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I don't do surprises. Not birthdays. Not pop-ups. Definitely not unexpected knocks at my door before 9 a.m.
But that's exactly what I got.
Three knocks. Even. Calm. Measured. The kind that doesn't come from Amazon drivers or nosy neighbors.
I set down my coffee—black with a little honey—and walked to the door slow, quiet. Old habits die hard. My right hand hovered near the drawer by the entrance, where my Glock stayed locked and loaded. Just in case.
Cracked the door open.
"Julius."
The man himself. Built like a linebacker in a funeral suit.
He gave me a half-smile, the kind that didn't dare touch his eyes. "You're a hard woman to find."
"That's by design."
I stepped aside, let him in. He ducked slightly out of habit even though the doorway cleared him fine. Same old Julius—always scanning, always assessing.
"You don't do pop-ups unless something's wrong. So, what is it?"
He walked toward the window like he was planning to stake out my block. "Can't a friend check in?"
"You're not here for coffee, Julius. Spit it out."
He turned, exhaled slow. "I need a favor."
Of course.
"I'm stepping away for a few months. Personal reasons."
That alone was enough to raise red flags. Julius doesn't take days off, let alone months. The man's got titanium bones, and a moral compass welded to duty. For him to even say the word personal? Alarming.
"You sick?" I asked.
"No."
"You dying?"
"No."
"Then you must be desperate."
His jaw ticked. "I need someone to cover for me while I'm out. Just until I'm back."
"Who?"
His eyes met mine. That's when I knew it was bad.
"Absolutely not." I said immediately.
"You are the only person I trust to do it."
I laughed. "You want me to babysit Beyoncé while your gone?"
"It's not babysitting... I just need you to look after her until I get back."
"I don't do celebrities. You know that. They're unpredictable, entitled, and allergic to listening."
"She's not like that."
"She is like that," I countered.
"Y/n I can't just leave her in anyone's hands. You're the only one I trust to handle it. I know you and I know how serious you take your jobs. I just need you to do this one favor for me please."
