Loving the Bodyguard [Complete]

XIII

Dedicated to iamcool456

"Are safe houses safe?"

__________________

Ace

Metallic beasts in the form of cars clogged the road. The continuous honking stung my ears. I had gotten used to this traffic. It was an everyday thing for me. New York and traffic go hand in hand.

Ralph's fiance sat at the back; her cerulean eyes stared at the traffic with awe. A smile tugged at her lips. She looked like a three-year-old that had seen the traffic for the first time.

"Ace, can I ask you one thing?" Ralph's fiance asked.

"Yeah," I answered.

"What is your relationship with Ralph?"

I raised my brow. "I'm a Capo of the Hernandez Mafia. He's my Underboss," I said, my eyes focused on the road.

"Okay."

"You aren't satisfied with my answer."

"How do you know that?" she questioned.

"Experience, girl, experience."

"I have a name," she said, her voice strangely sweet.

"Everybody has a name. Either tell me your name, or I don't mind calling you, girl." I laughed.

"Hailey Kings."

"Fine, I'll call you, Hailey." Her name rolled smoothly on my tongue.

"You are weird," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Don't worry; you have to deal with me for a day or two. Then your dear Ralph will take you with him."

She did not answer nor spoke a word during the rest of the drive. I drove in complete silence. The sound of honking and yelling people accompanied me. We reached the safe house and parked the car cautiously.

"Hailey, get out of the car," I said, opening the car door.

She nodded and got out of the car.

"Ah!" she yelled, holding the car door for support.

I rolled my eyes and picked her in my arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes wide open.

"You can't walk, and I'm not interested in watching you crawl on the floor."

The safe house was dark and cold. Yellow fluorescent lights flickered, giving a warm feel to the hideout. The wooden walls, old armchairs, and few pieces of furniture lay scattered across the hall. Cobwebs and dust covered the place.

I sighed, walking towards the long sofa. Hailey's cerulean eyes scanned the dirty, rotten place. I put her down and helped her sit.

"You live here?" she asked out of mere curiosity.

"No," I said, walking towards the small refrigerator.

She sat quietly on the sofa, examining her sprained ankle. I took out an ice pack from the freezer and walked towards Hailey.

"Here, take this; it will help," I said, placing the ice pack on the small table.

She looked up, passing me a smile. "Thank you."

I nodded and sprawled in the armchair. Hailey compressed the icepack on her ankle. Dirt covered her white toga gown, but it didn't affect the charm of her face. A thin line that looked like a faint scar covered the left of her forehead.

"Is that a scar on your forehead?" I asked.

Satan! Why the hell can't I keep my mouth shut?

"Yes, my dear Ralph hit me with the back of his gun," she said sarcastically.

"Why? You are getting engaged, and as much as I know Ralph, he doesn't hurt the people he loves. Like his father."

"He doesn't love me. He's trying to find his dead lover in me."

A dark shadow spread on her face. The dim lights made the blue of her eyes look black. She knew about Laura, and yet she's getting engaged to him. I bet it's nothing more than a forced relationship.

"He is forcing you into a relationship, and your family is letting him. Why?" I asked, my interest growing in the subject.

"My dad died in an accident. I was eight. My mother sold me to Ralph Hernandez for thirty million dollars. I tried to run away, but they caught me-"

"And he hit you during that runaway thing." I cut her off.

She nodded.

"I told you about myself now, you-"

"Shhh." I placed my finger on my lips.

Faint sound of footsteps entered my ears. Someone was coming downstairs. Nobody knew about the place except Dominic and me. I took a deep breath, gesturing to Hailey to be quiet.

She obeyed, and I picked her. I walked towards the emergency exit. The sound of footsteps got louder. Adrenaline rushed in my veins; shock waves traveled through my spine. A group of people was coming into the safe house. Their silhouettes are visible in yellow lighting.

I am a trained fighter but fighting a group of people is senseless.

Get to the car and drive as fast as you can.

Hailey clenched my shirt tightly. Getting to the car would have been easier if she hadn't sprained her ankle.

"Boss! Nobody is here," a voice shouted.

I darted towards the emergency exit, trying to make less sound as possible.

"Rotate the knob," I whispered.

Hailey rotated the knob. The ringing of my phone filled the air.

"Damn!"

"They are here," somebody shouted.

I ran towards the car and stuffed Hailey in the passenger seat. Hurriedly got into the driver's seat. Adrenaline overpowered my system. I started the ignition and drove at full speed.

"They're escaping," various voices shouted in unison.

I focused on the road. My grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"They're following us," Hailey said, looking outside the car window.

I raced the car at full speed, taking twists and turns in different alley's. My phone rang continuously.

"Put that phone on speaker," I yelled at Hailey.

I took a sharp turn. The car tires screeched, producing a deafening noise. My mind raced a thousand miles per second. I felt as if it would burst out of my skull.

"Ace! Get out of the safe house. Somebody attacked Ralph. He's critically injured. They're behind Hailey too." Dominic's adenoidal voice echoed in the car.

"We're already being chased."

Bullets rained on our car. Although the car was bulletproof, the glass won't last long.

"Ace! Protect Hailey with your life. I assign you as her bodyguard," Dominic said, and the line went dead.

A/N: Thank you for reading. Don't forget to vote and comment ;)

Sorry for the late update. I am really busy with homework and assignments.

Hope this chapter was fine.