"Okay. So if this is going to work at all, there're three rules. First rule, what I say goes."

"No."

"You are really fucking bad at this. You're lucky I don't make you stand in the corner and wear a lampshade over your head."

"You can't do that."

"And why the fuck not?"

"Because you're not my boss."

"Bullshit. You're my bodyguard."

"Your sister pays me."

Gavin fumed silently for a moment as he looked at Kassandra and then quickly back to the road. After a moment, he relaxed his grip on the steering wheel and grinned.

"Sure. Okay. But if you can't get in touch with her then I-"

"Still have standing orders. And I'm supposed to listen to your wife before you."

"Gods damn it, Tara."

"And your daughter."

"She's a baby."

"Tara was adamant."

They drove in silence for a while. Eventually, Gavin cleared his throat, but before he could say anything Kassandra piped up again.

"Your sister also warned me that you'd try to 'charm' me. I told her that I wasn't into older men. She was relieved, once she stopped laughing."

Gavin just drove for a while, shaking his head and muttering to himself.

"Fine. Now that I've ascertained all the women in my life are in a conspiracy against me...  I don't need a bodyguard. I've done just fine by myself for a long time."

"See? You said 'a long time'. You're older. I didn't say you were old, no need to-"

"Shut it. Now. Respect your goddamn elders. I'm just saying that I've been on my own for my whole life and I made it decades..."

She laughed softly.

"... fuck you, you Greek tank... where was I... decades on my own. I had one time where I didn't make it through okay, and now I've got you following me around. You're lucky that you didn't meet me ten years ago or I would have-"

"I was twelve."

Gavin swerved the wheel, violently turning the car as his only response. They rode in simmering silence again for a long time, until he pulled up to a dive bar.

"I just need to talk to a guy here. Try not to do anything stupid."

Kassandra nodded like she'd been given wise advice and followed him inside. She took up a position on the wall behind him as Gavin took a seat at the bar. The bartender, drying a glass with a rag, nodded over Gavin's shoulder.

"Who's the broad?"

"New bodyguard."

"Seriously?"

"Long story."

The bartender dropped his voice saying something about "body", but Gavin grabbed his tie and dragged him forward.

"Cut the shit, Johnny. I'm not in the mood."

Johnny quickly exited. A few minutes later, a couple large men emerged from the back room, sitting on either side of Gavin and ignoring Kassandra, who had her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall. The men spoke softly for a little while, until Gavin shook his head and spoke.

"Look, I'm not an idiot. My sister has a private plane. I've got a friend who owns a fucking airline. I'm not interested in doing business at 7.8; I could fall out of bed and get 7.8. I usually would say 9 or nothing, but since you seem like such nice boys I'd say 8.8. Minimum."

Gavin paused.

"Or we could make it interesting..."

The two men turned two him simultaneously, listening.

"Got a new bodyguard. Gal behind us..."

They turned and appraised her.

"... why don't you try to kick her ass? If you do, you can pay me 7.5. But if she wipes the floor with you, you pay me 9. I win either way: I either get to ditch the BG idea or I make a profit? Whaddaya say?"

The two men let the actions do the talking, grinning as they approached her. Gavin sipped his beer.

"Please don't break them permanently. I'll need them again in a couple weeks..."

The two men in question weren't slouches; they'd put in some time at Purgatory Gym. But they weren't in Gavin or Kassandra's class either. Gavin watched calmly as she dodged or parried their blows. He grimaced slightly as she hit one in the head with a chair, ending his participation. A few seconds later, Gavin was in the middle of finishing his drink when he heard the other man get tossed over the bar. He stood up with a smile.

"9 it is. I'll send my agent by later. Cheers, boys."

Kassandra, panting slightly, followed him out.

"When are you going to stop testing me? I can handle myself."

Gavin shrugged as he got into the car; he seemed caught up in his own thoughts for a while before he spoke again.

"What about guns?"

"What about them?"

"How good are you?"

"Not as good as you."

"Please. Humility is a bad look for you. You don't need to humor me. No more bar fights- today, at least."

"Just being honest. I'm highly rated with pistols and solid with a shotgun, but I don't really work from a distance like I've heard you can. I've done my homework."

"Pfft. You sound like my sister."

"Thank you."

"Not a compliment. What do you use?"

"Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless."

"Not bad."

"Like I said, close range is my specialty."

Gavin drove for a while, studying Kassandra out of the corner of his eye as they traveled outside the city. She was a beautiful woman, of course. He couldn't recall ever meeting a woman as big or as strong as her. Shit, her and William could probably make gigantic children. King Kong. He chuckled to himself and noticed Kassandra's eyes snap open. Good. 

Eventually, they reached the small cabin outside of the city. Gavin opened the drunk to reveal dozens of glass bottles and various types of guns and ammunition. He cracked open a bottle of whiskey with a grin.

"Time to see how good you are, Little Miss Biceps."

Kassandra found the right ammunition and started putting some into her pockets with a grin.

"Bring it."