Chapter 3

Chapter Three:




Alex yawned looking at the files before him, he had to crack this case somehow, and He was going out on surveillance tonight. He was going to be watching the Fucilla main warehouse, where the most recent smuggling operations were due to occur. First, however he had to do lunch, with Stephanie, She was in charge of Tasha, and for some reason needed an idea of what kind of job would be best for Tasha. He had no idea why they asked his advice, how did HE know Tasha better than them, it didn’t matter…Maybe…Just maybe he could find out where Tasha was and get in touch with her. Stephanie was soft hearted; she might let him know how to contact her, or at least her new name. He mused deep in thought, what kind of job WOULD be suitable for Tasha? Her previous job was in advertising, so something involved in the same line, maybe he could think of another advertising company to suggest, something closer to where he was. This idea appealed to him, he wanted Tasha close, He wanted to be able to reach out and run his fingers through her hair, to hold her body against his. The buzz of his intercom woke him from his thoughts, and he pressed the button his secretary’s voice “Detective Deliege Your lunch appointment has arrived…” He pressed the button leaning forward, “Thank you Marilyn please send her in.” Stephanie walked through his door and he stepped forward extending his hand. She took it and shook firmly smiling “Hi Alex, How’ve you been?” A nonchalant shrug lifts his shoulders as he releases her hand. “Making it Steph, How is Tasha doing?” “We will talk about that over lunch, I am starved Alex, lets get going”.

They went to lunch at a local café as he chewed on his sandwich he watched Stephanie picking at the lettuce from her salad conversation had just been about everyday things. The weather was not what Alex wanted to discuss, he wanted to talk about Tasha. He leaned back sipping his soda, looking at Stephanie, “so fill me in on what’s happening with Tasha” Stephanie looked at him with a smile she could feel his desire to talk about Tasha, he had been fidgeting since they first shook hands back at his office. Stephanie was pretty sure that Alex had a thing for Tasha, and she thought Tasha was in the same boat, so…despite the department she was in she was going to play match maker whether they liked it or not. “Well First of all Alex her name is Allura Star now, I honestly didn’t bring you here to help me find a job for her, I came here because I know you both like each other”.

Alex looked at her in shock, what in the hell was she up to? “I don’t understand Steph, what are you talking about?” She laughed, at HIM no less, “Well Alex, Allura is going to be living on Washington Street while she models for Hilfiger, maybe you should go into the Hilfiger store three weeks from now, and she will be doing some work there after the big show next week in New York.” He could not believe what he was hearing; she was giving him the exact location of Tasha, lowering his voice he leaned forward “Steph, What are you thinking, you could lose you job this way”. A smirk crossed her lips as she leaned forward as well “who better to protect her, than the man who is hopelessly in love with her, despite what he says…” Alex sat back in his chair floored by all of this his emotions running on high; Stephanie knew he was in love with Tasha, but…how? “Steph…How did you know?” she laughed, “Lets just say I got good connections with a certain secretary” Damn Marilyn, he thought, She had never gossiped about him before…or had she. It did not matter, Stephanie knew …wait…Tasha hated him. “Steph I don’t think this is such a great idea Tash- um, I mean Allura, and I didn’t split on such great terms I am pretty sure she is pissed off at me”. Stephanie took a big bite of lettuce and chewed on it thoughtfully he could hear the crunching of it as her teeth ground the vegetable into small digestible bits “Well Alex, she has been pining for you since you dropped her off that day, she doesn’t talk about it, but I know that’s what’s going on”. “It doesn’t matter, the Department needs your help protecting her and you are going to do it, the head office said they want you and that is final.”

What a wake up call lunch with Stephanie had been, he had been put on detail to watch and protect Tasha, and Stephanie had not said whether he could have contact. He was going to have contact, regardless, he needed it, if anything to provide him with some closure, He knew that Tasha didn’t feel for him as he felt for her. Now, He would find out for sure if she hated him or not, maybe if she did not… they could start over again. The file was on his desk as Stephanie had promised it would be and he sat down flipping it open, the words seemed to jump out at him “Personal Bodyguard.” A detective, as a personal bodyguard was unheard of in most places, but everyone knew that Alex was a part of the FBI’s protective custody department as well… at least the people who worked in his office knew that. In the folder, it stated that he was going to have a personal interview with the local news channel on why he was chosen as her bodyguard. He hoped that they were going to discuss this with Tasha before he appeared on television saying he was going to be her personal bodyguard.

He looked through her file amazed at all of the changes they had made, her beautiful, perfect breasts were made larger, and her hair had been cut and dyed. Why did they have to mess with such perfection? he sat back with a yawn in his recliner drifting off to sleep wondering how she would react when she found out. His dreams as always were filled with her, but this time she wasn’t evading him she was right there where he could touch her. She was angry at him she was cursing at him calling him names for putting her in this situation for taking her away from her home and from him. Boy, was she pissed she screamed at him that she wished she had never fallen in love with him…this had to be a dream, Tasha wasn’t in love with him…was she? Stephanie HAD said she was pining for him, but that couldn’t be true. She was probably pining for her deceased husband, that made more sense.

He woke up covered in sweat, shaking from the emotional roller coaster ride of that dream. He could not shake her from his dreams and now she was going to be in his life again…what his dreams would be like then, he was afraid to think about that.
He wiped his brow and headed for the showers, it was going to be a cold one he thought looking down, despite how angry Tasha was or whatever happened in his dream, he always woke up in an aroused state. He laughed, it was always without fail, him with a hard on and no one around to take care of it, at least…not who he wanted to. With a yawn he dragged himself over to the bathroom flipping the shower on cold, man…this was going to hurt. He stepped in beneath the cold water and his body jerked in shock “fuuuuuuck that’s cold” he hissed. He ran his hands vigorously over his shoulders trying desperately to fight the shivers that consumed him, the only part of him that did not seem affected was the reason he was in this cold water in the first place. He sighed leaning against the back of the shower wall letting the cold water pour over his straining erection the sensation pleasant yet painful at the same time. His thighs trembled as he willed his body to calm his arousal to go down to a normal flaccid state. With a sigh of relief as his body shrunk, he flipped the water to hot thankful as the beads of fluid warmed his shivering flesh, hurriedly he lathered up wanting the shower at this point to be over as fast as possible. Stepping out he wraps himself in a thick fluffy towel the course texture of the fabric speeding the warming process. Today was going to be a long day, full of cameras, makeup and all kinds of movie star bullshit. He was just a detective; he didn’t want to deal with this crap.

He entered his office and was immediately swarmed with messages, from the producers, the news crew everyone wanted to talk to him before his piece on the news, he just wanted to forget it. How was he going to explain his connection, couldn’t they just SAY on the news he was going to be her bodyguard, why did he have to actually be interviewed. He went past his secretary and into his personal office and settled back in his leather chair and on cue his telephone rang, he picked it up hesitantly “this is the office of Detective Deliege, what can I do for you today?” the voice on the other end send shockwaves through him “Alex? Its, uh, Allura…Stephanie informed me that you will be my personal bodyguard, and I wanted to welcome you to the team and everything” she sounded as if she didn’t know what to say to him, uncomfortable almost. “Stephanie said it would be a good idea if I called you to make sure that, we got to know each other before your televised piece tonight, I have been able to convince the news crew to just take pictures and shots of us together, rather than interviewing you”. She said goodbye and he put down the receiver, wow… that was her, the dulcet tones of her voice had him in shock and a state of arousal not indifferent to this morning, well he wouldn’t be getting up anytime too soon.

The camera crews rushed into his office equipment strewn everywhere loud chatter filling the confined space as they hurried to get set up, A hush filled the office as Tasha, A.k.a Allura, strode in through the front door. She was different, he thought more confident, stronger …aloof, she was still just as beautiful maybe even more so if that was possible. He stepped forward extending his hand towards her, and she took it gently her palms were still like silk, she pulled him forward and wrapped him in her arms and the cameras went crazy. He was sure all of the camera operators were in shock wondering why this amazing star was hugging this simple detective, who was now designated as her bodyguard. They gawked and stared while recording the whole thing the event was live on TV for the world to see, or at least anyone who watched. Thankfully, for the lights no one could see the tears this reunion had brought Tasha she bore them with pride however, the ability to hold Alex once more meant so much to her. She stepped out of his arms and waved at the camera and Alex was amazed at her beauty and grace, she was one hell of a woman that was for sure. He smiled and waved at the camera as well as the newscaster stood in front of it and gave his speech about a warm welcome from star Allura to her newest bodyguard. They had made their impression to the public and that was what mattered right? He hoped that she wouldn’t change her mind, that hug…it was exactly what he needed personally and he didn’t want to think it was just all an act for TV.

She left quickly Stephanie virtually rushed her out of the room Alex watched them go with a forlorn feeling, why couldn’t she have just stayed, so they could talk. He wanted so badly to apologize for having to leave her with Stephanie, but it looked like Tasha and Stephanie had become good friends, which was good. Tasha needed a friend right now, especially with the violent history of the Fucilla family; it was a good idea to have a friend who could protect her. That was what he was …right? The problem with that was quite simple, Alex wanted to be more than just a friend, he wanted to be a lover, a confidant, and more, he wanted Tasha with him for the rest of their lives. How could you tell a woman that you barely knew that you wanted to marry her that you wanted to
be there to protect her for the rest of her life and yours?

Alex wanted to go to the show, so badly, he wondered if she would be looking in the crowd for him, but unfortunately the Fucilla’s had to make an appearance in NY. As her bodyguard he had to investigate and put them on surveillance to make sure they didn’t try to hurt Tasha. He was still head of the investigation on the Fucilla family after all, the bodyguard thing was just part of the investigation, according to the file. He had to sit in his unmarked sedan outside their warehouse all night long, rather than stare at Tasha parading on the runway in all her glory. He turned on the radio to the local fashion station hoping that they would play the show on the air. Sure enough no more than five minutes after he turned it on they were announcing her name loud and clear Allura Star, the new star of the runway. They talked about the dress she was wearing and the low décolletage, he could imagine her breasts pushing outwards. Just as his fantasies began to run away with him, Vincent Fucilla came out of the ware house door and was received by a black limousine. The interior light revealed a stunning woman in a sequined red dress, she looked very familiar, Alex lifted his binoculars, no…. it couldn’t be… it was Shelly! He pulled out behind them making sure to wait two car lengths difference trailing cars had always been his specialty he had never been caught by who he was following. He turned skillfully down the street making sure to keep distance between them but never losing sight of the vehicle ahead if him, his thoughts running away with him. What the hell was Shelly doing with Vincent Fucilla, everyone knew that he was the New England Mob Boss, a man to be feared, and not toyed with as Shelly had a habit of doing. Maybe she was in on this from the start, it had not seemed it before, but now that he thought of it, it was suspicious how she just showed up after he returned from dropping Tasha off at the complex.

He picked up his cell phone and speed dialed Stephanie, as the Fucilla car approached the Hilfiger show on Broadway avenue, he needed to make sure everyone was aware of the situation. Her voice was bisque as she took his information, he had a ticket to the show automatically as Allura’s personal guard, I guess it was time that he made his appearance. He hoped that Stephanie did not tell Tasha, he did not want her to get upset or scared on her big night, this was after all only her first show, she probably wouldn’t even notice his presence. With so many people floating around her, so many cameras, how could she notice him? He slipped on his suit coat, the black coat melding perfectly to his broad shoulders, he had to find a way to avoid Shelly seeing him, if that were to happen the whole case would bust open. He ducked in between a group of people trailing inwards flashing his ticket skillfully at the ticket master, who of course recognized him. Anyone who would see him would recognize him as Allura Star’s body guard. He trailed the thick group inwards making sure to stay behind Shelly and Vincent, not wanting to be seen but wanting the ability to see at the same time. He saw Stephanie standing by the entrance to the dressing rooms and lifted a hand in a wave, knowing regardless of his bodyguard status, as a man he was not allowed back there, despite how badly he wanted to burst in grab Tasha and run out, it was not his place. He stepped over and entered the balcony nearest to Vincent and Shelly grateful for the cover of darkness to mask his identity.

He looked down on the show, beautiful woman after beautiful woman filing out onto the runway, Vincent and Shelly never moved, but…Tasha, never came out, he started to fidget. According to the program, she should have been out three times by now, Where the hell was she? He looked down at the dressing room door and waved at Stephanie, she went out back seeing the panicked expression on his face. Within seconds, she was back out herself waving frantically she text messaged his phone and he looked at her words with dismay, Tasha, Allura Star, had disappeared.