Chapter One

“Mattie, it was just a phone call!” Luna argued with her brother as they both sat at the island counter in the middle of the kitchen, waiting for the newly appointed bodyguard to arrive at the Rosewood Manor. Matthew, ‘Mattie’, Luna’s older brother by 10 years, had purposefully neglected to discuss the idea with her of hiring a bodyguard for her protection.

“A phone call with a death threat.” Mattie argued back.

“Exactly! A mere phone call.” Luna tried arguing back, knowing she was going to lose this battle against her brother.

“Multiple, in fact! Ones that were made directly to your office, at our hospital! Call me stupid, but that seems pretty damn specific to me.” Mattie emphasised the specifications of their current situation.

“You’re stupid.” Luna muttered childishly, knowing she had definitely lost the argument and the only dignity she had left of bowing out of the argument was a petty comeback. Though, once verbally spoken, she soon realised that the last little bit of dignity she held as an independent young career-driven woman, left with her petty comeback.

Mattie sighed in frustration at his younger sister but didn’t bother continuing the argument with her. He could see that they would just venture around in circles from their sibling bickering. Perhaps he should have consulted with her about hiring a bodyguard for her protection… but he didn’t need a psychic to predict the outcome of that conversation. She would just flat-out refuse.
What had Mattie on edge about this situation was that it was multiple phone calls that seemed to have come out of nowhere and specifically for Luna at her direct office; seemed like the caller knew exactly who he was after.
Unfortunately, the Police had been absolutely no help to them whatsoever. They were considered people of high class society and ran a prestigious hospital so it should be the norm for them to receive bothersome phone calls. Regardless of it being specific death threats to his little sister, there was no voice recognition or caller ID to trace �" ergo, no leads.
So Mattie took matters into his own hands and called in a few favours owing to him from one of his patients, who had old military connections. And thus hired �"

 

“Speak of the devil.” Mattie muttered as the doorbell rang its tune throughout the Manor, announcing the arrival of a guest, or in this case, Luna’s bodyguard.

The two left the kitchen and made their way down the hall and into the foyer to greet their guest.
“I don’t understand why I require a bodyguard and you don’t?” Luna asked in a tone of annoyance as she followed a step behind Mattie.
“Because I’m not the one receiving death threats, am I?” Mattie replied, a little condescendingly than he meant but his little sister was currently annoying him.

 

. . .

 

Dean glanced down at the note in his hand, double checking the poorly written addressed that his agency assigned him to. “I think this is the right place.” Dean muttered as he leaned past the steering wheel to get a better look at the Manor through the front window of his 300C Chrysler Sedan, given to him by the agency.
A whine came from beside him and he instinctively reached over and ran his hand down the soft fur of the German Shepherd sitting in the passenger seat. “It’s alright Chief.” He reassured his K-9 companion as he looked up the long driveway to the front of the Manor. A normal person may have been impressed upon first glance, but this wasn’t the first rich kid he had to babysit. He sighed heavily, “Alright, let’s do this.” He muttered as he pulled himself of the luxury car and tucked his white shirt back into the waistband of his suit trousers before reaching back in and grabbing the matching jacket he had hanging off the back of the driver’s seat to avoid it crinkling, shrugging it on. Closing the driver’s door, he corrected his tie as he walked around the car to the passenger side and opened the door to let his four legged friend out.

He quickly pulled the 9mm hangun from his holster, double checking it was loaded and the safety was on, before holstering the firearm and making his way up the driveway. His green eyes automatically began surveying the frontal area of the Manor, checking for entry points, weak spots, and security systems in place. He could already pinpoint where he’d like to improve a few things in aid of keeping his client in a more secured environment. However, these were just a few things at a glance. He’d have a proper inspection once the introductions were over. Climbing the stairs with Chief expertly trotting up the steps before obediently sitting beside him as he rang the doorbell and waited patiently. His stance strong and confident with his hands clasped together in front of him.

 

The door opened to reveal a tall young man with a younger woman standing slightly behind him, with a displeased look on her features.

 

“Good morning. You must be Dean? I’m Matt and this is my sister, Luna.” Mattie greeted, his hand outstretched to shake the other man’s hand. To which, the formal gesture was reciprocated in a firm handshake. “Dean Ryder.” Came the short reply from Dean as Luna’s small voice piped up in greeting, “Hi.” She simply said, still slightly hiding behind her brother, as she took in the rather ruggedly handsome new stranger, who was now her bodyguard. His hair was combed back but she could see it still stuck out stubbornly in some places. Either a haircut or some hair product would fix that problem. His green eyes were intense and piercing, almost the point where she felt intimidated beneath his gaze. He had a rough short beard that seemed to emphasise his strong jaw line. Her chocolate brown eyes left Dean’s features and rested on Mattie with a small frown, sighing, “Mattie, this is stupid! I don’t need a bodyguard!” She knew it was beyond pointless to argue now, she was merely venting out her frustration at the situation she suddenly found herself thrust into. As expected, her pleas went ignored by Mattie who placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave it a small pat before turning his attention back to Dean. He waved his hand slightly, gesturing for the man to come in.

“The dog stays by me at all times. I hope you don’t mind? He’s fully housetrained…” Dean said, his American accent making itself known amongst the British, before receiving the final permission to enter, making sure to reassure the owners of the Manor that his trained dog didn’t have the behaviour of a stray.
Luckily this concern was easily cleared as Mattie shook his head and welcomed the additional guest, “It’s not a problem.” Mattie had no quarrel with allowing the German Shepherd to stay. It was the least he could offer after asking for his services. And he knew statistics showed that bodyguards and guard dogs were one of the best combinations of protection.

Dean entered the large foyer with Chief staying quietly by his side, offering no threat whatsoever to the two new clients of theirs.

Luna eyed the dog carefully, never being allowed to have a pet animal while growing up therefore was unsure of dogs. It seemed to be quite the faithful hound as it stayed by its Masters side. She found herself amused by this fact; at how smart and loyal animals can be. But she had also seen her fair share of animal attacks come through the hospital that always gave her doubt at the back of her mind. Perhaps this was why her parents never let her own a dog? Or perhaps it was because she asked for the unrealistic expectation of owning a pony at the age of five.

Dean noticed Luna eyeing the dog warily but he didn’t offer any reassurance over the matter. It had been decided that the dog stays. If anything, it was added protection on her behalf. He couldn’t help but wonder what threat, if not for money or power, Luna would be to others? Her appearance looked like she would struggle to push over a butterfly. Despite her slender frame, she still maintained hints of curves in all the right places. Dark brown hair that matched her dark brown eyes which was hidden behind a bulky pair of glasses �" making her appear more childlike than adult.

“Were you briefed at all as to why I required your services?” Mattie asked, pulling Dean back to their present moment as his eyes moved to Mattie’s features. Slightly opposite of Luna; tall, somewhat athletic build, blue eyes that carried a lot of exhaustion and light brown hair.

“Ah, yeah. Threatening calls to your sister here. It’s not uncommon for people of status and influence to be the target of this sort of thing. Until we figure out where the call came from and whether it was legitimate or a prank, you can be sure I’ll keep you safe Ma’am.” He directed his last statement to the young woman, who gave a small nod. Luna was taken aback slightly at how odd it was to hear someone call her ‘ma’am’. Usually it was ‘Miss Rosewood’, ‘Doctor Rosewood’, or worse �" ‘kiddo’ because of her lack of height and body mass.  She pressed her lips together in a small unconvincing smile but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t that she doubted Dean’s abilities, but she failed to grasp just how serious her situation is.  

 

Dean hated having to be so formal, his years in the military had seen to that. Having to behave and stand straight was bad enough when having to do so to stuck up officers who wouldn’t know how to lead troops if they were slapped upside the head with a manual…but when having to do it to some rich kid felt even more demeaning. The money was good, and he was the one who willingly signed up for this type of job, so he shouldn’t be complaining.

 

Dean reached into his pocket and withdrew a small black device with a large button in the middle, handing it over to Luna. “This is a panic button.” He said as Luna took the small device from his hand, barely making skin-to-skin contact with him and studied the little device. “Please keep it on you at all times. If I’m not by your side and you’re in trouble, press the button and it will send an alert to me. It’s also tuned to a frequency that Chief is trained to respond as well; so he will come running if I don’t.”Dean explained.

“What if neither of you are nearby? Then what happens? What happens if you’re too late?” Luna asked with a small challenge in her voice, clearly unhappy about the situation and venting out her frustration on him. Fortunately, he was used to bratty attitudes from rich kids. “I’ll always be nearby, Ma’am. But if, based on your hypothetical scenario that neither of us are capable of doing our job protecting you, then I suggest you try and not get yourself killed.” He bluntly answered her, clearly not taking any of her s**t.

Mattie couldn’t help but chuckle at the response. At least one of them was man enough to stand up to little Miss Rosewood. Luna tutted but remained quiet after that. “I’ll also act as your driver from now on.” Dean finished as his eyes begun to examine the foyer in the same manner he had done to the front of the Manor upon arriving. But his green eyes quickly landed back on Luna with her sudden panicked outburst.

 

“Driver? What? No!” Luna gripped the panic button as her own panic began to arise at hearing that she was now to be driven to and from her destinations. The fear was evident in her eyes and in her stance as her posture tensed up. “Mattie! You know I don’t like driving….” her brown panic-ridden eyes dancing between the two men as she pleaded for a possible negotiation. Her hands wrapped around each upper arm in a self-like hug, trying to squash down her arising panic. “Surely there must be some other way?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s for your own protection.” Dean firmly stated, frowning at her panic. Was this just a bratty attitude just because she didn’t like driving? Or was there something more deeper going on that he wasn’t aware of? Either way, his only concern was for her safety, not her personal problems.

Luna sighed softly, “…Fine…I best get ready. Please do excuse me.” She said as she turned, still hugging herself tightly, and made her way up the stairs to second floor where all the bedrooms and bathrooms resided, leaving Mattie alone with Dean.

Mattie scratched the back of his head, “I’m sorry about Luna. She’s not usually this rude. It’s my fault though, I kind of forgot to tell her about you and kinda dropped the bombshell on her this morning….”
‘Great.’ Dean sarcastically thought at this explanation. ‘What a way to establish a good professional relationship’ However, his expression remained stoic as he scratched the underside of his beard beneath his chin. “It’s fine.” He muttered. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll take a look around, standard procedure…”
Mattie nodded as he stifled back a yawn, “Yeah…do whatever you have to do…” he murmured with a wave of his hand, exhaustion rapidly creeping up on him as his body began to feel the consequences of pulling an all-nighter at the hospital knowing he had other arrangements to take care of at home within a few hours of his shift ending; for a surgeon, it wasn’t the brightest idea he ever had.

“I’ll also need a set of keys to all doors and windows…” Dean was met with a look of uncertainty from Matt, so he quickly explained, “I know it sounds intrusive, I understand, but in order for me to do my job properly, I will need access to the whole building.”

Mattie nodded in understanding, “They’re in the kitchen…” Mattie said.

“Appreciate it.” Came the curt reply from Dean as he whistled for Chief to follow him outside while Matt searched for the spare keys.

Normally, he’d also ask for a list of maintenance staff members that frequently come and go, but his agency had already provided him with the schedule details in the Rosewood file. It was just so he was aware of who was coming and going, and at what times. Any one of them could have motive…

 

Walking down the hall and back into the kitchen, Mattie flicked on the kettle switch while he was there to brew another pot of coffee. Opening the kitchen drawer, he retrieved the set of spare keys and weighed it in his hands as he contemplated about handing them over to a complete stranger; albeit a hired bodyguard. Dean was right, however, it did sound intrusive and even though Mattie wasn’t used to this feeling, he knew it had to be done.
Placing the keys on the counter, he turned his attention back to his preparing another cup of coffee to keep himself awake while he waited for Dean to do his thing before taking his sister to the hospital. Only then would he retire to his bed in order to catch up on some much needed rest.

He made Luna some herbal tea in a travel mug for her nerves, considering this is the start of many driving trips. He knew why she refused to be driven aywhere and he completely understood this. Wishing it had never had to come to this for her, so at the very least, he could fix her a calming tea.

Having surrendered to the fight that she clearly didn’t want to give up on, Luna sighed softly as she accepted her new fate that she would now be chauffeured around. Making her way to her room, she closed the door behind her and walked over to the window, gazing outside as she mentally prepared herself of what was to come in her new mode of transport. Usually by now, she’d be leaving for the hospital on foot. Fortunately, she now has the luxury of spare time added to her schedule. She eyes fell on a moving figure outside; her bodyguard and his dog, walking around and looking at specific things. Her eyes dropped to the black device she was still holding, staring at it blankly as she tried to comprehend the sudden rush of this morning’s events; waking up to find herself with a bodyguard. Mattie was overprotective and overreacting…and to Luna, this was beyond ludicrous! Especially when none of this was discussed prior with her. She would have never mentioned any phone calls to Mattie had she’d been aware that this would be his reaction. Nevertheless, the damage was done and there was nothing she could do about it now.

Moving away from the window, Luna placed the panic button next to her hospital pager on her nightstand before making her way into the en suite to freshen herself up for the day.

 

Outside with Chief, Dean internally scowled �" having a hate for massive houses. They were always so hard to secure with the numerous rooms, entryways and windows; although he had doubts there would be any real trouble. These cases were usually pranks or a disgruntled employer and the like; all who backed off once the presence of personal protection came about. Still, he couldn’t get too complacent because that’s when mistakes are made and people die, and he certainly wasn’t about to lose anyone due to incompetency and lack of awareness.

Upon inspecting the front of the Manor more closely, he could see a few blind spots where he’d prefer to set up CCTV and some floodlights to eliminate potential risks. And with Chief on guard during the night as extra security, Dean felt like this would be all he could do for now. Apart from conducting frequent perimeter checks at different times in case someone was watching and taking note of the frequency that Miss Rosewood would be placed in a vulnerable position with the bodyguard away from the Manor.

He made his way down the driveway over to the fence, noting that the gate had a system lock on there. This was good but he’d still need to remind his clients to keep the gate locked at all times, regardless if they were home. He continued walking along the fence line, Chief trotting along beside him, sniffing the air eagerly with each new scent made available to him. A new scent caught his nose and he turned it downward to the ground and began sniffing heavily at something that peaked his interest. He barked for Dean’s attention and sat down by the spot.
Dean stopped and glanced over at his shoulder, a soft frown placed on his hardened stoic features. “What you got boy?” he asked his faithful hound as he jogged back over, kneeling down to scratch behind Chief’s ears and taking a look at the mound of dirt. Several cigarette butts stamped in the ground and loosely covered with dirt, as well as a wrapper to a candy bar. He picked them up and examined them; potentially ruling out the possibility that it belonged to neither his client or her brother. In the short time he had spoken to them, neither seemed the smoking type nor did they exhibit any distinguishable signs of being a smoker: no linger smell of smoke, no yellow stains on their fingers or teeth. However, he’d still need to confirm it with them before he made that assumption.
Still crouching, he turned his gaze back to the Manor at the sound of the shower running. He frowned deeply, if that particular window belonged to Luna’s bedroom, then he could only assume that someone had been spying on her. Perhaps it was also a coincidence and it was a former guest who happened to have stopped here for a smoke. But Dean never put a lot of stock in coincidences.
“Good job, buddy.” Dean muttered as he gave Chief a final pat before standing up and making his way back to the Manor where he could query this with either Luna or Mattie.

 

Dean heard movement in the kitchen, so he made his way into the large area, taking note of the entry points. “Do either you or Miss Rosewood smoke?” he asked Matt, who was slouching against the kitchen counter, almost ready to fall asleep despite drinking coffee.
“No, neither of us do.” He answered Dean’s query not really registering how random the question was.
Dean simply nodded at this confirmation and scratched the underside of his beard again, a habit he seemed to have picked up when he was deep in thought.

“Oh, here is the spare set of keys too.” Mattie muttered, pushing on the counter towards Dean.
“Thanks.” Dean said as he grabbed the keys, looking over them before pocketing them safely. “Do you know where I can find Miss Rosewood?”

“Yeah, she’s upstairs. Second on the left. Oh, your bedroom is opposite hers; second on the right. Mine’s the third on the right.” Mattie quickly explained the upstairs layout of everyone’s bedrooms, knowing he would need to show, or at least make Dean aware of where everyone’s sleeping arrangements were.
“Thanks” Dean said before disappearing entirely from Mattie’s sight.
‘Man of many words’ Mattie mentally mused before turning his gaze back to the dark liquid in his mug.

 

Dean made his way upstairs with Chief clambering up behind him, silently muttering under his breath, “Second on the left…” he noticed how each white wooden door was carved with an intricate design, he raised his eyebrows at this but didn’t dwell too much on it. Each to their own. He stopping at the door that was second on the left, he leaned in a little, straining his ears to pick up any sign of life. He straightened his posture once he heard movement behind the closed door, confirming that he had found Luna’s room, and raised his knuckles, rapping gently on the door. “Ma’am? It’s Dean. Do you have a moment?” he gruffly called out.

 

Luna had just shut the water off to the shower and wrapped a towel around her head to keep her freshly washed hair from dripping water down her body that she needed to keep dry, when she heard a knock coming from her bedroom door followed by Dean’s voice.
“Just a minute!” she called out as she grabbed her white bathrobe and shrugged it on, wrapping the belt tightly around her waist and holding the top collar tightly together in a fist so her cleavage �" or embarrassingly, lack thereof, wouldn’t show.
She padded lightly past her bed that had her outfit neatly laid out for to change in to and placed a hand on the golden handle of her door, pulling to open to greet her bodyguard. “I’m not my mother. Please don’t call me ‘Ma’am’” Luna politely said as she greeted him.
“My apologies, Miss Rosewood.” He gruffly said, a little hit to the ego at being told what to do and say, however, he failed to realise that calling her ‘ma’am’ had made her uncomfortable.
Luna attempted to be on first name basis with him, asking him to stop calling her ‘ma’am’ but he opted to call her formally by her last name. It was better than being called ‘ma’am’; made her sound like an old woman.

It was only just now that he realised what attire she was in, and made another apology, “Sorry, I didn’t realise you weren’t dressed yet.” He said as he averted his gaze from her to look elsewhere, “Just a quick question… do you have something like a hairbrush or something you wear most days that I could borrow? I need to familiarise Chief with your scent so he knows to protect you if I’m not around…” He glanced back up just in time to see her nodding in understanding.
“…Sure…” she said as she stepped back into her room to retrieve her white medical coat. She figured that this, of all things, would carry her scent. A mix of her shampoo, perfume, natural body odour and the sterilisation of the hospital.
With her back to him, Dean took the opportunity to survey her room from the doorway. Taking note of the layout, where her window was and the arrangement of her furniture. All things that seem trivial to an untrained person but can be a vital piece of security detail such as makeshift hiding spots from potential attackers, or whether items have been disturbed in the event of an intruder.

He held back an audible scoff at the obvious expensive clothes she had lying on her bed. He never understood why people would opt for style over comfort; he hated wearing a suit when he would rather be in khaki’s and a jumper. His gazed shifted from her chosen wardrobe to her as she held out a piece of clothing item for him.

“Would this suffice?” she asked as she handed him her white medical coat.
He gave a curt nod, “Thank you.” He said as he turned to leave just as Luna shut the door behind him.

Luna made her way back to the bathroom to begin her routine of getting ready. She started with her hair first in order to avoid getting her makeup or attire wet. Pulling the towel away from her wrapped up hair, letting the wet strands fall, creating a curtain around her face, she plugged in her blow dryer and proceeded to dry her hair. As a doctor, it was impractical to maintain hairstyles in their daily activities. A simply ponytail or bun would suffice. Luna opted for a more professional look with placing her hair up in a bun and allowing the loose strands of her hair to soften her appearance. Whilst in the bathroom, she decided to apply her makeup �" having learnt the hard way from accidentally spilling liquid foundation down the front of her blouse; which was why she chose to apply her makeup before getting dressed.

As much as she loved makeup like the next girl, unfortunately she didn’t have the luxury of constantly reapplying it throughout her day, so she always opted for the more ‘natural’ look with minimal makeup. Just a few blobs of concealer to cover any blemishes and a light coat of both liquid and powdered foundation to even out any remaining blemishes and her skin tone. She never bothered with eye shadow or eyeliner, but she enjoyed using her mascara as her eyelashes weren’t as long or as thick as she would have preferred. She also thought the mascara helped make her eyes pop from behind her glasses, giving her less of a ‘childlike’ look.

Lastly, she applied a nude colour of lipstick lightly before leaving the bathroom to finally get changed. She had picked out a charcoal pencil skirt that sat just below her knees, so that when she sat down the skirt would only ride up just above her knees and no higher, and a cream chiffon blouse. Walking barefoot in her walk-in wardrobe, she chose a pair of shiny black heels to complete the outfit. Normally she’d wear flats, or sneakers (depending on what was on her schedule for the day) but because she was in and out of meetings, especially with Board of Directors on Mattie’s behalf, she thought it would be wise to dress a little more professionally. Dressed modestly yet still maintaining the gentle combination of corporate and feminine.
Walking back over to her bed, she picked up the hospital pager and clipped that on to the waistband of her skirt, she put her glasses on before retrieving her preferred pen, ID badge, mobile phone and panic button that she would then place in their respective areas on her white medical coat �" which Dean still had.

She looked around her room as she mentally checked everything off, before grabbing the briefcase that she leaves by the door and closing the door behind her, satisfied she had everything she needed.

“Dean’s downstairs doing some voodoo with the mutt.” Luna’s head turned towards the sound of Mattie’s voice, the corner of her lips curving into a small smile of amusement at her brother’s comment. He always knew how to make her smile or laugh; it was the only thing he was good at other than annoying her by pushing her buttons �" which was more of a hobby for him than anything.  

Mattie held out the travel mug containing her herbal tea, “Thought you might need this for the road. You’re going to be okay?”
“I don’t have any other choice, do I?” she said, raising her eyebrows slightly as she took the travel mug.

“I’m sorry, kiddo. I almost lost you once…I don’t want to lose you a second time.” Mattie said, the twinkle gone from his eyes that was now placed with the haunting of the past.
Luna nodded softly, “I know.” She muttered, completely understanding where he was coming from. Yes, it had been thirteen years since they lost their parents, and almost lost Luna too. But whether it was thirteen years, or thirty, the events and thereafter would always be a fresh open wound for the two siblings.

“I’m off to bed…Have a good day.” Mattie said as he placed a chaste kiss to Luna’s head as he continued on down the hall, to his room.

 

Luna left in the opposite direction, heading down the stairs to find Dean instructing the German Shepherd and allowing the dog to sniff �" familiarise �" itself with Luna’s scent.
Dean was kneeling down next to the dog, holding the white coat in his hand, “Chief, safe.” He commanded sternly, “Safe” he repeated again. Chief gave a loud bark that echoed in the foyer, making Luna jump and let out a squeak of surprise. This was Chief’s way of telling Dean that he understood these scents were ‘safe’.
Dean glanced up at the mouse-like squeak that came from his client and forced himself to suppress the smug grin that was threatening to make its presence known. These rich brats were always such princesses when it came to big ‘scary’ dogs.  

Once Luna made it down the last step, Chief walked over and circled around Luna, who’s eyes were wide with a small fear as she watched the hound circle her like a vulture. She had absolutely no idea what the dog was doing and felt like she was a piece of meat being dangled in front of jaws of a hungry lion.
“This is his way of saying he knows you.” Dean explained to the somewhat frightened girl, who’s shoulders visibly relaxed a little after hearing this explanation.
Chief gave another bark, making Luna jump again and Dean knelt down and patted the dog. “Good job, Chief. Safe.” He firmly said before standing back up and giving Luna her medical coat back. “The car is ready when you are, Miss Rosewood.”

Luna gave a gentle nod,

“Alright, thank you.” She murmured as she took the white coat from him and walked over to a nearby table stand to put her few loose items down so she could shrug her coat over her attire. She gave a final tug of the jacket before clipping her medical ID badge on the top pocket, placing her pen in the pocket too. She placed her mobile phone in one side pocket of the white medical coat before placing the panic button on the other side. She didn’t want the two items to bump and accidentally set of the panic alarm to Dean. Picking up her travel mug in one hand and brief case in the other, she made her way across the foyer and outside to where Dean was standing by his car, waiting patiently as he had the door ready for her.

 

She stared at the car and forced herself to put one foot in front of the other before her instincts kicked in and told her to run from the vehicle. The whites of knuckles from her death-like grip showing as she held the travel mug tightly to the point where, if it were a wineglass she was holding, it would’ve shattered into a million little pieces. Her breath hitched in the back of her throat and she held it in panic. Each passing second, each footstep closer to the car, allowed her panic to rise further. Fortunately, being an experienced Doctor, she knew what to do when she could feel a panic attack rising. She let out her breath slowly, and took a few deep breaths as she calmed herself before she reached the car.
“Are you certain there is no other way?” She asked, the a hint of panic in her tone, despite how hard she tried to hide it and keep her head held high with dignity.

Dean shook his head slightly as he motioned for her to step in the car, “I’m very sorry, Miss Rosewood. This is the way it has to be for your protection. I suggest you get used to it.” He simply said, not wanting to have this battle with her every time she required to be driven anywhere. He saw the panic cross her features the moment she stepped through the front door and he knew PTSD when he saw it. This girl was clearly suffering with it, not that it was any of his concern. However, it did dawn on him that he may have come across a bit harsh to her, so he quickly reassured her as he shut the door once she was settled, “Let me assure you, Miss Rosewood, that I am a perfectly safe and capable driver.”

‘So was my Father’ Luna thought to herself but didn’t voice her opinion aloud. She placed her briefcase on her lap before buckling herself in and letting her hands return to the case, gripping it as though it was her lifeline. She was not looking forward to this.

She closed her eyes and held back a gasp as Dean placed the car in motion and began driving them away from the Manor and to the hospital. Chief sitting in the diligently in the backseat.  

 

Focusing on the road, Dean made sure to drive a little more gently than he normally would with the high anxiety his client seems to have with driving. His mind focused on the cigarettes he found earlier. Since it clearly didn’t belong to either Rosewood sibling, then it more than likely belonged to someone who shouldn’t be there. However, he couldn’t rule out their maintenance staff just yet. He had yet to meet them and go over their files. Considering the cigarettes were buried beneath Luna’s window specifically made it appear as though the culprit was watching her, perhaps the person who called and threatened her? He felt it best not to worry her with this assumption just yet, not until he had time to investigate it thoroughly. The more he thought about the cigarette butts and its location, the more he began to feel uneasy about the whole situation. This definitely isn’t a just a prank call. Hopefully, all it was is just a case of scaring Luna in giving a handout to the culprit and nothing more.

 

“Tell me, Mr Ryder, how does this work? This bodyguard thing…Because, no offense, but I can’t have you following me around like a lost puppy all day every day” She could have phrased her question a little more politely, not meaning to come across so rude but her mind and body were preoccupied with trying to keep her panic from rising to hysterical heights. Although, she was curious as to how this new situation would adjust to her daily life. Would Dean need to follow her every move? Because that would prove to be potentially problematic at the hospital; there was the Doctor/Patient confidentiality agreement that could not be breached unless otherwise stated, nor would it be practical because she would not be able to go about her duties as a Doctor.

 

Luna’s voice pulled Dean out of his thought bubble he had found himself lost in.

‘Lost puppy? Christ, I hate rich kids’ Dean thought to himself at the degrading comment. “I’ll do my best to stay out of your way, Miss Rosewood.” Was all he said. Of course, he wasn’t going to be following her around like a lost puppy; he had procedures he needed to follow when it came to a clients workplace; unfortunately being at a hospital, it would prove to be more of a challenge for him due to the large amount of space he had to cover. But having gone over Luna’s schedule, it seemed she was stationed on one side of the hospital wing, which would make it a lot easier having her confined to a one particular area �" albeit, still a large area.

“Has this been cleared by the Board of Directors?” she asked, unsure how it was going to work with him being at the hospital with her. And clearly Mattie had also neglected to tell her that it had been approved and cleared by the Board of Directors.

“Yes, I’ve been given clearance to roam the hospital as needed.” He replied in his gruff tone.

“Have you signed a confidentiality agreement?” she then asked, realising that there may be times where he would overhear confidential doctor/patient conversations. Not that he should be eavesdropping. At any rate, they were a hospital and their patients would always be the top priority. And she was just doing her duty as a concerned Doctor to her patients and the reputation of her family’s hospital.

“Yes.” He replied as he pulled the car into the car park and drove them in the direction of the staff car park, pulling up to a reserved space labelled ‘Rosewood’. He put the car in park and turned to Luna, but she was already halfway out of the car! He sighed and got out the car, “Stay.” He muttered to Chief as he lowered the windows of the car for some air. Dean glanced over at Luna as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air, relief washing over her features at being out of the vehicle.  

Driving really must be a huge problem for her. He thought to himself.

At least it rules out the possibility of someone tampering with her car �" god forbid it should ever escalate that far. However, there was nothing stopping from it happening to Matt’s car or Dean’s for that matter. He’d still need to conduct frequent bomb checks to the vehicles.

Locking the car, he waited patiently for her to take a moment to collect herself before joining her side as the pair made their way from the car park to the hospital building. He pulled a card out of his pocket and gave it to her, “This is my number, should you ever need to contact me. Change of schedule or if you notice anything suspicious…please notify me and keep me updated.”

Luna nodded, “Alright.” She agreed as she took the card from him and read the number as they walked into the building. 

“Do you have the panic button?” Dean asked, glancing down at her just in time to see her nodding in reply. “Use it if you need to. I’ll check in with you in a couple of hours.”

Luna nodded, “Alright then.” She softly said as she watched him leave the building they had just entered. She sighed softly, all this drama over a phone call…

She signed herself in at the reception, greeting the receptionist in her usual happy manner before making her way to the top floor of the hospital; the ‘Corporate Floor’ this was referred to, as it’s where all the offices, lecture rooms, conference rooms, medical library and the residence lounge was held.

She reached her office and unlocked the door, precariously holding all her items in one hand as she did so. She quickly walked over to her desk and placed all her items down before setting them in their appropriate spot. She moved her travel mug of herbal tea that she hadn’t yet touched and placed that in the far corner of her desk. Opening her briefcase, she shuffled through some documents before moving to the drawer of her desk to retrieve some other paperwork she would need for her meeting.

 

Her office was neat and tidy, unlike most Doctors offices where paperwork was piled everywhere and their walls and noticeboard were covered in layers of information sheets, pamphlets and the odd personal card or drawing from a child. The only personal items that were noticeable was the Peace Lily blooming by her window and a framed photograph on her desk of her family; her parents, Mattie and herself on a snowy Christmas holiday. A bittersweet memory. Christmas was always a favourite holiday of Luna’s because it was the only time her family were together due to the busy lives of running and working in a hospital. However, this particular photo was the year before the accident, marking it as the last Christmas and family holiday they ever shared together. Whilst the photograph held mourning in it, it also held a reminder of happier times.

 

Clipping the briefcase shut, she grabbed both her travel mug and the briefcase, and began her day; shutting the office door behind her and making her way to the conference room where the Members of the Board were awaiting her.
She entered the room, smiling politely and earnestly at the executive group who were meeting with her and a few other staff members today. “Good morning. How are we all today?” She asked as she took a seat, placing her briefcase on the table and her mug beside it. A few mumbled answers were given to her question.
“Doctor Rosewood, thank you for joining us.” One of the Directors welcomed her to the meeting. Being an Attending, she had been summoned and, on occasion, requested meetings with the Board. However, due to the prestigious status of the Hospital, it was etiquette that would always be displayed regardless of how many meetings one may hold or be summoned to within the space of a few days. 

“My pleasure. Thank you for having me, and I do apologise Matt was not able to make it today.”

The Director waved his hand, brushing off her apology, “No need to apologise. We’ve all been there dedicating gruelling hours to our work. It’s what makes us an accomplished Doctor or Surgeon. Nevertheless, we quite a few things on the agenda to discuss. Shall we begin?”

“Certainly.” Luna politely agreed with a soft smile as she retrieved the necessary documents needed throughout the meeting.

 

. . .

 

Having seen Luna safely into her workplace, and reminding her of the panic pager knowing she was still against the notion of having a bodyguard; he turned and watched her leave in the reflection of the nearby windows as he made his way outside to scout the outside area.

His biggest concern with the hospital was the size of it, despite having a few security guards employed. Even with the security guards, the number of threats that could hide in plain sight was still a major concern. Staff, patients, visitors… any one of them could be the caller or the one who belong to the buds (assuming they weren’t the same person). All he could do now was keep his eyes peeled and his wits about him.

There was no need to inform the security guards of this potential threat �" it was currently on a ‘need-to-know’ basis. Regardless of their job position, wealth or social status, everyone was a suspect.

 

Dean quietly, and discreetly, familiarised himself with the hospital as best as he could. The layout was pretty standard for a prestigious hospital, but this helped in memorising each floor and its departments. He made sure to keep out of the private areas, though he took a mental note of them, as well as noting exit points and anything of significance. He took note of the many people who were bustling around him, making sure he was out of their way and not interacting with anyone. An orderly had asked if he was alright but Dean easily dismissed him, saying he was just here visiting a friend; not entirely a lie as he was here with someone �" just ‘friend’ wouldn’t have been the appropriate description.

 

He eventually made his way to the upper floors when he spotted Luna through the window of the Board Room. He watched for a moment as she silently spoke to the Board Members and saw them nodding in agreement to whatever she was saying. He was impressed at how the young woman carried herself after seeing her in such a panicky state earlier. Here she was, a now very confident doctor and business woman. His eyes left her features to see another Doctor who was sitting further down at the table with a look of annoyance directed at Luna. Dean’s eyes hardened a little and he made a mental note of this particular man. But just because he was the first person Dean had seen with any sort of ill manner towards his client, didn’t mean that this man is the culprit of the threatening phone calls.

 

Not wanting to linger too long, Dean continued on, taking note of her where her office was before heading back down the lower floors again. He decided to do another perimeter sweep of the building, getting Chief out of the car and bringing the K-9 with him.

His phone buzzed in the inner pocket of his jacket and he pulled it out, opening the screen to see Luna had texted him with an update. He didn’t bother texting her back, there was no need to. He placed the phone back in its rightful spot before continuing on with his current task.

 

He noted the many people standing off to the side smoking and thought it best to write down any significant details of each person. Since there were quite a few people who would constantly be coming and going, even with his trained experience, he wouldn’t be able to memorise each and every one of them.

Heading back to his car, he sat down in the driver’s seat and pulled out a pen and paper and began jotting down descriptions of each individual.

Another bodyguard would have been ideal in this situation, at least he would be able to discreetly take photos while Dean would be able to keep a closer eye on Luna. However, Matt was adamant it only be one bodyguard when he contacted the agency. There was nothing Dean could do about the situation but he wouldn’t have accepted the job if he didn’t think he was capable of working alone; in fact, it’s what he preferred to do.

 

“You there! That space is reserved!” a harsh voice interrupted the otherwise quiet atmosphere, Dean’s head snapped up from the pocket notepad to see the sour-looking man from the Board Room come marching over. Quickly tucking the notebook in a small compartment of the car, Dean stepped out of the car, raising a hand to for Chief to stand down as the dog had readied himself to a defensive stance. Dean took a few steps towards the oncoming man.

“And you can’t have that dog here either. This is a hospital for God sake!”

The hard lines and winkles of the older man’s face with the thinning grey hair and thick moustache placed him in his mid sixties, if Dean could hazard a guess. And he was carrying himself the way an older man of a Board would; a certain amount of authority and self-righteousness. Were it not for the extra foot of height Dean had over him, he’d be looking down on him physically and not just metaphorically.

“Seeing as I’m Doctor Rosewood’s new driver, I’d say I’m in exactly the right spot. As for the dog, I’ve got permission from Matthew Rosewood to have her on premises. So why don’t you take it up with him?” Dean assertively but politely retorted to the man who scoffed at him.

“I certainly will. Don’t think I didn’t see you lurking around the Board Room earlier. And now you’re just hanging around the hospital car park? It’s not typical behaviour of a driver. So what’s your business here?” he asked aggressively. The man’s tone and attitude were very quickly wearing away at Dean’s patience.

“I’m afraid that’s between myself and the Rosewoods. But I have full clearance to be here. You can ask-“

“What’s that supposed to mean? I am the Acting Chief of Medicine. I should know about any business to do with the hospital!” He interrupted Dean, causing a scowl to pull across the bodyguard’s face.

“As I said,” Dean attempted to repeat in a more stern tone. “If you have quest-“

“Oh don’t worry; I’ll be taking this matter to the Board.” The older physician interrupted again.

Dean’s patience was getting incredibly thin. He placed his hands on his hips and exhaled deeply, trying to keep himself composed when all he wanted to do was punch the living daylights out of this pompous a*****e. “’Okay, you do that.”Dean said, knowing the joke was on this a*****e, considering it was the Board who had approved the special clearance for him.

“In the meantime, just make sure that filthy mutt stays outs-“

“HEY!”

The old man recoiled in shock at Dean’s outburst, his usual exhausted eyes brimming with anger. A single finger raised in warning as his stance becoming more aggressive.

“Don’t you talk about my dog like that!” he stated very firmly at the man whose posture had changed. No longer the dominating and demeaning, but now a scared frail old man. He looked around as several peers, who were also leaving the hospital, stopped to the sound of the confrontation unfolding.

“Apologise.” Dean basically demanded, met only by the stuttering of the older physician.

“Apologise!” Dean demanded more forcefully, grabbing the doctor by the scruff of his coat.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” he babbled as he shook at the sudden hostile situation he found himself in. Dean released him with a slight shove and stood there with his chest heaving with each deep breath he took.
“Get out of here.” Dean growled as he realised that he had caused a scene with curious bystanders watching the event unfold like a drama show. The older Doctor didn’t need telling twice as he turned and made his way to his own car without another word.

‘Not even one day in and you’ve already snapped…nice one Dean.’ He thought to himself, feeling a mixture of annoyance and frustration at his lack of control. The job of a Bodyguard was to ensure the safety of their client with as minimal violence as possible. In fact, violence was to be avoided at all cost. But this was Dean’s biggest flaw as a Bodyguard. In fact, it was also the reason why he got discharged from the army. Controlling his anger wasn’t something he specialised well in. He always had trouble with rage and anger, but in his defense, it was only when people pushed him. His problem, when it came to anger issues, was the lack of multiple steps he takes before snapping; most people go through stages such as disgruntled, annoyed, frustrated, angry and then hostility. Whereas he tended to skip straight from the front to the end of that scale.

 

People were muttering around him as they begun to disperse. No doubt gossiping about the events that had unfolded �" which means it will likely get back to the Rosewoods tomorrow, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

He flicked his wrist to check the time on his watch and noticed he had another hour before Luna finished her shift. Whistling to Chief, he waited for the dog to step out of the car before locking it securely and going for a walk around the hospital grounds to both clear his head, and re-check the perimeters.

 

. . .

 

It was a tedious few hours for Luna but she managed to get through everything on the agenda by 1pm. Apparently Mattie had also neglected to discuss the possibility of branching out Rosewood Hospital to Asia �" Japan, specifically. The Japanese offering to fund half of their hospital with the option to take advantage of their forever-advancing technology. It would also give the Japanese Medical students a chance to study and gain experience within their country instead of travelling abroad to America. Luna had no quarrel with this, and thought it was an excellent idea �" especially when she knew it was a long-term goal of her parents to branch out their hospital. She happily signed the papers next to Mattie’s signature.

Another issue was raised as to appoint Luna Chief of Medicine in the near future. She argued at the fact that it didn’t seem right when there were plenty of other Doctors who have more experience and have worked at the hospital longer. But with the possible transfer of Mattie going abroad to Japan to oversee the hospital, the Board wanted to appoint her as Chief of Medicine as she’s the rightful heir to her family’s hospital. However, due to her limited experience at such a responsible role, she would now be working alongside Doctor Alaric Jones, a man who worked closely with her Father and often stepped in as Acting Chief of Medicine on her Father’s behalf.

 

The Board also stated that she currently doesn’t have a field of specialty and had suggested that she find one soon. She couldn’t give them an answer, nor did they expect an immediate answer, so they allowed her the next working week (five days) to think about it.

 

The meeting was then wrapped up with offering her the opportunity to be a spokesperson for the upcoming medical graduates at Oxford University; representing Rosewood Hospital, especially seeing as how she was a former graduate herself. She humbly accepted and the meeting was adjourned.

She made her way back to her office, placing everything down on her desk before pulling out the business card the Dean gave her, sitting down at her desk, she pulled out her mobile and stared at the communication device, wondering whether he preferred text or verbal communication…. Long-term thinking, she didn’t have time to constantly call him with updates, so she opted to text him. Placing his number in her phone, making sure to add it to ‘favourites’ as a ‘speed dial’, she sent him a text stating that the meeting had finished and she was back at her office.

Placing her phone down, she began her ‘business’ duties. It was a patient-free day for her today as she focused her time in her office. It also allowed her to focus on writing a speech and having it emailed to the Board for approval before Graduation Day at Oxford.

As the afternoon progressed, Luna kept to herself, having forgotten that it was way past lunchtime and still hadn’t eaten (perhaps this was why always remained petite). She managed to get the majority of her paperwork done, though being a physician; she has come to learn that paperwork is never ending.

She sighed softly as she stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the garden scenery below her. A few staff members were enjoying their breaks with the last little bit of sunshine the day had to offer before being confined to the hospital walls again.

 

By the end of the day, she felt drained and lack of food was a factor to this. Her eyes were tired, her head ached with a dull headache and her white medical coat had creases in it from prolonged sitting. No doubt her makeup would have worn off and a few loose strands of hair would have come away from otherwise tight ponytail. She glanced at the clock that read it was 6pm and began to close up her office for the night. She filed paperwork accordingly, shut down her computer and gathered her personal items before turning off the lights and locking her office behind her.

Even though her shift had come to an end for the day, she still had one last thing left to do, to which she had completely forgotten about updating Dean with…

Making her way to the second floor, she placed her briefcase safely behind the reception desk, greeting the Paediatric Nurse, “Good evening Sam.” She smiled softly at the equally tired nurse.

“Hey Luna. How’s your day been?”

Luna sighed softly and shrugged her shoulders, “Despite being couped up in an office, it’s been rather eventful.” She laughed softly.

“Oh?” Sam’s voice hand a hint of curiosity in her but Luna wasn’t going to explain herself further so Sam didn’t push it.

“I trust those little gremlins are still awake?” She asked, referring to the usual round of children she dedicates any free time she has.

“Always.” Came the tired but gentle reply from Sam. Luna chuckled softly and made her way to one of the rooms that had four beds with three sleeping children but one young girl was still wide awake as always.

 

“Hey honey.” Luna whispered as she quietly stepped in the room and the young six year old girl sat up and reached out her arms for a hug. Luna wrapped up her arms around the girl, whose arms came around Luna’s neck in a tight squeeze. “Hi Luna.” She whispered in her ear.
“You still awake?” Luna half-asked as she pulled away from the hug to tuck the young girl back in bed.
The young girl nodded, “Mmhmm. Can you read me a story?”
“Only if you promise to go to sleep after that, okay?”

The girl nodded as she snuggled down beneath the covers.
Luna reached over to the small bedside cupboard and chose a storybook. She opened it and began reading quietly to the little girl, careful to keep her voice low so she didn’t disturb the other sleeping children.

 

Dean waited by the car for Luna’s arrival but when five minutes had passed; the concern in him grew when she didn’t appear according to her schedule. The probability of her becoming caught up with a patient or medical case was probable, especially if it was an emergency and she didn’t have the time to update him. This was something he had taken into consideration; however it wasn’t something he would merely brush aside and he wouldn’t idly wait by the car like a Taxi driver. He entered the hospital and asked the reception for Luna’s whereabouts. The receptionist told him that he could find her on the second floor in the Paediatrics ward.

Dean took the elevator up to the second floor and went through the doors that lead to the Paediatrics ward, which was a lot quieter than the other wards.

“Can I help you, sir?” a young woman asked him. She was shuffling some paperwork into a neat stack before placing them into a file.

“I’m looking for Doctor Rosewoood.” He simply stated.

Her name badge read ‘Samantha’ and her eyes went a little wide with curiosity. She was met with a ruggedly handsome man standing before her. Did Luna have a new boyfriend that she didn’t tell Sam about? Typical. That girl was all work and no talk!

“May I ask the nature of your visit is?” she asked, especially with visiting hours being over.

“I’m her driver.” Came the simple reply.

‘Driver eh? I bet!’ Sam mischievously thought to herself. Just wait until she finds Luna tomorrow!

“Ah. Well, she shouldn’t be too much longer. She’s just in there if you want to me to get her?” Sam offered with a nod to the direction of a nearby room where Luna was. A room that Dean had walked past on his way up to the reception desk.

“No, that’s fine. Thank you.” Dean politely thanked the receptionist before turning back to leave. Although he stopped by the window of the room that Luna was in and saw her reading to a young girl who had a bandana covering her hair �" or lack thereof. A cancer kid.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he watched the obviously exhausted doctor find the energy to spend time with this kid after her shift.

But the smile vanished as soon as it came. Leaving the window, he made his way back to the car and waited for her.

 

. . .

 

By the time she had finished, the young girl was dozing off, so she quietly stood up and exited the room, pulling the door partially shut behind her.

 

“You’ve got to teach me how you do it!” Sam’s tired voice called out warmly.

Luna softly laughed, “I haven’t the faintest idea, Sam.” She said as she collected her briefcase from behind the desk.

“Uh huh. Well there will always be a spot on my team for you.”

“You keep offering.” Luna smiled.

“You keep declining.” Sam retorted with friendly fire.

Luna chuckled and bade her friend goodnight before taking the nearest elevator down to the ground floor. She held back a tired sigh as she leant against the wall of the elevator, waiting for it to land on the designated floor. A �"ding- and the doors opened, welcoming her to the ground floor that leads to the lobby. She smiled and greeted all the passing doctors until she reached the reception desk and signed herself out, bidding the reception staff a good night before making her way down the small set of stairs. Her slender fingers gliding along the rails as she walked down, just in case her heels somehow stumbled beneath her.

The hospital doors opened, blasting her with the crisp night air, making her shiver. She glanced up at the starry night sky and smiled softly at the moon.

‘Hello old friend’ she thought to herself. Many a night the moon had become a comfort to her. Providing her with enough light to illuminate her path on her walks home, and the general weight of the darkness she felt alone.

 

Dean watched Luna exit out of the building and stare up at the night sky. He allowed her to take a moment to herself after the rush of such a busy day before he interrupted her thoughts. “Miss Rosewood?”

Her head turned to him and the serene look that was on her face immediately changed to one of uneasiness. Dean wasn’t sure whether he had startled her or it was because of the impending drive home.

“You’re late.” He said as he walked a few steps towards her while she walked towards him and the car.

“Yes, my apologies. I got caught up with paperwork.” She quickly said.

Dean sighed softly knowing she was lying. And he would have believed her too had he not have gone looking for her. What she was doing was admirable and he fully respected that. But her safety was his number one priority.

He placed a hand on her shoulder in a firm grip. Not enough to hurt her, of course, but enough to help emphasise the seriousness of the matter. “Miss Rosewood, don’t lie to me. It’s my business to know where you are and what you’re doing at all times. And if you’re honest, the whole thing will go a lot easier.”

His gaze was enough for her to realise that he had obviously found her when she didn’t show up. Dropping his hand away from her shoulder, he tucked it into his pocket for his keys. “Come on, let’s get you home.” He gestured with an arm for her to make her way to the car, opening the door for her as they approached it.

 

Luna sat quietly in the car, her hands gripping the briefcase that sat on her lip in a death-like vice as her eyes remained on the road. No doubt her quietness was a mix of exhaustion and panic, as well as coming to terms with the driving aspect being thrust back into her daily life. He returned the silence as he mulled over the events of the day with only the noise from the occasional car overtaking them and Chief’s heavy breathing to break the silence.

 

Once again, as soon as they arrived at the Manor, Luna had all but flung herself out of the car, not bothering to wait for Dean to open her door as she inhaled a deep breath of fresh air before exhaling it slowly to calm her nerves. She let her eyes wander up to the brightness of the moon before letting her gaze fall on Dean as he got out of the car. Unfortunately Dean was nowhere near as quick as Luna was at exiting the vehicle. It was late and he had had a long day. Not to mention his body often felt older than it was.

‘Now what? Do I say goodnight? Do people even say goodnight to their bodyguards?’ Luna thought but luckily he broke her awkward silence, “I’ll be inside shortly. Just going to look around the premises.”

Luna gave a small nod, even though it was pointless as he might not have seen her respond in the dark of the night. But she began to make her way up the stairs and into the Manor. Nothing but a quiet, dark foyer greeted her. With Mattie on nightshift, it was just her. Well… now it was her and Dean. And Chief too.

 

Luna switched on the main light by the front door which illuminated the foyer and most of the staircase that lead to the upstairs area. She slowly made her way to her room where she began her usual routine by dropping her briefcase by the door �" making sure it was out of the way before it was considered a tripping hazard before flicking her light on. She then took off her ID badge and emergency pager plus her new panic pager that Dean gave her and placed it on the little ceramic bowl where she kept her everyday devices. She threw her phone on her bed and then shrugged off her medical coat and placed it on the hanger on the back of her bedroom door. Sitting down on the corner of her bed, she kicked her heels off and groaned in relief at the free feeling of her feet being flat and on solid grounding.

At least tomorrow she could wear something more comfortable than heels since she won’t be in her corporate state.

Padding barefoot into the bathroom, Luna undid her hair from the tight bun and let her chocolate-brown locks fall over her shoulders in freedom. She pulled all her jewellery off and placed them in their respectful places in her jewellery box. For someone who was quite wealthy, she owned minimal jewellery. In fact, she never bought a piece of jewellery in her life! The necklace was given to her as a present for passing the entrance exams at Oxford University by her mother; a crescent moon with a small gem in the colour of her birthstone that sat in the curve of the moon. Her brother gave her a bracelet that was so thin she often forgot she was wearing it, it was dainty �" just like her. He had given it to her when she graduated. A milestone she achieved, sadly, without her parents.

Closing the lid to her jewellery box, Luna placed it to the side and began preparing the shower �" adjusting the taps to the right temperatures before getting in.

She relished in the hot water for a solid ten minutes, groaning softly as the hot water hit her shoulders and naturally working the knots from her days work. Even if it was just temporary relief, it was still a most welcomed one.

 

. . .

 

Dean walked around the dimly lit grounds of the Manor with Chief trotting by his side. He didn’t expect to find anything but it was still a standard procedure he must abide by. His gaze lifted as a light from an upstairs bedroom flicked on, helping illuminating the grounded area a little more. Before his gaze could linger long enough to be considered creepy, he walked over to the area by her window, where he found the cigarettes. Again, he didn’t expect to find anything but he just wanted to be thorough.

He let out a sigh of exhaustion and patted his thigh, summoning Chief to follow him back inside.

 

He followed in Luna’s footsteps as he walked up the stairs to make his way to what would be his room for the remainder of the assignment. He had packed a small suitcase with the bare essentials and dug out a thick folded piece of fabric and threw it over a patch of floor beside the bed. Chief instantly curled up into a ball as it hit the ground. Kneeling down, Dean gave him a good head scratch and smiled at his beloved pet. After a moment or so, he decided to have a shower before finishing up for the night. He stuck his head under the faucet of the shower and brushed a hand through his hair as he leaned on the tiled wall. A little while later, he got out and changed into a pair of track-pants and a singlet. As he pulled the white singlet over his torso, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Scars from knife wounds and bullet holes littered his chest, along with a particularly nasty one protruding from the neckline of his singlet. The hard line of his face and his exhausted eyes stared back at him grimly.

‘Christ, you look worse every day’ he thought to himself as he rubbed a hand across his cheeks through his prickly beard.

Chief broke his concentration with a whine at the door, “Alright, boy, I’m coming.” He muttered as he grabbed a can of dog food and a bowl from his suitcase for Chief, and MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) packet for himself. He didn’t like to impose on the client for food and he was more than used to these protein packets; especially during his army days). Throwing a jacket over his singlet, he stepped out of the room and noticed that Luna’s door was shut with the light off. She must be asleep. He quietly made his way down the hall and down the stairs to the kitchen where he let Chief outside to do his business while he prepared both their meals.

Chief’s lamb and pasta loaf was ready for him and he greedily tucked into it while Dean tore off the top of his meal packet when a sound behind him drew his attention.

 

. . .

 

The minute Luna was out of the shower and dressed her pyjamas; she went straight to bed, covering herself with the thick duvet for comfort. Shutting her eyes, she allowed sleep to consume her.

Except it didn’t.

And therein lies the problem.

Having no idea how long she had been tossing and turning, she eventually pulled the covers back in annoyance and sat up in bed. Her eyes looked around the darkened room as she chewed the inner part of her cheek in thought. She knew sleep wouldn’t be coming to her anytime soon… and with a million thoughts running through her mind, it would only prove to be a struggle for her.

Sighing, she swung her legs off the bed and proceeded to make her way down to the kitchen. Luckily her path was illuminated by the dim light flooding through from the kitchen. Dean must be in there.

She stopped momentarily, wondering if she should leave him be. He didn’t seem to like her at all, and she didn’t want to be around his judgemental gaze if she didn’t have to.

But she also felt she should apologise for lying to him. He was only just doing his job after all.

Clasping her hands together, she held her head high and walked in the kitchen, her face immediately scrunching at the sudden bright light that blinded her eyes. She waited a moment or two before letting her eyes readjust to the light before moving further in the room.

 

Dean had turned to her from standing by the kitchen counter where Chief was noisily lapping up his meal. His green eyes lifted from his MRE packet to rest on Luna. Her brown hair was slightly messy and she was dressed in a pastel yellow pyjama set with lambs printed all over it.

Dean, on the other hand, as Luna observed, looked awful. She could really see the battles he’s been through etched into his weary face. Little did she know the extent of what he had been through. However, she can only hazard a guess when she saw the nasty looking scar peeping from the top of his singlet.

Realising she was staring, she tore her gaze from him and walked over to the kettle, flicking the little switch on and grabbing a mug and tea bag from the cupboard.

 

“Can’t sleep?” Dean asked, partially worried that perhaps there had been some disturbance that had, oddly, gotten past Dean and Chief’s alert. Normally he wouldn’t ask his clients personal questions to their wellbeing unless it compromised their safety … but he had seen his client in a new light today which gave him a small piece of admiration and respect for her, so he felt the need to drop his attitude toward her as rich kid.

Luna sighed softly and turned her head slightly, giving him a small smile. “No…insomnia…” she lightly explained. “You?”

“Just needed some food.” He said as he raised his packet meal that he was eating out from.

Luna gave a small nod before her attention turned back towards the kettle as it loudly flicked it switch, signalling the successful result of boiled water. She filled her cup up and let the tea bag brew for a little bit.

“Mr Ryder…” she said as she turned to him, her back now to her brewing tea. “I…I want to apologise for lying to you earlier. I’m well aware you’re only doing your job… but…” She sighed as she dropped her gaze slightly to stare at the counter top by his side. “I still find all this to be very… out of the norm for me. The mere notion of knowing that I’m a target….” She let her sentence trail off as she struggled to find words that could describe how ridiculous she found the whole situation.

Dean glanced up as she spoke to him, turning his attention on her instead of his meal as he watched the emotions flood over her features; guilt from lying, understanding as he was just doing his job, confusion at the situation she found herself thrust in, and then slight fear that her life could be in danger. This was where he stepped in.

“Miss Rosewood,” he said firmly but gently, “That’s why I’m here; to find out whether it was just a prank or something more serious.”

 

Luna gave a small nod and turned back to her mug of steaming tea. She pulled out the tea bag and gave it a small squeeze before wrapping her fingers around the herbal-filled mug and turned around. Chief had trotted over and sat in front of her, looking up at her. She frowned slightly, holding the mug a little more firmly in case she accidentally spilt in on him. “…uh…”

“Chief.” Dean called the dog with a tone of command, and the dog turned and trotted back over to Dean.

 

“I take it you don’t have much experience with dogs?” Dean asked tiredly, exhaustion finally hitting him like a freight train.

Luna smiled softly, the faintest hint of a twinkle in her eyes as she responded lightly, “Just ponies.” She said as she walked past him to head back to her room. A typical rich kid response, she knew this and it was only said in jest to him.

He let out a slightly audible huff of air through his nose in an amused chuckle as he watched her leave before finishing up his meal and tidying up after himself and Chief. He checked the alarm system of the house before double-checking that all entry ways were locked before retiring to bed.

 

Maybe he was wrong about her …

 

Maybe she was wrong about him …

Author's Note

We are aware that this is a little long for first chapters. Reviews are always welcome.

Reviews

[SweetWriter88]

So far I like where this is going. While the chapter, which you both already mentioned is quite long, it's none the less very good and well worded. I like the relationships between the characters as well and I'd love to see more of Luna's stubborn side. I can't wait to read the next chapter, this one was a really good read. Thanks for sharing it!

[2NerdsinLuv]

Thank you so much for your review. You're the first person to review our story so we were quite excited to read it!
I was very intrigued at hearing a fellow reader interested in Luna's stubborn side. I don't think I've written her in such a way but I'd love to explore this aspect more in future chapters!