Her Bodyguard

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Calida stayed away from Izar even though they were sharing a suite. It was better that way. She hadn't felt this way in years and she didn't want anything coming between her and her plans, not even the beautiful woman she was incredibly attracted to. Dressed in suit pants, a hoodie over a neatly tucked-in white long-sleeved shirt, Calida grabbed her coat. She walked out of her room, nearly walking into Izar.

"What the...?" The shorter girl groaned. "Where are you even going? You almost walked into me."

"I know," Calida said softly, her breath fanning Izar's face. "Sorry about almost walking into you. I wasn't looking. Uh, I have to go now."

Izar's eyes went wide. "Go? But where?"

"I...I think I need to scout the area and make sure we were not followed. I won't take long. I'll be back soon," Calida stuttered. She looked at her watch, "in an hour or two. Please don't leave the suite, okay? Do not leave the hotel room for any reason. There's a ton of people here who won't hurt you because you're in the hotel, but once you leave its walls, you're fresh meat."

If she was hoping that would scare Izar, it didn't. She just stared at her like she was uncertain about what Calida just told her. Calida sighed and walked away. Once she was at the reception, she got a key to the BMW she had paid for. She climbed into the car and drove off. She knew every route, every path that would lead to the mansion.

Happy memories filled Calida's mind. A little boy running through a field of flowers, an older man calling out her name. She took a different path, speeding up a bit as the memories took a different turn. Blood splattered on the wall, the little boy in the arms of a girl, the echoes of gunshots. Calida winced as she suddenly stopped the car. Right in front of her was a mansion.

It was falling apart in most places, but instead of the old mansion, Calida saw the silhouette of a man standing near the front doors. She got out of the car and waited patiently. The silhouette walked towards her until she could see the features of an older, taller-looking man.

"When did it fall apart like this?" Calida asked, nodding in the mansion's direction.

"Two years ago. There's was nothing I could do to stop it." The man responded.

"You could have rebuilt it then," Calida stated.

"No matter. It will happen. I still remember when you turned up at my doorstep," the man said with a smile, turning towards her.

Calida frowned as the memories filled her head again. She let the man pull her into a tight hug. He gave her a tight squeeze before letting her go. Calida suddenly became aware of her eyes welling up.

"It's been years since I saw you, my child. I see you've taken his style," the man said, wiping his own eyes and giving her a once-over.

"It has. Come, we'll talk at the bar," Calida said, pretending not to hear anything else that be had said.

The man walked over to the passenger side and climbed in. Calida climbed in as well. Rocco was his name. And the building before her had been home to her for years. It had been an academy for young, gifted children. Children like Calida. She had turned up here years ago, a bullet wound in her right arm, and a small boy standing behind her. Rocco had stared at her as she bled, amazed that she had survived.

Years later, he ended up becoming her mentor and she was grateful for the academy. They'd sent her away to protect her and she had ended up becoming so much more. Now that she was back, Rocco had been informed. He no longer worked for the academy, he no longer recruited orphans like her. The academy ended his contract years ago. But Rocco knew everyone at the top. No one had claimed up society's elite ladder without a little push from him.