Chapter 3

After Donya left, we pick up our glasses and the leftover pizza and take them into the kitchen.

"Let me give you a tour of the weapon locations." I say to him as I walk past him. " We will start upstairs and work our way back down."

We go upstairs and I start in his bedroom. I had placed two 9mm handguns under his mattress. One on each side of the bed. I placed one in his bathroom drawer and a double barrel shotgun behind his bedroom door. We continue throughout the house and I realize he is following me but is not really paying attention any longer. I stop and look at him.

"Are you paying attention?"

"I am absolutely watching every move you make." He replies with a cocky smirk.

"Hey Casanova, you can stop the flirting before you even start."

He cocks up one eyebrow and replies, "I am not flirting, yet. When I turn on my charm, you will know it."

"No charm, no flirt, ever. Got it?" I say sternly hoping that I get my message across.

I can usually deal with the annoying flirtations from my clients but with him, I don't know it is different. I need him to keep his distance. Everything about this case is on a different level. I need to figure out my unfamiliar feelings. His voice breaks me out of my thoughts.

"Do you not ever sleep with your clients?"

"No, I never have." I answer quickly.

"Why?"

"Several reasons actually, one is that I have to maintain focus at all times, losing focus can lead to losing lives. Another reason is that I don't do meaningless hookups, this is a job not a real relationship. I don't just give myself to anybody. I believe that sex is meant to be an expression of love."

"You are not a virgin are you?"

"No, I had a 3 year relationship with a former coworker." I reply evenly.

"Former coworker?"

"Yeah he was one of the bodyguards for the agency, he cheated on me, he died painfully." I said unflinchingly.

I look up at him expecting to see a look of horror but instead I see an unreadable blank stare. He maintains the eye contact as he says, "It just so happens that I am a relationship kind of guy and I am extremely patient. I can wait till this is all over to be with you. We have plenty of time to get to know each other in the mean time."

My brain must have hit overload because all I could say was, "Oh."

"Will you ever get out of this business?" he asks.

I am slightly taken aback but I answer steadily, "I own the business and I have employees that depend on their paycheck, so as long as my business is making money I will be in the business."

"No, I mean the date escort side of the business."

" I want a husband and kids one day, so when that time comes, I will end this part of the business."

He smiles and says, "Good to know." and walks out of the room.

I stand there for a minute letting his words sink in as I hear a motion sensor alarm go off on my phone. I pull my phone out to look at the camera and see someone climbing his gate.

"Branton, you have someone coming over your gate. Get down."

I grab my rifle and go to the window facing the fence that the intruder is scaling and open it quietly. I look through my scope and get the site set on my target. I can only get a clear shot of his leg so I take the shot. The shot hits his thigh and he drops. I watch through my scope as another person runs into my view. I do not recognize either one of them. I fire another shot over their head and that sends them into retreat.

I download and email Donya all surveillance footage caught by the cameras. The camera caught their car and license plate. I call Donya and give her the details and have her watch for gun shot wounds entering nearby ER's . She is with Emo and she has him looking through available traffic cameras. I get off the phone and turn to see Branton standing there staring at me before he finally breaks the silence.

"Dont punch me."

"Why would I..." before I could finish my sentence he had taken two long strides and crashes his lips into mine.

I am frozen then his tongue licks my lips and I allow his tongue to slip into my mouth. I thread my fingers into his hair and deepen the kiss. Reluctantly I pull away.

I look up at him, "I am not going to punch you. I enjoyed it and would love to do it again but we can't. I am not use to these strange feelings I have around you but I have to focus."

He responds knowingly, "I know and I agree but I dont think we can deny there is something here." Gesturing between us.

"I am not going to deny it, but let's focus on keeping you alive for now."

He nods slowly, "For now."

"We should probably go to bed soon. I am going to do a quick perimeter walk and then set the alarm for the night. Go on to bed and I will see you in the morning."

"I can come with you."

"No I don't think that is a good idea. They don't know me, I am not the one with a target on my back. You go on to bed. I will be fine."

He finally agrees with a faint nod, "Alright, good night then."

I wait till I see his bedroom door closes then I do a quick walk. I check all the cameras and motion sensors then go back in and lock up, setting the alarm. I trudge up to my bedroom and take a quick shower, put on a tshirt and shorts then collapse into my bed.

I fall asleep quickly but I am awoken suddenly by something. I lay perfectly still then I hear a motion sensor alarm. I grab my phone and see it the sensor from the back yard. Of course, it is. We cant stay here after tonight. I crawl to Brantons room. I get into his room, crawl to his bed and shake him lightly while whispering his name. I hear him answer.

"Are you ok?" He asks

I dive onto his bed as we both hear another alarm goes off. I look at my phone. It is alerting us that the person is on the balcony outside my room. We ease off the bed into the floor and I grab the gun under his mattress and turn to him and say,

"Stay out of sight, we dont know what we are dealing with. I only see one on the cameras but there could be more."

He nodded at me and I start easing my way back to my room. I am hidden in the shadow as the person busts in through the balcony door. I step out of the shadow and yell to the intruder,

"Leave now or I will drop you where you stand."

The man freezes and looks at me. He is an unknown, just another hired thug. He gives a low chuckle and starts to raise his gun but before he could aim properly I put a bullet between his eyes. I quickly pull up the surveillance camera and scan the area for more assassins and find none. I pull out my phone and call Donya and our cleanup team. I turn to go to Branton and find him already behind me.

"The cleanup team is on their way as well as Donya and Emo. I am not familiar with him so my guess is a hired hitman. We will get his identity and Emo will run his background."

He looks up at me then back down at the dead body then says,

"You are not sleeping in here tonight are you?"

I look at him and answer knowing there isn't another bed available, "No I will just sleep on the couch for the night. I think tomorrow we will be moving locations. I don't usually do this but we are going to stay at my house after tonight."

He looks at me and nods but then says, "Going to your house is fine but you can sleep in the bed with me tonight. I won't try anything just sleep."

I look for any hint of a lie but see none so I answer him, "We can share a bed tonight, besides it's probably going to be a long night."