Die for You

Chapter 5

I wish I was half the woman she was, she was exceptional and I loved her, still love her, with all my heart.

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The pool is cool and dark and perfect for my thoughts; as I sliced through the water, I felt the knots and aches of the months living under cardboard begin to ease. It's good to be exercising again; it's good to have a purpose. Performing a tuck turn at the end of the length, I turn my mind back to our client, pushing away the dark thoughts. I'd dug out the file when I got home and had read it through twice before I was satisfied I'd got everything I needed out of it.

Robert Armstrong, successful captain of an arms industry, appeared to have a happy family life. However, reports revealed that he and his wife, Jenna, were involved in extramarital affairs. Despite this, they maintained a public façade of being a content couple. I wondered if the family business benefited from hiring their children. Maybe it was beneficial for both.

The Armstrongs have two children, Richie and Rebecca, who both work for the company. Richie, their son, joined the Marketing and PR department after finishing school, but only seems involved in organizing charity events and fundraisers.

The youngest daughter, Rebecca, is the Head of Sales Development; a lofty title for one so young but there was little else to go on. The file indicated that she was Oxford educated, gaining a masters degree in Classics before she left to join daddy's business. Her university days were virtually a blank, none of the usual drunken student stories, no protests, nothing; and if she'd dated anyone in the five years she was there, the file didn't say. It was as if she was a blank page in the dossier. The investigative team found little beyond corporate information.

Interestingly though, I like enigmas; it didn't hurt that she was gorgeous as well.

I ploughed on through the water, shaking my brain and putting the 'enigma' behind me.

After a quick workout, I planned for the morning's meeting. I'll have to wake up early for the two-hour drive to Bath, possibly three with traffic. Though tired but refreshed, I knew another swim wasn't possible tomorrow. To get a decent night's sleep, I went back to my apartment.

Sadly, I woke up at 5 am, screaming from the return of faces and voices. I can't help but wonder if perhaps paying for treatment would get me a better service, help end the relentless sight of those faces.

I entered JJ's meeting address in my sat-nav and drove towards Mr Robert Armstrong via M4.

---

'Oh my fucking God; she is going to be the death of me, I just know it.'

I don't believe in love at first sight, that's just sentimental bullshit, but I do believe in lust at first sight; I always have.

This time, though, it's different and I don't know why. It's only an instant in my life but time appears to have slowed down, it's like every combat situation I've been in, it's like the ambush and the bombing; I can see every change in those brown eyes as they go from shock, to surprise, to relief, to anger all in the briefest of seconds. I'm absolutely captivated by her eyes, they are fucking gorgeous.

Jesus, I'm supposed to be here proving that I can protect Robert Armstrong from danger and here I am thinking about how hot his daughter is.

'Time to get your head back in the game Freen, back to fucking work.'

As I look back at Rob Armstrong, I see his angry bodyguard approaching with hostile eyes. I recognize the dangerous look from my experiences in Basra. He quickly moved towards me around the desk. He lost control and wasn't as good as he thought he was. The first blow was expected but I surprised him by dodging and throwing him across the room. He got up and faced me again.

"Pieter...!" Mr. Armstrong shouted as his bodyguard approached me, "Stop this now! leave her alone.."

He must have been worried for me, though there really wasn't any need. Despite being smaller, I was faster, more agile, and smarter than his guy.

From my point of view, it was also when I got to catch sight of Robert and his daughter and got distracted by the brunette with the brown eyes. I noticed that she had moved to stand next to her father.

She looked across as she glared at me, her arms folded across her chest; my concentration ruined for the briefest of seconds.

'Stay with it, Freen, focus...before you get hurt.'

I dragged my eyes away from the girl and her father and faced Pieter. I wasn't expecting that he would simply turn to leave as he apologized to his boss. The sneer he gave me was expected, though. I just chuckled as he closed the door behind us.

As I stood, I heard a slow hand clap from behind the desk and turned to see Miss Armstrong regarding me with cold contempt.

"Oh very well done, Miss Sarocha," she said her voice dripping with sarcasm, emphasizing my name with scorn.

"You turn up at our home to talk about our security arrangements and the first thing you do is knock our bodyguard nearly unconscious. Tell me, were you born this fucking stupid or did you just evolve this way in whatever gutter you grew up in?"

I stared back at her, I can't decide if I hate her for her fucking bitchiness or if I'm impressed. I've never really met a woman that was that openly confrontational.

My ex was a bitch a lot of the time in our relationship, especially towards the end, but she was never this aggressive; not like this Armstrong girl. I think it's refreshingly honest.