Where We Left Off - Romeo Alexander Page 0,22

“Well, for the past few years. Now that I’m back in Port Dale, he’s making sure that he has eyes and ears on me at all times. He’s even added extra security to follow me around and lurk outside my quarters. He says due to the fact it’s nearing re-election time, he needs to make sure the family is safe, but I don’t buy it.”

Tyler glanced over his shoulder, then back at Nate. “Security, huh?”

“I don’t know why he would think I’d buy his version of events. It’s not as if he ever had extra security on the family at any other election time. I think he just wants someone who will report to him every little thing I do. Sonia managed to distract the pair assigned to me at the house so I could get out without a pair of overpaid babysitters,” Nate said, frustration lacing his words.

“Paid to follow you around,” Tyler repeated.

“Yes,” Nate glanced at him, frowning. “Why, what’s wrong?”

“Would they by chance notice you were gone, out from under their noses, and come looking for you?” Tyler asked carefully.

“They might,” Nate said slowly, starting to look over his shoulder.

“Don’t look,” Tyler warned him. “We’ve had a couple of guys behind us for the past half mile or so. They’re keeping at a distance and sometimes hang back, but they’re definitely watching us.”

“Damn it all,” Nate swore softly.

Tyler grinned. “Want to get away from them?”

“Where could we go without them on our heels?” Nate asked.

Tyler chuckled, pulling some bills and change out of his pocket. When they rounded the next corner, the trees hiding them from view, he slipped them into Nate’s hand.

“You are going to get away. And next time we make plans, we can find somewhere that they won’t stalk us,” Tyler explained. “But we’re coming up to another curve. If you cut straight across it and go to the nearest exit, you’ll find the metro. Remember how to use it?”

He could see Nate torn between scowling and trying to restrain himself. “Yes, I remember.”

“Then use it with the money I gave you and get yourself somewhere else. Then just head home, and we can do this again,” Tyler told him.

“Understood, but why not just let them catch up or keep following us? This seems like a lot of work just to delay the inevitable,” Nate said.

Tyler snorted. “Inevitable nothing. And just because there doesn’t seem to be that good of a reason doesn’t mean there isn’t.”

“That makes no sense Tyler.”

“It means you can either play their game, or you can play your own. What do you want, Nate, to stick to the leash or have a little fun in the process?”

And maybe, just maybe, he could get Nate to understand that he didn’t need the leash. Tyler didn’t know if that was what was best for Nate or not, but so far, Nate had never had a choice. Better to let him at least see there were other options, even if those attempts to educate him came in the form of stupid little games played at his bodyguard’s expense.

“Plus, I don’t like people following us around. It’s creepy,” Tyler added for good measure.

Nate snorted at that. “Fine, fine, just tell me when.”

Tyler waited until they rounded the next corner and were out of sight again. “Okay, now.”

“I’ll message you to tell you how well your plan worked,” Nate said before stepping off the path and into the collection of trees.

Tyler grinned, waving him off and kept walking, though he picked up the pace. He’d jogged through the park enough times to know the right paths to take. He had an idea that although they were there to keep an eye on Nate, they were using Tyler as the target to follow. His bright pink tank top would have been easy to spot among all the foliage, and he was always the taller and larger of the two of them. If that were the case he could keep the two men occupied, trying to follow what they thought was both of them while giving Nate time to get away.

It was a little bit of trickery he’d learned from Clay and Elliot. The evasion tactics had been mostly Clay’s, though Elliot had piped in with his own helpful tidbits. Tyler had never had to really use the skills before, and he was pleased to see that they were working. For the next twenty minutes, the two men continued to trail along behind him, trying to keep