The Assassin’s Billionaire Bodyguard
Chapter 52

Isabella kept her eyes averted as she considered Cam's version of debrief was entirely different than Bellona's. He had ripped into her for taking liberties with his instruction, for talking too much and for egging on the team. The team got ripped for not responding fast enough to the things Isabella had taken care of, such as the two guys on the landing. Overall, it was more a lesson in what not to do to piss off the commander while in the field than anything else.

Her face was neutral, and her eyes fixated on a square of carpet on the Juggernaut corporate jet, and she found herself daydreaming about going home and cuddling Casper and maybe making a call into the Bellona psych. She had promised Artemis a full debrief and she was prepared to give one.

"Questions?" Cam asked finally and the group was silent. "Good," he stalked back to the front of the plane and disappeared into the cockpit.

"d**k," she muttered under her breath and swiveled into the chair.

"He can hear you," Erik said with a grin, "even if you think he can't, he can."

"Good," she met his face with a grin of her own and they shared a low laugh.

"Gideon told us you're marrying the boss. Is it true?"

She looked sideways at Erik. "Why are you asking me not him?"

"You're cooler," Erik grinned broadly. "Also, he pays me, you don't."

She couldn't help but laugh as his comment, "fair enough. Has Gideon ever lied to you?"

"No."

"There's your answer."

"You really work for Clara Draxton?"

"She's married to my brother."

"What's it like being family to the richest woman in the universe?" Sly leaned over her seat, "also her sister Merry-Beth is f*****g hot."

Clara's sister was a Hollywood actress and former model. "Merry-Beth is definitely hot," Isabella agreed, "and Clara is a good person. I'm lucky to have her."

"You work for her? What do you do at Draxton?"

"Actuary."

"What the hell is an actuary?" Sam asked leaning forward.

"I analyze risk. Most actuaries work in the insurance field or for high-risk industries. I could tell you what the statistical probability of this plane suddenly dropping out of the sky with the right data in front of me. For Draxton I analyze risk versus reward for a variety of situations, projects, and things like this. I work somewhere between the insurance team and the accounting team providing data in hard numbers so Clara and the Board can decide if the risk of a project is worth it." "Sounds boring," Erik teased, "no wonder you kill people."

She nudged his leg, "Cam says I can trust you."

"You can, Isabella. There isn't anyone on this plane you can't trust." Erik was serious.

"When you're not out doing this, what do you do?" She asked him curiously, "or is your side-gig so lucrative you just have the one job."

"We all work security for Cam in some form or another as our day-to-day cover but none of us have to work."

"What's the worst security gig you've done for Cam?"

Three of the guys spoke at once, "Portia."

She threw her head back and laughed. "She's not that bad."

Gideon was exiting the cockpit to go to the washroom, "this from you who had the option of taking on a drug lord or sitting in the middle of the Pacific on Cam's yacht with Portia and you took the drug lord." Erik leaned away in surprise, "why were you given those two choices?"

"Because I used to date Evgeni Andropov, and he can't take no for an answer and put a bounty on my head. He wants me kidnapped and sent to Russia. My family and Cam's family have known the Andropov's for years so just taking the a*****e out isn't an option. We're dealing with it and so Cam and Clara decided they wanted me out of New York. The last thing I want for either of them is to be on a Russian mafia hit list so we're letting his father handle it for now."

The men in the plane were quiet as the absorbed her information.

Sly leaned over her seat again, "hey, you say the word and any one of us will take the fucker out for you. You're one of us now Isabella. You're our family."

She smiled at him, genuinely feeling accepted into the group. "Thank you. I appreciate it but if it ever got back Cam's men were involved, it puts him, and everyone associated with him in danger." "Sweetheart, nobody would know." Sly slunk back to his seat, "I can make it look like an accident."

"Right now, he's recovering from brain surgery."

Gideon came out of the toilet and made a face, "you're not talking about Andropov?"

"Yeah."

He leaned on the seat in front of her. "Cam said you won't let me kill him."

"I can't have you or Cam on Mikhail's hitlist."

Gideon grunted.

"Should he be up there flying alone?"

"He's cranky and I needed a break," Gideon made a face.

"Why's he cranky?"

"Because you won't let him kill Andropov. Also, Portia called him just before we took off and asked him if they could go see Rent this weekend."

"Oh, he should definitely go."

"Neither of us want to sit through another musical. I have to go as muscle." Gideon grimaced then gave her a pleading stare. "If you went with them, then I wouldn't have to go. You could have his six."

"Uh, no, I'm washing Casper's hair." She laughed. "I also promised my Papa I'd help him work on the car this weekend."

"What's wrong with his car?"

"Nothing now, but once I cut a few wires, he's going to need my help." Isabella laughed at Gideon's grumble of displeasure. "She needs this. You want to her to stop being an a*****e, then her dad needs to give her some attention." A bell dinged over head telling Gideon he was wanted in the cockpit, and she watched his flick of irritation. "Is he really so cranky?"

"Yeah."

She stood up, "I'll go."

"You'll go what?" Gideon eyed her curiously.

"Co-pilot. I have my CPL."

"Like f**k you do."

"I have over two thousand hours in. My leader felt it would give me a better understanding of the need for precision and to follow implicit direction."

"It didn't work," Erik grunted as she punched his shoulder.

She went past Gideon, moved into the cockpit, and took the seat Gideon had vacated.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cam asked as she pulled Gideon's headset on.

"You're allegedly so cranky your co-pilot is considering parachuting off the plane now we're over Florida. I said I'd cover. How hard can it be?"

"It's a jet, Isabella." He growled before bellowing Gideon's name and pushing the call button.

"He's not coming," she shrugged and adjusted her seat and took in the controls. "It's a Dassault and it's okay but Clara's Bombardier is cooler."

He watched as she grabbed a clipboard and looked at notes Gideon had made and then reviewed the dash ahead of her. "Jesus Christ you can fly a plane."

She didn't even look up as she fought the arrogant smirk, she was trying not to give him, "I've flown a time or two."

"Is there anything you can't do?"

"Figure out how to convince my fiancé killing my ex-boyfriend would be bad for business and our future?" She flicked a switch as she leaned backward. "Gideon thinks it's why you're cranky."

"I'm not cranky."

"No? I disagree. He disagrees. The guys all disagree. Seems the only one thinking you're in a great mood is you."

"Go get Gideon."

"Why? I'm perfectly capable."

"He doesn't talk as much."

She chuckled and shook her head. "I'm good. I'll be quiet, Captain."

For the next hour and a half, they only spoke when necessary and unless directly related to the flight. She knew Cam was thinking of her protection and what would happen when they landed. As they were approaching New York airspace Gideon appeared over her shoulder. "I can take over for the landing as we're the ones on the manifest with air traffic control." "Great," she stood up as he backed up to let her out of the cockpit. She motioned at his face, "you have a big sleep line down the side of your face. Did you nap well?"

"Like a goddamn baby. Thanks for covering."

"His mood's no better," she pointed out.

"I can see."

"I'm right here." Cam impatiently snapped.

Isabella made a face, "I think he's worried about keeping me safe from you-know-who."

She made her way back to her seat and buckled in.

Just over an hour later, the plane was in the hangar, all the guys were off the jet and Isabella was sitting beside Cam in the Porsche.

"I need to check in with my group." She said quietly now it was just the two of them again.

"Fine. I'll take you to your place and you can do what you need to do and then we'll get Casper and go back to my house."

She spoke quietly knowing he was on edge. "My boss may want me in for a psych eval."

"Fine, I'll take you."

"No. They'll send an escort for me if she deems it necessary."

"It's not up for discussion."

She held her tongue knowing he was in a foul mood. She knew she'd hit the nail on the head earlier with her comment about him worrying. Five million dollars to kidnap her was serious money for some of Evgeni's buddies. It didn't take long for him to reach her neighborhood and she noted two expensive looking cars on the street.

His curse made her jump and she put her hand on him, "it's okay. One car is Ben's. I recognize it. The other is Sabine's. Clara's probably let them know I'm home. If I know Ben and Sabine, they've been glaring at each other for hours."

He pulled his car beside Ben's and then expertly parallel parked between the two cars. She didn't wait for him to get out and ignored the frustrated hiss of air. Sabine was at her side and Ben wasn't far either.

"You good?" Sabine asked quietly as the four of them walked to the house.

"Yes. I'll be better when I see my dog."

"I had him dropped off an hour ago. He's inside."

"Thank you," she whispered as she unlocked her door and they stepped inside. Cam followed Ben in last and she ignored both men as she scooped up Casper and hugged him tight to her chest. She looked to Sabine. "You're here for my debrief?" "Yes. Boss thought it safer we do it here than driving you through the city."

"I'd prefer to do it in the safe room." She paused, "can I bring Casper?" "Of course."

She turned, "Cam this is my best friend Dr. Sabine Ayim. Sabby, this is Cam Torres."

They shook hands and Sabine looked him up and down and leaned to Isabella, her dark eyes teasing, "he's even better looking in person."

"I told you," She teased and saw the pull of Cam's lips at her words.

"Ben, I know Clara wants you to do a full sweep so have at 'er. Cam, beer is in the fridge. If anyone comes to the door, you two can see to it, I'm certain. Sabby and I will be in the safe room. It will be locked from the inside, and you won't be able to enter." "Codeword?" Ben asked her seriously

"Same as last time Ben," she shrugged. "Go do your sweep. Also, I left some jewelry and my cell phone in the armory. Can you grab it?"

She opened the broom closet knowing full well Cam was watching her every move. She pulled the handle of the clip holding the broom to the door and the panel to the safe room slid open. She keyed the code into the door and the metal door opened and the other side was revealed.

"What the hell?"

Ben chuckled at Cam's response, "all the things Clara and I made her do when she insisted on living in Queens on a normal street like a normal person. Took us eight months to retrofit this place. She has enough supplies to last a month in there and if a bomb dropped on the house, she'd be safe inside."

"I need one of these to hide from Portia," Cam said with interest as he watched Isabella and Sabine go through the door and the sound of a loud click echoed.

Isabella looked to Sabine who had immediately gone very business like. "You need to record this huh."

"Yes," she pulled her phone and camera and set them up on the table. "Artemis is joining remotely as is psych one." She pushed a button under the table and a monitor opened on the wall opposite the door. The room was twelve by ten feet but with the stocks and supplies and the equipment it felt smaller.

In minutes she was in the midst of a full psych evaluation and if she were honest, the hardest one of the three women doing her interview was Sabine. Clearly Sabine was miffed at her for not calling her before she bailed out of the country and was pushing her hard about emotions and anger.

After over an hour of full-on interrogation Isabella was grateful to hear Artemis say she was satisfied with the outcome. Sabine folded her arms and glared at her across the table, but Isabella merely kept her eyes to the monitor.

Artemis spoke, "we'll end now but I do want you to know Isabella one more thing. Mikhail Andropov has until tomorrow evening to sort his son out or we take the situation. Your constant surveillance by the Russian mob is bad for our business and we need them gone."

"I understand." She paused, "Artemis, I don't want Clara or Cam involved. If it ever got back to the Andropov's they'd be on his hit list. I can't have it. When you send someone, can you make it someone from another team?"

"You want me to leave your Alpha out?"

"You can tell her if you must, but I'd rather if you're sending someone, it be someone from out of country and nobody who would ever be linked to us in any way. If Mikhail is protecting Evgeni, he has him under camera surveillance. I can't risk the people I love." "Understood," Artemis nodded, "I have an asset I can bring in from out of country. If this isn't over by tomorrow, she will be called in."

"Thank you." Isabella waited until the monitors went dark and Sabine stopped recording and turned off the camera knowing her best friend was about to give her hell.