by Robin Roseau
That was utter hogwash. I wondered if she would buy it.
"You didn't even doubt you could take them," she said. "I saw the way you looked at them. I am an actress. I am a professional at reading people."
"Then you tell me."
"You're not human."
"Oh?" I asked. "Then what am I?"
"I don't know. A space alien."
I chuckled.
"Or. Um. A vampire."
"We've been outside a lot," I said. "Don't vampires burn in daylight?"
"Maybe you're a very old vampire," she said. "They can go out in daylight."
"I didn't know that," I said. "I'm sorry, I'm only thirty-something."
"Thirty-something?" she asked.
"A girl has to have some secrets," I told her.
She laughed. "All right. You're not a vampire." She studied me. "You're not military."
"And I'm not a space alien. I'm just me, Suzanne. Your bodyguard. Isn't that enough?"
"For now," she said finally. "I'll drop this if you tell me why you're sad today."
"And never bring it up again?"
"No. I won't bring it up until the next time I need to blackmail you into telling me what I want to know."
I smiled. "I miss my babies," I told her. "That's all."
"You have babies?"
"My wife has babies. We have babies. Um. You know what I mean."
"Why are you here with me then?"
"She kicked me out of the house. I did something she didn't want me to do."
"So?"
"I did something she really, really didn't want me to do."
"What?"
"Something illegal."
"Oh," she said. She didn't say anything for a while, and I thought perhaps that was the end of it. "Did anyone get hurt?"
"I can't answer any questions on that, Suzanne."
"Did the people who got hurt deserve it?"
"Yes."
"Does she know that?"
"Yes."
"Then she'll forgive you," Suzanne said simply. "Give her time."
I looked away, watching the people in the coffee shop. We were getting a few looks.
"We need to go," I said. "We're gathering attention."
"I know," she said. "They're watching you, not me. One of them is about to ask you for a date."
I glanced over to see one of the guys accept a nudge from his buddies.
"My god," I said. "Are they even out of college?"
Suzanne glanced over. "Twenty-five, but you're hot. I'd do you in an instant. If, you know, you weren't a mommy and all."
The guy worked his way through the room, coming straight towards us.
"Time to go."
"I'm not done drinking my coffee," Suzanne said, leaning back in her chair and smiling sweetly at me.
"It's time to go, Suzanne," I repeated.
"Agree to answer my questions and we'll go."
But then the guy was there, staring at me. "Hi," he said.
"Hi," I replied.
"Have we met before?"
I glanced at him. "Are you a guard at Maryland Correctional Institute for Women?"
"What?" He said. "No. I'm Congresswoman Delancy's aide."
"Ah, then we probably haven't met," I said.
The guy couldn't have backed away faster, fleeing to his buddies. Suzanne was silently laughing.
"Seriously," she said. "That's what you came up with?"
"I had to think fast," I replied, scanning the room. "May we go?"
She nodded. I disposed of our coffee cups, and she took my arm as we exited the coffee shop.
"We've talked about this," I told her, freeing my arm.
"Is that where you learned how to fight?" she asked.
"Where?"
"Prison?"
"Maybe," I said.
* * * *
She took me to a nightclub that night. It made me nervous, but the light was dim, and she assured me no one was going to recognize her. I wore my LBD again.
"Don't you have anything better?"
"Sure," I said. "I have a full wardrobe back at the mansion, but I think my wife would scratch my eyes out if I showed up. Or yours."
"Mansion?" I asked.
"Sure," I said. "Don't I look rich?"
She looked at me, cocking her head. "I can never tell when you're kidding."
I sighed. "If I were rich, would I be your bodyguard?"
"Maybe you're an adrenalin junkie," she suggested.
"There's skydiving for that, or Wal-Mart for Christmas shopping."
She laughed.
There was a line at the club. Suzanne led the way to the back of the line.
"Don't you cut the line?" I asked.
"Only if I want to be recognized," she said. But then she eyed me. "But maybe you can get us in." She smiled sweetly. "Come on. Let's see what you can do."
"We can wait in line," I told her.
She smiled fiendishly at me. "Do you like to live dangerously?"
"I'm a bodyguard," I told her. "You tell me."
"If you get us in, I'll pay you an extra five thousand dollars."
"And if I can't?"
"Then you answer any of my questions."
"I don't think so," I said. "We can go somewhere else."
"Three questions," she said. "You answer three questions."
I studied her. "What three questions?"
"First question: what are your babies' names?"
"All right. Next?"
"What did you do that your wife kicked you out?"
I thought about it. "I'm sorry, I can't."
She frowned. "Okay. Tell me why you did whatever you did."
"All right," I said. "Last question?"
"Have you thought about sleeping with me?"
I laughed. "Fine. Come on." I pulled her to the front of the line, ignoring the protests from behind us. I got the doorman's attention and tried flirting with him.
I didn't have a clue how to flirt with a man, and I knew I was failing miserably. He watched me for a minute then turned away, letting one more couple in the door.
"Oh for heaven's sake," Suzanne said. Before I could respond, she pulled me into her arms and gave me a huge kiss, with tongue, right in front of the doorman. I struggled for a minute, and eventually she released me.
The doorman opened the door for us.
Suzanne brushed my lips with her fingers, brushing away a little dampness, then, giggling, pulled me into the nightclub.
It was dim, and the music was loud. Suzanne pulled me to a free table in the corner, and it was a little quieter. She flagged down a waitress and ordered wine. I asked for a diet soda.
"She'll have wine, too," Suzanne said.
"And the soda," I added.
I watched the crowed but spoke to Suzanne. "You can't do that again!"
"Why not?" she said. "It was nice. Didn't you think it was nice?"
"Lara is the jealous type," I said. "And I am the loyal type."
"She's not here to get jealous, and she threw you out," Suzanne said. "That makes you a free agent."
"Suzanne, don't do it again, or find another bodyguard. I mean it."
"Oh fine," she said in a sharp voice. "It wasn't that good a kiss anyway. You're sort of a limp fish."
I glanced at her, and she was grinning.
"Suzanne-"
"Relax, Michaela," she said. "You made your point. I will assuage my hurt feelings by making you work to do your job." She studied me. "If I get mauled, Greg will fire you."
I couldn't decide if she was serious. I shrugged at her. Let him fire me.
"You act like you don't care."
"I'm a survivor," I said. "I would get by."
The waitress returned with our drinks. I took a sip of my wine to be polite, then switched to the soda.
Suzanne pressed her leg against mine under the table. I glared at her.
"Hey," she said. "It's crowded in here, that's all." She drank more of her wine
. "So, first question. What are your babies' names?"
"I got us in. You owe me five grand."
"I got us in," she fired back. "You owe me three answers. What are their names?"
I sighed. "Celeste Elisabeth and Rebecca Angel," I replied. "They're four and a half months old."
"Why did you do whatever it was you did?" Suzanne asked.
"It's complicated," I replied.
"That's not an answer."
"They were a threat to my babies," I replied.
She studied me. "Why were they a threat?"
"I answered your question."
"No, you didn't. You haven't told me anything. Why were they a threat?"
I looked away, watching the crowd. No one paid us any particular attention, and the corner table was sufficiently isolated we were, at least temporarily, safe.
"They were given to believe if they kidnapped our babies, my wife would pay them off."
"How did they come to this conclusion?"
"I have answered your question, Suzanne."
She looked away, taking a large drink from her glass. Finally she looked back at me. "I would have paid you if you had gotten us in. Do you usually renege on your debts?"
"I did something illegal, Suzanne," I said. "If I tell you too much, it could lead to trouble for both of us later."
"I'm not asking what you did. I am only asking you why."
"Because she's paid off before, okay?" I said hotly. "She had already paid them off once."
Suzanne's eyes grew wide. "For the babies?"
"No," I said.
"Do you have other children?"
"No."
"Oh god, Michaela," she said. "For you?"
I looked away.
We sat quietly for several minutes. Then she rubbed her leg against mine.
"Suzanne," I said, pulling my leg away.
"Have you?"
"Have I what?"
"Have you thought about sleeping with me?" she asked.
I turned back to her. "The only woman I want to sleep with is my wife."
"Have you thought about it?" she asked again.
"I already answered you."
"No, you haven't. It's a yes or no question. Have you thought about it?"
"Sleep, yes," I said. "The chair wasn't comfortable. Have sex with, no."
She smiled. "If you hadn't thought about it, you wouldn't be afraid of sharing the bed with me. It's a big bed."
"Suzanne," I said. "If my wife ever forgives me, she is going to ask me about what I did during this time. My wife can be very persistent in her questioning, and it can be very difficult for me to lie to her. I do not intend to have anything else to apologize for. I think I already have enough."
"Right, yes," she said after a moment. "I'm sorry." I felt her eyes on me. "I'm not used to someone turning me down."
"That's because everyone wants something from you."
"And because I'm just that amazing," Suzanne said, but she was smiling again.
"Well, Suzanne," I said. "I want two things from you. I want you to allow me to do my job. And I want you to stop giving me more things to explain to Lara later."
She held out her hand. "All right. Shake on it. I'll give you what you want if you give me what I want."
"Suzanne, god damn it!"
"Hey, you haven't even heard what I want."
"Fine," I replied. "What do you want?"
"Dance with me."
"Suzanne-"
"Dance. That's all. I won't stop flirting, but I'll keep it under control. And you can have the bed tonight."
"That's not necessary," I said.
"We'll share it. I promise to stay way on my side of the bed. We're both small, neither of us take much space."
I sighed and shook her hand.
* * * *
Suzanne, by and large, behaved after that. Our first week drew to a close, and she told me, "We're going to New York for a few days. I want to go shopping." I called Greg and he told me to stay with her.
We went to New York in the morning. We had lunch and then went shopping. Suzanne bought several outfits for herself then insisted I try on a red dress.
"It goes perfectly with your hair," she told me. "And it's your size, I'm sure it is."
"I can't guard you from the dressing room."
"I guess I need to go with you then."
We fought over it.
"I'm going to win, Michaela. The sooner you realize that, the sooner we can get past this."
I growled and let her follow me to the dressing room. She waited outside my door and I tried on the dress. It fit perfectly.
"Let me see."
I opened the dressing room door.
"Wow!" she said after a moment. "Stockings and shoes and maybe a little adornment."
"Suzanne, no."
"We've talked about this, Michaela. What Suzanne wants, Suzanne gets. I'm tired of your LBD. We're getting the dress, and you must be properly outfitted."
Before we were done, she bought more clothes for me than she did for herself. She tried to buy completely impractical shoes for me, but I told her, "I won't wear them. I can't protect you in shoes like that."
"Will you stop fussing if I get you ugly shoes?"
I sighed. "Yes."
* * * *
We stayed in New York for four nights. Suzanne kept her word. She flirted heavily, but she didn't get any more physically forward than she had been. If Lara ever took me back, I would have to explain one kiss, but I hadn't instigated it, and I knew in the scheme of things, she would forgive me for it.
I flew back with her to Los Angeles, riding with her in the limousine to her house. Her house was beautiful, of course, and I quietly admitted I was impressed.
Her main guards secured the house and then I escorted her inside. We left the bags for the hired help.
"You are officially off duty," she said, closing the exterior door. "We can let our hair down."
"I need to return to Boulder," I told her.
"Your flight is in the morning," she said. "It's late and the flight crew is tired."
She gave me a tour of her house. It was large, far larger than one person would need.
"I bought it when I had my large retinue and was throwing lavish parties four times a week," she said with a grin. "This is my room."
It was huge but tastefully decorated. I looked around. "You can stay here with me tonight, if you want."
"Suzanne," I said. "No."
"Fine. Party pooper. We could have a wonderful slumber party, but you're a prude." But she led me out of her bedroom and to the bedroom across the hall. "Yours."
"It's beautiful, Suzanne," I said.
"It could be yours for as long as you want," she said, eyeing me up and down with a grin.
"You're just looking for a conquest," I said. "It won't be me. I am immune to your charms."
"I bet I can crack your nut by midnight tonight if you stop saying 'no' all the time."
"No."
She laughed. "Why did I know you were going to say that?"
Suzanne and I had a nice time for our last evening together. She ordered Chinese food and we watched movies. She grinned at me and said, "You haven't seen my movies? Seriously?"
I laughed. "No. But tell me you aren't that vain."
She pouted. "I was just hoping the star power would wear you down."
"You were not," I said. "You like knowing there's not a thing I want from you, not even your body."
She studied me. "How about one of the classics, then?"
We watched a couple of Marilyn Monroe films and went to bed. In separate beds.
Supreme Betrayal
I got back to Boulder late afternoon on the next day. It was Saturday, and I'd been gone nearly two weeks. I got picked up at the airport and had a debriefing with Greg right away.
"The client was very pleased," he said after extracting everything he could from me. "She says you are exactly the woman for the job and wants you on
permanent retainer."
"I don't know what that means, Greg."
"She wants you on the next flight back to Los Angeles, Michaela."
"Oh." I looked down into my lap. "What did you tell her?"
"I told her something was coming up here that I needed you for, and we would get back to her after that."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Was it that rough?" he asked gently.
"She kept trying to lure me to bed."
He laughed. "And that would be so bad?"
"Greg," I said quietly. "I'm married."
"Even though she banished you?"
"Maybe she'll forgive me someday."
"All right," he said. "Your bank in Madison has branches in Colorado. Here is your balance."
He slid a piece of paper to me.
"How is it you have this information?" I asked.
He grinned.
I looked at the numbers. The number was one hundred, twenty thousand, and change. "I don't understand."
"We did almost nothing for your recent issues," he said. "I offered you a refund. Consider it a partial apology for not being there for you when you needed us. Plus your salary and bonus pay for the last two weeks."
"Bonus pay?"
"Our employees are paid a flat, although small base salary and bonus pay based on the jobs they perform." He gave me more paperwork, which I glanced through.
"Thank you," I said.
"Take the next few days off," he said. "I'll need you Tuesday beginning at ten AM."
"Do you have more to tell me?"
"We are facilitating a meeting between two pack alphas," he said. "You will be available and observe."
"Should I look for anything in particular?"
"I don't have anything in mind right now, but I will want your impressions later."
I nodded.
* * * *
Tuesday morning rolled around. Wendy and Cameron met me at my room in the morning. I was dressed casually. Wendy took one look and told me, "Business casual. Change. Then we'll go to breakfast. You can bring your knives, but leave your gun."
I nodded and changed, and we went to breakfast. Over breakfast I asked them if there was anything else I needed to know about the meeting today. Neither of them had much to offer. It wasn't even nine by the time we finished breakfast, but neither of them seemed to want me to head back to my room.
"You can tell us all about Suzette," Wendy said. "Come on, we can head to my quarters. They're bigger."