“I don't know if we're going to work things out, Jeff. I'm not worried about no chick.”
“Well, you need to get yourself together because your heart sounds like you're about to go off the deep end. I know that you don't want to do this, nobody likes this detail because she is supposed to be a mess, but it won't last very long. I'm already trying to get us out of this. Don't worry, we will find someone else that will actually take the job as an honor because they don't know what she's like yet.”
Justice immediately got offended. He did not like the way that Jeff was talking about Allie. He had heard it all before, knew what was said about her, and likely since Justice knew it was all made up, it was probably the brother or a scorned man that had started the rumors to make her least desirable for everyone else. It didn't change the fact that he had to take out several people that had tried to sully her name as he put it. Allie was watched and for good cause. She was a prize and anybody who was around her for more than a few minutes knew it too. Ben was smart to make her seem one way, when she was really another. He wanted to tell Jeff how she truly was, but he knew that would not do him any good. Justice wasn't supposed to know her, and he was going to pretend like he didn't know her when it came down to it.
He just shook his head and smiled at Jeff and said that was probably what was going to happen. He tried to pretend like he was concerned about having such a horrible job detail, when in reality he was just trying to slow down his heart because the last thing he needed was for it to go a mile a minute when he was around Allie. Then everybody would assume something different. Jeff already had suspicions, and he didn't want to give him any reason to suspect him. Justice had enough guilt to go around.
“It's going to be fine, man, you'll see. It's not like we're the only ones in there. We are going to be one of many, right?”
“I don't know, Jeff. Ben talked to me last night, and I think there's been a big shake up because he was talking to me about loyalty and how he was grateful that I was loyal. I don't know what's going on, but we're going to be walking into some shit. I can just feel it.” Justice really wished he could warn his friend properly.
Jeff was surprised that the Alpha had spoken to him. Truthfully, so was Justice. He hadn't even thought that he knew his name, but he had. He knew who he was and while there had been a moment of joy for that, there was also a lot of confusion as well.
They got to the sister’s wing of the house and Justice was immediately drawn to her bedroom door. Everybody knew where she stayed, and everybody knew to stay away, but Justice had always been curious. Justice didn't know what was going to happen next, but he did know that he was happy that at least he would get to see Allie again.
“So, what do we do?” Justice wondered out loud. There was no one else there and so the two of them just stood outside her bedroom for the longest time. When she finally stirred and came out she was half dressed, sleepy eyed and she looked like she had been crying. Justice wanted to go to her, pull her into his arms and never let anything happen to her again to upset her, but he knew that he couldn't do that. Justice was supposed to be stoic. This was a job; she was nothing but a sure death. Why couldn't he remember that when she was around?
“It's you,” Allie said out loud with surprise. Justice saw Jeff looking at him and he ignored it. Jeff didn't know, and Justice had to make sure that no one knew.
“I am just one of your brother’s soldiers. We are here to make sure you are safe. Your brother had explicit instructions that you were to stay in the house or close to it.”
Allie's mouth twitched for a moment and there was the barest grin. He was afraid that she was going to say something about their kiss or God only knows what else. That's what Justice was worried about. He was worried about being exposed and ending up in a cell somewhere deep in a mountain or just dead. What was the fate of the others that had taken care of her before?
She made a pouting face. “That sounds ridiculous, just like my brother. He has you doing his dirty work now, doesn’t he? He expects me to stay indoors all the while?”
Justice shrugged and said that it wasn't his business to know the thoughts and feelings of the Alpha. “I'm just here to follow orders. You could make it easier on us,” Justice suggested out loud. He heard Jeff gasp next to him, because he was not acting the way he should. He shouldn’t say something like that to her, not to her face anyway.
She scoffed and her eyes flared. “My job is not to make your job easier. I'll do what I want,” Allie said with another grin, and then she turned away from Justice to look at Jeff. “If you guys want to follow along, you can at least learn some manners.”
Justice groaned inwardly; this was going to be a lot harder than he thought.
Chapter 7
Allie
She was still trying to get over what happened to Gabriel and his sudden departure. Allie knew that there was a lot that she had to unpack about that situation, but to have Justice in front of her suddenly was just too much. She was thinking about Gabriel and what had happened to him, which then made her think about Justice and what would happen to him if her brother ever found out that they had kissed. Gabriel was far closer to her brother. They had been close for years. There was no way that he would spare Justice. She was not under any false assumptions of that. Allie knew that her brother would do what he thought was best and that was usually not at all what was best. She couldn't risk it, but seeing Justice again did something to her. Allie couldn't help the rush of feelings that slipped over her body. It was damn good to see Justice again.
He wasn't alone now, and Allie knew the consequences were very real if she messed up. Justice was giving her the eye, trying to tell her without telling her that he didn't want to be found out either. Did he know about Gabriel? Allie wanted to tell him, warn him that her brother was on a rampage or just crazy. She wasn't sure which. How was she going to stay away from Justice when he was now guarding her like Gabriel used to? Allie didn't like how that was going to play out.
She went about her day, trying to pretend like she wasn't always being watched by Justice. His dark eyes were always on her; they were green and sparkled like emeralds. Every time she looked over, his eyes were fixed on her, and it made her realize how conscientious he was going to make her.
Allie couldn't believe that Justice was there. Of all the people that her brother could have chosen, why him? Did Ben know something? If her brother knew anything, Allie wanted Justice to get out of there as soon as possible. Would he leave? What if that was the only way to save himself?
The problem with Allie pretending like she didn't know Justice and didn't have an intimate knowledge of his body and lips, was that her heart probably pumped a little bit harder the whole time she was around him. It wasn't like she wanted that to happen, but she knew that the physicality of it could be a problem. She had been asked twice that day already if she was sick or coming down with something. Allie knew that it had nothing to do with that. It had to do with the fact that Justice was near her. Always watching. Always waiting.
She had a couple of friends come by and they wanted to talk about the fact that Gabriel was in prison. Her brother had put him there that morning and apparently, they had done so to make it a secret, but everybody still found out. Nobody knew what had happened and there was a lot of guessing and conjectures, but Allie did not help the situation at all. She saw the worried look that Justice had gotten on his face. Did Justice know Gabriel? Was he mad at her about what had happened?
It wasn't like Allie wanted it to happen. She tried to tell her brother that he was off his rocker, but that hadn't worked. Ben had only informed her that he was gone. Anything that she tried to do to protest it at that point would just make him seem more and more like her lover. Allie not only didn't want Justice mad at her, but she didn't want him to know that it was all because of her. She wasn't really with Gabriel. Why did everybody keep thinking that? It was already clear to her friends and anybody that would listen, that Gabriel was innocent, and her brother was just being ridiculous.
“I am sure that he will figure it out for himself soon enough. Gabriel will be back here before you know it. He is too loyal to my brother, there's no way that he would do whatever he is being blamed for,” Allie entered the conversation, hoping to end the discussion on it. She did not want to hear anymore rumors. She also didn't want Justice getting an earful that was going to push him away from her. Allie knew that she couldn't have him, but it didn't stop her from wanting him and doing everything in her power not to scare him away.
***
Jeff took off to get something to eat and Justice was the only one there for a time. Allie kept looking at him, waiting for him to say something and finally she walked up to him and asked if he was going to acknowledge her or not.
He shook his head to the latter. “Not. You’re dangerous, Allie. You have to understand that.”
She did, but that didn't mean that Allie was willing to give up whatever was going on between them. She said as much, and he just shook his head in disbelief. “I am trying to stay as far away from you as possible, Allie. I get too close, I'm going to end up in a cell right next to Gabriel. I didn't know you were seeing other soldiers.”
