The Assassin’s Billionaire Bodyguard – Chapter 21
Cam shifted uncomfortably in his theatre seat. He and Portia had gone for a nice dinner and the show was near ending and he had been sitting far longer than his body was used to.
“Dad, stop fidgeting,” she nudged him, chastising him.
“The seats are hard on the a*s,” he grumbled uncomfortably but dropped his hand over her shoulder and hugged her to him, dropping a kiss on her head. She had loved every moment of the evening from the time he’d picked her up at the house, to the expensive dinner and then the show. They were watching Chicago and he had to admit, it was damn good, but his a*s was numb.
his arms overhead and laughed as Portia jumped up and down in h
ight. I had no idea I loved theatre.”
ome more often.”
C
realized he had been working too much and not giving her what she needed from him, regardless of the fact she was a youn
hank you!”
urity in tow and were heading straight to the car when Portia grabbed his arm.
go home yet.” She met his eyes and smiled sadly. “I’ll just sit by my stupid pho
multiple times since he’d left her house the evening before and hadn’t had a single response from her. He was frustrated as hell.
ose shoes?” he grinned
y, I could climb a mountain in these,” she grinned back, “if I could climb mountains.”
and then looped her hand through his elbow. “Let’s go for a stroll around Times Square”
quest was putting them in danger. With his wealth there was no shortage of nutjobs out in the world who would want to take what is his, including his daughter. Few people knew he had a child and in his line of work, one could never be too sure.
Did you come to Times Square a lot?”
question.
ld do.”
said quietly, “and it’s not the same East Harlem growing and starting to see some levels of prosperity over the last few years. When I grew up there it was rough, everyone was poor, gangs were a thing and going for a walk like thi
another time Portia,” he
Gideon and Felix will keep me safe.”
y-minute drive.”
“Please?
ho shrugged, “alright
es building condominiums and coffee shops but behind the polish and shine of some of the newer storefronts, the same poverty-stricken faces were around. He pointed to an apartment complex up further, “there’s the place where your grandparents brought us up.”
he walked on the other side of Portia.
m realized they were flanking his daughter and even though it was highly unlikely anything would happen to her, their past experiences in this neighborhood had their nerves unset
inted to the street corner, “once had to fight the father of a girl I kissed right there. Turns out it wasn’t her father, but her husband and my fourteen-year-old self was too stupid to see I was being played.”
terrible.”
ok of his elbow, “it is. Your grandfather didn’t
father.”
a was h
ow to do when we were kids was fight.” He pointed to a corner store and a pizza joint, “that pizza place was my first job.”
sabella,” his daughter said
It is Isabella. What the hell is she doing here?”
d another girl into a building and shook her
.”
d him to kill her, “what did you do, have Gideon research her entire family?”
and she shouldn’t be standing there on her own.” He watched as she casually leaned propping her foot against concrete stairs into the building.
nging.
r up and immediately crossed the street towards her.
sp at the scene unfolding.
to disarm him.
g arm, swept behind him, ripped the gun out of his hand, dumped the cartridge on the ground and then beat the man
started kicking him in the ribs and chest and was yelling at him. “You,” she k
him and then furrowed her brow as she recognized him.
me you’re not f*****g stalking me too?”
rhood thug. What the hell are you doing here on the street on your own?”
eep her company. It’s normally pretty quiet on this street.”
you should know to stop texting me, calling me, and making me n
t. You don’t threaten my kid.”
h, “I didn’t say you could get up.” She rested her foot on his back and pointed at Portia, “stop harassing me.”
he swallowe
lied,”
esn’t like me and really was only using me to try to make you jealous.”
dangerously. He had seen the look before but never on someone he’d slept with. He watched as she reigned her temper in and then grabbed the guy, his face bloodied, by the collar and tried to make him stand.
before I finish the job.”
him walk?” Gideon went to go after them
your worst. I don’t care but I’m not chasing him. I have to get my sister home.”
ok the man staggering to his feet. “Not again.”
as if it explained everything.
lia, Cam Torres, his daughter Portia, his muscle Gideon.” She looked at her sister and sighed, “all I wanted was a nice relaxing evening.”
ama”
t.
hiding in the house and avoiding him. Coward.”
.”
dwagon.
ho treats me like a child and I have enough bossy men in my life without adding another one.” She was watching with interest as Gideon was lifting the man off the ground and studying his face intently. It was appa
.”
”
t seem like you’re some fragile girl who needs him. He told me you had all kinds of trauma in your life, and you had therapy dogs and nightlights and you were always begging him to take care of you.”
nts as Isabella closed her eyes and tried to control her rage at her ex-boyfriend.
at Amelia, “you ready to go?”
can go.” She eyed Cam with interest, “though I’d really love to stay and chat more.”
watched Isabella pull her sister down the road towards a beat-up car and then slam the car door just before they pulled away from the curb. Amelia driving as they went past, waved excitedly in their direction but Isabella simply stared st
clean this mess up please. Make sure he never attempts to rob anyone ever again, least of all my girlfriend.”
n’t want you around. I mean, I get why you like her. She’s fantastic and strong and reminds me a bit of Deadpool.”
hat?”
racter Ryan Reynolds plays in the movies. Really mouthy and rude but brutal. I bet nobody beat her up in school.”
ace at him.
the curb. “Home, enough excitement for one night.”
quietly wondering what, out of the file Gideon couldn’t build, explained everything he’d just witnessed of Isabella Ruiz. As he recalled Portia saying Evgeni mentioned childhood trauma, he decided he was going to find out exactly what he was dealing with, if it meant pulling it directly from the source itself.