A blast from the past (5)

"Mom, is he really your boyfriend?" Kara asked in exasperation when she finally had a chance to speak to her mother.

They'd had dinner and Mark had left, even kissing Sianna on the cheek. But Kara was not blind, and she knew that no one would shudder when kissed by their boyfriend. Sianna was definitely terrified of him.

Alas, she didn't seem to want to open up. She flashed the brightest smile. "He is. Isn't he the best?"

Kara ran a hand through her hair. "That's not…"

"Are you assuming that I'm too old to have a boyfriend?"

"What? No. I…" She clamped her mouth shut. Sianna was trying to make her drop the topic.

Hence, she took both of her hands and held them. "If you two are really in a relationship, I wish you the best. But if there is something going on that you are not telling me about…"

"There is nothing." Sianna interrupted.

"Okay. I need to go somewhere." She stood to leave, and although Sianna did not try to stop her, Kara could see it in her eyes. She was scared.

She kissed her cheek. "I will never let anything happen to you, mother."

Sianna didn't utter a word but her relief was evident as she embraced her daughter. Kara made a call as soon as she left the house, asking Ash to guard Sianna's house. Ash was her friend and a former top assassin, and she could make herself invisible while digging whatever dirt could be found.

Meanwhile, she drove to a place she didn't think she would ever go in this lifetime.

_____

Santino's mansion was more guarded than Fort Knox. It was nearly impossible to get in, and the guards only relented and announced her presence because they remembered her.

When she was finally shown into the ornate compound, she held in the urge to feel for the gun tucked at the side of her waist and covered with her jacket. She hoped she wouldn't need it. Not that she would be able to get away with her life if Santino decided to end her, anyway.

"Hey!" She yelped when a bodyguard lifted her jacket and slid her gun out. He didn't even try to be subtle about it. She gritted her teeth, reminding herself that she was doing this for her best friend's safety.

The man was reclining on a pool chair by the large circular pool, not seeming to mind the chill as he read a book. He was wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks and oversized sunglasses even though the sun had long set.

He sat up when he saw her. "If it isn't…"

"No." She stopped him before he said the name she hated to hear.

"I'm not here to make small talk. Someone is after Shera's life. Probably an enemy of yours and he is threatening my mom." She reported in one breath.

His lips twitched under his glasses. "If someone is after Shera's life, why are you telling me instead of Leo Qin? Is this your way or admitting that I'm better suited to be her husband than he is?"

Her lungs were on the verge of exploding in fury. It was impossible to have a conversation with this man without having the urge to draw a sword.

"As I said, he is your enemy. And I came here because I need you to keep your enemies to yourself. I don't need any of them hovering over my life, thank you."

"Sounds reasonable." He relented.

That was suspiciously fast and she couldn't help quirking a brow. That was unlike him. Nonetheless, it worked best for her so she didn't ask any questions. She took out her phone and showed him the picture she had secretly taken of Mark while they had dinner.

"This is the guy."

He studied the picture with interest. "Doesn't look like any of the rats I fucked up. Sounds like you have many enemies, Lexi."

"Kara Williams." She bit out angrily. She hated the name he had made her use as an alias in the past much more than she detested him. And if someone were to offer to pay her to end his life, she wouldn't even need the money. She would do it for free and treat herself to piña colada as a reward.

"Right. Kara Williams." The name rolled off his tongue with a hint of sarcasm. "Well, Kara Williams, this is clearly your enemy."

"He called me Reina." She revealed, and he thought about it deeply.

She waited at the side with bated breath. Aside from their faces, she and Shera were quite similar and could easily pass off for each other. Mark might be after her for a reason unrelated to Santino and calling her his pet might have been an attempt at scaring her into believing he had intel on her. Not that Santino needed to know any of this.

Whether or not he knew Mark, she couldn't say no to free top notch security.

"My mother's safety is being compromised because of you. I need protection." She demanded.

"Will," He called out, and the buff man from earlier rushed over.

"Take good care of Sianna Williams."

A chill went down Kara's spine. She had never told him her mother's name. He had investigated her.

He tilted his head to look at her. "Wilson will take care of you. Wherever you go, he will go. When you eat, he will be there. When you shit, he will be there too. No one will have the chance to scare you."

Then he turned to where Wilson was standing. "You. Take good care of Lexi—I mean, Kara Williams."

She rolled her eyes. He would never drop it, would he?

It didn't matter, as long as she and her mother were safe. Wilson was a doctor too and he would easily blend into her world. Something felt odd, but she couldn't quite figure it out….

Until the following day when she left her car with Wilson in tow, only to bump into Carlos in the hospital lobby.