LAYLA ABRAHAM

"Why does today feel so ominous?"

She knew that she was overreacting, that other couples didn't spend anywhere near as much time as they did together, but she had become accustomed to a life with Alejandro around all the time. Going back to her previous life would be nothing short of depressive.

"I don't like seeing you like this." He sat down next to her on the sofa and handed her a fresh cup of coffee.

They both raised their mugs and took a sip.

Neither of them had been able to sleep well that night. After they had made love, they had lay in bed in each other's arms, desperately clawing onto the other. Neither of them knew what the morning would entail. Hardy was confident that Alejandro would be removed from his position as Layla's bodyguard and replaced, but they all knew it wasn't as easy as that.

The chief of police was stern but fair and, in this case, they had made a mockery of her and of the police department with their secret relationship. What was worse was having it reported by both a civilian and a hostage, claiming that their relationship was common knowledge with the lead detectives on the case.

Someone needed to be punished, and Layla and Alejandro needed to be made an example of to make sure that this sort of thing didn't happen again.

Alejandro didn't agree with it, but he saw the reasoning behind it.

He knew the repercussions they would both face if their relationship were to be discovered but he hadn't cared, and he still didn't. A relationship with Layla, the love of his life, was worth this and so much more. If he could, he would take the brunt of the punishment for the both of them but unfortunately, that was not the way it worked.

To keep Alejandro on as her bodyguard any further, would be an absolute embarrassment, especially if the media were to get wind of it.

"Do you think they're going to make us stop seeing each other?" She asked, worried.

Alejandro scoffed, his body tense and tight. "Nothing is going to stop me from seeing you."

"You didn't answer my question."

"It's a stupid question." He groaned and pulled her into his side, resting his arm on the back of the sofa. "But I'd like to see them try."

Layla entertained the thought for a moment even though she knew that he would be totally against it, and for good reason to. "Don't overreact." She began cautiously but he cut her off, just as she expected.

"That's not a promising start."

It was too late to take her words back now.

"Do you think if we were to stop seeing each other, they'll let you stay on as my bodyguard?"

Alejandro send her a sharp look. "That's not an option."

"That's not what I asked." She huffed but couldn't help herself as she snuggled further into his side, turning her head to rest it on his shoulder. Here she was supposing that they break up – or even pretend to break up – just so he could stay on as her bodyguard, yet her body sought comfort from the very man she was suggesting breaking up with.

There was no way that was going to work.

"Can you answer my question, please?" She whispered, her voice quieter than before.

"The real question is, are you trying to break up with me?"

Layla scoffed. "That's a stupid question." She threw his words back at him. "I just thought we could pretend for a little longer, you know?"

"Just to be clear, you're not trying to break my heart here?"

Layla shook her head and laughed softly, the sound of it dimmed and dulled in comparison to all the other times he had seen her laugh.

"I could never break your heart. I love you too much." She reminded him with a small smile. It had felt so liberating finally telling him how she truly felt last night, and to hear that he returned her feelings made her feel like she was on top of the world; untouchable.

Again, ironic, considering their situation.

"I loved you first."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"It means a whole lot to me." He winked, and pulled her in for a kiss.

Just as they were able to forget everything, if even for just a moment, a quite knock sounded on the door which caused them to break apart, their smiles replaced with solemn looks of worry.

He cupped her face and pressed his lips against the crown of her forehead. "Everything is going to be okay. We're going to come out of this together, and that's all that counts."

"Let's do this together." She nodded and reached out for his hand, squeezing it in hers before she stood up and walked with him to the door.

When Alejandro reached out to swing open the door, it revealed Hardy as well as two other men behind it. Layla recognised one of the men to be Hardy's partner, William Shanker, having met him a few times when she frequented the police station but the third man, she did not recognise. The way he stood a little behind Hardy and Shanker which suggested that he wasn't a detective, but rather her new bodyguard.

She gulped as she looked at him from over their shoulders.

The man was nearly a head taller than both detectives, but a few inches shorter than his predecessor. His skin was a beautiful dark mocha, his raven hair short and neat, his shoulders wide. His eyes zeroed in on her, a milky chocolate brown, immediately recognising her to be his next assignment. He offered her a small smile but she couldn't help but frown in return.

Just from first impressions, her new bodyguard seemed fine, pleasant even, but he wasn't Alejandro.

The man in question sighed and squeezed her hip, an unconscious action, the only thing which told her that he was worried too, but attempting to stay strong for her.

"I guess you should come in."

The men nodded their thanks and walked into her small apartment. Her new bodyguard closed the door behind him as he was the last one in, and followed them all into the living room. The three men sat on the sofa and Alejandro sat on the single arm chair. Since there was no more space, she propped herself on the arm of the single sofa he was sat on, balancing herself by leaning into his embrace. Whether it was for an added precaution or he just wanted to hold her, she wasn't sure, Alejandro looped his around her waist and lay his hand on her thigh.

Hardy sighed and began talking while Shanker sat back comfortably and eyed the couple sat in front of them.

Suddenly, she felt very exposed despite the large hoodie and leggings she was wearing.

"I'm sorry I haven't got better news to give you both." Hardy frowned deeply.

Despite his numerous threats, he had never wanted it to come to this. Just looking at them, anyone could tell the immense love they harboured for each other and Hardy no doubt in his mind that if the need were to arise, no one would be able to protect Layla the way Alejandro, a man who loved her with absolutely everything he had, could. But his arm was twisted and right now, he and his partner could do nothing more than play the role of the messenger.

Layla brushed the hair away from her face, suddenly wishing that she had tied it up. "Thank you for trying."

Hardy nodded but felt like he didn't deserve her thanks. Even if he did have a rocky history with Alejandro, in a way, he felt like he had failed them both and that didn't settle well with him.

"We're here to discuss the next steps moving forward."

Alejandro nodded; his jaw clenched tight as he stared at his replacement.

"Layla, this is Jerome Bowary. He will be your new bodyguard."

She nodded and sighed. The man smiled at her, clearly feeling uneasy with the situation but she couldn't bring herself to care all that much.

A small part of her had hoped that when the detectives arrived, they would come bearing good news that the decision had changed and Alejandro would be able to stay on as her bodyguard. It was wishful thinking, but it had kept her sane all morning and now that the detectives had arrived with what she had been fearing all along, she didn't know what to think.

Alejandro scowled deeply, his anger directed at all of them and none of them at the same time. "You can replace me as her bodyguard but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop protecting her."

Shanker nodded. "You're both consenting adults. If you choose to be with each other, we can't physically do anything about it."

"But you can make it as hard as possible for us, right?"

"There was nothing that we could do, Alejandro." Hardy stood up for his partner.

"You could have kept Byron quiet."

"I can keep an eye on him but I can't control everything he does."

"But you can control what we do?" He asked with a sneer on his face and a dark, menacing look in his eyes. He was referring to a few weeks ago when detective Hardy had propositioned them once Byron had informed him of Alejandro and Layla's secret relationship. She pretended to date Byron to find out what he knew, and all of this would be swept under the rug. While she had held up their end of the deal, he had not fulfilled his part of it.

It was only natural that they felt betrayed.

Now, those difficult 2 weeks that Hardy had subjected them to appeared to have gone in vain, having amounted to absolutely nothing. Less than nothing, actually.

"I'm sorry, Alejandro, Layla." He turned to face both of them with an apologetic look on his face. "The system can't allow you both to be together and stay on as her bodyguard at the same time."

"The system needs updating."

"That's beyond my power, I'm afraid."

Alejandro hummed and slumped in his chair. "You can leave now."

"There was something else I wanted to speak to you about." Both detectives stood up. "Alejandro, can I speak to you outside?"

"I'm not in the talking mood right now. Maybe later."

"Trust me, you're going to want to hear this."

"Well, whatever you want to say, you can say in front of Layla."

It was a shortcoming on his part to think that Alejandro wouldn't come out of the conversation and indulge Layla in everything that they had spoken about. The pair were a team and a force to be reckoned with and to be frank, he was glad that he had come with his partner and Jerome. It also helped that technically, he had eased them into it by breaking the news to them last night over the phone.

Then finally detective nodded and gestured for Jerome to take a step outside. When the door closed behind her new bodyguard, Hardy began.

"I managed to work out a deal with the chief of police on your behalf."

That piqued both their interests, so much so that Alejandro actually straightened himself out in the chair. The way he was gripping her thigh spoke more words than passed his lips, and she could practically feel the hope radiating off of him as they both listened attentively.

"What kind of deal?"

"The kind where whatever happens here, gets swept under the rug as long as you do the police force a favour."

"Another favour?" He groaned in frustration.

"This one's directly from the chief."

"How do I know I can trust you this time?"

Shanker chuckled. "We thought you might say that, so we have a lawyer writing up a contract as we speak. It should be ready tomorrow so if you swing by the station in the morning, you can read it and decide if you want to take up the job or not." He shrugged, as if it was as simple as that.

"And what if he decides not to do this job?" Layla asked, concerned. They had already been burnt by the police once before so it was understandable that she was wary of joining forces with them for a second time.

"There are no repercussions."

"Other than the fact that if I don't comply, they'll let the media know of our relationship?"

Layla turned sharply towards her boyfriend. "And that could ruin your reputation."

His nod confirmed her suspicions.

"Not in so many words." Hardy frowned. "One of our officers testified against a man who had been selling illegal drugs on the street corner. He's behind bars now but him and his family have been receiving death threats for the past week now. We've got him and his family covered, but we could really do with another bodyguard. The one we have now can't commit to staying with them 24 hours, so if we had 2 bodyguards, you could split the time between you both."

"What times would I have to work?"

"What hours do you want?"

"10 to 10."

"Done."

"That's it?" He questioned, frowning. "There has to be a catch."

"No catch this time, and the contract will confirm it."

Hardy paused but before he could leave, he had to ask a question which he had been wondering for a while now. "Why did you leave the police academy?"

If Alejandro was surprised at hearing the question, he didn't show it. "My dad had a heart attack and so I moved back home for a while to be with my family."

Hardy's mouth gaped in shock. "I made fun of you all these years."

Alejandro shrugged, nonchalant. "I don't really care what people think about me. I never have."

Hardy chuckled and looked between the two of them pointedly. "Clearly. You'd make a damn good police officer. Maybe even detective one day. The chief may not be happy with you, but even she commented on your work ethic."

"During my brief time living back at home with my parents, I kind of figured out what I wanted to do with my life and being a police officer just wasn't it." He shrugged. "I'm much happier being a bodyguard and running my business. I don't have any interests in returning back to the academy any time soon, but thanks for the offer."

"Well, the offer still stands if you change your mind. And once again, I'm sorry for my behaviour."

A slow smirk spread on his face. "Well, if you're apologising for being a dick, then I guess I'll have to do the same."

Hardy quirked a questioning brow. "That's your apology?"

Alejandro chuckled. "I guess I'm sorry too."

"You guess?"

He shrugged, a teasing smile on his face. "It's the best you're going to get."

"Then I'll take it."

When the conversation came to an end, the dismal cloud returned to span over the room, dampening all of their moods.

"Jerome's duty as your bodyguard is effective immediately. Might give you a chance to get to know each other." Shanker said as he opened the door to let Jerome back in, having finished their secret conversation.

"Layla." Hardy called out for her.

She looked up at him, a questioning look in her eyes. What more could there be left for him to say to her?

"Try not to fall in love with this one." He attempted some light humour to ease the tension, but the joke was lost on them.

-

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Layla Knight

08.06.2020