The Assassin’s Billionaire Bodyguard
Chapter 53

Sabine kicked her hard under the table.

"Ow!" Isabella rubbed her shin furiously, "what was that for?"

"You just took off!" Sabine's eyes normally rounded and bright were narrowed and dark as she glared at her friend across the table.

"I had no choice. I had a direct order from Artemis, my alpha, and my insufferable fiancé, who, it turns out by the way, is a hitman for the goddamn mob." She tapped one hand on the table impatiently and the other hand stroked Casper's ears. Sabine pulled her head back in surprise. "No. I can see him being a security guard because he likes control and to tell people what to do but a hitman? Like he does mob hits?"

"Yeah. Seems one of the reasons Evgeni's panties are twisted is because he knows his father hires him to get information from people and to carry out hits."

They sat quietly as they both absorbed this information.

Sabine grinned suddenly, "I wonder what his mob-name is. They all have one. Like Torres the Torturer or Camden the Chameleon."

"I didn't ask." She made a face, "Sabby, it's why I can't let him be involved. Mikhail will know his tactics."

Her mouth rounded before she pursed her lips as she contemplated Isabella's words. "Artemis obviously knows which is why you didn't say anything in debrief."

"Right," she took a breath. "I love him so much Sabby and I am already terrified of the risk of him being killed in the jungle or getting hurt because of his work but to consider he could get killed because of me specifically and because he is exacting revenge for me, no. I can't have it. I love him. I love Clara. I love you. I know you all want a piece of Evgeni and I do too but he's just not worth it to me."

"But you are worth it to us," Sabine whispered reaching across the table and squeezing her fingers. "We love you. If anything happened to any of us because we're protecting you, we would be happy to die for you."

"I love you," she said suddenly to her friend as she looked down at Casper. "I don't say it enough, but I do love you all."

"We know. Now, I'm quite sure the alpha males on the other side of the door probably paced holes into the ground. Let's go. Also, I'm not leaving you tonight so if you're going to Cam's house, he has an extra guest for the night."

"He'll be good with it." Isabella was sure of it. Her head snapped up suddenly, "oh and you'll get to meet Gideon."

Sabine made a face, "Clara briefly introduced us at the women's center when they were dummies for a day. He's really quiet. Too quiet."

"Really? He talks to me all the time."

They stood up from the table and Sabine reached out and tickled the underside of Casper's chin. "I think he missed you. I also think he feels your stress. I'm asking as your friend, not your psychologist. Are you okay?"

"I'm angry Sabine. I don't remember the last time I was this angry. I've been angry a couple of weeks now and it just keeps building. Running the mission with Cam was an outlet but it wasn't enough. I feel my freedom has been taken away from me by a guy who has no right to have control over my life."

"Cam?"

"Evgeni," she made a face. "Cam I'm getting used to. He's used to being in control. He tells people what they do so he can protect them, and they do it and then things work out the way he likes. It's what he does and he's getting better at listening to me, especially now he knows I can handle myself."

"Did you really kill more guys on your own than his entire team?"

"Yes, I did," she said proudly, "but not only did I do it, I held it together damn well and the guys asked Cam to make me permanent on his team." At Sabine's surprised gasp she laughed, "I declined. It's a different environment. They complained I talked to much but honestly, they communicate with hand signals, nothing was recorded and while the goal was to grab one person, they were so single-mindedly focused on the end goal, they didn't want to deal with anything else." "Like the girl you mentioned?"

"Like the girl I mentioned." She groaned and hugged Casper tight, "Regardless, my relationship with Cam is going really well and we're in a good place. The reason I'm so uptight is because I'm angry with Evgeni and," she rubbed her temple, "I'm angry at myself Sabine. I let it go this far. I'm the i***t who slept with him a second time and I shouldn't have. It took me months to get rid of him after. I should have managed it back then and I didn't. I cut him slack. I felt guilty for never loving him the way he loved me, and I gave him inches and let him take miles. This is all on me and now he's gone so far, he needs to be dealt with. Worse, because I didn't take care of it back then, Portia got stuck with him and ended up in a dangerous situation."

"Hey, you did not make her date him."

"No but if I had taken care of the situation of him a year ago when it was crazy back then and he was being an i***t and sending me d**k picks and calling my parents house demanding my new address, he never would have met her, and she would never be in the situation where she needs therapy to deal with his horseshit."

"It's not your fault Isabella."

"I feel like it is and I'm angry over it."

"We can work on it. You need to let go of the anger."

"I'll let it go when he's dealt with." She kissed Casper's head and then entered the code to unarm her safe room and waited for the door to slide open. They entered the hall and noted the sound of the television in the other room.

She found the two men sitting quietly, watching a hockey game, and drinking a beer. "Hey, we're done." Ben wordlessly held her cell phone and ring up in his palm and she took both, sliding her ring back on her finger. Cam nodded, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She gave a nod. "I assume we're still heading to your place?"

"It's the safest option and Ben agrees. He's going to follow us to the house as backup."

"Sabine is coming. We missed our Sunday morning coffee. She's staying with me."

"Of course," Cam nodded at her, "there's lots of room and if you have half the skills Isabella has, you're an asset."

Isabella turned away, "I'm just going to go pack some clothes."

"Not without me." Sabine called out, "you s**k at putting outfits together. You'll pack jeans and black t-shirts."

"I like her t-shirts," Cam called out as the girls ascended the stairs, "she doesn't need pjs either."

Sabine laughed at his comment and Isabella blushed. Within minutes Sabine had helped her pack up a small suitcase of clothes and Casper's kit was updated. She was sitting on the edge of her bed when her cell phone rang, and she grimaced at Sabine. "It's Clara." "I'll take these downstairs. I'm sure she wants to convince you to let her handle Evgeni herself." She answered the call and exhaled slowly, "Hey Clara."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Sabby and Ben were here waiting when I got to the house. I left my cell phone home just in case and Artemis sent Sabby to do my debrief."

"Not what I asked." Clara's voice was quiet but firm. "I asked if you are alright."

"Everyone keeps asking me and I'm trying to be as honest as I can. I'm angry. I'm really angry."

"Me too, kiddo, me too. Cam told you Evgeni upped the price to kidnap you to five million?"

"Yes. Clara, I feel like he's stealing my freedom. I have fought so long and hard for my autonomy and my ability to walk down a street without looking over my shoulder and he's taking it away."

"I can end this today," Clara spoke quietly, "as much as I love Raisa and Mikhail, they let this go on too long."

"And then you're on the mob's hitlist."

"I'm not worried."

"I am and if you got hurt because of me, I would never forgive myself. The twins need you."

"Isabella," Clara almost moaned her name, "I love you. I let you worry too much about my friendship with Mikhail and I think it's playing in your head."

Isabella whispered into the receiver, "I asked Artemis to take care of it from someone out of country. It's the only way I can keep you and Cam safe, and I know she'll do it discretely."

Clara was quiet for several long seconds and Isabella had to look at the phone to see if they were still connected.

"Are you angry at me Clara?"

"No," she sighed, "I'm frustrated, and I'm annoyed but none of it is directed at you. I know your house is as strong as Fort Knox, but I do want you to go with Cam to his house. He has the house stocked with extra guys and if push comes to shove, he has a small army to take out whoever might try to get to you. Mikhail will never balk at Cam protecting his home."

"My bag is already packed. Sabine's coming. While we were packing, she told me she cancelled all her appointments for the rest of the week, and she will be my shadow. I think she and Artemis discussed it before she was sent here. I just don't have it in me to argue."

"Good. I'll stop by Cam's on my way home from the office tomorrow. Cam's house isn't set up for you to work from there so you're off the rest of the week."

"I want to go to work."

"Great until one of Evgeni's i***t friends decides to take you on the way to or from work or in the lobby. I'm not calling the family of my receptionist to tell them their daughter died because she was caught in crossfire of a kidnapping attempt, and I don't have the resources in place yet to deal with it. Give me time."

"He's stealing my life," she wiped an angry tear off her face. "I need my job and my friends. I want to see my Papa and my Mama."

"I'll bring them over to Cam's tomorrow evening. Okay?"

"Yes," she sighed before blurting out, "Cam and I got engaged on Saturday night."

"What?" Clara was stunned. "Why didn't you tell me? You called him fiancé in my office but I thought it was Freudian slip."

"I was holding onto the info just in case I get into s**t with Mama." She let a small smile out as Clara chuckled at her comments. "Now, I just want to tell them and let her fuss over me."

"She's going to cry," Clara laughed. "Cam's a lucky man."

She heard the sound of Cam calling her name up the stairs. "I guess it's time to go. Cam's calling me."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow." Clara gave a slow pause, "I know you're frustrated, and you feel your freedom is hindered but it's not for long. Let's give Artemis the chance to do what she does best."

"I love you Clara," she felt weepy and emotional.

"I love you too. Now go with Cam, Ben, and Sabine. We'll drop by tomorrow."

"Bye Clara." She sat on the bed unmoving and wiped her face of the tears. Being back in New York, with nothing to do to but hide made her feel her vulnerable in a way she had not felt for years. She quickly rubbed her face as she heard Cam's footsteps on the landing. She took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled just as he walked into the room. She held up a finger, not looking in his direction, "do not ask me if I'm okay. If one more person asks me if I'm okay, I'm going to lose my s**t and go nuclear."

He moved closer to her and squatted in front of her, resting his palms on her thighs, "okay, I won't ask. We need to get a move on."

"I told Clara we got engaged."

If he was surprised by the comment, he made no outward display of it. "How did that go?"

"She's happy for me. I told her I was holding the info as protection from Mama but all I want is my folks. Clara's kicked me out of work for the week."

"I'll work from home the rest of this week. Sabine is staying with us for the week. Gideon and Mickey are already at the house. Erik and Sly are also at the house," at her surprised glance he smiled, "they requested it specifically. We're going to hole up for the rest of the week."

"You should take Portia to her show," she remembered Gideons comment.

"I booked the tickets already for Friday night. Sabine and I were talking about it downstairs and you're going to have a girl's night at the house with her and some other girls."

She nodded, "normally I'd be all in for a girl's night in. I don't like going out partying or anything, but I feel like it's forced, and I'm being babysat."

"Based on the way someone named Cat was reacting on the phone, you are definitely not being babysat. She said something about bringing tequila and fried chicken."

She laughed then, the first joyous sound she'd let out in hours. "Cat used to be on a team with Clara and she's chaos on legs. She's the one who was mouthy when you saw us in Rio." "Not helpful, you were all mouthy in Rio."

"She was doing body shots with us," He nodded, then with a humorous glance, and she chuckled as he stood up and held her free hand to pull her upright. "The gift of having strong willed women. We have attitudes in droves."

He reached his fingers to stroke Casper, who was snuggled up tight to Isabella. "He's sticking close, huh?"

"Even Gideon couldn't pry him from me right now."

"Well, let's go home." As they walked to the door of her bedroom, he draped his arm over her shoulder, "also Ben showed me some of the hidey holes and the security features of this place. This house is a fortress." She leaned into his chest, "it is."

"Why do you have a rocket launcher in the basement?"

"Ben showed you lots," she made a face.

"We went to get your phone and ring," he kissed her temple before releasing her to walk down the stairs. "I'm glad the ring is back on. I get why you left it home, but something primal in me likes seeing it there."

Ben called up the stairs, "hey, we need to go. My team has a guy on the offramp to the neighborhood who just saw one of Evgeni's friends in a sportscar coming in hot. He took out a tire but seems like they know you are home." Cam's curse echoed the sentiments of everyone in the house. Evgeni Andropov was officially a pain in the a*s.