Page 2 of Playing Hardball
The police are in on it. The police! I laugh hysterically. Even the police have been bought out in search of me. I have nowhere else to go. I sit in the car for several minutes, crying and cursing. After a while, I force myself to calm down and think practically. I remember something I stumbled on a few years ago. I’d suspected the day would come when I would need it and I’d saved the link to their website on my email. I take out my phone from my purse and look up the company.
Reagents Protection Agency.
It says on the homepage that they undertake several grey area missions, and when I check other pages, they technically allude to helping you disappear if you’re on the run. It’s exactly what I need. I check for the address. After a few minutes of deliberation, I decide to head there. I start the car and drive away from two years of my life.
Chapter 2
(Benton)
______
There’s a loud ding at the gate of the mansion. It's the doorbell, which means we have a visitor. It's probably someone who needs help.
“Uh,” Joseph says, stroking his small beard. “We have a new client.”
I walk to where he’s standing and sure enough, there’s a young lady in front of the gates. The camera feed is in black and white so I can’t really see her clearly. Her face is also the only thing visible because she’s standing so close to it.
“How can you tell she’s a client?” I ask my friend and business partner.
“The only time anyone ever visits us is when they need our help,” he tells me. “You go and gather everyone into the conference room. I’ll go welcome our guest,” he says before walking out.
I decide to use the house intercom since that would be faster. I tell our other partners to move to the large conference room on the second floor. By the time I get there, they are already seated. I take my seat as well and the four of us wait for Joseph and the woman.
“Is it a man or a woman?” Miguel asks.
“A woman,” I answer and he immediately grins. Ritchie shakes his head.
“Thinking you might finally get some?” I ask, smirking.
“I get plenty enough,” is Miguel’s reply.
“Enough. Would the both of you please try to act your ages. A client is on her way. Be dignified,” Thomas says.
He doesn’t even look up from his phone. He’s only a few years older than me and Miguel but he acts like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. I guess it kind of is. He’s the head of our little group. He’s responsible for getting everything in order.
Joseph soon arrives with the woman in tow. It isn’t until she’s standing in front of me that I realize she’s such a beautiful woman, with a heart-shaped face, wavy blonde hair and brown eyes. I try and fail not to notice her full breasts, then quickly turn away before I’m caught staring. My cock stirs beneath my pants. Has it been that long since I’ve been with someone? I force the arousal away.
She starts to get uncomfortable under our stares, and it makes me smile. I glance at my friends. Joseph, Ritchie and Thomas are assessing her, watching and trying to understand and gauge her before she tells her story. Miguel is leering at her in an unprofessional manner. I fight the urge to smack his head.
She seems to have had enough. She clears her throat loudly and that jolts all the men out of their former states.
“This is a protection agency, right? I need your help,” she says boldly and straight to the point.
I have to give it to her. Not a lot of women would stand in front of 5 full-grown men and not stutter or be shy. I get the feeling that she’s not a woman that gets intimidated easily.
“Right. I apologize, miss?” Thomas asks.
“What makes you think I’m not a Mrs.?” She retorts with a smile. Thomas is not amused.
“Solace. Miss Kim Solace,” she says. I would bet my left nut that’s not her real name.
“Alright, Miss Solace. We need to know your story. We need to know why you need help so that we can help you.”
She bites her bottom lip. She looks nervous all of a sudden.
“I’m on the run from some bad people. I need to disappear, completely. I can’t trust anyone, especially the police. Which is why I’ve come to you.”
She doesn’t offer any useful information but Thomas’ eyes soften when she mentions the police. He lost his wife in a manner similar to Kim. It’s the reason our company exists. To help those who can’t turn to the police.
