The Counter attack

Joe put the pen he had been holding on the table. He looked at Briana intently from head to toe. His lips then smiled as he saw the funny look on Briana's face as she held back her annoyance.

"Why are you smiling? Do you think my request is so unreasonable?"

Joe shook his head, then cleared his throat briefly. "It wasn't. Your face reminds me of a girl sulking for a toy to her mother," Joe replied quietly.

"Joe ...." Briana called out half shouting. This was the first time she had called Joe by name. She had never called him by his name before.

"Okay. This time I will listen to you more seriously." Joe raised his hand, and spread his palm facing Briana.

"I want you to tell the two men standing guard in front of my room to get the hell out of there," Briana said, having managed to compose herself.

Joe shook his head quickly. "I can't possibly do that. They're there to protect you from any harm that might come your way," Joe snapped fiercely.

Briana smiled wryly. Didn't Joe's words sound very exaggerated? What danger was she in now? Was Joe afraid of the threat given by Chris the other day? Briana asked herself.

"I'm fine," Briana snapped. "You know what? I feel like I'm in prison."

"Everything I do is for your own good," Joe said. "I don't want you to do anything rash that you'll regret later."

Briana massaged her forehead. Her head was throbbing. Talking to Joe had really drained her emotions as well as her mind.

"You don't have to think that far. Don't worry. I won't turn myself in to your brother," Briana replied. "Now that I think about it, I'm not completely innocent. I'm just avenging what your father did."

"Now that I know the truth, I never blamed you. My father was wrong for going into the black world in the first place."

"You know, as a law enforcer, my father wanted to do the best thing according to his job. Even if it cost your father a lot of money," Briana said. "And that's why your father killed my entire family."

Joe smiled wryly after hearing Briana's words. He understood that Briana's father was just doing his job. And his actions had angered her father.

"Listen to me. I will never let you get hurt," Joe said. "I won't let Chris hurt you," Joe concluded. He then got up from his chair, and approached Briana who was standing still. He hugged Briana tightly.

"I'm going to get them out of there. How's that? Are you happy to hear it?"

Briana raised her head. She smiled widely, and nodded her head. Then she pecked Joe lightly on the lips.

"Thank you," Briana said softly.

"How about we get on a horse and go for a ride?" Joe made a suggestion to relieve the tension they had felt earlier.

Briana nodded in agreement. "Where are we going?"

"Not far from here. We'll just go to the nearest place because I'm worried that something unexpected might happen to us," Joe replied lightly.

"Alright then. I have to change my clothes first," Briana said, then she hurriedly left the place.

***

They stopped near a meadow not far from Joe's house. Briana immediately jumped down and dropped her body on the grass. The air around was so soothing, making Briana want to lay her body here, then fall asleep in the cradle of the breeze.

Seeing that, Joe just smiled. Briana's face wasn't sullen anymore. Briana looked very happy to have spent her time riding the horse.

"I'm glad you're not gloomy anymore," Joe said as he pulled the grass beneath him.

Briana giggled after hearing Joe's words. She thought, of course she wasn't moody after she got her freedom back. No more people watching her all the time which made her feel uneasy and very disturbed.

"After you sent them away, I felt like the shackles binding my hands were coming off," Briana replied with a wide smile.

Joe burst out laughing after hearing Briana's simile. But, at least he didn't regret making that decision. Asking his two bodyguards to stop watching Briana.

"By the way, I see you're very good at riding a horse. Did you ever participate in horse racing?"

Briana did not answer immediately. She seemed to be thinking, weighing the answer she would give Joe. Although Joe's question sounded very trivial, but for her it was very heavy for her to answer.

"Briana ...." Joe called as he tapped Briana on the shoulder.

Briana blinked briefly, then gave a stiff smile. "I helped out at my grandparents' horse farm when I was twelve," Briana said. "From there I practiced riding with a professional trainer. When I was fifteen I started entering horse races. But not for long. It was only a few months before I went to boarding school."

Joe nodded, responding to Briana's story. Apparently it was like that. No wonder Briana looks good on a horse.

"Can you tell me about your life back then? When your family was still alive."

Briana's body immediately turned tense. Her face stiffened. The sweet smile on her lips slowly faded away. Briana immediately turned her face away. Joe's question was unexpected.

"I won't force you to tell me. You don't have to say it."

Briana shook her head slowly. She turned her head, then looked at Joe intently. Maybe by telling Joe, then she could reduce her sadness.

"Did I ever tell you that my father was a police chief?"

Joe nodded in agreement. The other day Briana had indeed told him about her family. It's just that at that time Briana told him not too complete.

"My mother is just a housewife who has skills in sewing, and baking cakes. That's how my mom earns extra income," Briana said with a faraway look.

"What about your brother?"

Briana flashed a faint smile. "I got a little brother when I was ten years old. And exactly ten years of his life in this world ended," Briana said bitterly. "But, at least my brother wasn't alone. He had his mom and dad there to keep him company." Briana pointed at the sky with a faint smile.

"I believe in that. You don't have to be sad because there's me next to you who will take care of you." Joe put his arm around Briana's shoulders, and patted her lightly. "We'd better go home now. Maria must be waiting for us to enjoy her homemade lunch."

Briana did as Joe said. She got to her feet, and brushed the grass and dirt off her pants. Then she got on the horse and was followed by Joe. They immediately spurred their horses in the direction of the road home.

***

Two days later. Joe was on his way to the office of the company his father now owned when he received a call from Antonio. He asked his driver to stop the car as Antonio sounded very worried.

"A little while ago some of Chris' men came here, Boss. They wanted to take Briana away. But, we managed to thwart them," Antonio said quickly.

Joe took a deep breath through clenched teeth. He cursed so quietly and restrainedly. Then he asked the driver to turn around. He had to get back to see how Briana was doing.