Ae
A couple hours into my vigil with Pete, there's a knock on the door and my boss sticks his head in.
"I want you to meet some people."
I glance at Pete to see him still sleeping so I head out and see a doctor and a man with a teen by his side. It surprises me that he would have a kid out with him this late but what he says shocks me even more.
"This is Rend and his husband Montree. They own Midas Security. This is Montree's sister. She's older than she looks."
"Hi there. I'm Montree Tuntayakul." The name makes me suck in a breath and side eye my boss who looks super relaxed.
"A pleasure to meet you." I shake his hand as well as his husband's. Despite being a doctor I can sense that Rend is a bit like Phana Kongthanin who I have met already. He's a very confident and self contained man.
"Now I understand that your husband was targeted and attacked today at his office?" I nod. This is leading somewhere and I wonder how this girl will be involved.
"Does Pete have a personal assistant?"
"Um he has a secretary but he shares her with another person if I remember correctly."
"Excellent. From now on, Thalia here will be working with Pete. You might be concerned but I assure you that Thalia is capable of protecting Pete."
I size her up and I can see the lean muscle cording up her arms and the sharpness of her gaze. The moment we lock eyes, hers turns doe soft and innocent but I've already caught sight of the danger and I'm impressed.
"You sure she shouldn't be protecting our Prime Minister?"
"As if he could afford me. I only help my brother's friends because they're my friends now too."
"Well thank you for that." I nod to her because I feel like anything else and she might take it personally and kill me.
"It's chill. Besides your like the first person outside of this lot who looked at me and didn't see a cute chick." She pops her gum and rolls her eyes spectacularly.
I look at her again and shake my head. "How did you let this happen?" I tease Montree because somehow this mood needs to lighten. Rend and Forth snort while Montree looks at her with dismay.
"I would never. She came this way. Literally. Her dad is a famous mercenary." I look at Forth again. He smirks. Once he had told me that he knew some very interesting people. He was so right. I don't know why I ever doubted him.
We talk for a bit more and Montree promises to be back to chat with Pete in the morning. After all, he's the one who has to accept these possible new changes and since he can speak, I wouldn't make this decision for him.
"Besides Thalia, there are security persons in place right now. In fact Thalia has her own team of 5 including a sniper and they will be monitoring for intruders."
"They're the best I could find and that's high praise from me." I just bet it is.
I watch them go and step back into the room to find Pete watching me.
"Oh. If I knew you were awake I would have asked them in."
"Who?" He turns more towards me as I explain the visitors we just had.
"Actually it's a good thing you let them go. I need some time to ponder this. I know that these people have a job that means they face danger 24/7 but I have never been in a position where someone risks danger because of me. I need to reconcile myself with that."
"I know Pete. I get that about you. Trust me, I would have loved to tell them protect you and not worry about the consequences but I know you, you need to be able to think about this and make peace with yourself about the decision."
"Thank you Ae. Have you heard from the detectives?" Pete shifts over in his bed and I look at him curiously.
"Yes. They'll come by in the morning with updates."
"Good. Come sleep. Please." He pats the space he's made for me and I realize there's more than enough for me. I easily fit in next to him.
Despite being here to make sure Pete is ok, he is the one soothing me instead. I wasn't even aware I need it until I was lying by his good side, his hands rubbing on my back.
"Pete?"
"Hummmmm?"
"I need you, you know that right? I mean not just that way. I can't imagine what the world would be like without you in it. I could live because you were just in another country. But today, that was different. You could have been gone without any way to get you back."
"I think we've suffered enough Ae. Our love is stronger than any adversity. I've learned that, I believe that."
"I just..." I don't have the words to express what I'm feeling right now. I never thought that someone would try to hurt Pete. He's just such a beautiful person.
"I can't be without you too Ae. I know that. Despite the fact that I let my fear get in the way of me coming back sooner, I did come back and you were here waiting for me despite everything. I can't blame this person for seeing me as a threat because you are a catch and I do believe this is all about you. I'm sorry that you have to face this fact."
"Me too. I'm sorry that my loving you puts you in danger. But I can't stop loving you Pete." I need him to understand this. I don;t think I'm being selfish by still wanting Pete by my side. Am I?
"And I don't want you to. This is about you but it's not on you. You can't control the warped thinking of other people." He reaches over and rests his hand over my heart. "You shouldn't have to. We forget that there's choice so some people push their feelings on others without caring that they don't want it. This person is pushing their feelings on you. They think that you've refused it because of me."
"But it's because of me that I refused it. I don't want their feelings."
"And that is where the disconnect is. I was thinking earlier that it was her, Sheri. But she isn't trying to push her feelings on you Ae. She already knows where she stands."
I sit up, mind blown. This is getting to be too much for me. I'm overwhelmed."
"Pete. If what your saying is true. The answer could be anyone. I still wouldn't rule her out but this opens the floor to any random fool."
"Yes. I know." I stare at him and he looks back at me with clear eyes. He's not pushing me to accept his new theory and that makes accepting it even easier. Pete knows how to work me. My vision isn't so narrow any more and that's actually a good thing.
"I'm beginning to think I'm way too fucking popular."
"Well you are. Tul's business has had you all over the news lately. Your famous Ae. That's all some people need."
"Fuck." My brain shuts down. It's too overwhelmed right now. Pete gets it because he stops talking. I turn and look at him as he looks at me too. I can only pull him close and hold him right now. I just want to wallow in the fact that he's still alive and not think about some random person for tonight.
While I'm resting with Pete, Thalia never left the building. She set one of her men up in the hospital control room and had him monitor the floors. She went to the waiting room and hugged a corner, acting like she was sleeping as she waited for news. Her posture was hunched and defensive. Totally believable.
"Someone interesting just came in." Fly Boy on the roof with his rifle commented in her ear.
"I'm watching him," Nigel muttered from the control room.
Despite saying him, the person who actually walked in was Dali. She looked like rushed ciaos, having finally heard the news that Pete was hurt. She demanded to see Pete and had everyone in an uproar in seconds.
"She's acting as cover. I see him." Donnie mutters and slips behind the man who was trying to make his way past in all the commotion.
"I'm not sure she's acting but your guy is definitely using her_ Ohhhhhhh fuck. Did she just say she was Pete's fiance?"
"As sure as duck's fly she did." While they conversed, Donnie slipped past the cautiously moving man and went to our room door. He opened it without hesitation and called out to me with a soft, "Par. I got you some more coffee. I know you said you didn't want cream but this stuff is really acid. It needs the creamer."
Donnie moved quickly so the man didn't even get a chance to look inside as he shut the door then locked it, crouched, and pulled his gun. Pete stared but I was moving, covering Pete's body instinctively before I remembered that Thalia had mentioned this code just before she left.
"Nigel says he's hovering outside and seems confused. Do you now this person?" The little boy suddenly turned and asked them.
Ae and Pete looked at the picture that Donnie showed them. Pete looked lost but Ae frowned.
"That's a client of mine. It's possible he heard I was here and came to see me? I don't know."
"Do you want him to come in?"
"No. I don't want to see anyone right now. The only thing he can do is ask me questions and gossip. I don't want to go through that."
Donnie nodded when Pete suddenly asked him, "How old are you?"
"Who me? Oh 31. I know I look like I still suck breast milk. My sis hates me. She's 25 and looks like she could be my mother."
"Can I see some ID?" Pete's brain couldn't compute that age with that face and body structure. He looked 15!
"Really? Are you really asking me that?" Pete nodded softly and Donnie sighed and pulled out his ID. The real one. It did say he was 31 and Pete just blinked and stared. I gave it a good looking over too. It was as real looking as mine was. Besides, I couldn't see Montree hiring a 15 year old... Then again... He was friends with my boss and he had a questionable past...
"I think it's ok. I mean, it's a security company."
"This is my partner Eli. This was our wedding day in Canada. This is our daughter that we adopted. I'm 31."
"She's a cutie." Pete managed because what else could he say to this tiny child- man- person that wouldn't offend more than he already had.
"Thanks." Donnie beamed and moved to the couch. The night became uneventful after that but Donnie stayed with them the entire time and only left when Cassie came. Cassie was dressed in a nurses uniform and pretended to tend to Pete all day. She was actually quite competent and seemed to know what was happening when the other nurses came in to do their jobs.
"Did you work in a hospital before?"
"Yes. I have a masters as a general nurse practitioner. They can't pull anything on you with me watching."
"Thank you. Could I possibly speak to Thalia? Ae can you give us a moment?"
"Sure. And actually I wanted to go get some things from home and come back. Ok?"
Pete nodded and smiled as I kissed his cheek softly. He had one more day here and then I would take him home. I already had enough things at his house but there were some things I wanted at my apartment. Also, since I now owned the adjacent condo, I had a meeting I was supposed to be at for reconstruction purposes. I had to move some people around and the meeting with Tae was to show him the plans I had designed. The tenants of both buildings knew the scoop and I wasn't going to do anything until everyone had sufficient time to prepare.
When I got to my floor, Tae wasn't the only one who was waiting for me.
"How dear you restrict me from seeing Pete!" She's screaming at me and I can feel a sharp pain shoot from my ears to my temple where a monkey starts banging from both sides.
"Everyone is restricted from seeing Pete that is not on his approved list. You want to see him then wait until he goes home tomorrow." I'm too tired to deal with this crazy person and Tae can tell. He reaches for my keys, opens the door and hauls me in while blocking Dali who's screaming at me some more.
"I tried to get rid of her but she's like blight. She just sticks in a way that's uncomfortable. You want to get rid of her but it comes at a price."
I snort and run my hands over my face even as I stifle a chuckle. That's the best description of this girl I've heard in a long time.
"What you need is in my room. I'll get it."
I get Tae the drive and grab all the things I know I'll need and pack them in a bag. Tae helps me take it all down and I'm glad to see that Dali is long gone.
"Listen. I hate to say this to you because it's obvious why but you look like shit and I really can't begin to imagine what your going through but try to get some rest."
"Thanks. I slept a bit last night but I wouldn't count it as rest." I was way to alert and worried about hurting Pete by accident of who might be coming to hurt him. Every sound Donnie made caused me to open my eyes and I can't even go into details about the amount of people that came to mind who would be obsessed with me. Just thinking about the general public who has read the magazine articles or watched me the times I've been on the news makes me queasy.
I get back to the hospital and find Mom there. She looks at me with a soft smile.
"I'm sorry about Dali. She called me and made some accusations for which I had to set her strait."
"It's up to Pete if he wants to see her. I'm just going to make myself scarce if she has to come by."
"He's allowing her one visit for the sake of friendship but he put some stipulations on it and he was clear that you weren't expected to sit through the torture. He's seeing her now so she wouldn't disturb him when he's home."
"Is that even possible?"
Mom covers her mouth to hide the laugh just as I see her come racing down the hall. I turn and hurry away because I don't even want to see her. After a bit I come back and see Mom looking all weird.
"What? Did something happen?"
"She was gloating. I had to set her strait that you left because you didn't want to see her after her behaviour at your place. I had to be honest and tell her that her friendship is valued but not at the cost of your happiness with Pete. My son is the most important person to me and what he wants, I want."
She frowned and I did to on reflex.
"Why would she think that I was faking my happiness for Pete being in love with you?"
"Mom. Do you know I honestly suspected Dali of doing this act against Pete? Its because I don't know anyone else who is more obsessed about Pete than she is. Even I'm not at that level. I know the negatives and positives of love. I learned them the hard way and I am obsessed with Pete but I can't say my obsession controls me. She lets herself be ruled by her obsessions."
"Everyone is a little obsessed about the people they love. We long to see them and be close to them and wallow in their mutual feelings for us. There's nothing wrong with that. Ae, this person that hurt Pete, you see parallels of them in Dali. That is worrying. It is disturbing to know that she has been around us for so long and can possibly be such a huge threat."
"She is only a threat because I exist. Without me, there would be no fear for Dali because she is otherwise perfect in every way. She would be your daughter in law because she is the ideal. She made herself into what she thought Pete was looking for. Now that that ideal is destroyed, she is crumbling."
"You are saying that Dali had always had every intention of being my daughter and you came along and got in the way."
"Not just got in the way but took everything from her. I'm sure she was hoping Pete would save everything for her and she for him. I destroyed that purity. I destroyed everything."
"Mom looked at me and sighed. "She must be really desperate. Desperate enough to hurt Pete so she can be close to him? We need more evidence."
"That reminds me, the police didn't come this morning. I was wondering about that."
"That's also why I'm here. They found the security guard who was hired while Tempe was on vacation was found. He was killed. Bludgeoned to death."
I blinked in shock. Mom spoke calmly but I could see it on her face. She was looking for any and every distraction to not have to deal with the thoughts in her head.