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Emerald laughed gently. “Oh, it’s a cold seafood dish. This one is made from fresh lobster hand-picked from the ocean today. Oh, and please, call me Emerald,” The actress licked her lips, maintaining her gaze on Romy. “I’d love us to be friends if we can.”
To Emerald’s delight, Romy gave a slight smile, displaying a dimple on her left cheek. Then, while she avoided Emerald’s intense stare, Romy chuckled. “Alright, I’m cool with Emerald. And I guess you can call me Romy, so we’re even. We will be working closely together.”
“Good, good, that’s what I like to hear.” Emerald cooed as Marilyn placed a glass of champagne in front of her. She looked up to nod at her housekeeper while Marilyn provided Romy with sparkling water.
“Thank you, ma’am, that’s perfect. I don’t drink alcohol, but I am parched.” Romy raised the glass to her lips before Emerald stopped her. “Oh, I was sure that youdidn’t,so I instructed Marilyn to bring you some Acqua di Cristallo; it’s the Rolls Royce of seltzers.
Raising her champagne, Emerald announced, “Let’s have a toast! To my new friend Romy; may she keep me safe from my terrible ex husband.” Winking, she clinked Romy’s glass as her eyes traveled from her face to her biceps, which seemed to burst through her black, tight-fitting T-shirt. “Youdefinitelyseem up for the role.”
Clearing her throat, Romy replied, emphasizing her professionalism, “Yes, to keep you safe, which ismy job.But Ms.—oops, I mean,Emerald, I would like to give you some guidance and recommendations in your situation. Okay? I’m as serious as a heart attack regarding your protection, so you must heed my words.”
Emerald felt a thrill as Romy finally looked her in the eyes. Nodding eagerly, she leaned in closer. “Oh yes, of course. Please, I’m all ears.”
Straightening her posture, Romy began, placing her hands on the table. “First, I will need to accompany you everywhere, regardless of whether it’s a social visit, a party, or a gala. I want to be no further than fifteen feet away from you, although in some cases, I will be right beside you.” Romy stared at Emerald to ensure that she understood. “I will also be joining you while you are filming on set. Obviously, I won’t interrupt any scenes or be in the way but my presence will be known.”
Emerald bobbed her head, drawn to every word. While she listened, Emerald kept her eyes on Romy’s full lips, imagining what they would feel like on her own. “No problem, I understand. And yes, I would love that.” As soon as her words escaped her mouth, Emerald realized that she sounded a little too excited to be followed by a bodyguard, but her lack of shame allowed Emerald to brush off any self-consciousness.
Romy continued. “Second, I will need to have access to all of your husband’s personal and professional information, including any special contacts, messages, threats, anything and everything. Part of my process is to do a thorough investigation. I need to seeeverything.” Emerald nodded, averting her eyes as she remembered Thomas’ sinister texts. A slight fear entered her heart, making her feel vulnerable.
“And third, I’d like to sleep in the bedroom next to yours. It’s essential that I am close in proximity. Will that be an issue?
Emerald shook her head. “No, not at all! In fact, the bedroom Marilyn assigned you is directly beside mine. So don’t worry; we’ll be close.”
Very close, I hope.
4
Romy pulled her black SUV into the long, winding driveway of Emerald’s estate, pausing to announce her return through the gate’s intercom. Static, followed by a fuzzy robotic voice, came through the speaker.
“Hello. Please state your name and purpose for visiting Ms. Crowle.” To Romy, the announcement sounded automatic, as though the gate was operated by a comprehensive security system.
Rolling down the window, she replied, “Yes, hello? This is Romy Russell. I’m Ms. Crowle’s bodyguard.” Romy waited a few seconds before the arm on the gate turned green, raising itself so that Romy could drive through the gate. But then, she thought,Hmmm, that thing is not safe. I’ll talk to her about a more advanced security system. I mean, I could’ve been anyone; it just let me in.
The sun was rising in the sky, lifting the darkness of night, announcing that morning had arrived. Romy had awoken to her alarm that was set for 5:00 am. At first, she was disorientated but then remembered her assignment. It wasn’t unusual for Romy to wake up so early, especially when she was working with a client. The early dawn was usually the safest time for Romy to work out at the gym because, in her experience, most criminals were not active during those hours and most clients weren’t up then either. Usually the client’s bed was the safest place for them.
Grounding herself in a new working environment was essential for Romy’s focus. But this morning, instead of Thor’s Gym, she decided to visit the QuickSilver Shooting Range to practice a few rounds. While most gun ranges were closed at this hour, Romy had gotten special access due to her status. (and Emerald’s money.) She wanted to prepare herself for trouble, but Romy still wasn’t convinced that Emerald was in grave danger. To Romy, the actress seemed like a superficial and slightly lonely woman who tried her best to draw attention with her looks and artificial charm. Romy had met many A-list actors within her career that reminded her exactly of Emerald. Still, she seemed pleasant enough, and the housekeeper was a real gem. Romy figured that this was going to be an easy enough assignment, and she was content with her conclusion.
Romy entered through the side door of the mansion as instructed; the property was ominously quiet.It’s only 7:10 am; Emerald must still be sleeping.This morning, she wanted to start the investigation process into Emerald’s ex-husband, Thomas Black. In addition to physically protecting her clients, Romy also conducted a thorough inquest into known adversaries. Romy knew that having a better understanding of the threat meant that she could better track his moves.
Procuring a laptop from her room, Romy moved downstairs to the dining room to begin her morning work. As she settled into a cushioned seat, she couldn’t help but chuckle under her breath, remembering Emerald’s flirtatious behavior. There was no doubt that Emerald was extremely attractive; Romy’s preference had always been toward older women. And like most beautiful celebrities, Emerald led with her sex appeal, which was initially entrancing. But soon, the act would wear thin, exposing a deeply insecure person who desired attention. Given Romy’s past experiences, she was no stranger to female clients coming on to her, but Romy never became intimately involved; it was terrible for business and bad for her concentration.
Just as Romy was plugging in her devices, she heard rustling from around the corner. “Hello and good morning, dear! Did you sleep well?” Romy immediately grinned at the sound of Marilyn’s voice. Then, standing from her seat, Romy went to greet the elderly housekeeper.
“Good morning, Marilyn. I did, thank you. The room is beautiful and comfortable. I was just out at the rangeto practice with my gear.” Romy was always careful not to go into too much detail about her weapons, which intimidated most people. Besides, Marilyn was such a kind woman that Romy felt just as protective of her as she did Emerald Crowle.
“That’s nice, dear. Would you like some coffee? Can I make you any breakfast?” Marilyn asked. “Emerald is typically awake by 8:00 am on the days she is not on set. I’m about to make eggs benedict if you would like that. But let me know; I could make anything you want really.” Marilyn beamed, proud of her skills.
“I’d love some coffee, but I’m alright for breakfast; thanks for offering,” Romy replied politely. Inside, she was surprised to hear that Emerald woke as early as she did. Given her flighty behavior, Romy assumed that Emerald slept until noon and enjoyed breakfast in bed.
Suddenly, Romy heard a voice from upstairs. “Marilyn? Marilyn, could you come upstairs, please?” Romy turned to see the housekeeper rush up the winding staircase to attend to the actress, and Romy rolled her eyes.Yup, just as I suspected, a diva.
Romy shifted her attention to the brief she had obtained from Panther Security, in addition to notes provided by Emerald’s agent, Chet Walker. Soon, she became so engrossed in the details that she didn’t see Emerald approaching her from behind.
“Boo! Ha ha! I hope I didn’t startle you. But you looked so serious that I couldn’t resist.” Romy felt immediately overwhelmed by the seductive scent of Emerald’s perfume. She jumped in her seat and quickly turned around to see Emerald standing behind her chair in a red silk teddy with a matching robe. She looked strikingly beautiful. Her golden blonde hair was loose and slightly tousled around her shoulders. She wore no makeup. She was every inch the movie star. Romy didn’t like being snuck up on, although the sight of Emerald’s beauty made her feel less pissed off.
Wryly, Romy addressed Emerald. “Actually, you did startle me. Which might not be a good idea for your safety! Please don’t creep up on me like that again. Given that I’m an armed and athletic woman, it’s best not to give a sneak attack.” She added, in a softer tone, “How are you feeling this morning?”
Emerald reached her arms over her head, stretching her body like a cat. Her full breasts rose with her chest. Romy entirely failed to keep her eyes off them. “Hmmm! I sleptso well.Ever since you arrived yesterday, I’ve felt much calmer. I think it’s the best sleep I’ve gotten in weeks.” Emerald gave Romy a warm smile. “Did Marilyn offer you anything to eat? I thought we could have breakfast together.”
