Bodyguard |Michael Gray|

Rude Awakening

Tommy's new estate was so far from Central Birmingham most guests were asked to stay the night. The party continued on until the early hours of the morning. I quickly made my way to my assigned room to save any further scandal. My feet ached in my heels I briskly threw on as I scampered from one room to the other. As I creaked open the door my mind scanned the room. Locks hastily clicked into place and the room was lit with a gaurded fire. 

My chest felt as if it was being pressed down on as the after effects of the champagne raced through me. I sat down on the large four poster bed, taking in the elaborate decor of the room. It was another world compared to the quaint betting shop in Small Heath. This world was no stranger to me. Clicking open my case and pulling apart my clothes it felt eerie. I focused in on my own breath and the crackling of the fire, the mumbles and shouts of the still ongoing party never fading too far away.

The sound of a knock on the door tore me out of my own solitude. "Who's there?" I focused on the knob of the door, turning slightly, first right then left. "Phone call for Ms Anderson!" The maid sounded relatively young and her voice was almost a squeek. "One moment!" I scrambled for my shoes and brushed myself down before opening the door. "Please follow me Miss".

The girl was slight but almost as tall as me. She had dirty blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail and her black uniform seemed awkwardly fitting as it sat just above her calf. She led me down a small staircase away from wandering eyes and drunken guests. Finally we came to a large hall, the telaphone lay on a dark wooden table, another girl, who was slightly older held the reciever up. "Here you go Miss" She handed me the small round attachment. "Thank you, that will be all." I cringed at my own words, old habits die hard. The girls seemed unfazed and quickly left.

"Hello?" I spoke into the phone, wondering how this person knew I would be at this party. 

"My Darling", the deep familair tone echoed through the line. I froze instantly a chill making its way up my spine. With my lips quivering I just couldn't find any words. "No need for all this running and lies, come outside now and we will not hurt any of them" I peeled my eyes from the phone to the window. "Scarlett, It's time you came home to me" I slowly placed the reciever back down onto the telephone stand. My heart beating wildly as I knew what I had to do.

Walking out of the hall my eyes became hot and cloudy as I searched for the door, dreading seeing any familiar faces. I looked at the long grandfather clock towering over the hall. It was exactly 5am. The hallway now completely silent I was guided out towards the door by the faint chiming of the clock. As I opened the door I saw ten cars pulled up on the gravel drive, armed men with red ties. "No..." This couldn't be happening. How did they know I was here? Why now?

I walked over to a car with a door open for me, the sun was rising into a blood red sky. "Your Father will be glad to know you chose this way" the driver croaked out. "He left me no choice". The armed men retreated into the cars and we drove off, I thought of Michael sound asleep. "It was always going to end this way."

Michaels pov:

I waited in the room expecting her to come back with her case. When she never did I felt guilty. I should have escorted her to her room, like Tommy said I just had to watch over her. while I lay staring at the intricate details on the ceiling I considered Scarletts background. I'd seen on some payment slips the name Richard, was that her Father? 

I woke up with a jump, lying over the covers I had fallen asleep by accident. "Fuck this, I'll go get her", I put back on my shoes in case anyone saw me and quietly closed my door before turning around and seeing Tommy standing in the hall. "We have an issue Michael", He was still fully dressed holding a piece of paper and leaning against the dark wallpaper. "It's too late for this Tommy, what time is it?" He lowered his head to open the folded paper . "Did you know Miss Anderson's Father is a very powerful man?" I turned to see if anyone else was witnessing this interaction, the house held a pressured silence. "I knew yeah" 

"Well it has come to my attention that Miss Scarlett may have put our family in a very tricky position Michael, as it seems it wasn't her father that was paying for her protection against his many enemies." Tommy seemed calm as he always was but I knew a rage lurked deep within. I could tell by his fist clutching the paper almost tearing it with the force. "No actually it was Scarlett herself who paid the money to us to keep her protected against her own Father and his people." My head snapped up to look Tommy in the eyes, "Why?" A red light filled the hall as the sun started to rise. "Because she betrayed him" I remembered the Shelby Family and how close knit they all are, "Surely he will forgive her for whatever she did?" 

Tommy lifted his hand up to brush it through his hair and exhaled sharply. "No Michael I don't think it works that way for him" I turned away from Tommy and marched down the dark hallway. When I reached her room I hesitated then knocked on the door. "Scarlett-" my hand pushed the door ajar. The room was empty.