The Bodyguard

11

I take the elevator to the penthouse. It wasn't the first time I was entering such a luxurious building, but it was the first time I'd get to live in one— as I'd been told at the agency. I still didn't know how to address him. I couldn't even remember the name they called him as. Shit. The elevator opens. I step out, and look around. There's little or no sunlight, as there are huge curtains at both opposite sides of the hallway. There's a huge metallic door a few feet away from me, which I presume to be the door into the house. I walk towards the door. I press the bell.

Leonid's POV

There she was. Her face, shaped like a circle. Her golden brown eyes were as fierce as the sunlight. I watch her from the camera inside.

"Fucking hell. What's taking him so long? I could wet my pants." She murmurs to herself, making me chuckle.

I open the door. "I'm not surprised to see you." I say, as she steps back, caught off guard. She scans me from head to toe, her eyes, roughly scanning inside.

"Hello, sir. The agency. . ." She pauses. I fold my arms, waiting for her to finish. She continues. "Sent me here. I'm your bodyguard, Andrea Leister." She extends her hand for a handshake. I ignore it.

"Right. I'm sorry. I hope we can start afresh?" She asks, looking straight into my eyes. For some odd reason, I look away.

"Come in." I tell her, as we go inside. Fuck. There's a gun on the chair. She'd definitely suspect some foul play if she saw it. She was a smart woman. I rush to the couch and sit on it before she can see it.

"Make me a cup of coffee." I tell her. She looks at me, confused and most likely irritated.

"Sir—, "The kitchen's over there, by your right." I tell her. She nods at me and finds her way there. I get up as soon as she's out of sight, and I keep the gun behind me.

I go to the dining area and take out my personal computer. As soon as I open it, I'm greeted with the last thing I'd been looking at. Her. Andrea Leister. The one woman who had been after me for years and had put a bounty on my head. She was determined to find me. She wanted me, dead or alive. If only she knew that I was merely inches away from her.

"Here's your coffee." She says, arriving at the dining area.

"I don't drink coffee."

"What? Then why did you have me make it?" She asks. I could hear the disdain in her voice.

"To give you enough chance to curse at me, and for you to snoop around." I respond.

She ticks her hair behind her ear. "Hey. I didn't do any of those."

"Are you sure, or are you lying?"

"I'm no—, "Am I getting on your nerves, Ms. Leister?" I ask her. I loved the anger on her face. It made me satisfied.

"Sir, if we may address one another respectfully—

"Why are you here, Ms. Leister." I say, more of a statement than a question.

"Because? It's a job I have to do. I wasn't sent here by choice, Mr.—

"Nik. Call me Nik."

"I refuse to, Mr. Nik. If you have such a problem with me, you can call the company and have them change me. I'd appreciate that too." She states sternly. Fuck no. There was no way in hell I'd let you go. I had you framed for murder, so I wouldn't let you go scot free, just like that, zhenshchina.

"You didn't seem interested in being my bodyguard the day I asked you to. I'd like to know why the change of heart all of a sudden."

"The company randomly picked me. I didn't decide to be here, Mr. Nik."

"Noted. I'll take you to your bedroom. You'll be with me from six to six, everyday. Is that okay with you?"

"Perfectly fine, sir." She responds.

"Let me have your number."

She looks nervous. "Well. . .I-I don't have one."

"You don't have a phone? Why's that?" I ask. Of course, I knew why she didn't have one. She must've gotten rid of it.

"I lost it. The day at the docks? Yeah, I lost it there." She says. It's as though she's trying to convince herself.

"You should get a new one. We'd need to communicate frequently. We can't do that if you don't have a phone."

"I'll get one by the end of the month when I get my salary." She says, looking away.

"No. We should get one now."

*****Andrea's Pov

We've arrived at a shopping mall. "Do I have to give you the guys, or do I keep them, sir?" I ask.

"You'll do the driving henceforth. Let's go in." He says, as I scan him from behind. I take a deep sigh, irritated.

I hesitate to go in. What if someone finds me? Recognizes me?

"Why are you still standing there?" Nik says, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I couldn't risk going in there. "Why don't I just take care of the car, sir? You could get me any phone of your liking. Really, I don't have a problem!"

He walks closer to me. I take a step back. "What's your job again?"

"Huh?"

"What is your job, Ms. Leister?"

"Your bodyguard." I respond, nervous.

"Good. Follow me." He commands, but I grab his hand before he can go.

"Please." I beg, not knowing what else to do. He'll, what was I even thinking accepting to be his bodyguard?

He looks down, at my hand on his. I realize, and I quickly let go of his hand.

"Why don't you want to go in?"

"Because my life is in danger. Yours probably now is too. We have to get away from here, now." I tell him, as I begin to lead him to the other side of the car. He flings my hand off his back.

"You accepted to be my bodyguard, when clearly, you knew the dangers of it. Just who the hell do you think you are to put me in the middle of the mess you created?"

"Alright. I apologize. I'll quit — let me just get you home in one pie—

"If your life is in danger, you must've done something to piss someone off. Who did you offend, Ms. Leister?"

"That would put you in more danger than you already are, by standing here with me."

"I should at least get to know why. It's the least you could do."

"Fine." I respond, looking at him. What could he possibly do with such information? He didn't seem like someone who'd be a blabber mouth, so I could just tell him the truth. Who knows? He might even know ways to get to Leonid. "I was formerly a secret agent. I lost my job recently because I'd failed to catch a criminal for over 6 years."

"That's why your life's in danger?"

"No. That criminal found out I was asking about him, and he set me up, just to get rid of me. He framed me for murder."

He scans me from head to toe, most likely surprised at my revelation. "Murder? You must really hate him. How can you prove your innocence?"

"I despise him. I can't prove my innocence until I catch him— which is what I'm going to do."

"So what does that mean? What will you do when you eventually catch him? Kill him or turn him in?"

"No. I'll turn him in first, and prove my innocence, so I can get my badge back, then, I'll make that son of a bitch pay for framing me." I respond, itching to stand face to face with Volkov.