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.”

so prideful as to have no self-awareness, and she knew she could never make it to the summit. Nodding,

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

but before she could fall, a

slope, but she felt defeated. Did the kiss mean nothing

let go of her shoulder, but offered her his hand as he said, “Come on, I’ll hold

how his gestures could give her the wrong idea, and how he could easily lead

him down with a smile as she took

came. From the back, her slender frame looked like it could carry the

figure for a beat or two before

rocky mountain like this was comparatively easier than going down it. At any given moment, Angela could very well step on a loosened rock and fall, especially since

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

weight until her foot found a solid rock to stand on below the slope. However, the tree

just as Richard reached out to catch her, keeping her from hitting the earth. He pulled her against him and held her there while

up to his chest, still dazed from the fall as her heart beat frantically under her rib cage. Tired from the hike, she nuzzled into his broad and firm chest,

there. Her cheeks were flushed, and there were beads of sweat on her forehead that sparkled under the sun. He softened

sensing his relaxed

beaming down on the mountain, coating everything in its gentle, golden rays. For a moment, everything came

strong and steady heartbeat. Inexplicably, her own heartbeat quickened as well,

you always this dedicated to every target you are assigned to protect? I guess what I’m trying to say is, if I were any other girl, would you be this kind to her as well?” she asked slowly as she looked

her eyes, his gaze

your bedroom as she likes? Piggyback her when she gets hurt? Leap to protect her and shield her from every harm at any given moment?

sure why, but her eyes grew misty as she spoke. Flustered, she looked down

floundered by all the questions she threw at him. He wasn’t

bitter smile curled on her lips as she asked challengingly, “It’s

answer,” he said monotonously as he let her go and turned to

moment that Angela was sure she was nothing more than a job and that he would have shown the same level of dedication even if she were any other girl.

have to torture herself and delude herself into thinking

to dismount from the hike, Angela thought her legs would give up on her. She quickly found a large and flat rock to sit on, then called out to the man ahead of her, “Hey, you go ahead! I’m

glanced at her for a

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?

gave herself a pat on the head as if to knock some sense into 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 her

was so desperate

cleared her mind. When she opened her eyes once

up at an ungodly hour that morning, and the

that Richard had received bad news

his subordinates. “Angela’s mother just met

glance. The accident was not entirely unexpected; the criminals who had recently crossed the international borders were ruthless, and instigating the accident to hurt Angela’s mother was

tell Miss Meyers about

on going back to see her mother,” Jared said

the right to know,” Sean pointed

Miss Meyers. She’ll be heartbroken!” Trevor

He had no right keeping this from Angela, which

it just kept replaying the scene on the hiking trail where she had kissed Richard. It had

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

she was drowning in her own embarrassment, a knock came

door, only to be greeted by Richard, who looked as handsome as he was impassive. The air around her suddenly felt thin, and she

voice, then left in the direction of his

out of her room to follow him. Judging by the look on

not speak right away, and she felt the need to blink to alleviate the strange tension between them. “Anytime now,” she prompted, wondering what he

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

constricted, and her hand darted out to grab his arm as

an hour ago, and

colors drained from her face. She didn’t even know she was about to cry until

shoved him away, then threw the door open and ran out of the

to her own room and left the door ajar. She rummaged through her

doorway, frowning as he asked,

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

put his arm out and blocked the

Richard,”

wait for more news on your mother, okay?” he suggested, taking on a

could see her mother. “I said,” she bit

moments ago. He knew what fate

her duty as a daughter, and she

would start targeting her father, her

she tried to push him out of the way, but he was like a mountain that would not budge no matter how hard she shoved.

I promised your parents

me go! I promise I won’t blame you if I die out

won’t let you die,” he said solemnly, his shoulders squared as

as she crouched on the floor. She put her

of anguished sobs. He had no idea 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

Angela’s mother could survive remained

to her feet. She was still sobbing as she looked up pleadingly at the man in front of

relieved that she was

out when her legs caved under her weight and made her stagger. Sensing this, Richard quickly reached out to hold her, his arms wrapped securely

when she heard this. With her back stiffened, she walked toward the conference room where he and his

front of their computers glanced up at her worriedly. They could tell she had been crying just from looking at her red and puffy eyes, and they grew even more

Meyers, your mother will be fine,” Trevor comforted

crash?” Angela asked hoarsely.

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

rounded the long table to where he sat. Then, she shoved him aside and opened up his laptop, thereafter, searching through

place, Jared looked at Richard, silently asking for help. Having already seen Angela’s break-down earlier, Richard walked up to her and closed the laptop, then said, “We should wait for the hospital to

once more as she pondered on the meaning behind his words. If he so stubbornly refused to let her see the video, then it could only mean that

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, everything went dark,

her, caught her before she fell. “Mr. Richard, she

might happen. His brows furrowed as he hurried across the room and carried her

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

reality when she wakes up!”

mother will make it, otherwise, she’d

piercing gaze lingered on Angela, and in

you can leave,” he said to his subordinates. “Let me know

you then, Richie,” Trevor replied, pulling Jared out of

Trevor sighed again and said, “I 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

it. I saw the way she was looking at him earlier, and I swear she hates his guts.

they guessed would not come true. The last thing they wanted was for Angela to hate Richard now that they sensed he had special feelings

needle. Richard sat next to the bed, his silhouette straight and

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

a low male voice sounded next to her, followed by a hand pressing down firmly on her left arm

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

pressure to stop the bleeding the moment the needle was out, but Angela was in such a rush that she lifted the covers and tried to get down from the bed. At once,

and grabbed a cotton ball from the bedside table, then pressed it down

but she allowed him to stop the bleeding as

did not answer her, paying particular attention to

out the hard set

bleeding stopped, Richard loosened his grip and looked up at her, then said

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

now, but there was a hint of resignation in his

to see her mother for the last time. She had to go back even if she couldn’t make it in time, otherwise, the guilt

up following her out of the infirmary and into her bedroom. She picked up her bag once more, and she turned to say to him,

once, Richard was plunged into a dilemma. If he were to hand her the car keys, he would be watching her walk right into the trap set up by those evil men, which was the same as delivering her to death’s doorstep. On the other hand, if he refused to give her the keys and she missed seeing her mother for the last time, she

he really

with wide eyes, her silent demand evident in her tears. She was so delicate, but for some reason, she gave him immense pressure. It was as if she

in to impulse and offer to go with her, Trevor burst out of the conference room and came running in their direction excitedly. “Miss Meyers!” he shouted. “Miss Meyers! Good news! Your mother’s fine. She

and ran to meet Trevor halfway. When

The doctor told 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

tight as she muttered, “Thank

stumped by

Richard looked considerably stormy, and he narrowed his eyes dangerously as he

grew colder, and Trevor immediately realized that he was overstepping his boundaries by letting Angela hug him. Gently pushing her away, he cleared his throat and said, “Miss Meyers, your dad also requested that you stay put here for your own safety. He doesn’t

he still on

patted his head as if to berate 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 the hand and pulled him alongside her as

suddenly felt as if a weight had been taken off his shoulders. He let out a huge sigh of relief, secretly thanking 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

her parents’ voices on the phone, and

things are more drastic here than we imagined. You have to listen to Captain Lloyd and stay at the base where they can