Total pages in book: 185
Estimated words: 172387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 862(@200wpm)___ 690(@250wpm)___ 575(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 172387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 862(@200wpm)___ 690(@250wpm)___ 575(@300wpm)
My girl enjoys the attention and I’m forever grateful to mom who’s going overboard because she knows my baby doesn’t have a mother to fuss over her. “I won’t be for much longer. It seems like every time I see mom she’s feeding me.”
She broke into the latest tale of Justine’s theatrics. Mom has no boundaries so she’s invaded every aspect of my wife’s life. Even her asshole boss hasn’t been spared. He’s already been warned about what would happen to him if he overworks her daughter in law, or sends her out on any dangerous missions.
I sat for another few minutes in case she changed her mind and wanted to finish off my dessert and by the time dinner was over I knew what I was going to do with Todd Henderson, but I needed to test him first. If he fails I’ll let Lyon kick his ass to the curb. I’m not about to have my new ‘niece’ hooked up with a dud.
TODD
That first call was followed not long after by another that was just as strange. There was no hello, and the only reason I knew it was him was because of the missing name and number on my phone screen. As was to be his way for all future calls, he got straight to the point.
“Mancini here, how much training have you had kid?”
“I’m not sure I understand, training?” He didn’t answer.
“I’ve trained as an athlete, taken karate and Taekwondo since I was a kid but I’ve never had any real training as a fighter if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Sometimes fighting doesn’t always have to be with your fists, your mind’s what I’m after for now. Though if you’re going to work with me you’ll have to know how to protect yourself. That can come later.”
“Wait, what do you mean work with you?”
“Did Catalina tell you anything about me?”
“Not really.”
“Do you know why she asked me to call you?”
“Well yeah, she seems to think that her dad won’t allow Caitlin to leave for college a year early if I can’t protect her.”
“What do you think?”
“I’m not sure, I mean I know Mr. Lyon is a bit protective, but protect her from what? Is there something going on that I don’t know about?” My mind went to the men I’d seen at her family’s home over the holidays a year ago and all the secrecy surrounding them. My gut started to hurt.
“I’ll tell you all you need to know in the future, right now I only need to know one thing from you.”
“And what’s that?”
“Do you want her there with you?”
“Of course.”
“Then you’re going to do everything I tell you to do. And Todd, this conversation doesn’t go any further than the two of us.” He hung up the phone.
He called me with a lot of strange requests in the next couple of weeks and by the end of the first month I finally understood the strange questions Catalina had asked me before she gave him my number.
Though I never got to meet him in person, it didn’t take me long to realize what he was and what he was, is the real deal. I couldn’t find anything on this guy, but since he’d let it slip that first day that he’d gone to school here, I did some digging.
I came away even more confused than before. There was nothing! Almost as if someone had walked around behind this guy and erased his existence not only here on campus, but his whole life between the ages of nineteen and his mid twenties.
His life seems to have started after he opened his business in New York, which makes no sense whatsoever. But one thing was for certain; everyone who knew him from his time here, meaning older faculty members, had great respect and admiration for this guy.
I got another one of his strange phone calls days later, something I was growing used to. I felt like I’d walked onto the set of a James Bond movie each time I dealt with this guy. No lead up, nothing, just straight to the point as usual.
“I’m sending someone to you. He’ll tell you what you need to do next; I’ll be in touch.” And that’s how I met Jace Saunders and his crew. I’d been walking across campus a couple days after that cryptic phone call when this kid approached and started walking in step with me.
“You Todd?” He was relaxed, laid back, and the way he made it look like we were old friends just catching up as we walked along to anyone who might be looking made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. This had to be Mancini’s guy.
“I am, and you are?”
“Jace! He called and told me to come find you but I needed to check you out myself before following that particular order.” He looked at me as we walked, that same friendly smile in place.