Betrayal: Book 3 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 4.2 When The Past Catches Up With You

The next morning, Alex woke up early, which she loathed, to attend Krav Maga training, which she loved. The brothers always slept in since they patrolled late into the night. She changed into workout clothes and drove to Jason's studio.

"Ready, Alex?" he asked once she bowed to him.

"Yes, sir. To give bruises only, never get them, from now on."

Alex endured the warm up and stretching exercises with barely concealed impatience. Once they were done, she eagerly grabbed a kick shield and Jason smiled.

*****

"That was our tenth session," Alex told Jason once they broke apart at his command.

He lowered the kick shield that Alex had pounded on for the last two hours and nodded.

"I have a present for you." She walked back to the lockers and withdrew her gym bag. "Let's talk at Joni's seafood." She grinned at his shocked expression. "It's noisy and crowded and I am not coming onto you by inviting you there."

The dingy windows of the tiny, narrow shop were barred, the floor composed of yellowed and cracked tiles, and the glass cases were straight from the 1950's.

Most customers strolled in, ordered their seafood, and walked out with large brown bags stuffed with New Orleans seafood goodness.

There were a few ancient tables with iron legs and linoleum tops. The chairs were mismatched and wobbled, but Alex was glad to snag an empty table with two chairs.

The view out the dingy window was of an empty lot littered with cracked concrete, weeds, and trash. People came for the food, not the view.

"Guard the table. I'm ordering a stuffed artichoke. You want crawfish and beer and what else?" Alex asked.

"That's good. Dogfish Head beer, please. No light crap."

Alex ordered and waited at the counter for the food and beer. No table service here. The short, plump, Hispanic lady, thick black hair barely contained in a hairnet, handed over the food.

Alex smiled and shoved a tip at her. It ensured that she would get the last stuffed artichoke when they ran low and they saw her in the store.

Alex waited until Jason was sucking the head of a crawfish to say, "We're done. I know you want to enter nursing school and you're accepted in West Texas."

Jason rolled his eyes at her but didn't choke. He finished sucking the head before he said, "What?"

"University of Texas at El Paso. Oldest nursing school west of Mississippi."

"How did you arrange that when I didn't even apply?" Jason shook his head and took a long swallow of beer.

"I applied for you." Alex wiped her hands and reached into her bag.

She pulled out an official looking folder. She handed Jason a napkin and waited until he had wiped his hands. He took the folder and leafed through it.

"I still don't know how you did this. How do you know my personal info? Send my transcripts?"

Alex leaned forward and Jason did as well.

"I have powerful friends and even more powerful enemies. The last guy who went out on a date with me ended up face down on the carpet with a bullet in his head. That won't happen to you if you're smart, get out of town, and into that nursing school."

Jason searched her face. "You're serious."

"As serious as that acceptance letter." Alex reached under the table and tapped Jason's knee.