The Guardian Demon [A Taron Egerton FanFiction]

6: Hell in Hiding

Maria, the house keeper, smiled fondly at Taron as he stepped into the kitchen. Returning her smile with a clipped one, he headed directly toward the coffee machine on the counter, where a mug was set beside it. Maria knew that, at that time of the day, Taron would come looking for coffee, so she took it upon herself to prepare it for him.

Over the last few days he had spent with them at the house, Maria had learned to memorize Taron's daily schedule. He would wake up at 5:00 in the morning, head out for a run, come back at 6:30, start his routine check-ups at 7:00, and come back for a small breakfast at 7:45.

Usually around 8:30, Taron would come back for more coffee and to check the daily newspapers that she would leave for him beside the coffee machine.

There was something about Taron that Maria actually liked, she couldn't point what it was, though, maybe it was his noiselessness, maybe it was his sense of regulation, or maybe it was that aura of superiority that surrounded him. He wasn't that much of a talker, but every now and then he would send her a warm look of gratitude or a small, genuine smile, it was enough for her.

"Thank you," he told the older woman, raising his mug in acknowledgment.

"You're welcome," she answered, "would you like to have something else with it, Mr. Egerton? Maybe something to eat?" she asked after a moment.

"No, thanks, Maria," he replied, "and it's just Taron, we've already agreed on that."

"Taron, of course," she said ardently, nodding as she walked past him to go back to finish her daily chores.

As if something told him to do so, Taron's eyes went involuntary toward the kitchen's door, where the petite figure of Mallory had leaned against its frame, clad in a blue crop top over a black jeans, her hair, however, was pink that day.

"Good morning, Mallory," Maria greeted, "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Thanks, Maria, I'm good," she replied, eyes fixed on her bodyguard who pulled one of the steel, high chairs by the kitchen's island, took a newspaper, and began flipping through its pages.

"So," Mallory started as she swayed toward Taron, "no good morning, Mallory, how are you doing today? Did you sleep well last night? Or are you as grumpy in the morning as in every time of the day?"

"No need," Taron bluntly replied, "because I know that you didn't sleep last night until 4 A.M., and you woke up an hour ago, and apparently you woke up feeling well because you did... that," he made a waving gesture to her hair, "so, I don't have to ask."

Mallory's mouth hung open, "How do... wait," her features changed from bewilderment to rage, "did you install a surveillance camera in my room, because I swear to..."

"There's no cameras in your room," he replied in a cold tune, "your room is next to mine, so I can hear you moving around when you're not asleep," he shrugged.