THE THREAT
I quickly pulled Ava close, my eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. The message on the wall was clear: someone had been in the apartment, and they were watching Ava.
"It's okay, Ava," I whispered. "I've got you."
Ava nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "What does it mean?" she asked.
I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But Ava's eyes were locked on mine, and I knew I had to tell her the truth.
"It means that someone has been in your apartment," I said. "And they're trying to scare you."
Ava's face paled, and she took a step back. "Oh my god," she whispered.
I quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her close. "It's okay, Ava," I repeated. "I'm here to protect you."
Ava nodded, her eyes locked on mine. "I trust you, Ethan," she said.
I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and purpose. "I won't let anything happen to you, Ava," I promised.
As I looked into her eyes, I knew that I would do anything to keep her safe. I would risk my life, my reputation, everything.
Because Ava was more than just a client. She was a woman who had been threatened, and she needed my protection.
I quickly scanned the room, looking for any signs of evidence. The message on the wall was the only clue, but I knew that it was a start.
"I need to call the police," I said. "And we need to get out of here."
Ava nodded, her eyes still wide with fear. "Okay," she said.
As I pulled out my phone and dialed the police, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Who was behind this threat? And what did they want from Ava?
The police arrived quickly, and they began to process the scene. I watched as they took pictures and collected evidence, my mind racing with possibilities.
Who was behind this threat? And how far would they go to harm Ava?
As I stood there, watching the police work, I knew that I had to do everything in my power to keep Ava safe. I would work tirelessly to uncover the identity of the person behind the threat, and I would stop at nothing to bring them to justice.
Because Ava's life depended on it.
As the police continued to process the scene, I couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. We needed to get Ava to a safe location, and fast.
"I'm going to get you out of here," I said to Ava, taking her arm.
Ava nodded, her eyes still wide with fear. "Okay," she said.
I quickly led her out of the apartment and down to the SUV. As we drove away from the building, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. We were safe, for the moment.
But as we drove through the crowded streets of Manhattan, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. I glanced in the rearview mirror, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Just to be sure, I took a few evasive maneuvers, turning down side streets and doubling back on ourselves. But no matter what I did, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being followed.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we arrived at the safe house. It was a nondescript building in a quiet neighborhood, the kind of place that blended in seamlessly with its surroundings.
As we stepped inside, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. We were safe, for the moment.
But as I looked at Ava, I knew that this was far from over. We still had to uncover the identity of the person behind the threat, and we had to stop them before it was too late.
"Ava, I need to ask you some questions," I said, taking her arm.
Ava nodded, her eyes locked on mine. "Okay," she said.
"Can you think of anyone who might want to hurt you?" I asked.
Ava hesitated, her eyes scanning the room. "I don't know," she said finally. "I've been receiving these threatening messages for weeks, but I have no idea who's behind them."
I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. We would have to investigate Ava's past, see if there were any clues that might lead us to the person behind the threat.
As I looked at Ava, I knew that this was going to be a tough road ahead. But I was determined to keep her safe, no matter what.
And I was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.
As I continued to question Ava, I couldn't help but notice the fear in her eyes. She was scared, and she had every right to be.
"I've been receiving these messages for weeks," Ava said, her voice shaking. "At first, I thought it was just some prankster, but then the messages started getting more and more threatening."
I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. "Can you show me the messages?" I asked.
Ava nodded and pulled out her phone. As she scrolled through the messages, I could see the fear in her eyes growing.
The messages were chilling. "You're not safe." "I'm watching you." "You'll never be safe."
I felt a surge of anger as I read the messages. Who was behind this? And why were they targeting Ava?
As I continued to question Ava, I realized that she was hiding something. She was scared, but she was also hesitant to talk about something.
"What is it, Ava?" I asked, my voice soft. "What are you not telling me?"
Ava hesitated, her eyes scanning the room. "I don't know if it's relevant," she said finally.
"Tell me," I said, my voice firm.
Ava took a deep breath before speaking. "I've been receiving strange gifts," she said. "Gifts that are...personal."
I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of gifts?" I asked.
Ava hesitated before answering. "A locket with my picture in it. A bouquet of my favorite flowers."
I felt a chill run down my spine. This was getting weirder by the minute.
"Who do you think is sending these gifts?" I asked.
Ava shook her head. "I have no idea," she said. "But I know it's the same person who's been sending the threatening messages."
I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. This was a complex case, and I was determined to get to the bottom of it.
As I continued to question Ava, I realized that she was in grave danger. The person behind the threats was escalating, and it was only a matter of time before they struck again.
I knew I had to act fast. I had to protect Ava at all costs.
But as I looked into her eyes, I realized that I was in over my head. I was supposed to be a bodyguard, not a detective.
And yet, I couldn't help but feel drawn to Ava. I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe from harm.
As I looked at her, I knew that I would do whatever it took to keep her safe.
Even if it meant putting my own life at risk.