The Assassin’s Billionaire Bodyguard – Chapter 40
Isabella strolled into Bellona headquarters and took a breath. She knew she was in trouble and her stomach rolled with nerves. She should have done things the right way and called it in.
Artemis’ admin assistant met her as soon as she exited the elevator. “Artemis wants to see you before debrief.”
“Of course,” she walked the long fluorescent lit hall with trepidation. She knew Artemis had taken this office for tactical reasons. Nothing like walking the long green mile before heading into her office. The assistant knocked once and then pushed the door open for Isabella to walk through.
l around the world displayed to her with teams wearing go-pros linked straight to her office.
bella stood on the other side of the desk w
sabella?”
Because I screwed up Ar
re to elaborate?”
of. I asked Lacey to trace the number and then I went to find her.”
what is the problem
ng as far as I’m concerned Artemis.” She didn’t bother to lie. She’d do it aga
he asked Lacey.
very first call Clara made was to me.” She motioned to the chair. “Sit.”
eird rules about phones in his house.”
imagine why he has weird rules about phones,” Artemis rolled her eyes sarcastically. “Did they get the shithead sorted out? How you dated
rtemis’ comment. “I don’t know to be honest. He was what I needed at the time and then he was everything I knew I co
girl would have been dead if you hadn’t gone int
th no common sense or street smarts between her perfectly shaped earlobes and he left her all alone. She was a target for every scum bag in the joint before she walked in.”
going to the hospital to find out what is going on.”
ed as Artemis turned to her computer and
suspecting a brain tumor.”
een a d**k but never a violent one and he’s not been himself.”
mis spoke bitterly as she spun back towards Isabella. “Knowing what I know of Camden Torres, he’ll be better off dying in surgery than having Cam Torres rip him apart. I know if someone left my daughter in a bar to be drugged, kidnapped and almost raped, they would be praying for death by the
a said nothing as Artemis folded he
want kids Ru
ome and go as I please. I feel too much guilt when I leave my dog. I can’t imagine how I’d feel leaving a kid.”
”
r face neutral, hating these kinds of questions. “Not sure why people always think a woman will change her mind at some point because of a biological clock. Maybe I don’t have the clock. I love kids. My ni
with a kid.”
, spoiled brat, but an adult, nonetheless. She doesn’t ne
l going to be first in
tractions.”
to know about Camden Torres?” Artemis asked dir
ants to share with me.” Isabella rested her clasped fingers on her knee as
apart from my sister who knows I am the head of Bellona.”
sister?”
seeing you shortly.”
are sisters?”
nd knows.”
if you got divorced.”
o us part and I meant it,” she s
him?”
she was joking.
telling me this Artemis?”
he world, regardless of your relationship status who would never reveal your association with Bellona. Even if you stopped seeing each other, split up and went your separate ways, Cam Torres could be tortured, and nobody would know. His ability to be secretive makes him a damn good soldier.” She eyed Isabella, “also, you are in love with him. Hopelessly in love with him. You raced into a potentially dangerous situation to save his a*****e offspring without any backup or consideration for the risk to your personal safety because you love him.”
with Torres, Epsilon. Maybe he’ll need convincing, maybe he won’t. I’m just telling you, he’s nothing like Andropov. He’s a good man.”
d take off without your team, I’ll ground your a*s to desk duty for so long you’ll h
.”
n she hadn’t deserved one. She passed Sabine in the hall on the way to debrief.
ey hugged. “You didn’t come straight to debrief.”
am was looking for her.”
went to punch the bastard in the face.”
n he collapsed. Artemis checked the hospital notes, and they think he has a brain tumor.”
kes sense too.”
s in surgery otherwise what Cam does to him will be worse than any brain tumor would
emis saw.”
“although, it took five guys to restrain him from jumping him and pounding him to the ground. Then he looked him dead in the eye and told him
do?”
adies can have your tea party later.”
scared face in her direction as she let Isabella head to the debrief.
es.
”
land and go to Cam and Portia and make sure they were both okay. Her head was telling her to go home, take a hot shower, cuddle Casper, and allow her mind and body to relax.
ut to kick it into gear when she saw the car pulling in and she smiled as Clara’s eyes met hers through the windshield. She kept her helm
hey found a tumor in his brain.”
emis told me.”
oing to su
he is with his daughters and granddaughters. If someone had done to one of the girls what Evgeni did, brain tumor or none, he’d be pissed. He demanded me explain what you meant about the girl in the alley. He had no idea why you two broke up and knowing he let you run into an alley while he waited at his car has him fit to be tied. He said something a
s son was in Siberia.”
he told me today and I see it in the eyes, but they are so opposite in personality. Anyway, Artemis was pissed with me but gave me a pass. Told me next time to call her.”
ithin a month.”
ideon don’t first.” She yawned widely. “I’m beat. I need to get home.”
an take it to you tomorrow. Less likely to crash the car than the bike.”
anks.” She gave a wave as she headed to the Maserati. The sound of the engine immediately made her s
a burger and fries, aware it was now four in the morning, and she was hungry, tired and in desperate need of her dog and her bed.
ted the Porsche parked across her street. She got out of the car pulling her food with her and locked the car. She saw Lacey look through the living room window and then give a wave before she disappeared inside. She waited for Cam at the door.
r bottom step she turned and faced him, “I’ve just been through a two-hour psych eval. If you’r
d to know, the guy who took my daughter?”
and led him into the house. Casper met her at the door.
girl?”
was a girl here.”
d.
know?”
tia is dead?”
“Yes.”
his bullet wound to his abdomen.”
s ey
ruggled for the word.
l-killer?” she shrugged, “depending on what psychological handbook you’re
he looked down aware she was still holding the bag of fast food. She pulled some fries from the bag and gave him two and watched as he trotted off to his bed.
Draxton?”
of a five-
d swallowing the lump in his throat as she didn’t balk about answering his questions.
men, only women.”
“Isabella, I don’t know what to make of this.”
’s up to you to make of it what you want.”
.”
ly, though, I’m exhausted, and my boss is expecting me at work in,” she looked at her watch, “three and a half hours so I need to go get some rest.”
cheeks. She locked her front door, took her paper bag of fast food and her dog, and went to bed.