Chapter 49

"Honey I'm home" she sings as she strolls through the door pleased with her little acting role.

Bern, sitting at the table, rushes to the door to greet her.

"Oh I am so happy you are back, I was worried every minute. How did it go?"

"Just how we planned my lovely and I got a good deal to boot"

"Excellent, when do you start meeting the clients?"

"Tomorrow morning first thing"

"Blimey that quick, no rest for the wicked eh" she said surprised.

Waiting until Bridget was in the shower, Bern calls Dan to let him know the update.

"Hey hope I am not disturbing you"

"Ha, when am I ever busy babe plus it wouldn't matter even if I were busy. You can disturb me whenever and however you want" Dan says with a cheeky smile

"I just wanted to let you know that Bridget is in and we are all set"

"That's fantastic, any problems with Saim?"

"No none at all as far as I'm aware. By the sound of it, he couldn't wait to get her in and started. He wants her there tomorrow"

"Blimey he must have been impressed. Now all she needs to do is to spread that little bit of extra love around his clients. She has got that extra something I'm hoping she has?"

"Yes she certainly has, I don't know what, but she told me herself" Bern continues "If you could see the transformation she has gone through, she is a world away from what she used to look like a couple of weeks ago. She is stunning," Bern says proudly. Her face beaming with the satisfaction of a job well done.

"I knew you could do it babe. She will have her own room in the house so she should be safe enough until this is over"

"Well erm there is one thing, she made a deal with Saim that she will stay in her own flat,"

"Her own flat, she can't go back to the Rat's shit-hole"

"No she's not Dan. She is staying here with me" Bern states waiting for the retort.

"No way I don't like it Bern. You will be too close to danger and that was not in the plan" Dan raises his voice to make a point.

"Don't take that tone with me" she spits back "Look, you brought her into this, and me for that matter, she has agreed to do this so I am going to make damn sure she is as safe as possible. If that means after every day or night, once she's finished doing your dirty work, she comes back here, then so be it."

Dan could hear the anger in her voice. There was one thing he knew about Bern and that was when her mind was set, then it was set, and nothing or nobody would change it. It didn't matter how much he protested, he knew it wouldn't make a difference. In his mind, he understood that she was right. He had brought Bridget into this without even an iota of thought for her.

"Okay Bern I don't like it one bit but if it makes you feel better then that's fine. Just please keep her out of sight as much as possible. If she needs anything then you will have to get it for her."

"Don't worry please, Saim had no idea anything was amiss. It will be nice for me to have a girlfriend around. I get lonely without you here."

"I know you do love but it won't be for too much longer. Stay safe and sweet dreams darling. I love you, you know that don't you?"

"Of course I do and I love you too"

The feelings, coursing through his body like a static charge, were a mixture of elation that the plan, so far, had gone without a hitch, and anxiety. He didn't even want to let Bern know any details of the plan until everything was done and dusted, let alone have her play a part in it. It was too late now though, there was no going back. All he could do was make sure they were both safe, somehow.

Ray had already put himself in harm's way for him and ended up mutilated, for that, he held himself personally responsible. If anything happened to Bern, there would be no point in him carrying on. The guilt he could not let go over Ray was unbearable, to live with the knowledge that he had made Bern suffer in anyway would be impossible and would tip him over the edge, and he knew it.