Truth Be Told
Book One: Music of My Heart
Chapter Three
Gwen clicked the phone off and stared into her reflection in the window and sighed. "This is gonna be a very long two weeks." She whispered to herself. Nodding she went out of the room and decided to take a walk around the hotel. She walked out of the hotel room and headed down towards the elevators once hitting the lobby floor she walked briskly out into the outside part of the hotel. There were several pools and walking paths used only for the people staying at the hotel. As she walked she became more at peace with herself. After a couple of moments she realized that she was being followed, years of being a spy didn't leave her empty handed. She made a quick turn and hid behind the trees. Moments later a man dressed in black creped onto the paths. Once he had successfully passed Gwen she lunged out at him grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back as they landed on the ground. "Who are you?" she whispered in a monotone voice into his ear.
"Jack Dostal." he grunted spitting out some dirt. "I'm assigned to protect a young women that is out here right now."
"Why should I believe you?" she hissed into his ear.
"My back pocket has my ID in it." Using her available hand Gwen reached in and pulled his wallet out. Inside she found his ID.
"Spell your name." She commanded looking through his wallet, a piece of paper fell out and she was startled to discover that it was a picture of herself.
"J-a-c-k D-o-s-t-a-l" Jack said.
"Who is the women in the picture?"
"What picture?"
"The only one in your wallet, it was found behind your ID."
"That's the women I'm suppose to protect."
"And who is that women?"
"She is a companion for Mr. Quatre Winner who is a guest of the hotel, the conference has assigned guards to him as well as his female companion...can you let go of me? This is kinda uncomfortable." Gwen chuckled before pushing herself off his back and dusting herself off. "Whoa." Jack said standing up. "Your her...the one I'm suppose to protect."
"The one and only." Gwen said smiling. "Sorry I was kinda ruff with you. I just wish I had known that they had given me a guard." Jack blushed,
"They didn't really want you to know. I must be really losing my touch I had only been following you for twenty minutes before you found out I was following you."
Gwen smiled, "Don't feel bad I was trained to notice little differences around me." she turned and began walking down the path once again, "So Jack how did you get assigned to me?" Jack walked beside her and took a couple of minutes to create a beneficial answer.
"Your reputation proceeds you when I heard that a Yuy was going to be staying here I went to lengths to find out more about you. Your brothers are very well known."
"That they are." Gwen said.
"Anyway they gave us a picture and your enchanting beauty captured my heart. I knew then that I would have to meet you or at least be near you." Gwen blushed, his confession had made her feel guilty.
"Your honesty is commendable Jack." she said looking at the flowers that they passed by, "I'm afraid I didn't do myself justice by attacking you back there."
"On the contrary you proved what I had hoped; that you could take care of yourself and wouldn't stoop so low as to accept protection just because it was offered. You are truly a brave women, Miss Yuy."
"Why thank you, but how can you clam to be enchanted with me if we have only known each other but a few minutes?" Gwen said turning to look at him. He was standing much closer that she had originally calculated. She turned back to look out over the lower half of the gardens.
"Don't you believe in love at first sight, Miss Yuy?" Gwen closed her eyes as she felt his breath against her ear. What he had just said reminded her of the first time she had seen Quatre or at the time he called himself Quat.
"What do you know about love at first sight, Mr. Dostal?" Gwen asked as she moved away from him towards the other side of the terrace.
"I know of the passion that fills my heart every time I look at you. I feel it when you look at me." he whispered coming once again to stand behind her. Gwen turned around and looked into his eyes.
"What about the way I look at you? You have but known me for a few moments-"
"A few moments can last a life time." Jack whispered.
"If you know anything you know that my love lies with Mr. Winner."
"It lies within his money." Jack corrected.
"What makes you think that?" Gwen asked turning back around and watching the sun set. The sun setting spoke that it was nearly six. The dinner started at seven.
"Because the man is scrawny and a women has needs," he whispered rapping his arms around her and letting them glide down her arms, "Needs that only strong men can give them." he whispered in a husky voice as he nipped at her ear.
"What do you know about my needs?" Gwen asked pushing him away.
"I know that you are attracted to me." Jack said moving towards her again. Gwen looked him over. She would be lying if she said she didn't find him attractive.
"So what if I do think your good looking? I think many men are as such and that does not mean that I put you above the rest. Now Mr. Dostal you'll have to excuse me I have a company dinner to attend to in a hour with my boyfriend so if you'll excuse me." she said as she pushed past him. Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her around and pressed his lips forcefully against hers. He crushed her against his chest wanting to deepen the kiss. He pulled back but only enough to say a couple of words, he stayed close enough that she could feel his lips making the words against her lips.
"Never doubt what you have here with me. If you wish to learn more meet me here tonight at midnight. It is then when you will finally realize how much of an angel you are." Seconds later Gwen opened her eyes, to find herself standing alone in the gardens. She raised a shaking hand to her lips and touched them. Before she knew it she was fleeing towards the hotel, where she could be alone and away from what had just happened.
* * * * *
Quatre paced around the main room expectantly. When Gwen had come back from her walk she had ran into the bedroom with out saying a word to any one. Quatre sighed as he slumped down into a chair, something was wrong he could feel it. Rubbing his temples he sighed, things were just not looking good for this week. Not only was he having trouble keeping his hormones in check with Gwen around but he couldn't help but let his mind wander towards her every once and a while. In his case it was hazardous to his health once her brothers found out, especially Heero...mostly Heero Quatre thought. The one time he had talked to Todd made him seem a pretty decent person. He wouldn't simply kill someone just because he felt like it. However Heero was a different story, even though he had promised never to kill again, he was very sure that breaking every bone in his body was an equivalent that Heero would have no problem doing if he hurt his sister.
"Something wrong Master Quatre?" Rashid asked from the shadows.
"Nothing Rashid." Quatre said as he watched the other members of his security sit around and watch TV.
"Rashid leave him alone. Every one knows that the only think wrong with Quatre is that he's in love." Abdul yelled from his seat on the couch. Quatre glared at the young man.
"That's right haven't you seen the way he looks at Miss Yuy Rashid? And we thought you caught everything." Muhammad called taking another swing of his beer.
"Is this true Master Quatre?" Rashid asked, Quatre blushed wildly looking around the room.
"Our little Quatre is growing up." Abdul mock cried. "It seems like it was just yesterday he was just running through the gardens back home saying how he saw a beautiful little butterfly." Abdul and Muhammad stopped.
"I think that was yesterday." Muhammad whispered before the two Maganacs began laughing. Quatre and Rashid just rolled their eyes.
"Master Quatre are you in love with Miss Yuy?" Rashid asked ignoring the two men on the couch.
"I don't think so..." Quatre said leaning forward and propping his elbows up on his knees. "I try not to think of her to much but I can't help it every time I think of her I get all warm and fuzzy inside." Rashid patted Quatre on the shoulder.
"Don't worry Master Quatre everything will work out in the end." Quatre nodded and closed his eyes and slowly began rubbing his temples trying to block out the noise the all the men were making.
"I'm ready Quatre." Quatre opened his eyes and noticed how every man in the room was looking at the women behind him. He turned around slowly and lifted his eyes. Quatre felt his tongue go limp in his mouth. He looked her up and down. His pants felt suddenly too small. She was wearing a simply lavender dress that came down to just about her knees and flared out a little with matching shoes. Her hair was down and looked incredibly silky. Her white creamy completion made her look like a porcelain doll. One that he was seriously considered taking to bed with him right that very minute and skipping dinner all together. Gwen shook those thoughts from his mind and smiled at her.
"Gwen you look..." He watched as she fidgeted, obviously nervous, "You look absolutely and undeniably ravishing." he whispered taking her delicate hand in his and kissing the back of it. Rashid rolled his eyes as the other two snickered.
"Isn't in love with her, my ass." Abdul whispered and Rashid elbowed him in the ribs.
"Did you say something Abdul?" Gwen asking looking past Quatre.
"He was just commenting on how beautiful you look." Quatre said as he glared at the three men. Gwen blushed as Quatre led her out of their room and down towards the restaurant in the lobby where they would be having dinner that night. Through the entire elevator ride Gwen avoided conversation with Quatre. Every time he tried to start talking to her, she would change she subject or be like her brother, Heero, just give a one syllable answer.
"Gwen?" Quatre asked, taking her hand.
"Yes?" she asked not looking at him.
"Did something happen on your walk around the garden?" Gwen's head shot up at his question and searched through them.
"No nothing unusual. Why?"
"You seem rather reserved that's all I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."
"I'm fine I just with that you had told me that the conference was going to assign a guard to me." Quatre looked at her in question.
"The conference didn't assign any one to look after you. They can't do that." Quatre told her.
"You don't have to lie about it Quatre, he already told me that they didn't want me to know."
"And I'm telling you Gwen," he said as the elevator doors opened and she began walking out, "I didn't know. The only people that should be protecting you are my people." Quatre said grabbing her arm and making her look at him.
"Whatever." With that Gwen tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and began walking towards the restaurant. Quatre was very aware of the looks his female companion was receiving and he couldn't blame them.
"Must they keep looking at me like that?" Gwen whispered as they walked through the lobby.
"Can you blame them its not every day that a walking angel is in their midst." he said as he took her hand and once again kissed it. If it wouldn't have looked rude he would have gladly stared at her.
"I'm not an angel." Gwen whispered as one of the men in the lobby sent her a wink. "Angels are beautiful."
"You are beautiful." Quatre whispered.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Gwen said.
"Well this beholder finds you enchanting." Gwen blushed and looked away. At the dinner she was obviously the other men's favorite as well. Not only was she polite and courteous she was not afraid to voice her opinions on the business they were discussing, unlike many of the other women there. Quatre sat at the opposite head and Gwen sat to his right. Quatre noticed her uneasiness as she talked with the people there. He watched as her eyes moved around the room as if she was looking for someone. Most people wouldn't have noticed, but he was trained. He watched her as she shifted back and forth in her seat. Since they were in such a small room. They had to be careful of what and how they said things.
"Sweetheart is something the matter?" Quatre asked as the waiters removed their appetizers.
"No nothings wrong dear. I guess I'm just a little tired from everything that has been going on today. It must be jetlag." she said shrugging her shoulders a bit.
"Yes I suppose so." Quatre murmured squeezing her hand before turning towards another person and resuming his conversation. During the entire night more then once a man said that if Quatre wasn't careful he would steal Gwen right out from under his nose. Quatre chuckled and Gwen smiled but she avoided eye contact with Quatre. That's when Quatre felt it, he knew that these men in the room that were single were attracted to her, who wouldn't be. But he felt somebody near by that had a very different view about her. It wasn't the men that was sitting at the table, it was someone else... someone that was watching her from afar. Quatre turned around and gave a quick look over the guards that were position behind them. He noticed how one of them their sunglasses slipped and a quick wink peeped out from behind them. He turned around to eat when he notice Gwen break her gaze away from someone behind Quatre. Quatre reared. There was another man, he thought. Then shook it out, it doesn't matter, he told himself, its not like I have claims on her. But he couldn't help but feel the jealousy that swam through him at the thought of another man thinking of her the way he was. A sudden blush covered across his face as he remember how he was think of her a couple minutes ago. He felt her hand cover his,
"Quatre are you all right? Your face just turned a bright red, did you eat something bad?" Quatre's blush deepened and he squeezed her hand.
"I'm fine its just a little warm in here." Gwen nodded and smiled up at him. Quatre's smiled back and felt like his heart was about to burst. Her smile had that type of an affect on him. He patted her hand and then went back to eating his food. Once the dinner was over they bid their fair wells to some of the guest and then retired to one of the sitting rooms where they did some more talking. Laughing one of the men and his wife sat down at the piano that was in the corner of the room. Together they began to play an upbeat tune. One of the men that had been sitting in the circle that she and Quatre were talking to stood up and bowed to Gwen.
"May I have the honor of this dance?" He asked trying to act serious, the other men laughed. Gwen smiled up at him nervously.
"I would love to." she said taking his offered hand. The two of them went into the middle of the room and began to dance after a couple of moments a bunch of other people began to do the same. Quatre continued to talk with some of the men that weren't dancing. Soon after someone tapped him on the shoulder,
"It looks like your being replaced Mr. Winner." he said then pointed to the man that was currently dancing with Gwen. Quatre smiled as he watched her. A couple of men patted him on the shoulder telling him that if he wanted to keep his women he better get out there and get her. Quatre just smiled an continued to watch her. The man she was dancing with turned her and Quatre's eyes narrowed when he noticed how low the man's hand was. Out on the dance floor Gwen was having her own problems,
"What are you doing here?" she hissed at the man.
"I told you I was assigned to protect you." Jack said smiling.
"Quatre said that the conference isn't allowed to do that." she glared back.
"That's the point the people aren't suppose to know."
"Let me go." Gwen said as she turned and started to walk away. He grabbed her hand and turned her pulling her tightly against him.
"If you struggle with me it will cause a seen to break out and it wouldn't look good upon you or Mr. Winner. So I suggest you consider that sweetheart."
"I know for a fact that you aren't suppose to be here and I want to know why you are following me."
"And I already told you I was assigned to take care of you."
"Liar!" she hissed. "If you don't let go of me right now I'll make sure that you regret it."
"And if you so much as make a wrong move the press will be on your back to potentially ruin you and Mr. Winner." Gwen glared at him. He smiled, "Don't glare at me baby you know you want me." he said pulling her closer to him and squeezing her butt.
"I will kindly ask you to let me go and remove your hand from my rear." Gwen said.
"Or what?" he asked. He knew he was pushing his luck but he was enjoying it.
"Or your going to have a very annoyed young man to deal with." Gwen turned around to see Quatre glaring at Jack. "I will ask you to please let go of Miss Yuy and remove yourself from our presents." Quatre said as he took Gwen's hand.
"And if I don't?" Jack asked getting up in Quatre's face, the two men were about the same height and things were going to get ugly real fast.
"That is enough both of you." Gwen whispered, people were looking over at them. Getting Quatre Winner mad was not easy and by the way he was looking at this men everyone one assumed that he was very angry.
"Gwen was this man bothering you?" Quatre asked.
"He was just being a little forward Quatre. There was nothing wrong he was just about to leave, weren't you." Jack smiled and looked at her.
"Whatever you say baby, I'll see you later." With a wink Jack turned and left the room. Quatre turned to Gwen.
"Are you all right?" he asked taking her hands in his. Gwen nodded and let herself be led over to where they were sitting earlier. Gwen and Quatre sat next to each other as to appear to be the couple that everyone thought they were. By the time they ended things there it was nearly midnight. Gwen claimed a headache and left. A couple of minutes later Quatre said that he should probably go check on her. Smirks appeared on the faces of the men present as Quatre slipped out of the room. Quatre watched briskly up the stairs towards their room. Upon entering he went to the bedroom and found it empty. Something was wrong...very wrong. Quatre turned on his heal and left the room. He quickly went out into the gardens that he had known that she had been to earlier that day. Soon after he found her on the terrace towards the back of the garden. She looked so peaceful there, he didn't want to disturb her. Taking a deep breath he walked towards her. Quietly as he could he stood next to her.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked quietly. Gwen jumped startled.
"I could ask you the same thing." she said quietly.
"Gwen what's wrong?" he asked turning towards her.
"You've already asked me that this evening."
"And you still haven't answered me." Gwen sighed.
"I'm sorry I've just been down all day...I guess I just miss my family." she said. She could feel her eyes watering up. Quatre looked at her. Leaning over he covered her hand with his.
"Don't worry," he said, "You'll see them again soon." she turned and gave him a watery smile. Removing her hand from his grip she rubbed her arms. "Cold?" Gwen nodded,
"Just a little." Quatre smiled and removed his jacket and put it around her shoulders.
"This better."
"Yeah thanks." Quatre nodded, he moved behind her and rapped her arms around her. Gwen snuggled deeper into his arms leaning her head against his shoulder.
"How about this?" he whispered in her ear. His breath tickled her ear and she shivered in delight. Wrapping his arms tighter around her she closed her eyes.
"Much better." she whispered back to him. He felt her nodded and rest his head on top of hers.
"If its any consolation." he whispered turning to look at her, "I'm really glad that you came to live with me." he said. Gwen nodded smiling up at him. "You know before you came along I didn't think I'd ever find that one person that was right for me." Gwen stiffened at this.
"And I know this wasn't suppose to happen...but...I think I-"
"You know you shouldn't rush into these types of things and if you'll excuse me for a couple of minutes I think I need to be alone for a while." With that Gwen removed herself from his arms and walked briskly the other way. Quatre just stood there shocked. He wasn't really sure what had just happened. Seconds later he followed in the direction she had just gone. Gwen turned the corner that led back up to the hotel.
"I didn't think you would come." the voice whispered in a deep voice.
"Who's there who are you?" Gwen asked turning around.
"You know who it is sweetheart. I told you I'd come for you."
"Leave me alone I don't want anything to do with you."
"And we both know your lying." Gwen took a step back as the figure walked towards her. Quatre turned the corner and saw what was going and picked up his pace to get closer.
"Leave me alone." Gwen commanded.
"I can't do that." Quatre's eyes got big as he saw the glint of metal shine through the bushes. With out thinking he lunged forwards as he heard a gun shot and the sound of Gwen's scream.