worried glance. The accident was not entirely unexpected; the criminals who had recently crossed the international borders were ruthless, and

Meyers about

devastated, and she’d insist on going back

right

be heartbroken!”

right keeping this from Angela, which meant he was duty-bound to tell her

sat down on the couch and let her mind wander. One said wandering, but really it just kept replaying the scene on the hiking trail where she had kissed Richard. It had only been a

her heartbeat. That was the first time she had kissed a man on her own initiative, but the fact that he

in her own embarrassment, a knock

got to her feet and reached to open the door, only to be greeted by Richard, who looked as handsome as he

low voice, then left in the

her room to follow him. Judging by the look on his face earlier, he

and she felt the need to blink to alleviate the strange tension between them. “Anytime now,” she prompted,

call ten minutes ago. It’s about your family,” Richard

her hand darted out to grab his arm as she

got into an accident an hour ago, and she’s now in the

from her face. She didn’t

cheeks as she hastily shoved him away, then threw the

the door ajar. She rummaged through her room and found her purse, then hurriedly shoved her phone into it, looking

doorway, frowning as he asked, “Are you

steely edge to her expression as she stared at him with red-rimmed eyes and said, “I have to go. I need to see my mom. I don’t even know if she’s going to make it.” She refused to stay here safe and sound while her family was in danger. She

are not allowed to leave the base,” Richard said authoritatively as he put his arm out and blocked the gap in the doorway, his towering frame like a

Richard,”

news on your mother, okay?” he suggested, taking on a soothing tone in hopes of getting

at this moment. All she wanted to do was go back so she could see her mother. “I said,” she bit out forcefully. “Step. Aside.” This time, there

he had moments ago. He knew what fate would await her if he let her

see her grievously injured mother. It was her duty as a daughter, and she couldn’t bear to see anyone in her family get hurt because of

would start targeting her father, her grandfather,

of the way, but he was like a mountain that would not budge no matter how hard she shoved. “Move!” She glowered at him, the hatred in her eyes as clear as day. She

let you. I promised your parents to protect you. This is my duty,” Richard

in what to do with it! Let me go! I promise I won’t blame you if I die out there,” Angela begged desperately. There was a pained look in her eyes, but

let you die,” he said solemnly, his shoulders squared as

let her go felt worse than death. She broke down, crying out loud as she crouched

how badly injured her mother was. All he knew from the photos that were sent to him was that the other driver in the collision had died on

mother

then, Angela held the door jamb for support as she got to her feet. She was still sobbing as she looked up pleadingly at the man in front of

that she was settling for a call instead

caved under her weight and made her stagger. Sensing this, Richard quickly reached out to hold her, his arms wrapped securely around her frame as he steadied her. He assessed her pale face and how feeble

back stiffened, she walked toward the conference room where he and his

soon as she arrived in the conference room, the four men working in front of their computers glanced up at her worriedly.

your mother will be fine,”

video of the car crash?” Angela asked hoarsely. “I want to

immediately closed his laptop and peered at Richard, who stood at the door with his arms crossed. When Richard shot him a hard

sat. Then, she shoved him aside and opened up his laptop, thereafter, searching through the documents in it. “Pull up the

Jared looked at Richard, silently asking for help. Having already seen Angela’s break-down earlier, Richard walked up to her

stubbornly refused to let her see the video, then it could only mean

seeing her mother one last time, Angela felt a pain so all-consuming that she could not register anything else going on around her. She hyperventilated as disbelief and panic coursed through her, and suddenly,

she fell. “Mr. Richard, she fainted!”

and carried her into his arms, then

she lay in the bed in the infirmary, completely out cold. The doctor had examined her and concluded, “Miss Meyers fainted because her body could not cope with the shock,

face reality when

mother will make it,

brows knitted together. His piercing gaze lingered on Angela, and in his eyes showed tender concern

said to his subordinates. “Let me know as soon as you

We’ll leave Miss Meyers to you then, Richie,” Trevor replied, pulling Jared out of the infirmary and back to the conference

bet Richie’s really beating himself up over this. He did promise Miss Meyers that he’d keep her family safe, but now, her mother’s lying in the hospital after

him earlier, and I swear she hates his guts. If anything were to happen to her

that whatever they guessed would not come true. The last thing they wanted was for Angela to hate

the doctor had put Angela on an IV, and the catheter had been inserted into her arm through a needle. Richard sat next to the bed, his silhouette straight and stiff as his dark gaze locked on the unconscious girl under the covers. It was hard to

IV for no more than ten minutes when her eyes suddenly flew open. The first thing that came to her mind was her mother

down firmly on her left

the needle pushed under her skin and demanded in a watery voice, “Pull it out. I don’t need

was out, but Angela was in such a rush that she lifted the covers and tried to get down from the bed. At once, the blood trickled down the back

her arm in place and grabbed a cotton ball from the bedside table, then pressed it down on the back of her hand where

her eyes, but she allowed him to stop the bleeding as she gazed

particular attention to

close proximity, she could clearly make out the hard set of his jaw and

and looked up at her, then said

across her features. There was a chill in her voice as she asked defiantly, “And what if I

He was trying to coax her now, but there was a hint of resignation in his eyes. He knew that he could not stop her if

to see her mother for the last time. She had to go back even if she couldn’t

out of the infirmary and into her bedroom. She picked up her

by those evil men, which was the

cope with that, but he really didn’t want her to hate him

in her tears. She was so delicate, but for some reason, she gave him immense pressure. It was as if she held some inexplicable power over

calm and reason. But just as he was about to give in to impulse and offer to go with her, Trevor burst out of the conference room and

hand fell to the side when she heard this. She tossed her bag onto the floor and ran to meet Trevor halfway. When she came up to

him she’ll be fine after half a month’s rest!” Trevor answered, but he was still in the midst of conveying the good news when Angela

she muttered, “Thank you, Trevor! I can’t thank

by how overwhelmed she

looked considerably stormy, and he narrowed his eyes dangerously as

hug him. Gently pushing her away, he cleared his throat and said,

he still on

himself for forgetting about this. “He is. Go on, you must be dying to talk to him.” Before he could say anything, Angela took him by

Trevor for the timely interruption that saved him from betraying his own work principles. Had the news not come in time, he would have risked everything just to personally drive Angela home to see

was crying as she listened to her parents’ voices on the phone, and she couldn’t help letting out a sob. “Mom,

at the base where they can keep you safe, okay? We don’t want you getting hurt again,” Gilbert said on