Perfect Redemption

Eight: In Which She Actually Has A Heart And She Shows It

Oh, Jesus.

I'm definitely not up for this.

I'm already about to faint just thinking about the mere thought of being Jax's bodyguard.

"Dad, what part of 'she's not up for this' do you not get?" Jax snaps. "I mean... look at her. She looks like she's about to shit herself."

"I'm not!" I say, baffled. "I just... I can't do this, alright? This is not me."

Baxton cocks his head to the left and his lips jut forward, his teeth scraping against each other. "I'll pay you, Blaire. Anything you want. Just name your price."

Just like that-just those eleven words has my mind screeching to a halt. Just like that-I'm all fucking ears.

He wants me to name his price? How about twenty fucking grand so I can get my brother out of that hellhole he calls his home?

I hold his gaze, as if telling him not to play any games with me. He better not be messing with me about money.

"I just need you for the summer, Blaire," he tells me. Urges me. "Three months. That's it. You even get a salary. Protecting a celebrity surely ain't going to come cheap but I'm willing to splurge. For you. Of course, given that you're living in my home and your lack of certain skills, it has to be a reasonable amount."

I know he's not trying to be mean. Baxton is just stating the reality of the situation. Of course it would have to be a reasonable sum. I can't just ask twenty grand from him. I've already taken advantage of his beautiful home and he is offering me a job in which I barely know anything about. If anything, I should be lucky he's even willing to pay me for my services.

"How much?" I ask, curious.

He smiles, satisfied that I'm willing to oblige him. "Marcus, get me a paper and a pen." He gestures to his bodyguard. Marcus does exactly what he says and a minute later, materializes with a notepad and a pen. He hands it over to Baxton who then scribbles down something, tears the paper from the notepad and hands it over to me.

I stare at the figures.

"Does that satisfy you?" He asks.

"Holy..." For three months of basically babysitting Jax, that's a pretty fucking big sum. "Fuck."

Jax raises a curious eyebrow.

"Of course, that amount would be split. So your monthly salary is a third of that," Baxton clarifies. It's still pretty fucking great. If I pawned off the jewelry I stole from Jack Wright's house last night and add it with my salary this month, I'll be able to get in contact with the lawyer in no time. "So, you're interested, Blaire?"

For some reason, my eyes meet Jax before I tell his father my answer. He still looks pissed off as hell. No doubt that his ego has taken a hit big time by letting me be his bodyguard, but he seems... somewhat, content with it. He's not opposing it. Perhaps he knows how much I need that money.

A long pause ensues and I know I need to tell Baxton my answer.

I'm probably not going to like this job, but I'll do it. For Eden. For the life we deserve.

"Okay," I nod. "Count me in."

As soon as those words escape my mouth, I feel a little bit relieved. Maybe it's not a big deal after all. I think can do this. I can protect Jax. I can be the best fucking bodyguard in the whole world.

I turn to look at Jax again, perhaps seeking a little bit of comfort, but all I receive is a smug look. A sudden pang of fear hits me in the chest and that's when I realize that I'm now Jax's employee, which means that he has power over me.