The Escort: A Different Kind of Escort Service

THE ESCORT(A Different Kind of Escort Service)__________________________ THE ESCORT(A Different Kind of Escort Service)Published by Kelly GendronCopyright © 2023 Kelly GendronAll rights reservedEdited by: J Sims - Editing4IndiesThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews. The EscortEvery journalist is looking for that big story.Mine is Lix Daxon.The Daxon Brothers all have day jobs.At night, they're escorts.But a different kind of escort.They work with a local domestic abuse center.Like a thief in the night.They steal battered women from their abusers.It's not an easy job.And sometimes not legal.Still, they made an oath.Never leave a woman behind.This is the Escort's Story Chapter 1“Are you okay?” I inspect the woman in the passenger seat. Her upper lip is split open, and she peers at me through a swollen eye. In a few days, the hit will leave a colorful bruise. She nods and looks down at her lap. I turn back to the road, gripping the steering wheel. Anger swells inside like the fated bruise on her eye. I wish her abuser had been there when I picked her up. I would’ve liked the opportunity to give him some colorful bruises.Sometimes when I do an escort, the abuser is not around. A part of me wants them there so I can rearrange the fucker’s face for what they’ve done.It’s purely selfish, though, because it’s always easier for the woman when they’re not around. I glance in the rearview mirror, connecting with a large brown eye. Overgrown hair shields the kid’s other eye. He must be around eight, and the other is three or four. Babies. Ones who have endured the devil’s hand at an early age. I know it all too well. A set of lights flash into the rearview mirror, dragging me from the kid. I shift to the left to check the side mirror for a better look.“What does he drive?” I lean back, scoping out the mirror again and watching the lights speed closer. “Red truck?” I check the woman for confirmation. She peers over her shoulder. Her face comes back flushed with a fear she’s never been accustomed to. I grab my escort cell. “Get out your phone.”She rummages through her purse, hands shaking. “Look up this address.” I hand the cell to her, pulling the SUV over to the side of the road. The truck follows, slowing down before coming to a complete stop. I reach into my glove box. Her eyes follow my hand as I pull out my gun. “I’m going to have a chat with him.” I shove the gun into the back of my pants. “If at any time you get scared, I want you to leave,” I say, pointing at the phone in her trembling hands. “Go straight to that address.” I grab my cell. “A woman is waiting there. She’ll keep you and your kids safe. Okay?”Her eyes flash to the truck idling behind us, then to her kids. I place my hand on her shoulder. “Listen.” I wait for her to make eye contact. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you or your boys.”She regards me for a few seconds. I’m sure it’s hard for this woman to trust anyone. I gaze back at her, letting her delve into me, to the place where I stash my kindness. If I let her search long enough, she’ll find it. Once I grant them entrance, they always do. “Okay,” she whispers. With a nod, I grip the door handle and get out. The truck door swings open. A large fucker in a flannel and jeans jumps out. I reach behind and grab my gun. I swing it forward. “Wow-ho. That’s far enough, big fella.” I smile, wielding my gun in the air. The man’s feet skid on the gravel. I hear my tires squeal on the asphalt.Well, I can’t really blame her. The gun must’ve scared her as it had the big fucker. I listen, waiting for my SUV to skid off while keeping my eyes on the snarling and ready to jump out of his skin piece of shit.His hands clench. His shoulders roll. It’ll take more than that to intimidate me. Besides, he’s not dealing with a woman half his size this time. “Don’t even think about it.” I start toward him. I aim the gun at his front tire and pull the trigger. “Huh.” My shoulders drop as I inspect the unblemished tire. “Not the effect I was going for.” I grimace, turning my attention back to the asshole. “It might take a while to flatten, but it will. You’re not going anywhere, asshole. But, at least, now there’s no temptation, huh?”“Who the fuck are you?” He snarls like a feral dog choking on his leash, ready to tear me apart. “I’m Raga.” I flip my hand with an exaggerated flair before shooting the back tire. “What the fuck!” He jumps, eyes bouncing between me and the shot tires. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”“I told you.” I tilt my head, sizing him up. He’s huge, but his size doesn’t scare me. Thanks to The Kraken, I’ve been fighting people bigger than me since I was eleven. “I’m Raga.” I roll my hand in the air like a circus performer.“Who?”“Raga, your wife’s fairy godfather, and this”—I wave the gun—“is my magic wand.” His lip curls. “And you really don’t want me to use my wand on you.” I shake my head with a few tsks. “It tends to make a fucking bloody mess, and then I gotta clean it up. Believe me”—I grin—“it’ll suck for us both.” I