HER BODYGUARD

“I will get you, you bitch!” Christopher screamed at Kimberly. His face turned red and his eyes seemed to bug out. “This is all your fault. I will get you, and when I do, I will make you wish you were dead. You hear me?”

The last of her reserves faded. At that moment, Kimberly couldn’t take one more thing. She felt weak. She handed the phone to Asher.

“Talk to my dad. Maybe you can make him understand. He’s not listening to me” she said.

Then she grabbed for a chair as her legs gave out and she fainted.

————————

Kimberly finished packing her clothes. She had already put her laptop in it’s case and cleared out the bathroom. There wasn’t all that much left to do, which meant she had no excuse to linger. But she desperately wanted to see Asher before she left.

James had said something about him dropping by, but he hadn’t been specific. Kimberly had a feeling that if she didn’t see Asher now, he would disappear from her life.

She closed the small suitcase and fastened it. Footsteps in the hallway made her tense. She turned, prepared to argue with James, but instead saw Asher standing in the doorway.

Her heart leaped, her chest tightened and deep down in her belly she felt a sensation that could only be relief. He had come.

“Hey” she said.

“Hi,” he replied. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” Kimberly said.

He nodded, his gaze shifted to her suitcase, then he turned and walked to the control room. Kimberly followed him, suitcase in hand.

She felt horrible. Okay, yes, she knew she had screwed up real bad. Once in the control room, she waited for him to talk. But there wasn’t anything else. No accusations, no screaming, nothing. Just the awful silence that made her feel small and stupid. Finally she couldn’t take it anymore.

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Okay” she said. “So I screwed up. Just yell at me and get it over with, will you?”

He sat in front of his computer and booted the system. “I’m not going to yell. You didn’t do anything wrong” he said.

“I left when I shouldn’t have,” Kimberly said.

“Not your fault. What happened could have happened to anyone”

But it hadn’t. It had happened to her.

“I know you are mad” she said.

“I’m fine,” Asher replied.

“You are lying”

“Kimberly, I promise you I’m not angry with you. You are safe. Your dad is safe. Everyone is safe. That’s what matters”

He returned his attention to the computer, which just made her want to throw something. What was going on? He obviously was in a temper.

“Damn it, Asher, don’t do this. Don’t shut me out like I’m some kid and don’t treat me like I’m an idiot. You are not fine. You are furious”

He stared at the computer for several seconds before springing to his feet and glaring at her. “You do not want to have this conversation with me,” he said.

“Of course I do. I can handle it” at least, she was pretty sure she could.

“No you can’t,” he said. He turned and walked to the window. “Just go”

He couldn’t have hurt her more if he had slapped her. Just like that, she thought. One screw up and she didn’t matter anymore.

“You have some pretty strict rules” she said bitterly. “You should have spelled them out before so I would have been prepared. One mistake and you are cut off. Who knew? It’s amazing you have any friends at all”

She saw the tension in his body and waited for him to deny her words. When he didn’t, she felt as if she had just lost something important.

“It’s not that” he said quietly just as she turned to leave.

“Then what is it?” she asked.

“It’s all my fault”

She had expected a lot of possible responses, but that wasn’t one of them.

“How is it your fault?” she asked.

“I should have taken that email more seriously. I should have understood that you thought your father was in danger. And I shouldn’t have dismissed your concerns the way I did. I put your life in danger. I pushed you to leave on your own… And I was supposed to be protecting you”

Words seemed impossible. So she did the only thing that made sense -she ran to him.

He caught her and pulled her hard against him. His arms wrapped around her in an embrace that promised to never let go. She could feel his heat, his strength and his steady heartbeat. His scent surrounded her. At last, she thought with incredible gratitude. Everything could be right with her world.

“I’m sorry” she whispered, still clinging to him. “I’m so sorry”

“Don’t be” Asher said.

He pulled back far enough to stare into her eyes and smile. “I read the email from Christopher. He has been your father’s close friend for years. Why wouldn’t you trust him?”

“I should have known it was all a lie. I should have believed you. It’s just after talking to someone at the hospital -it all sounded so real” she said.

“I know. Christopher is in a lot of debt. He would have done anything to get you out in the open… Just to get the money. Don’t blame yourself”

“Are you okay?” she asked. “Did the sedative hurt you?”

“It gave me a hell of a headache, but I have recovered,” he replied.

She studied his face, the strong lines, the dark eyes, the mouth that could take her to paradise.

“I knew you would trace me to the hospital” she said. “But after that…..”

He touched her chin, then tucked her hair behind her ears. “My phone. It has a tracking device In it.. And it didn’t take a genius to figure out what Christopher wanted from you… I knew he would show up at the bank… He’s already giving up the names of the rest of his gang”

“I’m glad you found me, Asher” Kimberly said. “I tried to be brave but I was so scared.”

“You did good,” he said, as he released her.

They weren’t touching now, and she missed the contact. She missed him. The last few hours had been crazy. But she didn’t know what to say to him.