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Elliott 'Eli' Miller is your average 24 year-old with an estranged father and a resentful mother. When he goes back to his hometown to make amends, he inadvertently gets dragged into the activities of an illicit crimina...
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"Oh my God El, you're alive!"
Vivien dramatically shrieked and flew into me, wrapping her arms around my waist in a bone-crushing hug.
I chucked and returned the gesture, glad to finally hang out with her after all this time, even if it was just for work.
"You wouldn't believe, I got this random e-mail saying that you were involved with a criminal gang or something and then they transferred you to some kind of safe house, and...," she rambled on about how she 'totally freaked out' and wondered if I'd been kidnapped, or worse, 'electrocuted by a rogue Ronald McDonald.' She tended to go a little crazy with her conspiracy theories when she was stressed out, but a part of me melted at the thought that she cared that much about me.
"So anyways, we have some time to kill before the shoot, so let's go grab some food."
"Yeah sure."
We walked down a couple of blocks to a quaint cafe and picked a table in the corner to ourselves. The whole time Viv was talking my ear off, but I was more than happy to listen since I'd been deprived of her company for so long.
Suddenly she stopped talking and I looked back up from the table to see her skimming over the menu, so I hastily did the same. The waiter brought our orders soon enough and we slipped into a comfortable silence.
Midway through however, Vivien asked me a question out of the blue that made me choke on my crouton.
"By the way, I forgot to ask, how's your new bodyguard?"
Don't be fooled by the simplicity of that seemingly innocent question because the smirk she held was anything but innocent.
I stammered, at a loss for words, face flushed in hot embarrassment.
"Er, I... um..."
"Go on..."
"Yeah he's fine I guess."
"Oh come on, fine's all you're going to give me? After all I've done for you?"
She tried using her puppy eyes but they didn't work and I smiled in victory.
But then she stuck her lower lip out into a full blown pout and that did it.
"Okay fine, jeez, he's more than fine. He's really fine."
"And..."
"Considerate."
"And..."
"He gives me space when I need it."
"Go on..."
"And, I don't know, he's the full package really. Too bad he's off limits."
"Says who?"
"Viv, you can't be serious! First of all, I don't even think he swings that way and second, he's like a proper spy, who works for this criminal tracking company thing. I'm pretty sure he's not even supposed to be a bodyguard."
"So what? I doubt there are restrictions on that sort of thing, except for if the people they're dating are part of the Italian mafia or something. Wait, are you part of a mafia?"
"What! No. I'm just saying that no matter how much I would want to be with him, I just don't think he would say yes."
"I'd say don't knock it till you've tried it."
"I wish."
"You're pathetic, you know that?"
"You're a real mood lifter, aren't you?"
"Always."
She flashed sassy grin and flipped her hair back. I shook my head but couldn't help laughing at how much of a different person she could be when she wasn't working. I didn't realize how much I missed it till I did, even if it was just for a week.
The food was finished by then and after paying, we got up to leave.
The last thing I heard was a muffled scream and then darkness.
The moment I opened my eyes, I was met with the sight of a hideous and bloody face-resembling one of a stereotypical thug- being dragged into a black car. His head lolled in his neck and his mouth was open, displaying his magnificent set of pearly-yellows.
Naturally, I recoiled at the eyesore and looked around, trying to figure out where on Earth I'd sleepwalked to. My amused confusion instantly turned to concern at the sniffling figure of Vivien, who knelt down beside me, evidently shaken by the possibly traumatic events that had taken place while I was unconscious.
I shot up, startling her, and we exchanged a glance before she burst into a fresh bout of tears. Wrapping my arms around her trembling figure, I consoled her, hating the thought of her being hurt.
"Shh... It's okay, it'll be alright. Don't cry now."
That did little to alleviate her disturbed state, but rather, brought out more sobs.
I decided that it would be best to say nothing and simply continued to hold on. Only then did I realize that in my attempt to soothe Viv, I'd completely ignored my surroundings. This realization hit me like a truck and I blushed in embarrassment as a few men in suits were looking at us, not unkindly but with a neutral expression that didn't fail to make me feel slightly exposed.
Behind them was another man who was giving some instructions to the driver of the black car before sending him away. My embarrassment increased tenfold when he turned around, a familiar face greeting my eyes.
It was Marcel.
He murmured something to one of the suits before making his way over and kneeling down beside Viv. I inhaled sharply as I took in his features, the small distance between us not lost to me. His eyebrows were knitted with worry, a few strands of neatly combed hair falling onto his face.
I suddenly snapped back to reality and cursed myself for never being able to control my staring around him, when Viven's condition was the more important issue at hand.
He gently tapped her shoulder, getting her attention and extended a hand to help her up. She complied, her sobs now having reduced to quiet sniffles. Even so, I could make out that she too was taken aback by Marcel, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of an unfamiliar feeling I wasn't too comfortable with. Was it perhaps, jealousy?
"Are you alright?"
A masculine voice snapped me out of my thoughts and looking up, I met Marcel's worried frown.
"Uh...what?"
"You were knocked out by a tranquilizer dart. Luckily, my men were able to get to you on time and catch the perpetrator. I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you."
"No, don't be. It wasn't your fault. Who was that guy though?"
"I'll explain everything later. Right now, we need to get you somewhere safe."
He then turned to Viven and spoke in a soft voice.
"Would you like to come back to the safe house with us, or prefer to go back to your place with security?"
She turned to me and then back to Marcel, giving him a small smile.
"If I won't get attacked again, I can go back to my place."
"You'll be perfectly safe. I've already arranged for my most trusted people to be on call, as per protocol if anything does go awry."
With that, she nodded and the suits led her to another black car that was parked. She waved at me and I could've sworn she also winked, evidently having cheered up a little.
I smiled to myself and waved back, hoping that she would never have to go through that again.
