Chapter 12: I hate rodents.

JUSTIN:

  “Again” I shout and she does another push up, “again” and another and another till she falls flat to the ground. It's been three days with non stop training, she has improved significantly, with the jogging every morning, target practice, fist fighting, sometimes I'm going to bed and I still hear her practicing.

 She laid down on the floor, trying to catch her breath, her arm was still bandaged so I was easy on her when it came to push ups and weight lifting.

  “You good?” I squat beside her.

 “Yep” she said breathlessly.

 “Okay” I stand up, stretch out my hand and drag her up, “hows the arm?”

 “I'm taking off the bandage today” she takes a deep breath in, “yours?”

 “Been good since the second day,” I smirk, “go on, we're done for the day”.

 “Thanks” she smiles a little and leaves.

I pack my things up also trying to catch my breath, in as much as I was training her I was also sharpening my skills to be faster and quicker…I can't be snuck up on again. I walk briskly to my house when I see Miguel leaning on my door.

 “Miguel” I give him a curt nod.

 “We need to talk Warren” he folds his arms.

 “I'm listening” I drop my bag and put both hands in my pocket.

 He scoffs, “you think you're smart right?”

Confusion appears on my forehead, “what?”

 “Why didn't you call me immediately when you saw Isa? Hm? Wanting to play hero?”

I laugh a little, “really? That's what you want us to talk about? Jesus Christ” 

 “Do I look like I'm joking with you?” he leans off my door and walks slowly towards me, “you think this is a joke right?”

 “In case you've forgotten Miguel, I'm her bodyguard it's me damn job to protect her, if you have a problem with it, I'm not the person you should be talking to”

 “Oh Warren” he scoff, “bodyguard? the same bodyguard that misplaced her in the first pla…”

 “Like I have said a million and one times, and I would say again, it was a mistake. How would I have known Leonado would be there?”

 “I would have known,” he shouts.

 “Then be her fucking bodyguard” I shout back, “fuck! She is not your property to claim, grow the fuck up”

He stops directly in front of, his hot breath on my face and anger in his eyes, “be careful of your tone with me Warren, Isa is my duty, my responsibility and I will be damned if I allow a….an injured misplaced ex military to take that position in her life”

I smile a little, “like I said take it up with the right person, that person being Isabella” I pick up my bag, push past him and open my door, “and Miguel don't you ever raise your voice at me or this injured misplaced ex military will show the reason why I got injured in the first place” I slam my door shut and finally release a breath.

*****************

I read through Isabella’s file again, going through her weak points, her strengths and everything possible to know about her. I have read through it a million times but every time I still find myself going back to it like it's muscle memory. I sip my drink, reading Leonardo’s file too, trying to understand what letters he was talking about but nothing aside from the fact that he is a sexual predator making me bite back my anger.

 I see a shadow pass my window and I immediately pick up my gun, slowly I move to my window crouching down, looking for the shadow but I see nothing, I hear the grass ruffling and my back becomes tense, I open the door slightly, gun behind me and I walk towards the grass hoping that it was just a rat and not another hit man. 

  “Better come out now before I blow your brains out” I say sternly even though my heart was beating extremely fast.

 The grass continues ruffling till I see Cara come out, stumbling on herself, “it's me, it's me” she raises her hands in surrender.

 “Cara?” I keep my gun, “what are you doing here by this time?” I help her stand straight.

She laughs a little, “I thought this was the house…” she laughs again, “the house entrance”

Her breath reeked of alcohol, “how much did you have to drink?”

 “Just a tiny itty bitty” she smiles and shushes me, “please don't tell Isa, she'll kill me”

I groan in frustration, “Come on” I walk her to the house main door, I take her up the stairs hoping and praying I don't bump into Isabella, “watch your step” I say quietly.

She continues laughing, “third room” she points tiredly.

I walk briskly with her already falling asleep in my arms, I open her door and lay her on her bed finally releasing a breath, “goodnight Cara” I turn off the light and shut the door behind me. I walk down the stairs, trying not to make a noise,

  “Warren?” Isabella's confused voice stops me in my tracks.

Fuck!

 I turn stiffly, “Hey..”

 “Wh…what are you doing here?” I hear her gun drop.

 “Cara…I came to collect something” I clear my throat.

 “Collect what?” she walked slowly down the stairs.

 “I never told you this but your cook makes amazing tacos, came to steal some for myself” I lie.

 “So…you're telling me that you came into my house by this time to steal tacos?” she scoffs, “Jesus”

 “I know and I apologize. Goodnight” I turn back to the door.

 “You are a horrible liar Warren” her voice oddly close to me, “I know Cara back drunk”

 “Oh…” I turn back to her, “oh”

She smiles tightly, “next time call me and don't co…”

We hear footsteps running, as if on the same frequency we draw out our guns and I open the door slightly, looking around to check who it was but I don't see anyone, “stay here”

 “Bullshit, I'm coming with you” she pushes past me.

I follow behind, using my gun as a scope whilst making sure no one was following us, “see anything?”

 “Nothing” she breaths out and stops walking, “fuck”

I look around still on high alert, “maybe it was a rat”

 “I hate rodents, I don't have any eith…” her eyes become wide, realization hitting her, “the house” she runs back to the house, I follow her not even understanding what was happening, we get to the house and she stops, her back tense with fear, her hands shaking.

 “What is it?” panic in my head.

She turns stiffly to me, holding a white paper…dripping with bloody fonts, 

   “ESCAPE ONCE, GOOD FOR YOU..YOU WON'T BE AS LUCKY” blood drains from her face and her pupils dilating.