Triple-Duty Bodyguards: Chapter 9

I don’t like Briar’s new dress.

It’s too glitzy for my taste. Some girls need sparkle and glitter to look good. They hide behind makeup and fancy clothes. But Briar is so naturally beautiful, she doesn’t need any distractions. I prefer her in plain colours. White is my favourite; it makes her blonde hair glow and her skin look all smooth and creamy.

I kneel in the bushes, watching through the window as she twists and turns in front of the mirror. A fly buzzes around my ear, but I don’t dare reach up to bat it away. Any sudden movement might draw attention to me.

I’ve gotten very brave since my first visit to Briar’s house. The night I climbed over her fence and into her bedroom, I didn’t even feel real. It was like I was dreaming, or playing a computer game. I couldn’t believe that I got away with it, but I did, and now, it doesn’t feel like a game anymore. Now I know that I can get close to her.

It was easy enough to follow the paparazzi to the designer’s house. Someone had left the gate to the courtyard open, so I sneaked in and hid in the bushes. I have an excellent view from down here, although I wish I had thought to buy some binoculars to watch closer.

As I watch the window, a big man suddenly steps forward, looking outside. His eyes scan the courtyard, and I curl back into the bush, scowling.

He’s the kind of man I hate. Naturally handsome. He has a perfect jaw and tanned skin and floppy black hair. A man that looks like that can have any girl he wants.

A horrible thought occurs to me. Is he Briar’s new boyfriend? The idea makes me feel sick. And angry. Very, very angry. For a moment, I’m so angry I think about doing something drastic.

Then I realise how he’s looking out the window. He’s scanning the courtyard, left-right-left-right. I notice the earpiece in his ear and the insignia on his collar. He’s not a boyfriend; he’s a security guard. That makes me relax a bit, although I’m still nervous that my Briar is spending so much time with such an attractive man.

Briar says something to him, and he steps away from the window. She starts to undress, and he quickly turns around to face the wall.

Definitely not a boyfriend.

I watch, entranced, as Briar strips down. When I see her pale pink bra reflected in the mirror, I start to ache.

She shimmies the dress onto her body, showing off her little waist and pretty hips. My mouth goes dry. My hands start to shake. I get lightheaded. No one should look this beautiful.

I lift up my camera and take a picture.