• dedicated to proudweirdmixer for all the love you've shown jade and ethan •

[ 18 ]

"You're assigned night duty?"

This question came from the last person I thought it would. "Don't ask me, I don't know what happened either."

"Mrs Black trusts you that much?" he asked incredulously.

I hesitated. "Um, I don't think she was the one that authorised the change in my duties."

Trevor was too well-trained to let emotions show on his face, but I knew that he was shocked. "Mr Black did it?"

"According to Ethan, Mr Black wanted to up security and chose me for night duty," I told him, only realising at that moment how shady it sounded.

I had my suspicions when Ethan first told me, but I was too overwhelmed by relief that I wasn't about to get fired. Now that I actually thought about it, how could Harvey Black know about the club incident and yet give me more responsibilities?

How did he still trust me with his son?

Judging by Trevor's slightly raised brows, I knew he was asking himself the same thing.

"Cool," he said instead, clearly not convinced.

Biting my lips, I debated over whether or not I should take a gamble with Trevor. "Why do you think Mr Black did that?" I blurted out, the words pushing their way through my lips.

Trevor seemed surprised at my question. "No one can anticipate the reasons for his actions. He does what he wants to do."

"He does what his wife wants him to do, you mean," I corrected jokingly. It took a grand total of two interactions with Mr Black for me to know his wife had a lot of power over him.

"That too," he added wryly.

"But why? He knew about what happened at the club, and instead of firing me, he's promoting me?"

That got Trevor's attention. "He knew about the club?"

"Apparently so."

"What?" His tone was cutting and unbelieving, bordering on being harsh. "Then how are you still here?"

I stumbled away from him, taken back by his reaction. "W-What do you mean?"

"I mean, there hasn't been a single bodyguard who'd screwed up more than once and is still serving the Black family. Most get the boot the moment they screw up, a few lucky ones get a second chance. But you... you're on your third chance."

I could only blink at him, not knowing how to react. "What are you saying?" I asked.

Suddenly, the tension that was gripping Trevor so tightly loosened its hold and the atmosphere instantly lightened when he smiled. "I'm not saying anything. I'm just surprised, that's all. Maybe Mr Black just really likes you."

I may have been thrown off-guard by the abrupt change in the atmosphere, but even I, in my delirious state, somehow doubted that.

My mind went back to when Ethan first told me, trying to find any clues.

"My father wants security to be tightened. Which means he wants me to be watched 24/7."

"And?" I prompted.

"No, Otter, I really mean 24/7. Even when I'm sleeping."

I blinked. "Oh. Oh."

Ethan scratched his neck, laughing nervously. "Yeah. Oh."

"Well, who did he assign that lovely duty to?"

One side of his mouth quirked up. "You, actually."

I stumbled back. "Me?"

Ethan nodded.

"But if he knows about the club incident, how does he still trust me with your safety? Shouldn't he be firing me?"

He shrugged, but I could see that his face was carefully blank.

Ethan definitely had something to do with this. I knew he was hiding something, but I had dropped it at that, thinking that it wasn't a big deal. But according to Trevor, it was.

Ethan must have had done something to make Harvey Black keep me.

"You told the team not to blab about the club incident."

"Yeah, I did."

"Why?"

His shoulders lifted up in a casual shrug. "I didn't want to give my father another reason to yell at me."

I believed him that time, but in light of what Trevor just told me, I would be an idiot if I thought those two things were not related.

"I wouldn't worry about it if I were you," Trevor spoke up, giving me a small smile. "Weirder things have happened. Just go with the flow, yeah?"

I tried to laugh, to encourage his efforts of passing this off as a joke, but my laugh felt empty and hollow. "Yeah."

"Seriously. Don't worry about it."

My lips pressed together. That'd be impossible. "Of course."

Trevor left the room, leaving me alone with all the machines in the security room. Looking at the CCTV, I saw that Ethan was on his laptop, probably watching online lectures since he didn't attend classes anymore.

The loud vibration of my phone interrupted my intense scrutiny of Ethan Black.

"Hello?" I answered when I saw that it was Jaspar calling me.

"Have you got the money yet?" he asked right away without any preamble.

I frowned. "What money?"

"Jade!" Jaspar shouted. "Are you serious?"

Abruptly, the memory came to me. Fuck. "Shit, you mean the sixty thousand dollars?"

There was silence on the other end, then, "You forgot, didn't you?"

"No!" I said immediately, feeling a rush of guilt and shame. "I've gotten the money already." Where the fuck are you going to get it, Jade?

"Really?" Jaspar asked suspiciously.

I would find a way, I promised him that. "Yes."

"Great!" he said brightly. "Can you pass it to me the next time you come down here? Maybe on Dad and Mom's anniversary dinner?"

My fingers went to my temple, rubbing it. I felt a headache coming on already. "Sure, whatever."

Jaspar was oblivious to my tone, or maybe he was simply ignoring me. "Thanks, Jade! You're the best!" He hung up.

"I love you," I murmured into dead line, sighing heavily.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I leaned into the chair, my head tilting back. Time to woman up and ask Mr Black for an advanced salary, I thought to myself.

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"Um, I have a favour to ask of you, Mr Black," I started nervously.

He sat up and raised his brows. "Oh?"

My feet shuffled against the carpeted floor of his office. "Can I have next month's pay in advance, sir?"

His head tilted to one side. "Can I ask why?"

My tongue darted out to wet my cracked lips. For some reason, I found myself not wanting to tell him.

"It's a family matter," I said finally, looking at the ground.

"Alright."

I glanced up at him in surprise. That was easy. "What?"

"I said alright. I'll transfer the money to you within this week," he said out loud, casting those grey eyes onto me.

Grey. So cold and calculating compared to Ethan's warm green ones.

That sudden glimpse of whatever was in those colourless eyes made me stumble on my feet.

Mr Black rose up from his seat. "Are you feeling okay, Miss Otterson?"

I hastily lifted my hand up to stop him from coming over. "I'm quite alright, sir. Thank you for your understanding about the earlier matter. I'll be on my way now." I pivoted and walked as calmly as I could to the door.

My fingers were shaking uncontrollably as I tried to open it. Breathing heavily, I frantically pushed down on the door handle and rushed out of the office so quickly I didn't bother to see where I was going.

The moment I got out, I was running, dropping the facade of being cool and collected. But within seconds, I found myself running straight into somebody's arms.

Ethan Black was hugging me tightly against his chest.

Di-dum. Di-dum. Di-dum.

I gasped then, ordering my heart to stay still. But being the traitorous shit that it was, it fluttered, pumping harder and faster.

My hands slid against his chest, moving to somehow dig the idiotic butterflies in me out. But then, Ethan lips fell open as my hands shifted, and he sucked in a breath.

I stilled in his arms, suddenly not daring to even breathe.

Those eyes that had once reminded me of puke and vomit were staring straight into mine, and I had never seen a more beautiful mess of green.

They were not shining like emerald, not shimmering like stars under the light, not a beautiful, sparkling, vibrant shade of green. They were dull, like the colour of a washed-out favourite sweater. But yet, they somehow retained the richness of the sweater's original colour.

And in that moment, I wished nothing more for time to stand still, to come to a stop.

But something seemed to have snapped in Ethan's mind and he released me immediately as if I was a hot piece of coal.

"U-Um," I stuttered out, my face hot with embarrassment.

Ethan slipped his hand around mine and started pulling me with him. He was running, with me behind him, the carpeted floor softening our footsteps.

He pulled me into a handicapped toilet and locked the door. By that time, he was breathing heavily, while my breaths came out short and shallow.

Ethan looked me in the eye and I forced myself not to stumble back at the intensity in those green swirls.

"Do you," he started hesitantly, then cleared his throat. "Do you need money?"

I paused, sucking in a breath. Not daring to make eye contact with him, I stared at the door, scoffing. "Why would I need money? This job pays well enough."

"Then why are you asking for an advance?"

My heartbeat slowed. He heard. "You need to stop eavesdropping outside your father's office," I snapped at him.

"Is money the only problem?" he asked instead, ignoring the fact that I seemed to be angry at him.

I chose not to answer, keeping silent. Ethan could think whatever the hell he wanted. The silence that fell between us told me that he was fully intending to wait for my answer.

I decided to just walk past him, my hands barely reaching the unlock button when suddenly, Ethan's hands shot out to grab mine. "Don't take money from him."

I shrugged my arm out of his hold. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't take money from my father."

The tone of his voice caught my attention and I turned to him. "Why?"

"Just don't. I'll give you the money. How much do you need?"

"I'm not taking money from you."

"Answer the damn question, Otter."

"No."

Ethan held my shoulders in a tight grip and pushed me up against the wall. "Answer me," he growled, his mouth grazing the shell of my ear.

"E-Ethan, what are you doing?" I stuttered out, acutely aware of every inch of his body that was pressed up against mine. The useless thing I called my heart started it again.

Di-dum. Di-dum. Di-dum.

"Shut it," I whispered fiercely, my face heating up at the thought of Ethan hearing my embarassingly fast heartbeat.

"I didn't say anything," the man in front of me remarked, an amused smile playing on his lips.

My face flushed scarlet red. "I wasn't talking to you," I blurted out.

Ethan turned, looking around the empty room. But thankfully, he didn't openly embarrass me, choosing to keep silent.

"Can you let me go?" I said finally, breaking the suffocating silence.

"Once you answer my question, yes."

"Don't make me kick you in the balls."

Ethan's hands instantly vapourised from my body without any hesitation. I smiled, slipping past him and the wall, finally breathing in fresh air that wasn't contaminated with his scent.

"Please, Otter," Ethan said suddenly, the words stopping me abruptly. "Don't take his money. Don't owe him any favours."

I spun around to face him. "Tell me why."

Ethan's face crumpled up. "I can't."

"I won't take money from him if you tell me what the hell is going on, Ethan."

He groaned, burrowing his head into his hands.

I walked to him carefully, my fingers reaching out to sieve through his hair. "Ethan, it's my job to protect you. Remember what you said that night after what happened at the club?"

I have you to protect me, don't I?

I'd vowed there and then to protect his heart, and I would make sure to do just that.

"I can't protect you if I don't know what to guard against," I murmured, willing him to open up to me.

"You'll hate me," he whispered. "You never wanted to take my case, and yet, I went and made sure that you'd stay."

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this is so late im so sorry im having major writer's block for this story. also, i blame kdramas for the extra dose of cheesiness in this chapter. anywho, please vote if you liked this chapter and feel free to comment your thoughts! i'd love to know what you think!

until next time,
fleur xoxo