She was naive. Tears glistened in her blue eyes. I got up and sat down next to her. I didn’t know if she would want me to touch her, knowing what my hands had done. But I wiped her tears as delicately as I could, and she didn’t shy away.
“It can always get worse. Jail is bad, but it’s better than a casket.” That freaked her out. She jumped up from the chair.
“What?” Now she was panicked.
“Look, as long as he is alive, it can get worse. There are people who want him dead. And someone is paying those people a lot of money to make it happen. Luckily for your family, I’m being paid more to keep him alive.”
She smiled softly at that. “So I guess that makes you my noble royal bodyguard then, huh?”
“It does.” I looked down, “just with a lot of blood on my hands.”
Chapter Five
Fara
I laid on the bed in silence while Branch showered. I ordered takeout while he was in there. It took all the discipline I had not to slide my clothes off and join him in the shower. I wanted to kiss his body and ram his cock down my throat while the water poured down on me. I wanted him to press me against the wet wall with my legs wrapped around his waist. I was a virgin, but I could tell he knew exactly what to do.
But it wasn’t just primal. After opening up to him on the balcony, I realized I was almost sick with butterflies in my stomach. He had done terrible things, but he was fiercely protective. He had blood on his hands, but a good heart as well.
I couldn’t believe how much I told him. I’ve been so guarded lately. Ever since dad was arrested during my last year at Gstaad. Amelia, my oldest friend, my roommate since I first started, tried to sell a fake story about me. She claimed to have found my journal, which detailed some other horrible crimes my father committed, some I even helped with. She bought a beautiful old notebook from an antique shop and forged everything. She even mimicked my handwriting. My reputation for breaking curfew and always sneaking out didn’t help either. All my friends grew suspicious of me. Suddenly it wasn’t fun for them, once they thought I was doing more sinister crimes than sneaking wine in.
I managed to expose Amelia. I caught her in the act of adding crimes to the diary. I hid nearby in the library and recorded her scribbling along jovially. When I turned her in, all she got was a slap on the wrist. She was sent home, but her parents got her in another school in London. And that didn’t just make me a spy, it made me a snitch too.
It was a good thing Granny had started training me. I’ve used her teaching more times than I can count. I heard the water stop and the buzz of clippers. He must be shaving.
There was a knock at the front door. Must be the takeout. I got up to answer and suddenly Branch bolted out of the bathroom, still naked.
“Don’t answer that.” He stood in front of me. I tired not to look down but I couldn’t meet his eyes. “It’s dangerous. You let me.”
“Relax, I just ordered takeout while you were in there, ya know, since I’m not allowed to cook.” I stepped past him to unlock the door.
“I’m not fucking around Fara. It’s too risky.” I rolled my eyes and twisted the lock.
“Delivery for Sarah...oh, sorry, am I at the wrong address?” I turned around, Branch was standing behind me, imposing, muscular, and completely naked. I allowed myself to look down. I couldn’t take my eyes off his manhood, surely that wasn’t a normal size?
“Umm,” the delivery boy interjected.
I snapped out of it and turned back to him. “My sincerest apologies. This is the right home. My husband is just having a bad day.” I took the box from his hands and slipped a 100 Kroner bill as a tip for the trouble before shutting the door.
“What the Hell is wrong with you?” I snapped. I dropped the donuts in my anger.
“What the Hell is wrong with me? Someone tried to kill you just the other day and now you’re opening the door to strangers?” His face was red and the veins in his neck bulged. He was pissed. I hadn’t seen this anger since he put my would be assassin in the chokehold.
“I can defend myself if you haven’t remembered. I think you have a permanent reminder on your face.” I felt my whole body burn with rage and desire. And the fact that I wanted him so badly right now only made me angrier.
But he loomed over me in silence. His face was straight. He had been shaving when he ran out, and without the beard I could see his strong, square jaw. Sharp enough to make the cut my knife made on his cheek.