Trent, Bryce and Anna noticed the satisfied smile on Nika's face the moment she entered the kitchen.
"Hello everyone, what a beautiful day this is!" Nika greeted her friends in an easy tone of voice.
"Oh I know that look," Trent said with a smirk and nodded, "You just got some! Good for you, girl!"
Anna agreed, "She was definitely sweatin' up the sheets before we got here."
Bryce arched an eyebrow, "By yourself or with someone else?"
With obvious annoyance Nika answered, "With Frank! He's in the bedroom."
"That man of yours has great timing! Valentine's day is just days away," Trent stated and continued, "And we both got ourselves some Grade A men to spend it with."
"Hell yes!" Nika proudly concurred. "But we can talk more about that later because right now we have to get Madison ready for the dance."
Trent held up a medium sized shopping bag, "I brought the accessories!"
Anna picked up her black bag of hairstyling products, "Here's my tool box."
"And mine!" Bryce showed off his makeup kit.
"Great, let's do this," she gestured to her friends to follow her upstairs.
From outside Madison's bedroom door, Agent 47 could hear Nika, her friends and Mai raving about Madison's appearance. With a loosely closed fist he tapped on the door.
"Who is it?" Nika asked.
"It's me," Agent 47 replied.
"Perfect! We need a straight man's opinion!" Trent said, "Come on in!"
He opened the door to find five smiling faces staring at him, "Hello Everyone," he said to them.
In unison, Trent, Anna and Bryce replied, "Hi Frank!"
His beloved stood up from the bed and planted a quick kiss on his mouth, "Frank, we want to know what you think of Madison's look."
"Ok," he gave her a slight nod of his head.
"Come on out Madison," Nika said.
Madison emerged from the bathroom wearing a red velvet knee length dress with a pink ribbon tied underneath the bust line and capped sleeves. Her red hair was held up in a French twist. A silver necklace hung above the dress's scoop neckline and the pink diamond earrings she wore shimmered.
"So?" The teenager nervously asked Agent 47.
He told her the truth, "You look lovely."
She beamed and immediately hugged him, "Thank you!"
Nika held back her tears when she saw her hitman slowly embrace Madison and kiss the top of her head.
"Awww!" Everyone else in the room said.
Feeling a bit embarrassed at their reaction, he kept his eyes on Madison.
Madison withdrew from him, "Oh no, I forgot my ring!" she quickly let go of him.
When she disappeared into the bathroom, Nika put her hands on his chest and softly kissed him, "That was perfect. Now, go downstairs because her date Derek is going to be here and I need you to scare the shit out of him so he won't try to get all grabby with her tonight."
He was a bit confused, "What do you want me to do?"
"Be menacing without actually touching and straight out threatening him but make sure he will get the point. OK?"
An idea popped into his head, "I can do that."
"Good now go…." She realized how pushy she sounded, "Please?"
He appreciated how much she changed, "I'm on it," he pecked her mouth and absently grazed the dragon tattoo on her heart with his fingers.
When he left the room Bryce said, "Is it just me or did he just get to second base with Karina?"
With a roll of her eyes and a small laugh, Nika grabbed a pillow off the bed and threw it at Bryce's face.
Almost immediately, Agent 47 opened the door as the doorbell finished ringing. His dark eyes examined the fourteen-year-old boy standing in front of him. From where he stood, he determined that Derek was 5'8 and between 150 to 160 pounds. His spiked up dirty blond hair added one inch of height to him.
Derek Landis adjusted his dark frame glasses and stared up at the tall bald man in front of him and meekly offered his hand, "Hi, I'm Derek. I'm Madison's date."
"I'm Frank," he firmly shook his hand and saw a trace of pain come across Derek's pale complexion. "Come in."
"Thank you," he entered the home and tried to ignore the soreness in his right hand, "Are you Madison's father?"
He paused then said, "No, I'm her mother's boyfriend. Please sit," he gestured to the couch with his hand.
Derek sat on the couch, "Oh ok. Well, it's nice to meet you Mr.."
"Holt. Would you like something to drink?" He asked as he went into the kitchen and picked up an apple from the bowl of fruit on table then returned to the living room.
"No thanks. Are you chaperoning with Ms. Petrova tonight?"
"I am. You go to school with Madison?"
"Yes, we're in a lot of the same honors classes.." Derek became unnerved at what Agent 47 did next.
With the apple in his left hand, he sat on the couch across from him and removed the gleaming combat knife from his pocket. Keeping his eyes on Derek, he rotated the apple in his left hand and cut it with the deadly weapon.
"Uh-um..I like Madison we uh..we really get along and she's a nice girl."
"She's a very nice girl," he corrected him and grinned as he continued to cut the apple while still maintaining eye contact.
"I agree!" He desperately stated.
"She's a young woman and like all women she should be treated with respect," his voice had an eerie edge to it. His eyes glared at the teenage boy.
"No arguments here!" he held up his hands and nervously laughed almost dropping the single rose that he brought.
His gaze softened, "Good. Apple?" He offered him a slice that rested on the knife's blade.
He shook his head, "I'm-I'm fine but thanks."
"An orange?" He then threw the combat knife at the bowl of fruit on the kitchen table and proudly watched it penetrate the orange. Juice squirted onto the table.
Horrified, Derek imagined the knife entering his chest and gulped, "N-No thanks."
"Ok then," he popped an apple slice into his mouth and watched Derek.
"I'm ready!" Madison yelled from the stairs before descending down them with Nika behind her.
Derek and Agent 47 stood up.
In awe, Derek adjusted his glasses and smiled, "Madison you look so pretty!"
Her smile became large, "Thank you Derek. You look nice tonight, I love your hair," she told him as accepted his rose and smelled it. Her fingers touched his gelled hair.
With maternal pride, Nika happily held up her digital camera, "Ok you two, smile!"
Afraid of what might be done to him by Agent 47, Derek simply leaned against Madison and smiled.
After the flash she told them, "We'll leave after I get dressed. I promise I won't take long, ok?"
"OK!" Madison and Derek said in unison.
"My cuff links are upstairs," Agent 47 claimed as he followed Nika.
The moment she opened her bedroom door, Nika was breathless. A pink satin strapless Dolce & Gabbana knee length dress hung on the mirror near her closet.
Her heart filled with happiness as she turned and graciously kissed her hitman then said, "It's gorgeous! I love it."
It pleased him to see how overjoyed she was, he embraced her, "You're welcome."
"Undress me," she turned her back to him and spoke as he undressed her, "You know..most men avoid buying their women clothes because they're afraid of getting the wrong size."
He slipped the sundress off of her, "I memorized everything about your body," he slowly eyed her figure.
It took all her strength to not pounce him like a tigress in heat. She exhaled as if to quell her urges then removed the dress from the hanger and stepped into it, "Help me?"
His fingertips dragged against her back as he zipped up the dress.
A sharp gasp came from her. She faced him, "It fits perfectly.."
The dress fit her body's every curve just like he imagined when he first saw it in the store; he touched his forehead with hers, "You're welcome," he pecked her mouth.
"Why didn't you have Karissa send it to me instead?"
Seconds passed then he replied, "I wanted to see your face."
Her lips formed into a smile, "I missed yours too," she stroked his face, "Come on, we don't want to be late."
They held hands and headed downstairs.
Derek made sure that Agent 47 was across the dance floor, "What is Frank's job?"
"He's a private security contractor. He basically protects people for money. He knows how to fight and use all kinds of weapons," Madison casually told him.
"That explains it," Derek nodded.
"Hands," Agent 47 said as he glared at a male student whose hands were about to grab his date's backside.
The teenage boy quickly apologized and placed his hands on his date's waist.
He then approached another couple whose bodies were pressed together, "Too close," he told them and watched the boy take one step back.
Principal Joan Colbert stood next to Nika and said, "Your boyfriend is pretty darn good at catching the boys with grabby hands and magnetic hips."
Nika was proud of her lover, "He is very efficient at everything he does."
"I can see that," Joan grinned, "You two are welcome to come back and chaperone at all of our future dances."
"Aw, thank you," she graciously answered.
"I'll see you later, I have to return a call," Joan said before walking away and taking out her mobile phone.
When he returned to Nika's side, she spoke to him, "The principal is very impressed with you. She wants us to come back."
"I wouldn't mind," he tipped his head.
Hearing that he wanted to be involved in Madison's life brought a bold smile to her beautiful face. For once she followed her hitman's lead and showed her gratitude by holding his hand instead of speaking.
When a pop ballad began blaring from the speakers, Agent 47 noticed Nika barely swaying her body. With her hand still in his, he led her to the dance floor and gripped her waist.
In response, she pressed her body against him and circled his neck with her arms, "Thank you," she told him.
His fingers slowly stroked her back and he simply grinned.
After a moment she said, "I never knew this is what a normal teenager's life it supposed to be like..not until I saw Sixteen Candles," she scoffed. "You?"
He pondered her question, "I saw a tv show after my first assignment."
Knowing that they had something else in common made her feel closer to him, "Better late than never," her smile was small and a little sad.
They continued to move to music with their bodies and souls in sync. Both of them held onto each other as if the moment were their last. As the song drew to a close, she looked into his eyes and stood on her toes. His lips tenderly tasted hers.
"HEY! Why can't we makeout but they can?" A teenage boy's voice yelled from the crowd.
Principal Colbert held back her smile and folded her arms, "He does have a point," she said to Nika.
Embarrassed, she attempted to hide her giggling by pressing her face in his shoulder. Her shaking shoulders betrayed her.
He held up an apologetic hand, avoided eye contract with Principal Colbert and said, "We're sorry," then guided them off the dance floor.
"You need to learn how to control yourself," she mock scolded him and giggled when he gave her a brief glare.
From a few feet away, Madison and Derek watched them.
"They look really happy together," Derek commented as he held her waist.
"They do.." Madson agreed.
"Do you think they'll get married?"
The feel of Agent 47's kiss on her head came to mind and she grinned, "Yes.."
Agent 47 stood by the bed and waited until she entered the bedroom.
As she rubbed her arms and hands with lotion she looked at him, "What?"
"What side do you want?"
She found his thoughtfulness to be endearing, "The left, unless you want it."
"No, I'm fine," he lifted the comforter and slid underneath it.
"By the way, I almost to forgot to ask..How long are you staying?"
"Four nights."
With a nod, she joined him in the bed. She asked the question that lingered in the minds of wives and girlfriends whose boyfriends and husbands traveled because of their careers.
"Do women hit on you?'
He was honest with her, "Yes."
"When was the last?"
"A few weeks ago."
She already knew the answer to her question but still wanted to know, "What did you do?"
A slight smirk touched his mouth, "I bruised her wrist when she tried to touch me."
Her full lips formed into a perfect smile then softly seized his mouth, "Good night."
From her kiss, he knew that she only wanted to sleep and he was fine with it. All he wanted was to spend time with her. "Night," he brushed her face with his fingertips.
When she turned away from him, he curled himself around her and snaked his arm over her waist. She took his hand and entwined their fingers and wished they could stay that way forever.
He nuzzled his face into her neck breathing in her sweet scent and taking in the warmth of her body until he went to sleep.