Bounty Hunter [REWRITTEN VERSION]

Chapter 19: 'Law' Has No Buisness Here

ALEC

He felt a pang of sorts as Maize left, watching her go with and wondering what made her leave as he was left standing solemnly in the middle of the floor.

She hadn't looked alright, he thought. She had been fine up until something changed, her eyes grew distant and suddenly she lost her smile. He hadn't failed to notice how she had gone from perfectly fine to not fine a all in a matter of moments. Like she had seen something that disturbed some sort of anxiety in her. But that couldn't be right...It was unlike her to lose her nerve so promptly like that. Or, maybe it had been him. Had he done something unknowingly wrong by asking her to dance? It had been an unexpectedly improvised move on his part, but he hadn't seen the harm in it. They would have been left standing uncomfortably in the middle of the floor otherwise. And besides, dancing had not at all been on his 'this-is-what-might-happen-today' list—let alone dancing with Maize. In fact, he had been fully prepared to hear her shut down the idea as soon as it had left his mouth. Imagine his surprise when she did the exact opposite.

It brought him a little more joy than he cared to admit.

Maybe it was because of how ticked off he had felt seeing her flirt with the blue-suit gambler. He hadn't known what he had been thinking at the time other than he couldn't believe she was wasting her time around a guy so unworthy of it. The guy was clearly a sap, and wasn't really that impressive to look out from his point of view. She could do better.

But he remembered that as soon as he had seen the guy begin stroking her leg, something in him had snapped. Enough was enough. And before he knew it, he was at her side, unknowingly cutting into a charade that she was playing just to get a name.

So perhaps he had jumped the gun a little bit. Didn't mean his intentions hadn't been honourable.

Plus, the satisfaction he got from getting to scare the shit out of the guy he was still pissed at didn't hurt.

Alec sighed to himself, figuring there was no reason in continuing to stand there doing nothing—especially with the small group of women who had begun to take some sort of interest in staring at him—so turned and began making his way through the crowd. Closer to the band, he caught sight of Kishan and the casino owner still dancing, twirling, and smiling. They looked like they were having fun.

For a moment he conflicted with himself, briefly wondering whether or not it would be best to stay and keep and eye on the two—since guarding Kishan was still his job—or if he should just leave them alone for now. Alec knew Kishan wasn't a kid, and though he tended to act like one, he was, in fact, older than him by a couple years. He would be fine on his own for a little while wouldn't he?

But still, making sure his friend didn't run into trouble or get caught was his job, the whole reason they were here. So far, it didn't seem to matter where—trouble could come at them from all directions.

However, as the detective flashed his friend and the casino owner another glance, he saw that they looked just as fine as the had since they had begun dancing in the first place. And Alec did note that Kishan wasn't just losing himself in the distraction that was the casino woman, he kept his eyes looking out here and there, relaxed, but staying alert enough--as a wanted man and all. Maybe Alec was just overthinking.

Heck, if Maize trusted her casino friend with their mission then he could at least trust her enough to make sure Kishan didn't get into any trouble for one night, right? That thought didn't convince him, but it was enough to satisfy his reasonings as he turned away from playing bodyguard and began sliding through the rest of the crowd. He was going to find Maize, see if she was ok. Seeing how she hadn't returned.