The Trouble With Bodyguards: Part 2 (5 page)

              “You sat outside my apartment?” she asked, uncomfortable with the thought that there were two men following her that day, and she had been clueless.

              “I did,” he said. “I know, stalker. I watched people come and go, searching for his face. I saw the delivery boy arrive, a huge box in his arms.”

              “The dress that my mom had picked out,” she said, remembering the young man who had come to her door that day.

              “Yeah,” he said.

              “But you didn't see your brother,” she asked, “when he came up and left the necklace outside my door?”

              “I don’t know how he got past me,” he said, frustration in his voice. “I was watching everything. But he must have, since I didn't see him until the delivery boy was headed down the street.”

              “Oh no,” Alex said, her hand going reflexively to her lips.

              “He was across the street, in the park,” said Rick. “I only caught sight of him when he stood up. He looked angry, furious, and he was walking toward that poor kid. I jumped out of my car, running toward him. The kid who had delivered the dress was clueless, lost in his own world, not knowing that my brother was right behind him.”

              “Oh god,” said Alex, her voice catching in her throat.

              “I caught up to them just as Jake jumped the kid, knocking him to the ground,” said Rick. “I was screaming at him, trying to pull him off, but he was in such a blind rage that I don't even think that he noticed that I was there.”

              “Rick,” she said, “what happened?”

              Rick sighed heavily, not wanting to frighten her, but feeling as though she deserved to hear the whole story so that she knew what she was involved in. “He stabbed him,” he said, hanging his head. “In the stomach, and then he took off running. I wanted to chase after him, to keep him where I could see him, to get him some help, but I couldn't leave this poor kid to bleed to death on the sidewalk.”

              “Oh god,” Alex said, tears spilling down her cheeks.

              “I called the paramedics,” he continued, “and stayed with the kid, trying to keep him alive until they could get there. I watched Jake run off into the crowd, headed for god knows where. I lost him again.”

              “The kid?” said Alex, shaking with fear. “Is he okay?”

              “Far as I know,” said Rick. “Once the paramedics arrived I took off. Told them that I had seen some guy stab this kid, then run off that way. I couldn't tell them that it was my brother; that would lead to all sorts of questions that I didn't know the answers to. I needed to find him, and get him some help, not get him sent to prison.”

              “Oh god,” Alex said again. She thought of that afternoon, how she had been getting ready for her father's birthday party, pleased with herself for flirting with that kid, giving him a story to tell his friends later about the hot woman answering the door half naked and wet from the shower. She didn't know at the time that he would spend the rest of his day fighting for his life, while she was enjoying champagne at her family's estate. She felt sick.

              “I had to stick with you,” he said. “You were my only chance of finding Jake. So I followed you out to your father's house, staying well back so that you wouldn't suspect anything. While you were inside, I sat in my car down the street, not sure of what was going on. I had lied to the authorities. I had held a man in my arms while he was bleeding, wounded at my brother's hands. I hadn't been to work in days, spending all of my time searching for Jake. I needed to find a way to get this situation under control.

              “Late that night, when you went to that bar,” he said, the corners of his mouth curling up in a wry smile.

              “I told you,” she said, “I'd never gone to that place before.”

              “I know,” he said, smiling weakly. “I needed a drink at that point. Something to take the edge off before I lost my marbles, so I went inside. I didn't think that you were going to,” he hesitated, not sure how to put it. He didn't want to offend her, but she had thrown herself at him that night, drunkenly offering herself to him, practically climbing into his lap. “I didn't think that I would talk to you.”

              Alex moaned, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment as she remembered dancing for him that night, openly flirting with him, before ultimately trying to kiss him before throwing up all over the place. It had not been her finest performance.

              “Yeah,” she said, a puzzled look on her face, “but how did you end up at my father's house the next day? I can't put that together.”

              “It was that chauffeur of your father's,” he said. “The guy that you were out with that night. When I helped to get you into the car, since you were passed out, we got to talking. He had had a few himself, so he was pretty loose in the talking department, and he told me about the pictures and the necklace, and how your father was trying to talk you into having a bodyguard.”

              “But had you ever been a bodyguard before?” she asked.

              “Nope,” he said, “but looking after a mentally handicapped brother, who was prone to violent outbursts, you learn a lot really quickly about how to take care of yourself, and others. I convinced the chauffeur that I could do it, and I guess that he went and talked it over with your dad. Next thing I know, I'm getting a phone call to come to a brunch meeting.”

              She knew the rest of the story. Her father had hired him to stay with her every minute, keeping watch for a stalker that he already knew. She had been horrible to him, treating him as an unwanted babysitter, an intrusion into her life. All the while he was trying to protect her from his own brother, whom he knew was capable of atrocious things, and was obsessed with her. He had stayed near her, watching for him, while she treated him like garbage. She was the one who felt like garbage now.

              “Rick,” she said, “I can't imagine what this is like for you.”

              “It's pretty awful,” he said. “I should have told you before. But I didn't want you to think that I was some sort of monster, following you around like that.”

              “You're not a monster,” she said, squeezing his hand. His brother, on the other hand, scared her to death.

              Her father and Rick had been sequestered in his office for several hours, discussing the situation with Rick's brother, and whether after his deceit he would still be employed as a bodyguard for Alex. She sat uncomfortably on the sofa in the main hall, her legs folded beneath her as she stared into a blazing fire in the hearth. Sitting out on the porch with Rick while he explained the whole story to her, her blood had been chilled, and she could not seem to get warm. She rubbed her upper arms with her hands as she thought of Jake, not having taken his meds for several months now, following her through her day, invisible in plain sight.

              What would he have done to her, she thought, if Rick had not come to her rescue? She still didn't know how he had found her, his story interrupted when her father had come out onto the porch and asked him to follow him into the house. She might be bound to that bed still, while he did unspeakable things to her, or she might be dead.

              Alex shivered, fear tying knots in her stomach as she thought of all that could have befallen her, were it not for Rick. She would not let her father fire him, not now. He was her rock, her protector, and she would not feel safe without him by her side, not until his brother was where he belonged, in the mental hospital.

              The door to her father's office opened, and he stuck his head through to the room where she sat. “Darling,” he said, his tone revealing the discomfort he was feeling after hearing the tale, “would you come in here for a moment?”

              “Of course,” she said, unfolding her legs and putting her bare feet on the cool tile floor. She padded through the door as he held it open for her, and stepped into his office. Rick sat on the sofa against the far wall, his hands placed palms down on his thighs. He looked crestfallen, afraid. Alex wanted to go to him, put her arms around him and pull his body close to hers, comforting him. Instead, she crossed the room, choosing an armchair near him and settling herself into it.

              “Mr. Andrews has lied to us, though it was a lie of omission, by not revealing the fact that it was his own brother who has been responsible for all of our troubles as of late,” he said, seating himself behind his large mahogany desk. He folded his hands across his belly, leaning back in his chair, and looked disdainfully upon Rick.

              “He could have saved us a great deal of effort by coming clean from the beginning,” he continued. “We could have had the police involved from the start, giving them a suspect to search for, instead of blindly chasing their tails. This whole problem could have been solved a long time ago.

              “I believe that it is in our best interest to terminate our contract with Mr. Andrews,” he said, “and have you stay here with the family until the suspect is detained by the police and imprisoned.”

              “No,” said Alex.

              “What?” said her father, shocked.

              “I said no,” she repeated. “I know that Rick lied, and I agree that he shouldn't have. But I understand why he did. I feel safe with him,” she continued, “especially safe considering this is his brother we are talking about. He knows more about him than any other person. He recognizes him on sight, even from a long distance. I am not going to hole up here in your house like a prisoner, a captive while my stalker is free to do as he pleases.”

              “Alex,” her father said, incredulous. “You can't expect me to send you back out on your own.”

              “No,” she said again, “I don't. I will have Mr. Andrews to look after me.”

              The police were called, and several detectives came out to the house and locked themselves in the office with Rick and her father. Hours ticked by as Alex sat on the sofa, gazing into the fire as it dwindled to embers.

              “Hey,” Rick said in a soft voice, gently touching her shoulder to rouse her. She had fallen asleep, exhaustion taking over as she waited for the interrogation to be over. Opening her eyes, she found him sitting on the edge of the sofa, his hand still resting gently on her shoulder, a weak smile on his face.

              “Oh,” she said, sitting up. “I must have fallen asleep.”

              “Understandable,” he said. “You've been through a lot lately.”

              “So,” she said, gesturing toward her father's office with a tilt of her head. “What's the verdict?”

              “The police are searching for my brother,” he said, “and you and I are going home.”

              “Home,” she said, “to my house? Both of us?”

              “Yes,” he said, “both of us. I had a long talk with your father, after the police left, and I was able to convince him that I had your best interests at heart. That I could, and would, take care of you first.”

              “I want to thank you,” he continued, “for what you said in there. I can't believe that after all that I've put you through, that you would still trust me.”

              “I don't get it either,” she said, yawning, “but I do. Can we go home now?”

              “Yeah,” he said, standing. “Let's go home.”

….

              Resting her head on her pillow, Alex was able to fully relax for the first time in days. She pulled the blankets up to her chin, snuggling beneath their warming weight, and watched the lightening of the sky outside her window. She felt safe, knowing that Rick was in the other room, vigilantly protecting her through all hours of the night and day. She ran over his story in her head, trying to empathize with his situation, fear that his own brother, the last member of his family, could do something so horrible as to harm another person for no reason whatsoever. She couldn't fathom it, the stress that must be involved. She wondered how he handled it all alone.

              Slipping out from under the covers, she pulled on a robe and went out into the living room, looking for him. Rick was seated on the couch, in utter darkness, only the light of the rising sun making him visible as he sat staring at nothing. He looked up as she entered, meeting her eyes in the dim light, and smiled weakly.

              As she crossed to him, she could see that he had been crying, his eyes reddened and his cheeks glistening with tears. Saying nothing, she folded her legs beneath her, fitting herself against him and taking his hand in hers.

              “I'm sorry,” he said, wiping away the tears on his cheeks.

              “What are you sorry for?” she asked. “You didn't do any of this.”

              “I should have told you,” he said.

              “Yeah,” she said, “you should have. But now you have, and we'll take things from here.”

              He lifted her hand from his thigh, pressing his lips gently against her knuckles. He turned to her, and she could see the pain in his eyes, mixed with a glimmer of relief that he finally had someone to talk about his situation with, someone who understood. She reached up with her free hand, brushing her thumb across his cheek, wiping away the remainder of the tears that he had shed.

              Rick reached for her, cradling her face in his hands, and pulled her to him, gently pressing his lips against hers. Alex sighed, her breath catching in her throat, the aching need to be near him screaming to be fulfilled.

              “I thought you didn't want me,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes.

              “How could I not want you?” he said, gazing at her. His mouth searched out hers again, his breath soft and warm upon her lips as they parted, inviting him to kiss her more deeply, to taste her.

              He dove into her, kissing her deeply, passionately, his arms encircling her body, pulling her tightly against him. Alex whimpered into his open mouth, the aching need that she had suffered since he had gone cold toward her after the last time they had made love clawing its way to the surface, longing to be freed. She climbed atop him, straddling his lap, and devoured his warm mouth with her frenzied kisses.

              He slid his arms around her, slipping them beneath the robe that she was wearing, wanting to feel the heat of her skin. She pulled the cord, untying the knot at her waist, and let the robe drop to the floor behind her. Pulling her to him, Rick nestled his face between her breasts, moaning with pleasure as she thrust her hands into his hair, pressing him to her chest. Her nipples puckered beneath the flimsy fabric of the thin tank top that she wore to sleep, and he nipped at them through the fabric, making her suck in her breath.

              Rick pulled at the hem of the top, aching to taste her skin, and Alex pulled it over her head, tossing it on the floor behind the couch. Her breasts hung heavy before him, begging for his touch, and he cupped them in his hands, lifting them to his waiting mouth. His warm, wet tongue flicked against one and then the other, before he pulled one deftly between his lips, suckling gently, swirling the tip of his tongue around its sensitive tip.

              Alex moaned, arching her back, and ground herself against his lap, the bulge growing there tempting her, making her body cry out with desire. Heat spread through her from where his tongue tickled her nipples, raging like a wildfire through her belly, taking her breath. She panted as she reached for his buckle, frantic to have him inside her, stoking the flames of the inferno.

              Wrapping his arms tightly around her, Rick stood, lifting her with him, and carried her toward the bedroom. He kissed her passionately, cradling her in his arms, holding her tightly, protectively as they entered her room. Laying her gently on the bed, he laid atop her, pressing her into the mattress with his weight, and kissed her sweetly, gazing deeply into her eyes.

              “How could you think that I didn't want you?” he asked, trailing his fingertips along the side of her face and down her neck.

              “You were so cold,” she said. “So distant, after the last time.”

              “It was too much,” he said, “too much to deal with. Needing to keep this terrible secret, while at the same time finding myself in the arms of such a wonderful woman. I felt like I had betrayed you. I couldn't touch you, be with you like I wanted to, not with that between us.”

              “Oh, Rick,” Alex said, reaching for him, “touch me now.”

              He pulled her tightly against him, sealing his mouth to hers in a passionate kiss. The intense heat of desire burned through Alex, and her breath came in small gasps as he slid down her body, trailing warm kisses down her belly. Hooking his thumbs beneath the edges of her panties, he slid them gently down her thighs. Alex lifted her hips, easing his task, and kicked her foot, tossing her panties to the floor. She lay naked before him, her legs parted, her body an offering for him to feast upon.

              Rick ran his hands up the inside of her thighs, smiling as she shivered from with pleasure, her sensitive skin tingling as he caressed her. She ached for him to touch her, to taste her, to posess her. She wanted to feel him deep inside her, his weight heavy upon her. He parted the lips of her sex with his fingertips, gently sliding the pad of his fingers through the moisture shining there. He kissed the inside of her thigh, nipping playfully at the tender flesh near her hip. Sliding his finger into her, Alex moaned as her heat enveloped him, her body clinging to his hands, pulling him deeper, needing to be filled by him in any way that it could. Leaning toward her, he inhaled her scent. Alex's body jumped as the tip of his tongue touched her most sensitive place, sending bolts of electricity throughout her body. He caressed her sex with his mouth, the warm, wet touch of his kisses upon her body causing Alex to squirm beneath him. He touched her with his hands, sliding deeply into her, running the tip of his fingers against centers of pleasure deep within her that caused Alex to pant. She reached down, grasping his hair in fistfuls, and pulled his mouth to hers, tasting her own pleasure glistening on his lips.

              “Rick,” she said, her voice rough with passion, “I need you.”

              He smiled wryly down at her, needing no further encouragement, and reached between them to unbuckle his jeans, pushing them to the end of the bed. The heat of his skin upon hers drove Alex to madness, her body screaming for him to be closer, to fill her completely. She parted her legs, wrapping them around his, her body clinging to his as he guided himself gently inside her.

              Alex threw her head back in ecstasy, wrapping her arms tightly around him, her body moving in rhythm with his as he slid deeply into her, filling her, stretching her around his girth. Their bodies rocked, undulating in sync, their mouths sealed in a passionate kiss.

              Pleasure spread through her body in waves as he stirred deeply inside her, heat radiating from where he stoked the flames of her desire. She cried out, her breath warm upon the side of his face as he held her body tightly against his, cradling her as he claimed her as his own.

              “Rick,” she said breathily in his ear, “I...” She trailed off, unable to speak, the ecstasy of having him inside her, filling her, too much to bear.

              “I know,” he said, “I know.” He kissed her deeply, rocking his pelvis against hers, creating a lovely friction that drove her to the point of madness.

              Her body seized, the crescendo of pleasure building to a powerful and beautiful release, and she clung to him as she bucked with orgasm, the walls of her sex pulsing around him, gripping him as he slid violently into her wet heat. He raised himself up on his forearms, sweat glistening on his face and chest from the exertion of their lovemaking, and gazed down upon her as he quickened his thrusts, chasing his own pleasure now, taking her. He hammered into her, determination on his face as he watched her juices glistening on his shaft as he drove it into her.

              Alex squirmed beneath him, his thrusts making her body twitch and spasm, her orgasm continuing to ripple through her body, heightening her pleasure. She cried out, lifting her hips from the bed to meet his thrusts, opening herself fully, allowing him to penetrate her more deeply still. She could feel him touching the depths of her core, tapping against the center of her pleasure, and she reached down between her legs, strumming her body with her fingertips as he hammered into her.

              He moaned, glad to see that she was free of inhibitions with him, and sat up further, watching her body writhe with pleasure beneath him as he slid into her wet heat. The honey flowed from her, his body shining with her pleasure and their sweat upon the rippling muscles of his taught stomach. He quickened his pace, slamming his body into hers, and again Alex cried out, her body seizing beneath him, clinging to him.

              Groaning, he fell upon her, his kiss diving into hers as he found his own climax, spilling his seed deep within her. He shivered, the muscles of his back contracting as he lay atop her, his breath hot against her neck.

              Alex wrapped her arms around him, cradling him against her as he remained inside, their bodies melded to one another. He kissed the side of her face, sliding his arms beneath hers, holding her tightly, not ready to let go. He smiled a quirky smile, the first that she had seen him relaxed in days, weeks even, and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply.

              “I've been wanting to do that for a really long time,” he said, wiping away the stray hairs clinging to the side of her face.

              “I've been wanting you to do that for a really long time,” Alex replied, chuckling softly before reaching up to kiss him again.

…

              “Hey you,” Alex said, rubbing a towel against her hair, still wet from the shower. Rick was sitting at the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee in front of him, and she leaned into him, kissing him sweetly.

              “Hi,” he said, smiling. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him, and deepened the kiss. Her body reacted, ready to make love to him again, aching to be touched. His kisses had an effect on her, making her crave more of him.

              “You want coffee?” he asked, breaking the spell, and gestured toward the fresh pot that he must have brewed while she was in the shower. Waking up this morning, she was glad to find him still asleep in the bed next to her. Part of her had been afraid that there would be a repeat of what had happened the last time that they had made love, with her waking up to him cold and distant, unable to look her in the eye. But he had been there, wrapped up in the blankets with her, a tranquil look on his sleeping face as she snuck out of the room to relieve herself and shower. She was elated that she no longer had to yearn for him, while trying to act as though everything was normal, that she was not feeling his absence in her bed.

              “Thanks,” she said, crossing to the counter and pulling a mug from the cupboard.

              “So,” he said, “what's on the agenda for today?”