I didn't expect the job to this kind after the last one went down. Something told me this one was going to be difficult than anticipated. I wasn't so sure I was ready to dive into this one. I hardly knew the girl but I felt her pain but if there was someone who could relate all too well to her situation, It had to be Christian. He had witnessed it firsthand and the fact that he wanted to be in this case bothered me greatly. That son of a gun could be stubborn but I was sure he couldn't handle it. As I returned to the room Sienna just left, I latched on to Christian's hand and pulled him back.
"Chris, Are you sure you can handle this? It's understandable if you want to step down. I know how sensitive this must be for you."
"Fuck no," Christian retorted. "Why would you even suggest that?"
"In there, you looked like you were about to kill someone."
Christian withdrew his hand from my touch and have an exhausting sigh. I knew he was tired of my constant bitching but all I could do was worry about him. We did almost everything for nearly eight years now. From becoming acquaintances in the army to being his psychiatrist for two full years then enlisting to be private bodyguards, we were as solid as they came.
"Yeah, of course, I wanted to kill someone. That girl is being tormented. She can't even leave her life no more because some son of a bitch is too pussy to get rejected and fucked up to know when the line has been crossed."
I tried to say something but Blair suddenly pushed the interrogation room open from the inside, effectively cutting me off and reminding me this was still a professional setting. On her hand was a file. Sienna's file.
"Sorry to break whatever you two seem to be having but Mr. Ansel wishes to see you both." She informed, handing me Sienna's file and brushing past us to return to the reception and before I could turn to finish my conversation with Christian, he was practically running for Ansel's office.
"Seriously!" I yelled, loud enough for Christian to hear me. "We literally just got back from one job!"
I relented a little too long before I ran to join Chris. As we made our way to the top bosses' office, I wouldn't stop complaining about Christian's insensitivity and the demanding nature of our work. Most of it being to dissuade Christian from taking up this job because why else would we be carrying Sienna's file. Grim as it was to admit, being good at your job sucked. If we had some deaths and injuries to our book, we would be cut some slacks and perhaps put behind desks like many. Christian on the other hand paid me no attention. He knew my agenda and had no time for my antics. It made me wonder if I was worrying for nothing. It had been five years already. While I was painfully aware that grief never left a man, something made me consider the possibility that Christian was in control this time. C
Christian stopped in front of the magnificent woodwork of a door and gave it a quick tap. It was chaotically quiet inside but seconds later, Mr. Ansel's voice pierced out.
"Come in."
We walked in to see Mr. Ansel assessing today's paper. He was a middle-aged man who just hit his early forties. Half prick, Half sass, and CEO of safe haven security firm.
"You asked to see us, sir." Christian squeaked out. He was a tad enthusiastic to take up the case. It was quite disturbing considering how unhinged and unprofessional he has been earlier.
"Yes, " Mr. Ansel drawled, turning the pages of his paper like he was paying us enough for this. "Have a seat." He said solemnly, finally putting his paper on the desk in front of him.
We obeyed, taking up each of the seats placed across him and waiting for his impossible proposals.
" I heard a young woman came in earlier today. She had a stalker problem, I assume."
The way Ansel said it made me boil. He treated this like it was a job. There was no empathy in the way he spoke. I guess he had become so used to scenarios like this coming up that he had deemed it normal but it disgusted me nonetheless.
"Yes, here is her file," I said, sliding it over to his side.
Ansel picked it up and took a brief stroll, making some solemn comment as he read on.
"From all indications and her police files, this had probably been going on longer than she thinks, which is ten months, but I believe it has been closer to a year, poor girl just probably never noticed," Ansel said shocking me just as he closed her file. "But we aren't here to discuss the tragedy of this girl. I called you here because I believe you two will be the best handling this case if you are up for it. I am aware you just finished a case and carrying another job could be strenuous on your path so it would be just fine if you can't accept." Ansel continued. I liked how he pulled up a sob story right before guilt-tripping us to further his agenda. There was no way I could refuse the offer if I wanted to make sure Christian did not harm himself. He was very invested in this case and I doubted he would listen to me so I figured the best thing to do was pull up the prices and hope Ansel would give in.
"We accept." Christian chipped in like his head had been taken control of by brain eaters. I was so close to punching him deep in the guts.
"However," I added, glaring at Christian. "It would be appreciated if our efforts are complimented financially, Ansel. We are working our arses off here."
Ansel seemed to be considering it. The selfish turd brain was about to come to a compromise when all of a sudden, the door behind us was forced open and Blair ran in looking like she had just crossed paths with a serial killer and hyperventilating.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"Sienna Reid..." She mumbled, out of shortness of breath. It was a bit annoying considering how on edge she was but we had to probe further.
"Blair, English!" Mr. Ansel spat.
"Sienna called. She was attacked not too far from here. Her stalker followed her tried to run her over." Blair told probably the horrifying news of them all.
"What!" I choked, locking eyes with Christian. I could see the rage simmering in his eyes but I couldn't be his moral compass at the time. That anger matched my own. I turned to Blair and asked, "And where is she now?"
"Home," Blair replied.