Chapter 1

Me and Donya meet up at the office.

"Did the caller ask for the agency services or yours?"

"Actually Don, they really didn't say and I was caught off guard that they called my personal cell phone so I didnt think to ask. The old man and Jonas sent him to us so it could be either."

Just then the doorman buzzes us to let us know of our guests arrival. Me and Donya pull up the security camera to look for any possible threat or familiarity.

I look at Donya.

"I see no possible threat, let him in. Let's see what we can do for him."

Donya looked at me and slightly smiled and said, "It definitely helps that he is fine as hell, right Lex?"

"Shut up, he is a possible client and you are still knocking boots with Emo, don't do that to him. He is our friend."

"Oh Lex, my dear, I was not talking about for me and you damn well know it. I was referring to you, allowing the god walking toward our office, to knock off some of those cobwebs."

Then a knock sounds from our office door, thank god it was shut and he probably didn't hear any part of that.

Donya walks to the office door and opens it. Dear god, men should not be allowed to look that fine. Shit, snap out if it.

"Hello, Branton James, I assume? I am Lexa Belle and this is my business partner, Donya Langston. Welcome to DonBelle Security. What can we help you with?"

He studied me closely for a few moments before finally speaking, "I need a bodyguard, I have a death threat and it is to be taken very seriously. I need someone with me all the time. The only way to stop these guys is to kill them but they have power so it's not that easy. The William's family have been hiding me but that is not living so they told me to talk to Lexa."

He stops talking and I open my mouth to respond but he turns and makes eye contact with me and continues speaking directly to me.

"Sam gave me a message specifically for you Lexa. He said that you need to do this because it's time to remove the shadow from your light. I am not sure what it means but I am assuming you do."

I know what he means but I need to make sure so I ask the one question that can make my decision without knowing anything more,

"Who is trying to kill you?"

He maintains eye contact with me as he answers with the names I already knew he would. "James and Rocco Bowen."

I knew the answer before he said it but hearing their name still managed to suck the air from my body. The untouchable men that orchestrated my fathers death. I have watched them move around, gaining their power and protection through partnering with mexican cartels to creating, maintaining and managing bloody,sometimes deadly, a large underground fighting ring.

Don broke the silence that followed.

"How imminent is the threat?"

He stood up and took off his shirt, immediately my eyes landed on a fairly fresh scar that was clearly a bullet wound and should have been fatal. He started speaking as soon as he noticed we had seen the scar.

"This was an attempt on my life. The doctor said inches and a brilliant surgeon saved my life."

I finally caught my breath and gathered my thoughts enough to speak,

"I am going to do this job regardless but we need to hear the story of why they are after you."

He pulled his shirt back on and sat back down and started his story.

"I was an mma fighter. I was one of the best but my mom got cancer, so I needed to quit to take care of her. Right before quitting I had gotten into the underground cage matches to earn big money quickly, the plan was make enough money for the best treatment possible. Mom started getting sicker so I told them I needed to go. I was undefeated and was making them a killing so they wasnt going to let me go that easily. They started threatening my mom so I moved her to a private facility 3 states away under an assumed named I rented a place nearby using cash and a fake name. The cancer was too advanced there wasn't anything they could do to save her but she lived her little time left in peace. She passed away last month. I thought things here would have died down but I was wrong. I am not in perfect fighting shape anymore so I decided my fighting days were done. I have a good bit of money put back so I thought I would find another job and live a life. The network decided fighting is not done with me. They found me they put a knife through a piece of paper on my door."

He stops talking and pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to me. It reads.

We are not done with you. You dont go till we kill you or say we are done with you. Be at 962 Gale St. Wednesday at 10 pm.

He started talking again, "I didn't go, Thursday I received a picture of myself with bullet holes through the eyes, on the back it said to be at the fight house tomorrow you wont get another warning. Saturday I was shot, after I got out of the hospital I hid out at one of the Williams family safe houses."

I looked at him and put on my business face and gave him the basics of how our arrangement will work.

"Understand that to the outside world I am your girlfriend. I will live with you, in separate rooms of course. I also need you to understand the only happy ending you get out of this is that you are alive at the end of this all. If you are looking to get laid I am not that kind of escort but to the outside world I am your girlfriend so you cant be seen with other women. If you need that kind of thing let me know I will make appropriate and safe arrangements for you.

He looks up at me and says, "Sex is not as important to me as my life. I will be fine."

Donya stands up and gathers up her laptop and some files then looks over at Branton,"You need to let us know about public appearances and such so we can get Lexa's wardrobe together. She likes to have everything she needs with her so she doesn't have to make trips home. Her estate is secret she takes her privacy seriously. She does not want to have to go 2 hours out of her way to lose a tail if someone follows her from here."

"I have a few formal charity events and a fight or 2 I have been invited to. Give me your info and I can sync my calendar up to yours so you will have all that." He answers.

I reach out and shake his hand, as our hands clasp I feel a pleasant but unusual warm sensation, I was almost drawn to hold it a little longer but let go quickly and cover my abrupt response by giving final instructions.

"Please meet me back here tomorrow at noon. Bring everything you have with you at the safe house. We will return to your house together. Do not go there without me. My job starts then, please stay safe till then. I have to go pack. Stay alive please. If you need me before then call me."

"Yes ma'am, I'll be fine till then."

"Branton, stop calling me ma'am, I'll be your girlfriend tomorrow."

He smirks and says, "Yes ma'am, oh I mean Lexa baby."

"Ok then honey poo, I'm out of here, dont get yourself killed. Bye."

With that I shut my car door and took off, yeah, this is going to be an interesting one in so many ways.