affecting her spine, couldn’t work more than a part-time job. With three children to feed, she had gone on government assistance but couldn’t afford to keep a car to get the children to school.
Rhett had visited the family, pretending to be an attorney. He claimed her husband had left a decent estate and didn’t want her to know about it. It was only a contingency in case something like this ever happened. The estate consisted of twenty-five thousand dollars and a used car.
Rhett wondered if Starlight had ever found out about his visit to them. He doubted it, as they never followed up with survivors after a contract had been completed. The man deserved to die, but Starlight never considered the families. They were always left to fend for themselves.
“Sir, your ID please.”
Rhett noticed for the first time that the line was gone and it was his turn. He glanced down to the ID and then to the couple on the other side walking down the corridor to their plane. He put the ID back in his pocket and turned around without a word, heading out of the terminal.
He opened the driver ’s side door of the first car he saw, a Mitsubishi. The driver was staring at Rhett with his mouth open when Rhett opened the door and pulled him out. The man resisted. Rhett forced him to the ground with a sweep.
“Report it stolen. They’ll find it abandoned.”
He jumped into the car, and drove off.
CHAPTER 15
Stephanie Johnson paid for her items at Neiman Marcus and glanced to the bodyguard that stood by her side. He was far enough away that he didn’t crowd her space and in fact Stephanie had forgotten that he was with her until just now. At a hundred and fifty an hour, she expected nothing less.
She had tried to strike up a conversation with him about other people he had guard ed but he had replied, “I’m here to save your life. Not be your friend.”
Stephanie had considered requesting another one, but he was so professional and on top of things that she decided she could take a little rudeness in exchange for ability.
As they left the store and hailed a cab, Stephanie called her husband’s cell.
“What do you want?”
“I was just checking in on you.”
“Why?”
“Why? Paul , I was shot at.”
“They said it could’ve been a drive-by at the wrong house.”
“This is New York . How many drive-bys do you hear about?”
“Look I’m busy . Did you need something?”
She exhaled. “I remember when we were inseparable. Now some psycho tries to kill me and you couldn’t care less.”
“You’re the one that wants the divorce, not me.”
“Did you sign the paperwork?”
“Yeah, I signed it. I sent it back to your attorney and he said it would be submitted today. So I guess I’m free.”
“You’re free? You’re free, you fucking asshole?”
“Hey fuck you. I was a great husband. You’re the one that drove me away. I did everything right.”
She climbed into the cab, the bodyguard getting in beside her. “Goodbye, Paul. I hope you find what it is you’re looking for.”
“Whatever.”
She hung up and replaced the phone in her pocket. Absently staring out the window, she watched the crowds. Nameless and faceless, they walked without noticing each other. As if they were all alone in a city packed with people.
She hadn’t really thought about what she was going to do now that the marriage was over. Her goal of the divorce had so consumed her that she didn’t have the mental energy to think about anything else. At the realization that she could do whatever she wanted now, she perked up a little and a grin came over her face.
“I want to go Hawaii,” she told her bodyguard. “I don’t think I need you to come with me there.”
“Your contract states I go where you go.”
She shrugged. “Do you have a family? Someone that’s going to wonder where you are?”
“No.”
S ilence consumed the cab for another twenty minutes until they
Rhett had visited the family, pretending to be an attorney. He claimed her husband had left a decent estate and didn’t want her to know about it. It was only a contingency in case something like this ever happened. The estate consisted of twenty-five thousand dollars and a used car.
Rhett wondered if Starlight had ever found out about his visit to them. He doubted it, as they never followed up with survivors after a contract had been completed. The man deserved to die, but Starlight never considered the families. They were always left to fend for themselves.
“Sir, your ID please.”
Rhett noticed for the first time that the line was gone and it was his turn. He glanced down to the ID and then to the couple on the other side walking down the corridor to their plane. He put the ID back in his pocket and turned around without a word, heading out of the terminal.
He opened the driver ’s side door of the first car he saw, a Mitsubishi. The driver was staring at Rhett with his mouth open when Rhett opened the door and pulled him out. The man resisted. Rhett forced him to the ground with a sweep.
“Report it stolen. They’ll find it abandoned.”
He jumped into the car, and drove off.
CHAPTER 15
Stephanie Johnson paid for her items at Neiman Marcus and glanced to the bodyguard that stood by her side. He was far enough away that he didn’t crowd her space and in fact Stephanie had forgotten that he was with her until just now. At a hundred and fifty an hour, she expected nothing less.
She had tried to strike up a conversation with him about other people he had guard ed but he had replied, “I’m here to save your life. Not be your friend.”
Stephanie had considered requesting another one, but he was so professional and on top of things that she decided she could take a little rudeness in exchange for ability.
As they left the store and hailed a cab, Stephanie called her husband’s cell.
“What do you want?”
“I was just checking in on you.”
“Why?”
“Why? Paul , I was shot at.”
“They said it could’ve been a drive-by at the wrong house.”
“This is New York . How many drive-bys do you hear about?”
“Look I’m busy . Did you need something?”
She exhaled. “I remember when we were inseparable. Now some psycho tries to kill me and you couldn’t care less.”
“You’re the one that wants the divorce, not me.”
“Did you sign the paperwork?”
“Yeah, I signed it. I sent it back to your attorney and he said it would be submitted today. So I guess I’m free.”
“You’re free? You’re free, you fucking asshole?”
“Hey fuck you. I was a great husband. You’re the one that drove me away. I did everything right.”
She climbed into the cab, the bodyguard getting in beside her. “Goodbye, Paul. I hope you find what it is you’re looking for.”
“Whatever.”
She hung up and replaced the phone in her pocket. Absently staring out the window, she watched the crowds. Nameless and faceless, they walked without noticing each other. As if they were all alone in a city packed with people.
She hadn’t really thought about what she was going to do now that the marriage was over. Her goal of the divorce had so consumed her that she didn’t have the mental energy to think about anything else. At the realization that she could do whatever she wanted now, she perked up a little and a grin came over her face.
“I want to go Hawaii,” she told her bodyguard. “I don’t think I need you to come with me there.”
“Your contract states I go where you go.”
She shrugged. “Do you have a family? Someone that’s going to wonder where you are?”
“No.”
S ilence consumed the cab for another twenty minutes until they
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