AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I recognize the man instantly. Pressing a green button near the screen, I speak. “Come on up.”
“Yes, sir.”
The door downstairs clicks open and the guy disappears through it. I hang by the door for a few minutes as I wait for him. When a knock sounds at the door, I open it.
Samson is a tall mountain of a redhead with a no-bullshit air around him. I square off against angry, violent uber-athletes trying to rip my head off for a living and even I would think twice before crossing him.
“Mr. Dalton,” he greets, tipping his head to me as he slips inside.
“Reese is fine,” I correct. “No need to be so formal.”
He nods, looking around. “Nice place,” he says as his eyes dart around the perimeter of the space. “Good placement, up so high. Limits ease of access.”
“Not so easy to get in without being noticed, too,” I say. “It’s why I wanted to come here. You good with posting up outside?”
He nods. “Of course. I have a second to swap in when I need to sleep. We’ll run twelve-four-twelves. Twelve hours on, four off, repeat.”
The man doesn’t blink a lot, I’m noticing. It’s weirdly comforting. I feel like I hired the Terminator to guard my woman and baby.
“When will we meet your second?”
“When we change shifts. But don’t worry: I’m sleeping in my vehicle on the premises and will have means to contact me should I be needed.”
It all sounds solid to me.
“Cool. You wanna meet Olivia as well?—”
“Who am I meeting?”
You know what they say about “speak of the devil and he shall appear”? I wonder if you can use the same phrase for angels. Olivia comes out of the bedroom, hair damp from her bath. She’s in some soft, short pajamas, with her skin a rosy pink. Her eyes are locked on Samson, a little apprehensive.
“Who am I meeting?” she repeats.
“This is Samson.” I just gesture at him. A guy that big, that serious, and that armed to the teeth doesn’t really need much in the way of introductions.
Olivia folds her arms. “Alright. Hello, Samson. I’m Olivia. Before this conversation goes any further, I want to lay out some ground rules.”
I wince. Here we go…
“I want to make it clear that I don’t want to be followed around in here,” she starts. “I’ve just had to deal with having no personal space for the last two weeks and, honestly, I’m too old to be watched like a naughty teenager with a flight risk. Second, I will come and go as I please. I don’t want you hulking behind me everywhere I go. Keep your distance. I have a phone with a tracker on it, not that I asked for that—” She fixes me with a skewering glare. “—and I know how to fight if I have to. I’m not a damsel and I won’t stand for being treated like one.”
She stares directly at Samson. The corner of his mouth twitches in amusement. For a guy like him, that’s basically the equivalent of doubling over with laughter until tears pour out of his eyes.
“It’s already been arranged that I’m to remain outside the residence,” he says cordially. “As for following you around, I have no issues with maintaining a buffer zone, ma’am. In fact, if you intend to go anywhere, my clothing will be casual so I blend in with everyone else around you. It’s already been arranged by Mr. Dalton.”
“Reese,” I interject.
Samson merely nods. “It’s already been arranged by Mr. Reese. I’m not here to interfere with your life. Only to ensure that no one else does.”
Olivia searches Samson’s face, looking for the lie. When she can’t find it, she gives a satisfactory nod. “Good. Then, if everyone’s cool about how things are gonna be run here, I’m ordering Chinese. You can either pitch in a request or fend for yourselves. I don’t care either way.”
Samson and I exchange a look. The expression on his face says, You got your hands full with this one.
I can only laugh. Tell me about it, brother.
* * *
Samson demurs on the food front and assumes his station outside of the apartment. But even when he’s gone, Olivia ignores me entirely.
