The women giggle, more than one appreciative glance on the silver haired man who only has eyes for his stunning Auburn haired wife.
‘Aubrey?’ he croons, ‘would you give this old man the honour of a dance?’
His wife smiles, tapping her glass with the band of the ring that has a diamond that probably cost more than my car.
‘I don’t know Howie’ she replies, ‘my dance card is pretty full.’
Howard’s eyes glitter as he shakes his head, ‘who are these Cads?’ he demands playfully. ‘Though you and I both know that there is no better, more dedicated, more . . ‘ His eyes rove over her body that is encased in a deep blue floor length dress, ‘devoted’ he purrs, ‘man to cater to your every need.’
Aubrey blushes, handing her champagne glass to one of the women as she takes her husband’s outstretched hand and allows him to lead her to the dance floor.
I follow discretely behind, one of our female operatives, Zara, joining me, and taking my hand as I step out onto the dance floor keeping my charge in sight.
Taking Zara’s waist, I spin us around, constantly aware of Howard’s position and despite the show she puts on, I know Zara’s eyes are taking in every person who surrounds the dance floor.
‘Anything?’ I mutter under my breath when Zara’s grip tightens slightly in my own.
‘All clear’ she replies quietly, her lips barely moving.
Beside us, Howard and Aubrey laugh happily as they dance, the host whispering words to his wife as she blushes softly, looking up at her husband with a gaze that says to all that he is her world.
We continue to move around the dance floor as I try to keep the couple in sight.
‘May I cut in?’ a male voice asks as a finger taps my shoulder, I turn to find a rugged looking man behind me, his eyes pinned firmly on to Zara who glares at him openly.
‘I don’t want to dance with you’ she snaps back angrily, tugging at the back of my jacket to get me to move.
‘You can’t avoid me forever Zara’ the man growls.
‘I’ve been doing a pretty good job so far’ she retorts, ‘no go away, I’m working.’
‘GUN!’ My head swivels around to the right, to find Lincoln shoving people out of the way as a man in a suit pulls out a gun and aims it at Howard and his wife who have managed to move away from me in the few seconds that I was distracted.
‘Howard! Get down’ I roar, releasing Zara who sprints toward the gunman as I launch myself at the couple, knocking them to the floor as a gun shot rings around the room.
I can hear fighting, but my attention is on my charge, rolling him over as I check for injuries.
‘I’m OK, I’m fine’ Howard mutters pushing me away so he can sit up.
Leaning back on my heels, I give the man room as he shakes his head, chuckling, ‘well that was exciting’ he announces.
‘Guy’s in cuffs boss, police are on their way’ Lincoln growls from beside me as the shouts of the assailant grow louder. I glance over to find Zara’s knee in his back, the woman tightening the cuffs as her prisoner whines.
‘Come on Aubrey, it’s all over now’ Howard calls out beside me as he leans over to grab his wife’s hand, tucking another under her back.
I sense something is wrong seconds before our employer pulls his hand out from behind his wife to find it covered in blood.
Howard’s eyes widen as he finds his wife’s face, takes in her shallow breathing as she looks up at him in fear.
‘Baby?’ he whispers, ‘babe?’
‘I . . don’t feel so good Howie’ she murmurs, ‘I feel cold . . is it cold in here?’
‘Get a medic!’ I yell through my coms, ‘we need anyone with first aid training up here now, and call an ambulance!’
Minutes later that feels like hours, Kent, an ex Navy Seal with medical training kneels beside us, pushing myself and Howard out of the way as he opens a medical kit that I recognise from one of our trucks.
‘OK, you’re going to be OK’ he tells the shaking woman, ‘I’m going to have a look at you and then we’ll patch you right up.’
Aubrey blinks back tears as she nods, ‘I don’t want to die’ she whispers, ‘my kids . . ‘
Kent shushes her, ‘hey, no one is dying on my watch, you hear? You’ll be up and floating around that dance floor like a goddess before you know it.’
Aubrey nods again, her eyes finding her husband’s who crowds into her side, taking her hand and squeezing it tightly.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.