"No need." Rosemary’s voice was drawling. "Gordon, if you’re really that bored, just play so gas on your phone, but keep it down, will you?"
Gordon’s cheeks flushed a shade of red as he nodded and complied.
He wondered how the situation was faring on Mr. Griffith’s end.
Unable to resist, he took another peek at Rosemary. Even in the dim light, her beauty was captivating.
Ti seed to slow until Rosemary eventually drifted off to sleep. Gordon fetched a spare blanket, intending to cover her gently, but even the slightest rustle reached Rosemary’s ears, prompting her to instinctively lash out in self-defense.
"Ms. Rose, it’s chilly. I didn’t want you to catch cold," Gordon stamred, after receiving an unintended slap.
Upon seeing the blanket in his hands, Rosemary murmured an apology.
So close to her, Gordon could see the porcelain smoothness of her skin and her long lashes. His heartbeat was thunderous, and realizing his own awkwardness, he quickly said,
"It’s alright, I’ll wait outside."
After handing her the blanket, he hurried onto the balcony.
The next morning dawned.
Rosemary was awakened by the sound of a phone call. As she lifted her gaze, she realized she had fallen asleep at so point, now wrapped in a soft, fuzzy blanket.
Looking towards the balcony, she saw the person there had finished their call and instinctively glanced her way.
Their eyes t briefly before Gordon quickly looked away.
He opened the balcony door, and the brisk, snowy air rushed in.
"Ms. Rose, you’re up. Mr. Griffith said Mrs. Griffith made it ho safely. There’s no need to stay at the hospital.
Shall I take you back?"
"My aunt’s back?" Rosemary rose from her seat. "Alright, I’ll go see her."
Her aunt had been staying with the enemy for so long. Rosemary worried about her aunt’s wellbeing and the severity of any possible injuries.
After checking on the elderly patient in the bed and finding nothing amiss, Rosemary prepared to leave.
Passing by Gordon, she could feel the chill emanating from him. She glanced up,
"Did you stay out on the balcony all night?"
"Ah-choo!" Gordon, caught off guard that Rosemary noticed such a small detail, explained,
"It’s not proper for a man and a woman to stay in the sa room. I didn’t want Mr. McMillian to get the wrong idea."
Rosemary nodded.
"Well, make sure to take so cold dicine when you get back."
"Will do."
Gordon snuck another glance at her retreating figure, though in truth, it was because being alone with her made his heart race too fiercely. He needed to step outside to calm his nerves.
Half an hour later.
As Rosemary returned to the manor, Bard was just coming downstairs.
"Rose, you had a rough night. Your aunt is back safe and sound, and she’s already resting. You should get so sleep too," he said with concern.
"How was last night?" Rosemary’s voice had barely faded when she noticed Bard’s left hand wrapped in a bandage.
"Just a scratch, nothing serious. Your aunt’s safe return is worth far more than this. I’d take a hundred more wounds for that."
Bard summarized the previous night’s skirmish with a single sentence:
"Mafia Rock is history now."
Rosemary understood.
"Is my aunt okay? Should I go check on her?"
"She’s fine," Bard’s eyes softened as he spoke of his wife.
"Frank caught so shady characters lurking nearby. They’re locked up now. I’m going to check it out. If they’re part of Alexander’s remnants, I won’t let them off easy."
"I’m coming with you."
Rosemary followed Bard, and from a distance, she saw Frank standing guard at the basent door.
Upon seeing Bard and Rosemary, Frank greeted them with respect.
"Sir, Ms. Rose, these are the sa guys who clashed with us over the diner last ti. They were the ones who threatened us, saying that even the almighty wouldn’t stand in their boss’s way. They said if their boss was pleased, she might spare us ’mutts’ our lives, but if not, we’d be the ones without a place to rest in peace."
Bard recalled the incident.
Last ti Frank had asked who their boss was, and the reply was cheeky.
At that mont, one of the captives woke up. Hearing Bard’s order for interrogation, the man blurted out,
"Where is this? Do you think this shabby room can hold ? Wait until I get out of here and show you."
That familiar voice and tone made Rosemary push through the crowd for a better look.
It was Jack!
Jack was stunned to see her.
"Boss, you ca to rescue so soon! I knew you wouldn’t abandon ."
Bard, Frank, and Gordon exchanged bewildered glances. If they weren’t mistaken, this guy just called Rosemary "boss"?
What was going on?
Feeling her husband’s gaze, Rosemary smiled and interjected,
"Friendly fire."
"You, you, you’re saying I’m on the sa side as this guy?" Jack was in disbelief.
Frank was equally surprised. The person who had beaten him and his subordinates black and blue last ti was one of Ms. Rose’s subordinates.
"Rose, what other secrets are you keeping? What else don’t I know?" Bard asked with a teasing smile.
Jack was shocked. It was like a family feud, but could it be that the silver-masked man was Bard’s subordinate?
Talk about a misunderstanding.
Eventually, Jack and his crew were released, and Rosemary revealed her "Mr. Bryant" identity to Bard.
"You’re Mr. Bryant?" Bard was astounded.
No wonder he found the fighting style of the girl he saw previously so familiar. It was the sa person!
He never thought Mr. Bryant to be a girl. After all, the last ti he saw Mr. Bryant was Mr. Bryant dressed in a black suit like a man.
"Uncle Bard, my boss has had a tough life. She beca our leader to protect us, to keep us from being pushed around. Don’t think badly of her because of her identity. She’s done a lot of good in her life."
Jack affectionately called Bard ’uncle’ and didn’t forget to add,
"Uncle Bard, we’re hungry."
"You sure make yourself at ho," Rosemary teased.
"Ain’t your ho ours too?" Jack chuckled.
Bard laughed heartily.
"I’ll have the kitchen whip up sothing. Frank didn’t go easy on you, did he? No serious injuries, I hope."
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