Guarding Shelly

"How much would it cost?" She finally cut to the chase.

"Quarter of a mil."

Shelly sighed, God, had it really come to this?

"Fine."

A pregnant pause hung between them. Then Ty shut off the television.

"Do you understand what you're asking me to do?"

"Yea, I understand. Come to bed and fuck me before I change my mind."

Ty shook her head, a smirk on her lips. She licked her lips, still shaking her head.

"You can't go back, Shel. Not once you put this in motion."

Shelly nodded, standing up and heading toward the bedroom, "that asshole's not going to kill my brother. I'll have the money for you tomorrow."

***

Mylo had been taken by surprise only a few times in his life. The teacher assaulting his baby sister...being asked to leave his parents' home...his sister's relationship with Ty. And now, as he sat across from the muscular, dark-skinned woman he was quickly coming to see as more than just a business acquaintance, he had trouble comprehending the words that had left her lips.

"What did you say?"

Ty inhaled on the joint Mylo had offered. She took a moment to enjoy the burn of the smoke in her lungs before releasing it and stubbing out the joint.

"She had me put a contract out on Gallo."

Mylo closed his onyx eyes, rolling his head from side to side slowly in an effort to release some of the tension in his neck.

"Tell me you talked her out of it."

When Ty remained silent he felt another knot of tension form.

"When?"

"Three days ago."

"Who's on it?"

"Tony."

Mylo closed his eyes again and swore beneath his breath. At least Tony was good.

"What were you thinking Ty? Why would you let her do something like that?"

Ty remained silent.

"When did she decide this?"

"The night we were at your place."

"Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Mylo stood from the plush burgundy sofa and began pacing the room. The thick white carpet did little to hide the sound of his angry steps. He tried to force himself to calm down, but could feel the anger swelling, threatening to explode.

"God damn it! As if I don't have enough on my mind! He finds out who ordered that hit and she's dead! Dead! Fuck!"

"That's not going to happen."

"Fuck that shit Ty, you know damn well he'll make it happen! What the fuck were you thinking letting her do that?! God, what the fuck do I pay you for?! You're supposed to be watching her!"

Again, Ty remained silent. She watched as Mylo continued to pace, watched him battle for control...watched him lose that battle. When his fist punched through one of the pristine white walls, neither of them was very surprised. He continued to pound the unforgiving surface until his knuckles were bloodied. Moments later he was sucking in deep breaths like a drowning man sucking in air.

"When does Tony think he'll get it done?" He finally managed to ask minutes later.

"Hard to get to Gallo. Three weeks, maybe a month."

"How much did she pay?"

"250. Half upfront."

He shook his head, "God, she's a raving lunatic. My sister's a fucking lunatic."

He dropped down onto the sofa again and ran his hand over his bare scalp. He was scared. Scared for her. Ty couldn't watch Shelly 24 hours a day. And if Gallo found out, he wouldn't rest until she was dead. There wouldn't be a place she could hide on the entire planet. He would pay millions to get to her. That meant it had to be done. Quickly, quietly and successfully. There could be no room for fuck-ups. Tony was good, but sometimes he took too much time to plan. They didn't have time. Word like this spread and it spread fast.

"Tell him I'll double the price if he gets it done in two weeks. Now get the fuck out."

***

She and Mylo never discussed it, although Ty told her Mylo knew. Instead, they went on with life as usual. She went back to her schedule, Ty keeping a very close eye on her, and she made it a point to dine with Mylo every night possible. She even dragged him to their parents' house, trying to help her family bridge the gap. It didn't do much good, considering her parents spent more time wondering about the silent, muscular woman by Shelly's side rather than mending fences with their estranged son.

Two weeks later, the failed attempt on Gallo's life was all over the newspapers. Reporters speculated about who and why, but it didn't take a rocket scientist for Gallo to figure out who was at the top of the list. And so she sat beside Ty in the reserved booth at the club, dressed in skin tight black leather pants and a gold, oversized men's silk shirt, sipping at a tumbler filled with vodka, waiting. Mylo had promised to meet her there at eight, but it was now 9:30. She was trying not to panic.

"Where is he?"

"Relax, he'll be here."

She nodded, but she didn't relax. By ten, she was tapping her foot impatiently. By 11 she was biting her manicured fingernails. When he finally arrived after midnight, she could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong.

He didn't join them at the table, waving them over instead. Once seated in his Mercedes, he took Shelly's hand in his.

"Jimmy's been shot."

She sucked in a breath, her ragged fingernails digging into his hands.

"How is he?"

"Stable. I have him in a private hospital upstate."

She nodded, releasing the breath she held.

"He's okay Shel, I have some people with him."

She closed her eyes, "okay, okay, we expected this, right?"

Mylo hesitated for a moment and then shook his head with surprise, glancing over at Ty.

"Yea, I guess."

"So what's next? Tony tries again, right? Do we still give him the bonus? That might give him the incentive he needs to do it right this time."

Her voice was cool and calm, her dark eyes bearing into her brother's. He paused another moment and then decided this was no longer his baby sister. This was a woman he was speaking with, one he could be upfront with.

"No, we pay him the balance you promised if he accomplishes the task and we hire someone else to work a different angle. It's going to be next to impossible to get to Gallo now."

"Who do we have as options?" Shelly asked.

They discussed their options in a no nonsense business like manner for the next few minutes before Mylo's driver dropped them off and Ty escorted her up to the apartment. They were silent in the elevator, but when her apartment door closed behind them she was a little startled when Ty grabbed her upper arms in a brutal grip, slammed her back against a wall and covered her lips hungrily. Shelly reciprocated with little hesitation, the heat of the moment taking over. She helped Ty remove her top, ignoring the sounds of the expensive silk tearing. Instead, she relished the feel of Ty's mouth, her lips, her tongue burning a path from her collar bone to her breasts. She couldn't stifle the moan of pleasure as Ty captured a hardened nipple between her teeth, feasting on it, creating a tension in Shelly's body that stole the breath from her. Abruptly Ty released the nipple, dropping to her knees, quickly removing the skintight leather pants and diving into the sweet smelling sea of arousal at Shelly's core. Shelly could feel her stomach tense, enjoying the incredible sensations this woman's talented tongue created until she was overcome by an orgasm, her knees buckling. Ty shifted to lay her down on the carpet, but didn't allow her to catch her breath until she was gasping for mercy almost an hour later. They lay, naked and spent, on the carpeted living room floor. Some time later, Shelly went to get them something to drink from the kitchen, following Ty into the bedroom with glasses of orange juice. They sat beside one another on bed for a few moments in silence before Shelly spoke.

"What's the likelihood of Gallo going through you to get to me?"

The question was met by silence. She sighed.

"I don't suppose you'd leave if I asked you to?" She asked softly, her voice catching as the fear of what she'd done, the knowledge of the lives she'd placed at risk, bore down on her. She tried to stop the tears, but couldn't. Ty didn't reach for her, didn't comfort her. Instead, she watched as Shelly cried for a few moments, struggling for control. After a short spell, Shelly wiped the tears from her face and looked into those bewitching emerald green eyes.

"I love you."

She'd been expecting some words of comfort from the stoic woman, but not... She could feel her hands begin to tremble, the tears gathering in her eyes again. Had she ever expected to hear those words from this woman? She watched as Ty set their glasses aside. They settled into the comfort of the bed, Ty pulling her close. She would sleep tonight, beside her protector, her lover, her friend. The woman she'd fallen in love with. She would sleep, and sleep well. And then, in the morning, she would ask Mylo to fire her.

***

She tossed and turned, plagued by dreams of fists flying, blood splattering...her brother's death. When she woke, it was 3am and she was bathed in a cold sweat. She took a few moments to gather her wits, breathing deeply, before standing from the bed and making her way to the bathroom. It was after splashing water on her face that she realized Ty had not been in bed beside her. She cracked the bathroom door just a bit, listening to the sound of a deep voice speaking softly in the living room.

"I heard right, they're planning to hire someone else to do it...the Swede most likely, at least the brother suggested him...no, he's paying for it...no, I got no problem with that Mr. Gallo, I'll be out there in the morning."

Shelly could feel her blood go cold. Had she just heard what she thought she heard? Had Ty just told Busco Gallo that they planned to hire someone else to kill him? She closed the bathroom door quietly, her back pressed against the door as she slid to the floor. This could not be happening. Ty worked for Gallo? But...that was impossible. Ty had defended her. Ty had helped her plan the first hit...hadn't she? Or was that why the hit had been unsuccessful? What had Ty actually done with her money? How could someone as reputable as Tony suddenly miss his target?

She shook her head. She must have misheard. There was no way Ty would betray her brother...betray her. Ty loved her. She was certain of it. She knew it with every fiber of her being. Ty would never do anything to hurt her. Right?

The tap on the bathroom door startled her and she hurried to her feet, yanking the door open.

"You okay?"

Shelly simply stared at her. Just stared. She had committed the face before her to memory. It lulled her to sleep at night, kept her sane when she worried, aroused her senses regularly. That rather plain, dark-chocolate brown face, the thin lips, a flat nose with a bump on the bridge, her square chin...she loved this face. Just as she loved Ty's perfectly sculpted body. She knew she was new to relationships, but could she have been this blind? This stupid? Was she fucking the enemy for God's sake?

"I'm fine," she finally mumbled, walking past Ty and crawling into the bed to bury herself beneath the quilt. When Ty settled down beside her, she held her breath, trying not to cringe as the weight of her muscular arm settled around her waist. Any other time Shelly would relish the comfort Ty's presence brought her. Now, she wondered how she would pretend to sleep long enough to slip out of the apartment in a few hours and share what she'd heard with Mylo

*

Mylo rapidly approached the booth at one of their favorite breakfast spots in Harlem. She ignored the two men he'd brought with him, trying not to worry that he finally recognized he needed protection. Her cup of coffee sat untouched before her and she watched Mylo's face shift from the genuine pleasure of seeing her to annoyance when he realized Ty was not with her.

"Shel, where's Ty?" He demanded angrily.

"At the gym I think, I slipped out of the apartment to meet you here."

"Shel—"

"Mylo, just listen to me," she interrupted abruptly. The words spilled from her lips, the shock and anger reaching a boiling point as she hurried to share her news with him. She saw shock register on his face, then disbelief.

"You're wrong. You heard wrong. She wouldn't do that."

She nodded, glancing down at the coffee rapidly chilling before her. "Yea, I've been saying the same thing for hours Mylo. Except I heard her."

He was silent and she lowered her gaze, nervously clutching the coffee cup between her trembling hands, afraid to look up and face him. Did he think she would have come to him if she wasn't sure? Did he know what it took out of her to repeat what she'd overheard? She swallowed down the anger...and the hurt. The confusion and the humiliation. If only she was wrong. If only there was some other explanation. But when she forced herself to look across the table at her big brother, the man who had protected her for so many years, she knew she was right. He had pieced together the puzzle just as she had. And unfortunately, it made sense. How had Gallo been able to infiltrate Harlem without someone on the inside? How had he found them at the club the night Mylo was released? How had his goon found her to assault, threaten and intimidate her? Why did they always seem to be a step behind resolving this problem with Gallo? There really was only one explanation.

"Let's get out of here," he snapped impatiently.

She stood to follow him silently, blindly, ignoring the tears that had begun to swell. How could this have happened? How could Mylo have made such an error in judgment? And how could she have been stupid enough not to put it all together earlier? How could she have been stupid enough to fall in love with that woman?

She was silent as Mylo's Mercedes made its way to his apartment. She only heard a fraction of his phone conversations, wincing every time he seemed to confirm a fact that convicted Ty. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. There was a chill inside of her. One she knew she could do nothing to rid herself of. Once the car stopped in front of Mylo's brownstone, she hurried inside and rushed to the bathroom, vomiting what little she had in her stomach into the toilet. She stood once she was finished, splashed cold water on her face, and then sank to her knees and gave way to the tears that threatened to swallow her whole.

*

Mylo forced himself not to open the bathroom door as he listened to her sobs. There was nothing he could do for her at the moment. How could he have been so idiotic? How could he have placed is sister in harm's way? When he reached out to the contacts that had assured him Ty was good people, they all realized they "heard" about her from someone else. No one really had a close connection with Ty. Not even Jimmy, his right hand man, who had given Ty the thumb's up. She had served time, of that he was certain, but he didn't really know much about her other than that. They'd done business in the past. She seemed like an okay person, but that was all he could say about her. And when she was so careful with his sister, he just assumed...

He shook his head. He could have gotten his sister killed. It was a miracle she had even overheard Ty. God, he was taking too many chances with her life. Too many chances with his own life. It was time to be the big brother Shelly needed him to be. It was time for him to cut his losses and leave. Fuck Harlem and fuck Gallo. His sister was more important to him than anything else. And she was going to need some time away from New York...away from Ty.

*

Shelly wasn't certain how long she remained in the bathroom, kneeling on that cold, tiled floor, sobbing until her head was pounding with pain. She did manage to pull herself up, straighten her clothing and make her way to her brother's living room. She sat across from him on a white leather love seat, her arms wrapped around herself once again. She was certain her eyes were puffy and red, her face decorated with discolored blotches, her hair disarrayed. And she could honestly admit to herself that she just didn't give a shit. She waited for her brother to speak, refusing to look at him.

"I have a place in the Florida Keys—"

"Mylo, don't start that again. I can't deal with sitting in some strange place alone right now," she offered exhaustedly.

"You won't be alone, we'll both go."

She finally looked over at him, warmed by the concern for her so clearly evident in his eyes. She could feel herself tearing up again and forced herself to swallow them down.

"Mylo—"

He shook his head, silencing her. "I thought this fight was important to me. It's not Bear. Let's just go. We'll chill for a while and then decide what we want to do next, okay?"

She closed her eyes, quickly wiping away the tears that escaped. She was filled with a sense of relief...and dread. Relief that this nightmare would soon be over. She wouldn't have to worry about Mylo returning to prison, or someone trying to kill him, any longer. And yet...and yet leaving meant she would probably never see Ty again. Just the thought caused her chest to tighten in pain. She so desperately wanted to believe this was all a huge mistake. Maybe...maybe Ty had some rational explanation for what she'd overheard. Maybe...

She opened her eyes and searched for the comfort of her brother through the film of her tears.

"When can we leave?"

*

She was numb...so numb. Barely anything registered as she followed her brother to the airport and on the plane. A few hours later, she was standing on a balcony in one of the four bedrooms of Mylo's lavishly decorated penthouse. Her view? Beautiful blue water as far as the eye could see and yachts docked at a marina. There were lovers and families strolling along the boardwalk, people dashing in and out of shops. It was a splendid place and she wished she could enjoy it. Instead, she could only think about the cell phone she'd tossed in the trash before boarding the plane. Ty had called and she'd been far too tempted to return that call.

She took in the view, but she didn't see it. She was incapable of processing anything right now. She only felt...numb. Dazed. Confused. Hurt. So very, very hurt. Ty had lied to her, used her, manipulated her, put her and her brother in danger. She had betrayed them...betrayed her. Had it only been a few hours ago when those three words had brought tears to her eyes? Lies. All lies.

She wanted to hate her, wanted to put out a contract to end Ty's life...but she knew that was the pain talking. She wanted to run to Ty, throw herself in her arms, let Ty hold her close and soothe her, explain away this nightmare...but she knew that was just her heart longing for the one she loved. The conflict within her had led to a migraine and nausea. But she knew she would be okay...one day. She would look back at this episode and grow from it, learn more about herself, figure out a way to read people more accurately...but today was not that day.

She quickly removed her clothes, settling herself beneath the thick quilt on the queen sized bed. Today was not a day for lessons. Today, she would sleep...and hurt...and long for Ty. Today she would ignore her grumbling stomach and just pray the day away. And tomorrow? She would count the number of mistakes she'd made and tally up her very many regrets. She'd feed her soul with expensive liquor and excellent chocolate in an attempt to block out some of the pain. And the following day? The day after that? The day after that? Probably more of the same.

And then one day she would be able to stand up, look herself in the mirror, and forgive herself. For falling in love with someone as deceptive and deceitful as LaShonty Williams. She would remember that she was a good, kind, smart woman and hold her head high, carrying on with her life. One day she would be her old self again.