With This Ring

“Freya,” he called and shook me. “Look at me,” he said, his chest pressed hard against mine. “She’s fine,” he said to me. “She’s fine. She has no value to them. They have no interest in her.”

I stared into his hard eyes and felt a cold calm begin to wash over me. Even when my phone rang it sounded like it was coming from a great distance and of no urgency.

It was only when Maxim held it out to me that I came to my senses and grabbed at it, my heart nearly gave out when I saw it was Britney.

“Where are you?” I almost screamed.

“I’m still at the shoot. What’s the matter with you?”

Thank God, she was on a rooftop. I could hear the bustle of streets and the honk of vehicles that nearly overpowered her voice. “Nothing’s the matter with me.”

“Good. When are you going to get here?”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I said to her. “Be careful.”

I heard Maxim’s phone vibrate and I turned around to see his watchful gaze on me as he listened.

“Yes,” he responded and I wondered whom he was answering to. “She’s alright.” He ended his call. “A man was spotted leaving through the fire escape in your bathroom.”

“Oh shit,” I cursed and immediately began to hurry towards it, but he caught me and for a second my feet actually left the ground as he pulled me back. Setting me on the ground, he went ahead. I was left staring dumbfounded at him. Eventually, I followed, and watched as he inspected the open window and poked his head out to look down at the street beyond. He pulled his head back in a few seconds later, secured the latch, and turned around to face me.

“It’s not safe for you to be here,” he muttered.

“Well, it only started becoming dangerous since you came into my life,” I retorted, unable to hold myself back.

I needed to sit down, so I exited the bathroom and collapsed on the sofa. He followed and stood in front of me, his hands jammed into his pockets.

“Was it one of your guys on the phone?”

He nodded.

“Why didn’t they stop the break-in in the first place?”

He sighed and folded his hand across his chest, which was mighty distracting and not good for what was left of my energy. I was trembling in a way I hadn’t since my mom died.

“Because they have been told to stand down. Your father keeps a vigilant team on you, day and night.”

I groaned. “My question is why do I keep getting attacked if there are people guarding me?”

He shrugged. “It could be something to do with the fact that you weren’t in town.”

I chewed my lip. “Look, until all this blows over would it be possible for you to send someone over to guard Britney?”

He nodded. “Of course.”

I quickly gave him the address where Britney was shooting. He immediately called someone and gave him instructions to get there.

“Oh, and please don’t tell my father about this,” I said when he looked up from his phone call.

“About what exactly,” he asked quietly.

I met his gaze. “That you’re involved. It’s just going to make everything even more complicated.”

His mouth twisted at the corners. “I’m pretty sure he’s already heard. It would have already been reported that I am here.”

“Does this mean I’m going to have full-time, never-out-of-my-sight bodyguards before midnight strikes?”

“That’s exactly my intention,” he said, his voice hard and determined.

I looked at him with irritation. “I don’t need that. What you really need to do is figure out why I am being haunted. I am very sure all this has absolutely nothing to do with me.”

“Both you and Britney will require full-on security from now on.”

Suddenly, I wanted him gone. He was beginning to overwhelm me. Every time we met it was the same thing. After a little while in his presence I started to feel as if I was being drawn to him, as helpless as an iron filing to a giant magnet. “Thank you for stepping in, I really appreciate it.”

“I’m not leaving until they fix your door.”

He went over to the armchair by the corner then, and lowered himself into it. Ignoring me he read something off his phone. I rose and escaped to my bedroom. I closed the door and leaned against it. I took deep breaths to calm my heart. It was beating so fast it was almost fluttering. Just as I had expected, I could do nothing but stand by the door and calm my over excited body. I needed to call Britney.

I pulled the phone out of my pocket and got through to her. After apologizing that I wouldn’t be able to make it because of the intrusion.

“Oh my God,” she gasped and I felt sorry for her. She had not signed up for any of this. “Don’t worry everything will be fine,” I assured her. “All this will pass.” As soon as I get Maxim out of my life.