Page 26 of Bound to the Bodyguard

Swallowing hard, I pushed open the door, steeling myself for whatever version of my mother I would find today. The room was bathed in soft sunlight filtering through sheer curtains, casting a warm glow over the familiar space. My mother sat in her favorite armchair by the window, her gaze distant as she absently played with a threadbare blanket.

“Mom?” I called softly, a voice tinged with both trepidation and longing.

She turned towards us slowly, her eyes clouded with confusion before recognition flickered in them. A small smile curved her lips as she struggled to place my face. “Jerome... is that you, sweetheart?”

A lump formed in my throat as I crossed the room in quick strides, dropping to my knees in front of her. “Yes, Mom, it’s me. I’m here.”

Raven stood back, giving us space.

My mother reached out a trembling hand, her fingers brushing against my cheek as if to confirm my presence. Her gaze shifted to Raven, who stood at a respectful distance, watching the scene unfold with a gentle expression. “And who is this lovely lady?” she asked, her voice laced with fragility.

I glanced back at Raven, silently urging her to introduce herself. With a warm smile, Raven stepped forward, her presence calming the air. “I’m Raven. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

My mother’s eyes brightened with recognition as she nodded slowly. “Raven... what a beautiful name.” Her words held a flicker of the sharp wit and charm that I remembered—a glimmer of the woman she used to be.

Tears gathered in my mother’s eyes, a mix of joy and sadness swirling in their depths. Her voice trembled as she reached out a fragile hand to touch my face, as if making sure I was real. “Oh, Jerome, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you. You’ve grown into such a fine young man.”

Her words pierced through me, a bittersweet reminder of the cruel passage of time and the fleeting nature of memories. I held her hand gently.

“They said you weren’t having a good day. You seem okay… do you need anything?”

Her eyes locked on mine. “No, I’m about to take a nap before my soap operas come on. Then I’ll lunch.”

It was only a matter of time before her memory would fade and the woman I was talking to right now would be gone. “Okay, Mom. Well, I love you. We’ll leave, but call me next week and I’ll come by and we can play some Monopoly for old times’ sake, okay?”

“That would be wonderful, dear.”

She had moved from the chair to her bed now. I hated leaving her, but when she was diagnosed she made me promise not to come visit her every day. The doctor advised that her memory would go back and forth, and the last thing she wanted was for me to watch her slip away. However, it wasn’t that easy to just leave her there.

Raven followed me out to the car and then settled inside. I needed to take a second to compose myself. I was not going to let her see me cry.

“It’s none of my business, but we can find somewhere nicer for your mother to stay.”

“This is what I can afford.”

“You’re doing your best for your mother, and that’s what truly matters.” Her voice was a soothing presence in the midst of my internal turmoil.

Taking a deep breath, I started the car and pulled out of the facility’s parking lot, the weight of the visit still heavy on my shoulders.

The streets passed by in a blur as I navigated towards Raven’s house, my mind still replaying moments from the visit with my mother. Despite the pain and heartache that Alzheimer’s brought, there were fleeting moments of connection that I treasured, like pieces of a puzzle that slowly fit together to form a fragile picture of who my mother once was.

As we arrived back at Raven’s house, I turned off the engine and sat in silence for a moment, collecting my thoughts before facing the reality of the day once more.

Chapter 17

Jerome

Ileaned against the sleek black SUV, scrolling through news alerts on my phone. There sound of an approaching engine. I slid my phone into my pocket and started forward at an easy jog, keeping my movements casual. As I approached the gate, I realized with a sinking feeling that the box was meant for Raven. My jaw clenched, hands balling into fists once more.

I whipped around, eyes scanning the area as panic surged through my veins. Where were they? I had to get Raven out of the house, now.

A sharp crack echoed through the air and a bolt of pain exploded in my thigh. I stumbled and crashed to the ground, gritting my teeth against the agony radiating from his leg. A tranquilizer dart.

I turned my head to find the shooter in the trees across the road, catching a brief glint of light on a rifle scope.Then everything went black.

A few minutes later, I blinked my eyes open slowly, vision blurry and head pounding. I was dimly aware of the metallic taste of blood in my mouth and the ache in my wrists where they were bound behind my back.

I tried to move my legs and bit back a groan as a spike of pain shot through my thigh. The tranquilizer. Memories flooded back in a rush—the box, the shooter, getting hit. Raven. I had to get to Raven.

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