Hidden Identities // H.S

Chapter 1

     It's been six months since I ran away from my wedding. Would I even call it a wedding? More like a forced wedding.

I ended up in New York. Luckily I got in contact with my old friend, Zara, and she welcomed me into her apartment with warm arms. We moved to a double bedroom apartment, spending each minute like we never lost contact.

I had to change my name so I wouldn't be found. Last I heard from my sisters, Christopher has gone crazy. I haven't talked to them in a few months for their own good. For all I know Christopher could trace their calls back to me. I changed my name to Jane Matthews and going through that whole process was a pain in the ass. It was a sad yet happy process for me.

Sad that I was completely abandoning "Avalon Scott" and the girl she was. Almost as if Avalon Scott had disappeared off the face of the earth. Yet happy because no Avalon meant no Christopher coming after her. I feel a bit more safe walking around with a new name and walking around complete strangers that know nothing about me.

I took self-defense classes and Zara recommended me to the bodyguard agency she's a receptionist for. I've protected just two people so far and I think I've done a great job. Nothing too serious but it's what pays my bills.

The sound of the toilet flushing catches me off guard. I totally forgot I was even in the work bathroom.

I look at myself in the mirror, tightening my ponytail. I wash my hands then start walking back to my cubicle.

"Jane!" Zayn calls out at me. "Colton wants you in his office."

I nod at him, rolling my eyes as I walk away. Colton is my boss and if he wants you in his office that means you're getting a new case. I walk to the back of the building then stand in front of his door. I knock twice and walk in.

"Zayn said you wanted to see me?" I ask.

He grins and stands up. He grabs a file folder from his drawer and hands it to me. I hesitantly take it from his hand, slowly opening it. "Colton, don't you think three cases is enough? Especially with Miss Larson calling me every second she gets?"

"Just take a look at it, Jane." He says with hints of excitement in his voice.

Mitch Styles

Owner of Styles and co.

58 years old.

Request: Female bodyguard.

I look up at him, furrowing my brows.

"I've given your other cases to Mason and Dominic. This request is full time and he specifically wants a female to do the job. I scheduled a meeting with him tomorrow at noon." His lips curve into a smile.

"Why are you happy? You've never been this happy for any of my cases?" I close the folder, holding it to my chest.

"Mitch Styles is a very important person in New York. Look him up after work." He clicks his tongue as he sits back down in his chair.

I glance up at him and the file and take a deep breath. "And they know me as Jane, right?"

He nods and I sigh in relief. Colton and Zara are the only people in New York that know of my past if that's what you want to call it. It was mandatory to tell my boss, and Zara was the person to even bring up changing my name.

I've grown a close friendship with Zayn and keeping this secret from him is painful. I know he'd never tell a soul my real name but I'm in too deep to tell him my name isn't Jane.

"Where's his office?" I ask.

"It's on the twenty-third street. You can't miss it. It's the tallest building on there." He reassures me.

I nod and walk out of his office. I take a few looks at the files and see that in two years he's ready to retire.  He divorced a few years ago and has four kids. Two of which work at the office for him.

I walk into the break room, sitting down at the round table. Mason strolls in, his eyes landing on my file. "I see you finally got your new case."

"What do you know about Mitch Styles?" I continue looking through the file and many papers stacked together.

He slams the fridge closed and gulps. "Mitch Styles? As in the self-made millionaire that has his own company? That Mitch Styles? No way you got assigned that case."

He takes the file from my hand and reads over it. He whistles, giving it back to me. "Holy crap! Jane, you have to make him pay you double! It'll feel like spending a dollar to him."

I roll my eyes and watch as Zayn and Zara walk in. Zara works at the front desk of this floor. She takes all the requests and passes them over to Colton. She smiles at me as she sits across from me.

"Did you two hear? Jane here got assigned to Mitch Styles." He announces.

"Mitch Styles?" Zara's eyes widen. "You're joking. Why would Mitch Styles be interested and in this agency?"

"Isn't that the man whose son got killed?" Zayn sets down his lunch on the table, sitting next to Zara. Mason leans against the counter and nods. He runs his hands through his long hair, parting it to the left.

"His son was killed?" I feel my stomach turn.

"It's a really complicated story. It was all over headlines about a few years ago. I don't know, it was during finals in high school so I couldn't focus on it even if I wanted to. But it was all anyone would talk about here." Zara recalls. "He had two sons then one night they both go missing and held for ransom. A day later Mitch now only had one. Even thinking about it makes me squirm."

"I heard the one that's alive was like twenty at the time. Just imagine all that put on to you at such a young age. From the interviews I've seen, he looks cocky and stuck up. He's letting daddy's money get to his head." Zayn chuckles.

"In all the interviews he acts like such an asshole. But he's one hot asshole...Have you seen his two kids? They're gorgeous!" Zara shoves her phone into my face and I look at the picture of what I assume are his two kids staring right at the camera.

His kids are good looking, I won't lie about that. They have serious looks on their faces and they're both wearing professional clothing.

"Are they models?" I take another look at the picture.

"They've been on a few magazine covers but I don't think they're professional ones," Mason states. "They went all popular when they started speaking out on their brother. Or at least the girl. I heard the other son refuses to talk about it and acts like a douche when it gets brought up."

I nod and start to feel the knot in my stomach again.

"You'll be an amazing bodyguard for him, Janie. Don't stress yourself out." Zara rubs my forearm, reassuring me with her bright smile.

Mason and Zayn start chatting amongst themselves when Zara places her hand on top of mine. "You okay?"

I gulp, looking down at the file again. "Why would he be interested in us? Why would he want a woman to protect him? Men never want female bodyguards! And it's not even part-time like all my other cases. It's full-time!"

"You're going to do amazing! Don't stress yourself out about it." She smiles warmly.

I've never had a full-time case. They were always part-time. I'd work a few hours and call it a night. From what I've heard from my other co-workers, full-time can even mean that the client will make you live with them.

What do I even wear for my interview? Do I wear something to show off my legs so I get paid more or do I wear something professional? I've never heard of this man and his family up until today. What if they're the classy rich people that speak in those British accents and make you learn proper posture? Or those rich people that have everything handed to them?

The guys and Zara said that his son acts like a total douche on camera. Will I even see him? What if he is an asshole and I can't do anything about it? What if both of his kids are assholes?

The pit in my stomach tightens just thinking about it. I feel like I could puke. What the hell did I get myself into?