#my earbuds were busted and my 5 year old headphones were working out of one ear only

[stormfet]

I FINALLY HAVE HEADPHONES AGAIN!!

[badassbaker]

Private Security-Chapter 8

Linnea’s POV

I was frustrated.

Nothing felt right since coming home.

Matthias had assigned Ben as my personal security. Ugh…Ben.

When I woke up in the hospital with him at my side, his first words were, ‘About fucking time’, just before giving me a big, toothy smile. Ben was a short, stocky, bull of a guy. He was a bit brash, but was really funny and quite charming. He busted my balls, not unlike a big brother would; and we became fast friends. He loved comic books, Irish whiskey, and using the word ‘fuck’ as often as possible. He made me laugh; and despite the fact that he was a giant goofball, I felt comfortable with him.

Ben was a good man. But he wasn’t the man I wanted.

He wasn’t Matthias.

It drove me crazy knowing that, due to the heavy security presence, not to mention the cameras in the house and on the property, Matthias could probably see me all the time…but I couldn’t see him. I often wondered, ‘Is he watching me right now?’, ‘Does he miss me?’, ‘Does he care that I miss him?’

I went about my business the best I could, considering that it felt like my heart was breaking. I read a lot; and Ben and I sat around and watched movies-usually involving lots of explosions and women in tight clothing. If Ben had a movie preference, I would describe it as ‘the more shit that gets blown up, the better it is’. I wondered if he and Matthias ever talked about movies. Would probably be a very interesting conversation…  

The only times I left the house were for my two follow-up appointments at the hospital. The first was a couple days after I had gotten home. They did some scans just to make sure that there still wasn’t any swelling or bleeding in my brain. Everything was clear. The second appointment was about 5 days later. I finally got those damn stitches removed. As they healed, they had gotten more and more irritating. Ben was constantly giving me shit about my complaining, but I think he secretly felt bad for me…even though he never let me feel bad for myself.

When Ben and I returned from my second appointment, he made sure to get me settled inside, and then said he had to run out for a moment. I didn’t ask where. Instead, I went up to my bedroom to change into some lounge pants and an old tank top, completely set on the idea of a nap. As I chanced a look out the bedroom window, I saw Ben outside…talking to Matthias. Ben was laughing and making lots of big gestures while Matthias just stood stoically with his arms crossed over his chest. At one point, Ben gestured towards Matthias’ side and seemed to ask a question. Matthias gingerly rubbed an area just below his armpit and nodded in response. As comforting as it was to see him, I was also concerned. He looked…sad. I tried to not dwell on it for too long. That wasn’t good for me. I needed to move on; and peering at him like a stalker from my window was not going to help me do that. Instead of a nap, I made my way downstairs, grabbed the remote, and opened up Netflix. A little distraction was just what I needed.

Ben came back in and plopped down on the couch next to me.

“Ok, fuckface, what are we watching this afternoon? If you make me watch another chick flick, I’m going to put you in a sleeper hold.”

“Shut it, Benjamin. You’ll watch what I pick and you’ll like it.”

Then, as casually as I could, I asked the question.

“So, what was all that about outside?”

“Oh, that? Yeah, fucker is getting his stiches out in a couple days. Was just asking how things were healing up. Stupid asshole just had to go and get himself fucking stabbed.”

My heart dropped to my stomach.

“What! Stabbed? When the hell did that happen?”

Ben looked at me as if I had grown three heads.

“When? It happened when you guys were attacked last week. You seriously didn’t know?”

No. I didn’t know. And it made me fucking furious that he’d gotten seriously hurt and hadn’t told me. I remembered the blood running down his arm, but in my state of shock after the incident, I never knew what had happened. Stabbed! How could he keep that from me? He may not have shared the feelings for me that I had for him, but he could have at least told me how badly he had been hurt. Maybe he didn’t tell me because he blamed me for it? That thought made me unbearably sad. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to talk to him, to hug him, to thank him for saving me…to know that he was alright. But, somehow, I knew that wasn’t what he wanted.

As I felt my heart breaking all over again, Ben chose ‘The Expendables’ from the online menu. I think he probably knew that something was up when I didn’t protest his decision, but I didn’t have the heart or the energy to fight with him in that moment. I wanted one thing. Only one. I wanted, no…needed, to talk to Matthias.

Little did I know, I’d get my chance a few days later.  

**********

I couldn’t sleep and had risen early to head down into the basement for an early morning run. Dad had several pieces of workout equipment; and while I suspected that they were used very sparsely in my absence, I was happy to have them there. Over the years, I’d managed to talk him into a treadmill, some free weights, and a punching bag.

Since that day at the park, I’d been having trouble at night. The nightmares weren’t too bad, but I couldn’t stay asleep for more than a few hours at a time. I’d taken to getting up early and doing 3 or 4 miles on the treadmill before making my morning coffee. This particular morning, my headphones were already blaring when I made my way down the steps. If I’d waited another minute to crank my workout mix, I probably would have heard the dull thud of the heavy bag being battered on the other side of the door.

Instead, I just walked right in, not at all prepared for what I saw.

Matthias was here.

He was here and he was working out.

He was here and he was working out and he was shirtless.

His smooth, tan, naked expanse of back was sweaty from exertion and the muscles in his arms tensed and released with each strike as he gracefully circled the bag swinging from the ceiling. His feet moved the entire time and he kept his hands in a ready position, even when he wasn’t actively punching. I figured that this defensive stance had been ingrained deeply through the years of extensive training. There was a square of gauze secured by tape on his right side, just below his armpit and slightly towards the back-evidence of the wound that had been inflicted protecting me. In a way, it almost felt as if he now had a piece of me on his body forever. Instead of feeling guilty about it, for the first time…I felt almost glad. Not glad that he had been hurt, but glad that I had marked him like he had marked me. No matter what, I’d always be with him…even if it was only on his body instead of in his heart. He was so beautiful.

He didn’t notice me right away.

When he finally did, he dropped his hands to his sides and just stopped, as if someone had hit an invisible ‘pause’ button. Neither of us said a word; we just stared, drinking each other in.

He was the first to move. He walked towards me cautiously. I pulled my earbuds out and waited with the most delicious anticipation for what would happen next. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to jump into his arms and tell him how grateful I was that he was still here with me. I wanted to hear him say that he cared about me, that losing me almost killed him, that he was mine and mine alone.

Instead, I stood and waited.

For a moment, I thought that he was going to walk out and not say anything. But just before reaching to open the door and leave, he turned to me.

It was as if it happened in slow motion. His left hand came up and grasped my chin gently. I still had a small bandage on my temple, but the cut from the car window had closed and was beginning to fade. Likewise, the bruise, which had been a dark blackish-purple color upon my arrival home, had now faded into soft greens and yellows. He tilted my head to the side and he brought his right hand up to tenderly stroke the bandage. His hands were still wrapped, and the contrast between his soft skin and the scratch of the tape was intoxicating. I wanted those hands everywhere.

For the first time since coming home, I felt truly safe.

I reached tentatively to touch the dressing on his side, but he stepped even closer to me and moved his left hand from my chin to cradle the uninjured side of my face. Now he held me captive, hands on either side of my head, thumbs caressing my cheeks, and his hurricane blue eyes looking directly into mine. This was our moment. This was the moment that we didn’t get to have when we went hiking. I smiled at him and tried to let my emotions shine from my eyes that were now locked with his.

“Nea…I’m sorry.”

His hands fell back to his sides, and he dropped my gaze and left the room without another word.

I felt like the air had been knocked from my lungs. ‘I’m sorry’. That’s it? After literally sharing a near death experience with him, after almost kissing him, after trusting him with my life…I get, ‘I’m sorry.”

I stood there for a moment in complete silence.

I didn’t run that morning. I went back upstairs where I crawled into bed and cried myself to sleep.

That had been almost a week ago.

**********

My birthday was tomorrow. Despite my protests, my dad had arranged for us to go out to a fancy dinner. I was hesitant for us to go anywhere together considering what had happened the last time I went out on an excursion. However, my dad convinced me that the entire protection team would be there and that the place had already been checked and secured earlier in the week.

It was a new restaurant owned by the daughter of one of his work colleagues. Located in an older part of town, the decorators had imported stained glass from old churches and pubs that had closed down over the years. Dad had shown me some snapshots of a few of the rooms, and it was a really beautiful space. The dining rooms looked warm and inviting, and the stained glass was breathtaking. They hadn’t gone with a particular color scheme, so each window was different. The place hadn’t officially opened for business yet; but my father, being the negotiator he was, got the owner to open up specially for us tomorrow night. I think he told her that it would be a good ‘test run’. I didn’t love it when he used his government position to get special treatment, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it made me feel better knowing that we would be the only ones there.

Dad had informed me that we would be getting all ‘dolled up’ for our date. Luckily, I had just the dress hanging in my closet.

It was a green lace dress that was fairly modest in the front, but completely backless. It wasn’t tight, but it certainly hugged my curves in all the right places. I bought it on a whim last year and had never worn it out. In essence, it was the perfect birthday dress. I had a gorgeous pair of strappy black heels to pair with it. Now that my cut had almost healed and my bruises were light enough to be covered with concealer, I felt like myself again. Healing on the outside had helped me begin to heal on the inside. I no longer immediately thought of the attack every time I looked in the mirror. It was good. Things were finally getting back on track and moving in a good direction.

I hadn’t seen Matthias again since that morning in the gym. And it was for the best. I now knew that none of my feelings were reciprocated. Just like my face and soul were healing, I felt that my heart was healing too.

**********

The morning of my birthday, I happily scurried downstairs to make myself some coffee and breakfast. It was early and the house was quiet.

On the counter was a small package wrapped in brown paper with a simple bow and three bunches of colorful flowers tucked into the ribbon. It was absolutely beautiful. Just my style.

I had told my dad “no gifts” this year. With everything that had happened in the 2 weeks since coming home, all I wanted was a simple day with the most wonderful man in the world. Any other gifts were unnecessary, in my opinion. He had reluctantly agreed; and so far, he had kept his promise. Until this morning.

I exhaled over-dramatically and said to myself, “Ugh, dad! What part of ‘no gifts’ was confusing?”

I was tempted to leave the gift there in some girlish act of defiance, but it was such a sweet little gesture that I just had to open it. As I peeled back the paper, I discovered a stack of DVDs.

“Awww, dad, you shouldn’t have,” I quietly whispered to myself.

Looking through the stack, I realized that I hadn’t seen any of them. They were all old classics. ‘Swing Time’, ‘Shall We Dance’, “The Gay Divorcee’…and…‘Top Hat’.

These weren’t from my dad.

Looking more carefully at the covers, there it was. ‘Starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’, ‘Starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’, ‘Starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’, ‘Starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’…

The heart, that I thought had started to forget, was immediately filled with the longing that I had been trying so hard to ignore.

There was a security camera in the kitchen. Locking my eyes with the lens, I stared straight into in and mouthed a silent, “Thank you.”

I didn’t know if he was watching, but I hoped with every ounce of my being that he was. Everyone gets a birthday wish, right?

**********

That night as I got ready, anticipation sat heavily in my stomach. He had bought me a present. He had given me Fred and Ginger. While it could have been just a friendly gesture, my gut told me it was more than that. It meant that he was still thinking about me…

I made sure that every curl was in place and my makeup was perfect. Knowing that he would be there tonight was all I could think about.

At 8 o’clock sharp, I descended the stairs to meet Ben. We had decided that, for security purposes, my dad and I would arrive separately. Matthias would be bringing him to the restaurant right from work.

For the first time since meeting me, Ben didn’t make a smartass comment. He actually smiled. When I got close enough, he took my right hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing my knuckles sweetly.

“Happy Birthday, Linnea. You look gorgeous.”

“Why, Benjamin, that was incredibly gentlemanly of you. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, fuckface. Ready to go?”

I laughed out loud as he extended his elbow for me. I linked our arms and we walked outside to the car waiting in the driveway. He opened up the rear door on the driver’s side, and I slid in gracefully. I was bound and determined to stay poised and totally in control of this night.

Ben made his usual small talk as we drove. It was about a 20-minute ride from the house to the restaurant; and as usual, he kept me smiling the entire time. I really was thankful for his presence and his energy. I had resented him at first because of who he wasn’t. Now, I was so thankful for who he was.

The front of the restaurant was beautiful. While all of the windows and carpentry out front were brand new, everything had been treated to have an old, rustic look. No signs were up yet, but it was very obvious that it would look wonderful once all the pieces were in place. Ben pulled into an alleyway between the restaurant and the neighboring building. Through the dark windows of the car, I could see two more security guys standing on watch. Dad really did have the place covered.

Ben parked and quickly hopped out of the car to escort me upstairs. Again, I marveled at how sweet he could be when he wanted to. As we reached the second-floor side entrance, he leaned over to give me a soft peck on the cheek.

“Have a good night, asshole,” he said with a sweet smile.

“Thanks, bitch,” I replied, with my own smirk.

I pushed open the door and was met with an enchanting sight. In the middle of a small, private dining room stood my dad. He was wearing a tuxedo and holding a bouquet of pink and white camellias.

The soft glow of the candles on the table was only enhanced by the stunning stained glass windows all around the space. There was a small bar on one side, behind which was a kitchen. The tantalizing smells wafting through the room meant that dinner was already in the works. Aromas of garlic and rosemary swirled around me, making me acutely aware that I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.

“Hi, honey. God, you look so beautiful. So grown up. I have to say, I know it’s only officially been a few hours, but 25 suits you.”

“Thanks, dad. And what about you? I knew that tonight was a formal occasion…but a tux? You outdid yourself, you handsome devil.”

“Anything for my girl. Now come on, sit down, have a glass of wine, and tell me about your day.”

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me towards our table. He set the flowers down next to my seat; and like the true gentleman he was, he pulled my chair out for me. He allowed me to sit, and gave me a kiss on the top of the head before taking his own seat.

I was feeling comfortable. My dad was here, we were in a beautiful restaurant for dinner, and I had officially gone five whole minutes without thinking of Matthias.

Then, as if on cue…I saw him.

He stood, shrouded in partial darkness, against one of the walls with a hand in his pocket. He was wearing what looked to be a dark gray suit jacket, white shirt, and some sort of dark printed tie. He looked good. He looked damn good. And then I saw them: suspenders. That bastard was wearing suspenders. For my money, there was nothing sexier in the world than a man who could wear them well. And dammit, he was certainly a man that could. His broad chest and thick waist made those suspenders my new favorite fantasy. Fate, it seemed, was a very cruel mistress.

He was looking at me. In that moment, I was so glad that I hadn’t seen him when I walked in. I would never have been able to keep my cool or even stay on my feet if I had noticed him before now. He obviously hadn’t shaved in a while and the stubble adorning his face made him look even sexier than usual, if that was even possible.

As if the night hadn’t already taken a sharp turn, he stared right into my eyes. His stormy blue orbs raked the length of my body and I felt totally exposed under his sultry gaze.  

‘No, Nea. Don’t do this to yourself.’

Luckily, my dad was there to bring me back to present.

Matthias was not the guy from the hike. He was not the guy who told me about loving Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. He was not the guy who almost kissed me on the hilltop. He was not the guy who held my hand in the ambulance for the whole ride to the hospital. He was just some security guy who worked for my dad. Nothing more.

I broke his gaze and turned all of my attention to my dad. He had picked a succulent wine for us to sip while waiting for our food and I almost moaned out loud after the first taste. This was what a birthday should be. Good company, good wine, and a bit of conversation.

“So, sweetheart, I know that you said ‘no presents’”, my dad said while pulling a small box out of his pocket, “but I saw this a couple months ago and had to get it for you. I was going to send it to you this summer, but I’m so happy that I get to give it to you in person. I hope you like it.”

Inside, was a delicate silver chain with a tiny aquamarine stone. It was so beautiful.

“Dad, I don’t even know what to say! It’s absolutely perfect! I love it.”

“The aquamarine signifies wisdom. It also means that you are courageous and have a fighting spirit. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect stone for you. I know that I’ve told you this before, but I am prouder of you than my words could ever describe. I wish your mother was here with us to see what an amazing woman you’ve become…what an amazing woman you’ve been for some time. Two weeks ago, when you came home and I almost lost you…I just…it made me afraid on so many levels. My main concern, of course, was the thought of losing my daughter. But underneath that, was the fear of the world losing you. You have so many gifts to give and so much talent and love and bravery. When I used to go to your parent teacher conferences, I never cared about your grades. You are smart enough and resourceful enough that I knew you’d always do well academically. No. What made me proud was when the teachers told me how good you were-how nice you were to all the other kids. You never excluded anyone. You were a kind soul, even at such a young age. That is your gift. Your heart is what you bring to the world. And I can’t wait to sit back and watch.”

I didn’t have the words to thank him. How do you respond to something like that?

I rose from my chair and walked to his side of the table. He stood and met me with open arms. For several minutes, we stood and held each other.

Before he released me, I whispered in his ear, “You. It’s you. All I ever wanted was to be you.”  

Footsteps coming from the direction of the kitchen brought us out of our moment. Lydia, the owner, smiled warmly and walked towards us with two impeccably perfect looking plates of food. As dad and I reclaimed our seats, she began to describe our dishes.

“Good evening, you two. We’re so glad to have you with us tonight. This evening’s meal is grilled rosemary pork chops, roasted garlic gorgonzola mashed potatoes, and herbed mushrooms in a white wine sauce. I hope that everything is to your liking. My staff and I will be downstairs if you need anything at all. As you requested, we also prepared a plate for each member of your security team. Please enjoy.”

With a sincere smile and a final nod, she walked past the bar and through a door leading to the main dining area downstairs.

“Oh, my God, dad. This literally may be the greatest thing I’ve ever seen,” I said, staring at my plate.

He gave me a wink, before picking up his fork. “Happy Birthday, Nea. Dig in, sweetheart.”

I gave him a big, bright grin. And just before trying my first bite, I quietly added, “Thanks for feeding the guys. Ben will be talking about this for months.”

“It was the least I could do. They work around the clock. Couldn’t have asked for a better team.” At this, he turned just in time to see Matthias stealthily slipping into the small kitchen area behind the bar holding his plate. “Enjoy your dinner, son,” he said warmly. Just before disappearing out of sight, Matthias’ gaze locked with mine again. His look was soft and intense, not unlike the one he had given me on the hilltop the day we went hiking. The look he had given me just before our almost kiss.

‘Nea…don’t.’

Dad and I made casual conversation as we ate. The food was mouth-wateringly good. The pork chops were tender and flavorful and the white wine sauce on the mushrooms was insane. However, the mashed potatoes were the best. Gorgonzola cheese was one of my favorite things in the world. I wondered, momentarily, if dad had relayed that information ahead of time, or if this was just some happy coincidence. Either way, I knew that I would be requesting these…a lot. I know that I said I was against my dad requesting special favors; but these mashed potatoes were worth the potential scandal.

As we were finishing the main course, dad’s phone started to ring. He looked at it before shooting me the look and standing up from his chair. I knew it well. That look meant, ‘I’m going to answer this and I know you’ll hate it, but I’ll keep it as quick as possible’.

Upon hearing the chair being pushed away from the table, Matthias materialized from behind the bar, apparently intent upon following my dad.  

“Nea, I need to get this, honey. Sit, enjoy your wine, and keep Matthias company. Decide what we’re having for dessert! I’ll be right back.”

Matthias moved to trail him out the door.

“No. Son, you stay here. Ben is right over at the top of the stairs. I’ll grab him on my way out and take him with me. You stay and entertain my beautiful birthday girl.”

Matthias just watched my father walk out. He glanced back at me before looking away and lowering his gaze.

Fine then.

I grabbed my wine glass and rose from my seat. I’d been admiring the stunning windows in this room since we were seated at the table. This was my chance to get a closer look.

There was one that caught my eye. It was a beautiful tree with layer upon layer of color. Browns, golds, blues, and reds bled into one another and swirled around the delicate branches. The center seemed to glow as if the setting sun had been captured just as it had dipped below the horizon. The panels of glass seemed to flow into one another, almost as if it were a watercolor painting instead of a window.

I didn’t even hear him come up behind me.

“That one’s my favorite too.”

They were the first words he’d said to me since ‘I’m sorry’. As much as I hated it, his voice sent a shiver down my spine.

Without turning to face him, I sadly replied, “Yes, it’s really beautiful. My dad picked a good spot for tonight.”

I was trying to hold myself together. I could hear my voice cracking with emotion, and I knew he could too. But I couldn’t go down this road with him again. It hurt too much.

“Nea”, he said softly. “Nea, please look at me,” he pleaded.

“No.”

“No?”

“Matthias, I…I can’t.”

Instead of asking again, he stepped in front of me and looked me right in the eyes.

I could feel my walls crumbling, but I refused to give in. I was strong. I knew what I wanted and what I deserved. The look in his blue eyes was killing me, but I kept my head held high and bravely met his stare.

“Even when furious at me, you’re still so beautiful,” he said, shaking his head. “The way your dad talks about you is amazing. He’s so lucky to have you in his life.”

That did it.

“Stop!” I yelled, as I put both hands on his chest and shoved him back. “Stop pushing me away and then saying bullshit things like that! Stop avoiding me for days and then leaving me presents! You can’t do this to me! Do you know how hard these last two weeks have been? Do you have any idea? I felt safe with you. I feel safe with you. You saved my life and you don’t seem to care. I had to hear from Ben that you got stabbed. BEN! You weren’t even with me at the hospital when I woke up. You were everything I needed, and then you just left me. I have never wanted anything in my life the way that I want you and it’s KILLING me that you don’t feel the same!”

He stepped back towards me and reached for my hand. I pulled back and stood with both arms at my sides, resolutely waiting for his response with my chin held high. He took a deep breath before looking right into my eyes.

“Nea, do you think this has been easy for me? I was supposed to keep you safe. I was supposed to take care of you. But I couldn’t. You ended up in the hospital with bruises and stitches! That fucking destroyed me! I sat by your bed as long as I could. Leaving that hospital room was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. My heart shattered. You are amazing. You are so fucking amazing. You are smart and kind and selfless. You care about everyone around you. Do you know how hard it’s been getting briefings from Ben every day? Knowing that he gets to be near you all the time and I don’t! Seeing you tonight in that dress is torture because you are the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. But that’s not why I want you. After only 48 hours with you, I told you about Top Hat. Do you know how many people know that about me? None. Zero! I absolutely cannot lose someone else that I care about. And I hate feeling like this because I know that no matter how much I care, I will never be able to keep you completely safe. I NEED you, goddamit!”

And there it was.

Our admissions hung in the air around us. I felt breathless and shaky. I needed something to anchor me back to the Earth.

“Fuck it. I can’t do this anymore.”

Before I could ask what ‘this’ meant, there was a hand at the small of my back and one tangled in my hair. He pulled me to him and crashed his lips against mine.

This was no ‘getting-to-know-you’ kiss. It was fire and longing and two people who couldn’t deny what was between them any longer. There was no build-up. I immediately opened to his searching tongue and met it with my own. He angled his head and pulled me even closer, if that was possible. I could feel the long, hard lines of his body pressed against the curves of my own. One of my hands went to the back of his neck, just to make sure that, this time, he wasn’t going anywhere. I could hear a growl come from his throat and the hand at my waist traveled up to the span of bare back exposed by my dress. His warm hand on my skin forced a purr from my own mouth. The initial intensity of the kiss faded and we stood wrapped in each other by the glow of that ethereal window. His kisses were drugging and sinful. His skilled tongue and soft lips twisted and wrapped around my own. With one last suck to my bottom lip, he released my mouth and pulled away. He did not, however, let me go. His hand remained on the exposed skin of my back and the other hand traveled to the side of my face, those strong fingers almost unconsciously caressing the spot where my stitches had been.

For the second time tonight, I was at a loss for words. I’m not sure that words had been invented yet for the feelings that were surging through my body. I needed just a second to collect my thoughts and figure out my next move. I gently moved out of his embrace and walked over to the table where I had left my phone. Picking it up, I fired off a quick text before setting it back down. Matthias didn’t say a word, he just watched me intently.

“Who are you texting?”

“Ben. I want to know how much longer my father will be on his call.”

“And…?”

As if on cue, my phone vibrated with an incoming message. I checked it quickly before setting the phone back on the table.

“He said about 3 or 4 minutes. Matthias, I…”

“No. Not now. We can save that conversation for later. Right now, I just need you to come back over here. Your dad will be back soon, and I really want to do that again.”

My heart leapt and I felt a lightness in my step that hadn’t been there in weeks. I walked towards him with purpose. I wanted his hands back on my body and his mouth on mine. I reached him and placed both hands on his chest, each one grabbing a handful of suspender. I dragged him towards me slowly and licked my lips.

“Like the suspenders, do you?”

“Oh…you have no idea…”

Our lips were just about to touch when it happened.

Loud pops and the sounds of shattering glass pierced the silence; and instead of pulling me into his arms, Matthias pushed me to the ground.

Gunshots. They were gunshots.

Matthias grabbed his radio and immediately began barking orders.

“Agents 3, 4, 5, and 6, assess situation and sweep the perimeter! Make sure that both cars have a clear alley exit. Detain assailants if possible. I’m with Linnea. I’ll be taking her out the side entrance and down to vehicle 2. Ben is with her dad. They are closest to the back exit. Ben, get him out and into vehicle 1. Team, go NOW!”

I was trembling with fear.

“Nea! Nea, listen to me! I am going to get you out of here. Behind the bar and through the kitchen is an exit. It leads down to the side alley that Ben parked you guys in when you got here. I have two agents down there now clearing it so that we can leave safely. Stay low and get there. I will be behind you until we are in the kitchen. Then I need you to get behind me as we leave. We’re going to be ok.”

I didn’t ask questions. Instead, I pulled him to me and kissed him hard. After all it took to get us here, I knew we would be ok. I knew he would get us out. I just…knew.

He nodded to me before yelling, “Go!”

I crawled across the hardwood floor towards the bar. I stayed low just like Matthias had told me to. I didn’t look behind me, but I could hear him. Every now and then, he’d ask for a status update or yell at one of his guys to move to another location. Now I was really seeing why he was hired for this job. He was good. He was very good.

As I reached the kitchen, I pushed myself up to my feet. Matthias was right there. One arm went around my shoulders; and even though he didn’t say anything to me, he gave me a quick squeeze, just to let me know that I had done well.

As we got to the exit, he stepped in front of me, shielding me from whatever may be waiting on the other side of the door.

“Nea, we’re going to move quickly. When we get to the bottom of the stairs, get into the car as fast as you can. Get to the lowest point you can in the vehicle and don’t raise your head until I give you the ‘all clear’. Got it?”

All I could do was nod.

Drawing his sidearm from its holster, he barked another update to his team. “This is Agent 1. Exiting building now. In 3-2-1…”

The door swung open. I could hear shots, but none of them were coming from the alley below.

The next few seconds happened so quickly. Looking back, I don’t even remember going down the stairs and getting into the car. It was surreal, as if it was happening to someone else. Following his instructions, I got down as low as I could and curled up on the floor in the backseat. The driver’s side door slammed and Matthias quickly started the vehicle and pulled onto the street. I had my hands over my ears to drown out the sounds of the continuing gunfire. Tears of fear and relief flowed freely from my eyes. Fear for my dad, Matthias, Ben, and the rest of the team…not to mention Lydia and her staff who had been so wonderful to us tonight. Relief that Matthias had kept his promise. We were out and we were ok.

I could hear the muffled sounds of him on his phone communicating with the rest of the team, but I couldn’t focus enough to hear any of the conversation. After what could have been hours, but was, in reality, probably only ten or fifteen minutes, I felt Matthias reach into the backseat and tap me on the hip. I knew this was the ‘all clear’.

I sat up and leaned forward so that my head was between the two front seats. I needed to see him and be close to him. My left hand found its way to his right shoulder and he briefly turned his head to brush his cheek along the top of it. An unspoken, ‘I’m here.’

“Nea, it’s ok. We’re ok. Are you hurt? Please God, say ‘no’.”

“I’m ok. I’m ok. Thanks to you,” I said, my voice shaking. I left my hand where it rested on his shoulder, giving the muscle a soft squeeze.

For a few moments, we sat in silence, quietly assuring one another that we were safe.

Once I felt my breathing return to normal, I took in our surroundings. I didn’t recognize a thing. Why were we driving out of the city? Why wasn’t he taking me back to the house?

“Matthias, where are we? Why aren’t we going home?”

“Nea…we can’t.”

“What? Why?”

“I’ll explain everything when we get there.”

“Get where? Matthias, you’re scaring me…”

“Nea, we need to disappear for two or three days. We’re headed to a safehouse.”

“Ok. So, my dad and Ben will meet us there, right?”

“No. It’s just going to be you and me.”

He must have felt my immediate panic.

“Nea, I promise to tell you everything. Everything. But right now, we need to get someplace safe. Everything will be alright. Do you trust me?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I extended my free hand towards the dash. Matthias immediately knew what I needed and took his right hand off the wheel. His fingers tangled with my own and he brought my hand to his lips for a soft kiss.

I sat there in complete and utter shock. Luckily the soft caress of his fingers against my own kept me grounded in the moment. I did my best to focus on his touch, knowing that I would have the full picture soon.

A safehouse…

What the fuck was happening? Why wasn’t it safe to go home? Was my dad alright?

And how was I going to survive being alone for three days with this man…?

**********

@virgosapphire79, @thihaf, @dauntlessmetalmom, @iammarylastar, @son-of-a-bbitch, @lostinvoyage, @vaisabu, @thehound-and-thebird, @dean-67-impala, @bookwarm85, @alexandrajackson93, @darebearxo, @mimigemrose, @ashtotes, @soldatbarnes, @anditcametopass, @hows-my-hair, @nickysurfer28, @queensoybean, @emmysrandomthoughts, @dream-on-dina, @scissor-win-ski, @to-hold-me-and-to-hide-me, @misshyen, @inkinterrupted, @james-k-delaney, @niktwosixteen, @feminamortem, @b-j-d, @pathybo, @adudewritingpoetry, @danleto97, @angelswannawearmyredshooz, @thestarlighthotel, @beautifulramblingbrains, @inopinion