The Bodyguard

Chapter 13

"Pandora!"

"Pandora wait!" His voice was getting louder. That's how I knew he caught up on me.

I walked faster but he grabbed me by my wrist and spun me around.

"I didn't mean to upset you" he stated in a calming tone.

He never intends to anger me but he somehow always finds a way.

"Hudson. Let go!" I glared at him and tried to free myself from his grip.

A blonde woman came towards us and gave me a worried look.

"Is everything okay, Miss?" She asked and reached in her bag.

I turned to Hudson again to see that he was viewing me with a look adults give children who think they know everything better.

His stare literally said "stop acting like a little kid".

"Hudson, lets just go" I sighed.

The woman pinned her hair behind her ear and repeatedly asked if everything was okay.

I nodded and Hudson finally let go of my wrist. It didn't hurt but it made me feel uncomfortable.

He turned around to face the blonde and pushed me behind him. Suddenly I noticed his back muscles tense up.

"Pandora, go to the car. Now" he whispered monotonous.

I glimpsed at the woman to see a huge victorious grin upon her face.

Hudson turned to me "Remember your promise?"

Of course I do.

"I'll do whatever you want. Just promise me one thing: You'll never lie to me. And I promise I won't lie to you either and do what you ask me to. I'm- I'm just so sick of all those lies."

As much as I hated it, I did what he asked me to. My parents taught me the value of promises and that's why I never broke a promise I gave. I for sure wouldn't change that today.

I ran to the Lamborghini and sat inside.

Sitting bold upright I didn't move. I felt my heartbeat in my ears and just waited.

The last time I was so frightened was when I was four and my father had surgery. He had gallstones and I cried so much because I thought he would die.

It felt like hours passing by in silence until I heard a loud noise. And then another one.

Gunshots!

My breath was fitful and my fear quickly turned into panic. I won't be able to sit here any longer without knowing what's going on out there.

The car door opened and Hudson sat inside. I was so relieved that he was alive. A million thoughts went through my head.
Scenarios where the woman comes and shoots me, where I see his body laying on the floor...

I immediately hugged him and allowed my heartbeat to normalize again. He patted my back and gently pushed me away to look at me.

"What was that for?" He asked amused.

My eyes widened and I smacked his chest "Are you serious? I thought you might died!"

Nothing's funny about that!

"Whoa! Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you" he wiped a tear off my face. Before that I didn't even realize I was crying.

I hate crying or showing weakness in general.

"Dora, I was just doing my job: Keeping you safe. You don't need to worry about me, okay? Everything is alright" he assured while cupping my face with his warm hands.

"You scared the shit out of me" I sobbed reproachful.

He stroked my hair and viewed me compassionately.

"I am really sorry about that. But I couldn't concentrate if you were there. Exposed to the risk to get hurt" he apologized quietly.

Suddenly I realized how close we were. My face was only a few inches away from his and a weird tension filled the air.

Nervously I pushed his hands away and leaned back in my seat. Gladly, he didn't make any further comments and just started the car.

Hours later, after I calmed down completely and I could think straight again I decided to break the silence.

"Who was that woman?" I whispered.

Hudson sighed "That was Agent 52, Aphrodite. Don't worry. She's fine. I just shot her two times in the leg, so it looks real."

I curiously turned to him "So it looks real?"

"Yes. Aphrodite is just one of the 57 agents who are now after me. That's how the NSJP handles things. When someone 'is being fired' they fair game. The other agents get a pay raise for the head of the betrayer" he explained.

The first time I felt like he wasn't trying to hide anything from me. Like he was completely honest with me.

"You know, we are being numbered after our skills. Even though Aphrodite is one of the weakest she's still deadly. I once helped her, so she owed me one and let us run. But I had to make it look real. Otherwise she could get in trouble. Just like us."