We're standing by the patio door when an older man walks up to us. He's talking in rapid-fire French to Joshua, who's struggling to understand him, something about him needing to come back to work for him. I translate for Joshua to calm the man down. I explain to Joshua this man wants Securities International to return to protect his daughter. I then see her—she's in a slinky, skintight slip dress. She walks right up to Duncan and plasters herself to him. She's blonde, curvy, tall, and so beautiful.
"Bonsoir, ma chéri," she says in an overly sweet voice. Duncan gently pushes her back.
"Alisa, I'm not anychérito you." He's severe and looks ready to eat nails.
"Is this your new protection detail?" She sneers at me. His arm is behind my back, resting low. If this is how close he gets to his details, I'm going to have to have a talk with him.
"No, this is my girlfriend, Maya."
"Oh, darling, did you tell her about us?" she says with feigned innocence.
Duncan looks around and then down to me.
"Baby, come dance with me." We walk away from her. I hear her gasp and notice the photographer in the corner.
"She isn't going to stop, Duncan." I can't believe I didn't claw her eyes out.
"This will stop her." He bends down and kisses me in front of everyone. When he pulls back, he pulls my hand up and flips it over and kisses the inside of my wrist. My blood is rushing through my veins and I'm practically panting. As we start to dance, I see Greg watching us with a smile on his face.
"Duncan, if you don't stop, we're going to make a scene when I jump you here." He throws back his head and laughs so hard.
Crisis averted, this man is mine. We finish the dance and he stays by my side with his hands on me the rest of the evening. I see her looking over at us a few times, but I know she's never had him as I do. I can feel his dedication and faithfulness to me.
I walk to the restroom a little while later. I'm just about to walk out when she walks in. She steps up to the mirror where she preens for a moment.
"You know you won't be able to keep him satisfied. You're the girl from New York. You're not in my league,petite,” she sneers at me.
"I already know I can satisfy him; you, on the other hand, are the one out of your league. Goodbye!" I respond back in fluent French.
I smile as I walk out of the restroom and go find Duncan. He's waiting beside the coat check with my wrap.
"What took you so long?"
"I had to take care of some French trash." I smile sweetly as Alisa walks by us. She brushes by Joshua and gives him a look. I watch as he doesn't even give her a second glance.
"I think we lost her father's business, Joshua."
"Don't worry about it, Duncan. We've plenty of companies, we don't need to be hired by petty people. Plus, Maya helped us get many more jobs tonight."
I smile at both of them as we head out.
When the limo pulls up to Duncan and Joshua's building, after dropping James at home, I'm so tired but feel a prickle down my spine. The guys step out and Duncan reaches in to help me out. The spark of unease hits even harder. I've learned to listen to this agitation throughout the years.
"Duncan, where's Joshua?"
"He just stepped into the entry, he's waiting for us. Why, baby?"
"Something doesn't feel right. Lean down here." Just as Duncan leans down, a bullet whistles through the air past him, shattering the glass behind him in the lobby.
Duncan drops back into the limo on top of me. My breath rushes from my lungs from his fall onto me. He's covering mewith his body. Oh shit, he’s hit. Was I too late? My heart accelerates and my mind starts to race. I can't lose him.
"Duncan, are you hit? Duncan, please talk to me!" I'm practically screaming. He pulls his head up and looks down at me.
"I'm okay. How about you?" He looks at me worriedly.
"Good. Where’s Joshua?" We both turn to see him lying on the floor of the lobby.
I reach down Duncan's leg and pull his backup gun from his ankle holster. This gun is almost a miniature to my usual sidearm. I check it and cock it as we prepare to move.
