“I’ll have you know I’m a size two.”

“Your clothing size does not mean you’re healthy Flora. To be honest, you could stand to gain a few pounds of muscle. You’ve been wasting away since your parents passed. I’ve been worried about you, and this bodyguard is some kind of a health nut.”

I huffed impatiently. “If I gain weight I’ll never be able to find clothes that fit me.”

I was petite, but my hips and breasts were a little too big for my frame. When I gained weight I looked like a giant apple with arms and legs.

“You’re super rich Flora, you can have your clothes made special to fit you.”

“This is a ridiculous conversation,” I said. “Besides, maybe the cops are right and there’s some other explanation for what happened with my brakes.”

“If you suggest that mice chewed through your brake lines or something equally ridiculous I’m going to hang up,” Henry threatened.

I sighed. I knew Henry was right. I didn’t think my cut brake lines were an accident any more than I thought my parents slipped on black ice that night. But if I focused on the idea that someone wanted to harm us, kill us even, I just wanted to cry. And I never cried.

“And let’s not forget the threats you’ve been receiving the past few months.”

I was trying hard to forget that actually. Maybe vague threats about killing me just came with the territory given my wealth and stature in the company. There were a lot of crazies out there, that didn’t mean that anyone would follow through on those threats.

Hopefully.

“Okay, so my personal trainer slash bodyguard is going to be here for how long?”

“As long as it takes for us to figure out who’s behind these attacks,” Henry replied. “I’ve got an entire team at Sapphic Security running down leads on this. Hopefully they’ll turn something up quickly and you can go back to living your normal life.”

“A normal life without my parents,” I reminded him sadly. “Keep me informed how things are going, will you please?”

“Of course. And please be careful Flora. You’re like a daughter to me. I don’t want to lose you too.”

After I hung up with Henry I felt out of sorts. I headed downstairs to the private gym in the basement and did some gentle stretches before getting ready for my new bodyguard to arrive. I might not like to work out, but I loved yoga and pilates. They kept me slim and flexible and helped center my mind.

By the time I was finished I was already feeling better. I headed upstairs to change my clothes and get ready for the day. I’d justfinished my hair and make-up when I got the call from the guard stand at the front gate of my family’s estate.

“Miss Meyer, there’s a Teresa Taylor here for you. She says you’re expecting her.”

“Send her through Bob, thank you.”

I headed to the front door, waiting as someone pulled around a nondescript sedan to the parking area on the side of the house. About a minute later a woman came striding towards me, looking everywhere at once. She was dressed in black jeans, a black tank top with no jacket despite the chilly weather, and black boots.

My breath caught as I saw her face. She was beautiful. Her features were perfectly symmetrical and smooth, her skin extremely pale, even by Seattle standards. Her plump lips were dark red, although I didn’t see any evidence of a lip paint on them. Dark brown eyebrows curved over her wide, almond shaped eyes that were an unusually bright shade of blue.

She was tall and muscular but still feminine with high breasts and rounded hips. A large duffel bag was slung over one shoulder with something sticking out of it that looked like…

“Is that a sword?” I asked.

The woman’s eyes snapped to mine. “Flora Meyer? I’m Teresa Taylor from Sapphic Security and… uh...”

She stopped in front of me, looking like she’d just seen a ghost. I stretched out my hand.

“Yes, I’m Flora. Nice to meet you Teresa.”

When I took her hand I felt a weird little tingle, as if she were electrified. I guess she felt it too, because Teresa just stared down at our joined hands like she’d never seen fingers before.

She seemed to snap back to the present as I pulled my hand away.

“Why don’t you come inside and I’ll show you to your room?” I suggested. “Then we can have some herbal tea and get to know each other.”

“Do your guys do perimeter checks?” she asked.