"You have to see the look on the cop's face man! Damn!" Gary's friend, Marcus said as he clapped his hand and laughed with the others.
Gary took a swig of his beer and listened as his friends described their recent adventures in their usual hangout place. Marcus had been narrating how they had escaped the police the other day.
They always travelled in two cars, one to hold the drugs and the other to divert the police. If the police started to follow them, the other car accelerated and weaved through the road to distract the police so that the car that had the drugs could escape. When they got pulled over, the police would have to let them go because they didn't have any drugs in their car.
Gary was distracted from his thoughts when one of his men yelled his name and started to approach him.
"Gary, the cops started searching this area. In no time, they will find our hideout place. What do we gotta do?" He asked with fear written all over his face.
Gary's face stiffened and he clenched his jaw in anger. It seemed like he wasn't careful when he escaped. He was already burdened with Danny's matter and he didn't want cops on his tail. If not for the officer that day, he could've easily finished the girl. He didn't understand how the cop got to know the location. But he soon realised that the girl was being followed. He won't be able to touch her when she's under their protection.
"Don't panic. They won't find us. We'll just lay low for now without raising any suspicions." He declared to his men and dismissed them.
The man nodded and turned to leave before he said, "The boss said he's coming here right now. He wants to meet you, Gary."
Gary groaned internally at that. He would not be spared now that he has failed in completing his job. On top of that, their smuggling plan had gone to waste because of the cops. Marcus and the rest of them scrammed away as they didn't want to cross paths with their boss. Gary took the last swig from his bottle when he saw his boss enter.
"How's your leg?" His boss consulted and took a seat opposite to Gary as he reached for a beer.
"Could be better," Gary responded carefully as he touched his leg subconsciously.
"So..." The boss drawled as he drank his beer and said, "Couldn't even kill a girl."
"I would have if the cop hadn't come in the last minute," Gary answered in a rough tone and clenched his fist.
"That shows your carelessness. Now you have cops on your tail and the girl won't be easy to kill." His boss seethed.
Gary just cleared his throat but didn't say anything.
"And that stupid cop! He keeps spoiling my plans, Gary. I should be making money right now! Damn him. If it wasn't for you, we would've been caught by now."
Gary nodded. He was given the job to look out for cops and alert them. They were doing a covert job and didn't expect the cops would somehow get the information about them. When he saw the cops coming for them, he immediately informed their boss. They were lucky enough to get out of there before the cops got there. Or else it would've been a disaster.
"I heard the police are searching for this place. Don't be a useless fuck and vacate immediately. And what about that girl? I don't think she knows anything. But anyways, to be safe, find out where the girl is and get the job done. Cuz we have more important things to focus on now." His boss cautioned him seriously as he scowled at him. He didn't wanna take any risks now.
Gary smirked at him and said, "Don't worry. I know where she lives. I had her followed. She's living with the cop. We just need to get her to be alone."
He reached for a folder from his coat and handed it to his boss, "She was recently seen in a mall with two other girls. She was alone without any cops around. These are her pictures."
His boss opened the folder roughly and scanned through the pictures. Gary noticed that his boss's eyes widened as he saw the picture.
"You mean, this is the girl we've been trying to kill?" His boss said alarmed as he showed Gary the picture.
"Yes. That caramel-haired one. Why? Do you know her?" Gary inquired with a raised eyebrow as he noted the sudden change in his expression.
His boss didn't reply but kept quiet as he scanned the pictures with his brows drawn together as if deep in thought.
After a while, Gary saw his face morph into a sinister smile as he looked at the picture of Danny.
"What did you say her name was again?" He asked in a low dangerous voice which brought a chill down Gary's spine.
"Er, Danica Evans." Gary gulped and watched his boss who had a vile look on his face.
"Change of plans, Gary. I want her alive in one piece." He said in a creepy tone with a wicked expression.
"But why though?" Gary asked him hesitantly.
"Where is she living and with who?"
He fished out his phone to show the location and Damien's photo, "She's living with this guy."
His boss's eyes again lighted up with some emotion Gary couldn't understand. And it didn't look nice at all.
"Well well well, if it isn't Sargeant Damien Arnault." He said as he smiled wickedly.
"Do you know him? How?" Gary questioned eagerly.
"Mhm. We're old friends." He said and put together Damien's and Danny's pictures together, "This is perfect. One shot, two birds!" He exclaimed evilly.
"Uh, what do you mean?" Gary asked cautiously.
His boss didn't answer his question but instead laughed maniacally and said, "This is going to be very interesting."
* * * * *
Danny sighed as she closed her laptop. She had been working from home for a few weeks now. And not to mention that her colleagues were devastated with the sudden death of their boss. They lost themselves in their thoughts and mentally preoccupied with feelings of insecurity, sadness, shock, concern, uncertainty. The lack of concentration resulted in an increase in mistakes, poor decisions, and diminished energy and brought on some huge losses to the company. But eventually, they moved on from their grieving process to a certain extent but continued to honour their late boss. The board of directors had chosen a person to act as the interim CEO temporarily for now.
Danny had been in touch with Becca quite frequently to get to know what was happening in their office. Old lady Karen seemed to move on from William pretty quickly when the new interim CEO's appointment was announced. He was quite younger than William and was also good looking. Karen was instantly infatuated to him.
Typical Karen.
Becca's story was still the same. She got back with her shit of a boyfriend and broke up with him again for the millionth time. Danny just gave up as she failed miserably to knock some sense into her.
She buried her head into her hands and rubbed her eyes tiredly. It had been a tough day.
Tougher than usual.
She looked at her face in the mirror and cringed. Dark circles were showing under her eyes, indicating that she hadn't slept properly for a few days. She headed towards the bathroom and washed her face quickly.
She heard few knocks on her door and she hastily wiped her face with a towel. Danny got out and went to the door before she looked at her face in the mirror once more.
She walked to the door and opened it. A small tired smile made its way on her lips when she saw that it was Samantha.
"Hey there! What's wrong with your face?" Sam asked with a quizzical look.
Danny just shrugged at her as she hoped her face didn't look that horrible. She walked back and slumped down on her bed.
Sam followed her and sat beside her as she tapped on her shoulder. "Are you okay? You've been working all night?" She implored as concern filled her eyes.
Danny just lifted her shoulder and passed her a smile and said, "It's nothing, really. I'm okay. I finally completed the pending work." She waved her off and yawned. But she wasn't sleepy.
Sam dropped the subject, dejected and silence is stretched for some time as either of them said nothing.
Sam stood up abruptly and tugged at Danny's hand. "Come on, let's go." She announced as she motioned her head towards the door.
Danny stood up immediately and pulled at Sam's hand and stopped her. "Woah, wait. Where are we going?"
Sam's brown eyes burned into her green eyes when she said, "We need to get your mind off whatever is bothering you. Let's go snacks shopping or whatever shopping. I'm starving."
"Oh I would love to. But I gotta work." Lies. She was just too lazy to go out anywhere.
"Didn't you just say you completed all your work?" Sam narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously.
"Yeah, but-" Before Danny could finish her words, Sam cut her off with a raise of her finger and motioned to zip her lips.
"Nuh-uh. No buts. Be downstairs in five." She declared and left the room without another word.
Samantha skipped down the stairs to fetch her keys when she spotted Damien on the couch with the paper in his hands as deeply stared into it.
Something clicked in her mind and she giggled to herself before she walked towards Damien.
"Yo bro! We're out of snacks. Give me a ride to the store, will ya?" She invited casually and put her hands in her pockets.
"Get lost. Can't you see I'm busy?" Damien retorted as he ignored her sister with his eyes still on the newspaper.
"Awe! Come on, grump. Please?" She pleaded him and made her puppy dog face and hoped her brother would see and agree.
Damien looked up from his paper with a flat expression and said, "You have a car and a driving licence. Stop irritating me and go alone."
He went back to reading his paper. He heard Samantha sigh heavily, "Well then. I'll just have to take Danny with me then." She said as she shrugged and started to make her way towards the stairs.
This caught Damien's attention and he pulled down his paper instantly, "No, you won't!" He instructed his sister who stopped in her tracks at his voice.
Samantha turned to her brother as she tried to hide her smile, "Why not? I don't wanna go alone. Since you said you won't go, I'll take Danny with me."
Damien closed his eyes and Samantha tried her best to hide her giggle. Damien sighed and opened his mouth to say no to his sister but then he saw Danny as she made her way down the stairs.
Danny looked at Damien and froze suddenly. After their conversation the other day, Damien seemed a little less tense around her. He was able to talk more around her and with her. She thought that was impressive progress. They literally never talked before until it was absolutely necessary and now they seemed past that.
One point to Danny!
"Are we going or not?" She called out to Sam as she reached them.
"Wait a minute. You already asked her before?" Damien asked his sister who smiled at him from ear to ear.
"Yep!" She said as she flipped her hair and walked to Danny.
When they both started for the door Damien squeaked, "Wait!"
Sam grinned like a Cheshire cat before she turned towards her brother with an innocent expression on her face. "What is it, brother dear?"
Danny just looked between the both of them confused as to what was happening.
"I'll come with you guys," Damien mumbled finally. He couldn't let Danny go out without him. It wasn't safe.
"My my. I thought you were busy. May I know what changed your mind?" Sam gasped dramatically at him.
Damien just frowned at her sister and gave some stupid excuse that came to his mind as he reached for his keys, "It's not safe for girls to go out alone these days."
"But it's broad daylight, Damien. We'll be fine. You're a busy man. Don't you worry." Sam said with a mock grin on her face.
Damien only scowled at her and told, "Shut up."
Samantha just giggled and looped her hand with Danny's before they followed Damien out to his car.
* * * * *
Danny watched Damien as he argued with her sister about something. He wore black well-fitted jeans with a t-shirt added with a black sweater coat.
Something changed in the way she saw Damien after he opened up to her the other night. She couldn't describe the emotions she felt towards him but she was sure she felt something that she shouldn't.
That night she saw another part of Damien who was easy going, playful and funny. Like how he would act with his family when he played with Timmy or Mr Holmes. A part that was hidden to the outsiders. Meanwhile, with the others, he was always rude and mean as he wore his facade.
After that night, the next few days went back to normal which meant Damien was back to his old self. Danny even began to wonder if he was using the other personality as a facade or he really had some kind of bipolar personality disorder.
Danny didn't realise she had been staring at him for quite some time because she noticed Damien was now looking back at her with a smirk on his face as he made his way towards her.
He stood in front of her as he towered over her small form and smirked down at her with his jet black eyebrow raised in amusement and said, "Why are you always staring at me, Danica?" He mocked her, "I know I'm sexy but others might get the wrong idea. Or you want people to get the wrong idea?"
She felt her ears heat up as she tightened her grip on the two chocolate boxes in both of her hands and she squared her shoulders as she looked straight in his eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I was just lost in thought."
"Thoughts? Can you elaborate them, Danica?" He wiggled his eyebrows and came even closer than before.
"I uh was um thinking about.." She trailed off but couldn't complete her words.
Danny felt her heart beating just a little faster and her body began to heat up with the familiar blush creep to her face. She looked away from him. She didn't know what he was doing to her but she knew that she didn't like it one bit.
"In your dreams." She retorted and pushed his rock hard chest with her shoulder and started to walk past him.
She heard a light chuckle behind her and stopped abruptly when she felt him grab her shoulder from behind.
"Wait." She heard him say and she turned back slowly and glanced at him.
His deep grey eyes stared into her own as he moved towards her. "Your shoelace." He said in a deep voice.
"Huh?" She lowered her gaze and looked at her shoes. One of them was undone. She wanted to bend over to tie them and realized she was holding something.
Before she could say anything, he held his hand and said, "Here, let me."
Danny thought he offered to hold the boxes for her but instead he lowered his head and bent on his knees. Danny jumped a little at his sudden reaction.
Damien bent down to tie her lace, his fingers felt rather unaccustomed as they wrapped the white shoelace around them. Very skillfully, he tied the lace so that the knot was hidden within the shoe which was somehow his own personal habit.
Danny's fingers nervously gripped the boxes as she cast her eyes down, "Thank you." She said as she pulled her foot back.
Damien stood back up to his normal height and said, "You're welcome." The ends of his lips curved up a little.
They heard someone clear their throat and she saw Samantha as she looked at the both of them with a smirk. "Sorry to disturb your little moment but we have shopping to do."
Damien rolled his eyes at his sister, "Whatever. Don't take too long. We have to head back home before it rains." He let out as he walked in another direction with hands in his pockets.
Danny and Sam shopped for a while and ended up buying a whole lot of groceries that Damien had to carry. Both the girls giggled as they watched Damien struggle with the bags, both his hands full. Damien cursed audibly and the girls chuckled some more.
"Put your biceps to some use!" Sam laughed and Danny agreed from beside.
"Fuck off!" Damien let out as he struggled with the bags.
Danny felt bad for him and reached out to take some bags from him but Samantha stopped her hand and shook her head as she wanted her brother to suffer a little.
"You could carry a bag instead of being useless, okay?" Damien snapped at his sister.
"Oh wait, I forgot something. You guys go ahead, I'll catch up!" Sam announced in a hurry and went back inside.
"Wait! Come back, you little shit!" Damien called for her and tried to turn but he couldn't. Not with one of the bags to fall down.
They reached his car and Danny followed behind him, eyes on her phone, without noticing that he had halted. She bumped into his back and cursed.
"Could you.." Damien turned to her and stared at her.
"What?" She inquired him with confusion.
"My keys."
"Where are they?" She asked. When he gave her a look, she realised that they must be in his pockets and said, "Oh right. Wait."
She moved near to him and felt the heat radiate from his body. She immediately felt the warmth and relaxed but hid it effectively. She lowered her head down to check his coat pockets. When she couldn't find anything, she looked back at him, "They're not in here."
Damien just gazed at her with a look. He then dipped his head down to her height as he moved close to her face. Danny could feel his breath on her face, his face was just inches away from hers and she felt her heart skip a beat.
Oh, there come the somersaults again!
Perfect! He's going to kiss me, oh my God!
She closed her eyes and puckered her lips out a little and waited for his lips to touch hers. When didn't notice any movement, she opened one of her eyes and saw Damien staring at her with amusement.
"What are you doing, Danica?" He questioned amusedly and tilted his head to the side a little.
The embarrassment hit her like a truck and she wished the ground would swallow her then and there. His face was still very close to hers and she was forced to look into his eyes.
"Were you expecting something else?" He mocked her with a smirk. She didn't say anything as she was busy trying to calm her crazily fast beating heart.
"They're in my jeans pocket." He whispered in a husky voice as his eyes bored into hers. She shivered internally.
Holy shit. Get a grip, Danny!
She looked away from him as she ignored the feeling that erupted in her and reached to check his jeans. Damien closed his eyes and groaned internally as she fumbled for the keys in his pockets. She was too close for his liking and it stirred his insides. And stirred inside his pants as well.
Goddammit.
Soon after she found them, Danny helped him to load the bags in the car while Samantha just watched them both with amusement.
Danny couldn't help but think that Damien had been teasing her all the while which made her heart leap from her chest.
__/\__
Ugh! Coming up with these rhyming titles is such a headache lmao.