Trust Me: A Black Swan Protection Novella by Snyder Hope

Author:Snyder, Hope
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798990008908
Publisher: Sunny Laurel Books
Published: 2024-03-08T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

I don’t know how much time passes, but I exist in a terrified daze in the emergency waiting room. Someone draped a warm blanket over me. A nurse brought me some tea. Everett’s phone is in my pocket, his blood crusting on my white sweater. His silver chain and ring are around my neck. I’m so grateful I never thought to take my ring off.

But someone to the left of me is holding their phone at a weird angle and I realize they’re either videoing me or taking a picture. I’m going to attract attention here.

I pick up Everett’s phone and guess the password based on what I remember seeing him type in. The phone unlocks as another person to my right raises their camera, this time more obviously. I find the number I’m looking for and dial.

“Ainsley, I need your help.”

I tell her where to find me and why and she comes blazing in less than fifteen minutes later. She goes wide-eyed when she sees me.

“Oh, Laina. Okay, let’s get you to the car,” she says, ready to escort me out.

I shake my head and stay put. “Everett’s in surgery. I’m staying here.”

She nods. “Let’s go somewhere more private.”

I slowly stand up and follow her, my body aching from the absence of adrenaline. The room she finds for me has a small cot and a chair and I lay down on the cot, prop my hands behind my head, determined not to fall asleep. Ainsley takes the chair and attends to something on her phone.

“How are you?” she asks softly.

“Worried,” I reply.

“He’s a tough cookie. He’ll pull through for you,” she says. “Where’s the laptop?”

“Under my bed.” I turn my head to look at her. “How much do you know?”

“Enough to know we need to secure it.”

“How are you part of this?” I think to ask. “Is Mr. Delancey in on this too?”

“No, Everett and I work for the same parent organization, Black Swan Protection Agency. Our boss saw that Everett wasn’t following normal protocol with you-”

“How so?” I cut in.

“He never took time off, he refused to show up for annual training in person, he insisted on being the only one assigned to your detail.”

“I guess I just thought that was all normal bodyguard stuff. That he was just doing his job really, really well.”

Ainsley laughs and shakes her head. “And you thought it was normal to be waited on hand and foot? That he would have your favorite coffee for you at 2 p.m. every afternoon? That he would ask me to put fake meetings in your calendar that were always canceled so you could have some downtime? That he would always hold your coat for you, carry your stacks of files, get every door and elevator for you? You think that’s what bodyguards do for their bosses these days?” She’s not irate, she’s genuinely curious if this is how I think. “Laina, he worships the ground you walk on.”

“Don’t say that,” I whisper. I don’t want to hear this from Ainsley.

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