Austin searches the bushes and the garden, checking the wall and the ground around where footprints had been left. Swearing at himself. His mind had been crowded with Angel when he should have been concentrating on the sounds and surroundings outside. He goes back to the bush where he had seen the hooded man and looks up. He had a clear direct view into Austin's room, into his bed - he would have seen Angel on top of Austin, and he would have seen him kissing her. Last night Austin had been so focused on Angel that he had forgotten to draw his curtains - this is a huge problem. He has never been so thoughtless.
He searches the garden under his bedroom window and finds a rock. Cheating whore - is written on it. This is bad. They have upset any balance that hooded man had, it's no longer a case of if he gets her but when and Austin has a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that the hooded man is now so deranged he will become chaotic with his need to get her - Austin has caused this and he swears at himself again. He has caused the death and destruction of many men and their families, he tries to live with that every day but, he knows as his chest rattles that any harm he brings to Angel is something he can never live with. She has hired him to keep her safe - but he has now placed her in more danger than she has ever been in. Fucking idiot.
"This is bad," Mathew says taking the rock from him and looking it over. "Get hold of a security company. Put electric fencing on top of the wall," Austin says turning and walking to the front of the house. "Sir, if I may..." Mathew says.
"What?"
"All this security will slow him down but it won't stop him."
"And what do propose? We hunt him down?"
"Well...yes."
"I like you, Finch. We need to send, miss Knite off first and then we will plan."
"Oh...I don't think that will happen any time soon."
Austin stops and looks at Mathew. Mathew stops too, putting his hands up and backing away a few inches. "I am just saying she is so attached to you. We may need to work around her not going," Mathew says. "If we start a war with this guy I don't want Miss Knite anywhere near it," Austin says. "Well...just hear me out...what if we use her as bait?" Mathew says. "Take a few more steps back, Finch, best you have a head start when I chase you down and murder you for saying shit like that," Austin growls, his blood boiling. Mathew takes a few more steps back, his hands still up in submission. "Just think about it. We will be there, we will be in control. She will be safe," he says. Austin glares at him. He is a fucking idiot. He would never place Angel in danger even if it's a well-orcastraisted plan. There must be another way.
He turns and continues walking into the house. As he goes through the front door he sees Angel jump up from the bottom of her stairs and come running at him. He tucks his gun into his waistband at the small of his back just in time to catch her as she launches herself at him. "Is he dead? Did you get him?" she sniffles into his neck as she clings tightly to his body - she is shaking so much it rattles his chest. "No, hush now," he says softly. Mathew walks past and raises his brows at him before he disappears. He is right - they need to hunt the hooded man down before he gets to Angel. "Come, I need to talk to you," Austin says pulling her off him and leading her to the kitchen. He sits her down in a chair and makes her a cup of coffee then sits down on the chair next to her. She ignores the coffee and practically climbs on him.
"I need you to go, just for a little while so-"
"No."
"Miss Knite. Your stalker is deranged, what he saw this morning has pushed him over the edge and I need you to-"
"No!"
"Just hear me out," he starts again but she cuts him off with a shake of her head as she leans forward and connects their lips. Austin tries to pull away, he really does, but she clouds his mind. "Please don't make me go. I don't want to be away from you," she begs as she pulls back slightly. She is so intense, so open. Where most people will hold back their feelings or even their actions - Angel throws caution to the wind and says it like it is without holding back. "I am trying to keep you safe," he tries to reason with her. "You keep me safe here, with you. Besides, I can't just disappear I have fans, shows, and appearances, I have a tour starting soon and music to write and produce. I can't leave even if I wanted to," she says. Austin shakes his head. "None of that matters now, your safety is a top priority," he says. "No. I won't do that to my fans and my music is my top priority. I am not leaving. You have to find another way," she says defiantly.
"Morning!" Phoebe says coming in on a cloud of rainbows like she does every morning, completely oblivious to this morning's events. "Phoebs! You are a fan," Angel says turning to her. "Yes, and a friend!" Phoebe says opening the fridge and raking out a selection of cut fruit. "Can you please explain to your brother what would happen if I canceled my upcoming tour as well as any of my appearances," Angel says. Phoebe's head shoots up and she drops the container she had in her hands. "What! You are canceling your tour?! You can't do that! People will lose their minds! It will be everywhere, social media, news outlets! The whole world will freak out and people will be asking questions and starting chat groups trying to work out what's wrong! You will be hounded by everyone! What's wrong?! Are you ok? What's going on?!" Phoebe rapidly shoots out her words, traumatized already. "See. It will draw attention. He will know and come looking for me no matter where I am," Angel says with a pointed look.
"Who!? Who will come looking for you?! Do we need to fight someone? Because I will!" Phoebe says, she is freaking out a little. This is all Austin needs. "Just an ex, Phoebs, chill. Austin has it under control," Angel says. Phoebe relaxes immediately. "Oh, ok, with Austin around you will be fine. Don't worry," Phoebe goes back to packing her lunch. Great, Phoebe has just solidified Angel's argument without even trying. It scares him a little as to how much faith both Angel and Phoebe have in him. "Oh, I am late! Meatballs for dinner, don't be late!" Phoebe says grabbing her bag and running off.
"Can we put this to rest now?" Angel asks. "You have a day scheduled at the studio, get dressed," Austin says standing. "You will be with me the whole time, right?" Angel asks standing too. "No. If you insist on staying then you need to trust me and the men I have employed to guard you," he says.
"No. You have-"
"Stop that. You have insisted on staying, but I have a job to do. I will not leave you exposed but I can't play babysitter to you. Curry will be n the studio while Finch and I work. Go get ready."
"But-"
"Now!"
He had not meant to shout, but Angel never knows when to just stop. She pushes too far. He feels like shit when her face falls and her shoulders slump. She is an irrational woman at the best of times but now she is scared to so her mind is fucked up right now. He knows better than to shout at her. "Ok," she whispers and turns to go, but Austin catches her hand and pulls her back to him, cupping her cheeks and making her look at him. "I am sorry for raising my voice at you," he says softly, bending down and running his lips on hers. "I am just trying to keep you safe. Trust me, please...and do as I say," he adds softly as she leans into him letting him kiss her. "Ok, ok," she mumbles into the kiss, she gets lost in it so quickly and he finds himself no better off.
He finds the willpower to break the kiss and then pushes her towards the door gently. Her bird walks over to him on the kitchen table cocking its head and putting out its beak as if it's asking for a kiss. "Shit, fuck?" is says softly. It wants him to kiss it? Austin bends down so he is at eye level with it. "You want a kiss?" he asks. The bird moves closer and cocks its head the other way. "Shit, fuck?" the bird says softly. "Oh, you do want a kiss. Well come closer then," Austin says. The bird moves closer and puts its beak out as Austin grins at it then holds his fist up. "A kiss with a fist is better don't you think?" he whispers. The bird back peddles then turns and runs into the safety of its cage. "Try that shit again and I will pluck you clean and boil you," Austin says pointing at the stupid bird as it leans forward and closes its cage with its beak.
"Ok now that you are done terrorizing the bird we need to talk about our plan," Mathew says from the doorway. "Mhmmm, Miss Knite is staying so it will have to work around her," Austin says taking out two cups and filling them with coffee. "Oh, I know. I saw...heard she was staying," Mathew says with a smirk as he sits down and takes his coffee. Austin hits him with a glare. Whatever is happening between him and Angel is unprofessional and will leave his reputation in tatters, he should care more but he doesn't.
"Whatever you think you saw-"
"Hey man, you won't get any judgment from me. I know your story, sir. I have respected and looked up to you all my life. Whatever is going on between you and Miss Knite is your business and it has not diminished any respect I have for you...I respect you more and if she means that much to you I find myself even more dedicated to keeping her safe."
Austin frowns at him. Mathew is also ex-military, discharged after not being able to cope with the aftermath of being in a senseless war. With Austin's dismal, pathetic history and now the tarnishing of his good name he is not surprised Mathew respects him - he is a washout, a rogue like Austin. Just another man Austin has led astray.
"What's your plan?"
"Is using Miss Knite as bate open for discussion?"
"No."
"Ok, well then we will have to play the long game. I have checked everyone's background again including Lia's and they are all clean."
"Check Lia again. I don't trust her."
"Why? That girl is harmless. We should look into Nate maybe - he could be an issue."
"No. Nate is fine. Lia knows something."
"Come on man. That girl does nothing but do crafts when she gets home. Her only out-of-character movement was joining a dating site that she has now deleted."
"A dating site? Did she go on a date with anyone?"
"Not sure. She-"
"Get sure," Austin says then puts up his finger to keep Mathew quiet when none other than Lia walks into the house. She looks like she has seen a ghost, freaked out and more skittish than usual. "H-hello. Where is Angel?" she asks as if she is about to piss her pants. "Upstairs," Austin says watching her carefully. She nods then turns. "Where are you going?" Austin asks stopping her. "Upstairs," Lia squeaks out.
"You were there when I said upstairs was out of bounds."
"For me too? But, I am her friend."
"You are her employee. Wait downstairs for her."
Austin sees something flash in her eyes, but she does not protest. She walks off and sits at the bottom of the stairs. There is something off about her, Austin can feel it in his bones.