----

Lauren hadn't even made it to her car when someone was calling her name across the garage.

"Yes?" Lauren turned on her heel and felt her jaw go slack at the gorgeous woman walking towards her.

"Hi, I'm Madison Beer." The woman held out her hand and Lauren acted on reflex, shaking it firmly before withdrawing her hand slowly.

"Right." Lauren said dumbly before shaking her head. "Bodyguard. Fuck, I totally forgot." Madison watched her with an amused smile.

"Somewhere you need to be?" Lauren looked between her car and Madison.

"Kind of." Lauren scrunched up her nose before gesturing to the car. "After you, I hope you're okay with breaking the law."

"Practically part of my resume." Madison responded heading for the car. Lauren grinned and tried to stop drooling over her bodyguard long enough to realise that she really needs to get laid.

----

Lauren could feel the smugness radiating through her body; there was just something so satisfying about sitting behind someone else's desk.

Madison was leaning against the desk, staring out the window to their left while Lauren just poked around the drawers.

The door opened and Austin walked in, looking down at his phone as he closed the door behind him.

"Hey there Austin."

Lauren took great pleasure in the way Austin flinched and his back collided with the door, phone skittering across the floor.

"Jauregui... I thought-" Austin stammered.

"Got out yesterday. I hear you're jumping ship?" Lauren said casually, resting her chin in her palm.

"What?" Austin paled considerably as Madison stood up straight.

"Healy won't fuck you up but he will fuck you over." Lauren warned. "I on the other hand..."

"I don't-" Austin gulped as Madison wandered closer to him, arms folded over her chest.

"Don't bullshit me Austin. Have you already forgotten what happens to those who betray me? Do you need a reminder?" Lauren snapped, rising from the chair and rolling up the cuffs of her jacket.

"No." Austin's voice cracked. "I'm not jumping ship."

"Are you sure? I have it on good authority that you're meeting with Healy tomorrow."

"Yes but-"

"There are no buts Austin. Why are you meeting him?" Lauren asked, nodding her head to Madison who pushed Austin against the door with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"We're just hanging out."

"With my competitor?" Lauren tilted her head and Madison dug her fingers into his shoulder harder.

"Ow- no I mean yes. But it's not- I would never."

"Oh I know. And I want you to remember that during your meeting." Lauren said with narrowed eyes.

"He'll kill me." Austin whimpered. Lauren moved around the desk and came to a stop in front of him. She grabbed him by the chin and tilted his head to the side with a tsk.

"That scar looks nasty." She mused, looking at the small knick on his cheekbone. "Don't make me give you another one."

Austin flinched out of her grasp and shrugged Madison's hand off his shoulder.

"I want protection then." Lauren raised her eyebrow. "If I don't work for him he'll kill me. So protect me. If I'm that important."

Lauren mulled his words over, his anxiety rising with each passing minute. Madison looked like she was enjoying herself, her hands flexing at her sides.

"You're right actually, you're not that important. I can find another gun runner in this city." Lauren said suddenly and Austin swallowed harshly before letting out a sigh.

Lauren let him pass and she hesitated at the door before turning back to look at him.

"Although I would've been more concerned about making yourself seem useful to me." She added with a wry smile. "Because now you're a liability. And a traitor."

Austin seemed to realise his mistake as she left the office, his cry of wait lost as the door slipped shut.

----

Camila was pacing in front of the desks. Ally was ignoring it easily and doing research for a case. Becky was watching Camila with amusement, answering the phone every now and then automatically.

She'd been on edge since that morning.

Why was she so nervous?

"Mila?" Camila looked over at Blackbear who motioned for her to come into his office. She glanced towards the front door before following him.

Inside was Taylor Jauregui.

"Taylor? What're you doing here?" Camila asked, moving to sit in the chair next to her.

"She came by this morning to discuss the case, but you were out and Becky let her wait in here." He explained.

"Alright, what's up?" Camila asked Taylor who let out a deep sigh.

"Nothing about the case is changing just because Laur's out of prison now." Taylor said carefully. Camila nodded and waited for her to continue. "This business will kill her and none of us can handle that."

"I know Taylor, I'm trying my best but it's a tight knit crew." Camila said softly, running a hand through her hair.

"I've got my finals coming up soon, so I can't stop by as often." Taylor explained quietly. "I just wanted to make things clear beforehand."

"I appreciate it, I'll fill you in the next chance you can come down here." Camila reassured her with a smile. Taylor nodded before standing up.

"In that case, I gotta go."

"I'll walk you out." Camila said. She opened the office door and strolled out, missing Ally's hissing and Becky's vaguely manic waving. "It was good seeing you though Tay."

"You too Mila." Taylor replied, checking her phone as she walked behind.

"Uhh Taylor?"

The pair of them stopped in front of Camila's desk, neither daring look up. Camila took a deep breath and turned her head, Lauren was lounging in her chair.

"Do you have to sit in my chair?" She asked evenly. Lauren barely spared her a glance.

"Tay?"

"You know I'm friends with Mila. She kept me up to date on how you were." Taylor said impatiently.

"You... do know what she did right?" Lauren said with a raised eyebrow and an amused smile. Taylor waved her off before checking the time.

"I've gotta go, see you later Laur."

"You too." Lauren replied absently as Taylor hurried from the building. "She stop by often?"

"She was worried about you." Camila shrugged, speaking softly as she moved around to stand by Lauren. "Now get out of my chair."

Lauren reluctantly stood up and side stepped Camila. Camila slipped into her chair and vaguely organised her desk. "Did you need something?"

"I wanted to thank you for the tip." Lauren said, tucking her hands in her pockets. Camila's brow furrowed before she realised.

"It was Ally's tip. Not mine." Camila shook her head and pointed over her shoulder. "Should be thanking her."

"No need." Ally chirped quickly, pretending not to be listening or watching the pair. Camila rolled her eyes and looked up at Lauren.

"If you get any tips about any new gun runners, a text would be appreciated." Lauren said cheekily. Camila scoffed and folded her arms over her chest, leaning back in her chair.

"I'm not going to help you break the law Laur."

"Shame." Lauren drawled, leaning on the desk, closer to Camila. "And I really think you should get a better nickname for me."

"Pain in my ass?"

"Didn't know you were into that Camz." Lauren shot back easily with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Camila turned bright red and made some unintelligent noises before slapping Lauren's arm.

"Shut up. And I am not."

"Uh huh. Well if you ever want a reason to hit me up, other than the obvious, gun runners. I need one." Lauren said with a smirk. Camila determinedly didn't look up at Lauren, keeping her eyes on her desk.

"What's the obvious reason?" Becky asked innocently. Lauren looked over at her and grinned.

"Sex. Duh."

Becky snorted before covering her mouth with her hand.

"Mila insists that'll never happen." Becky said once she'd stopped giggling.

"Well she's only lying to herself." Lauren shrugged and ignored Camila's pained groan. There was a thud as her head landed on her desk.

"Uh Laur?"

Camila glanced up and felt her eyes widen. There was a goddess at the door and calling after Lauren.

"Yeah?"

"Dinah just called. Something's come up at the office. The Seniors have called a meeting." Madison said, standing at the door, her phone in her other hand. Lauren cursed under her breath and pursed her lips.

"We'll be there in ten." Lauren replied before turning back to Camila. "Another time Detective."

"I'm still just a PI." Camila muttered, eyes still stuck on where Madison had been standing moments before.

"New bodyguard." Lauren said with a grin. "Smoking hot... and badass."

"Just your type then." Ally muttered with narrowed eyes.

"Usually but no. I've got my eye on someone else." Lauren replied, throwing one last glance to Camila before heading out.

"She was flawless- she was a bodyguard? Damn I need to get one of those." Blackbear mumbled as he exited his office.

"Perv." Camila scoffed.

"Like you weren't thinking the same thing." He replied with a smug look.

"I'd rather have Jauregui." Camila muttered making the other three pause and stare at her. "And I did not mean to say that out loud."

"Becks you owe me thirty bucks."

----

Lauren's brains had officially melted from her head.

She'd sent Dinah and Normani out on the prowl for a new gun runner. The Jauregui Seniors were boring her soul out of her body and they had yet to return with any good news.

Only good thing was with Madison sitting to her right, Lauren had something to focus on while she was caught up on the business adventures of the past ten months. Like she hadn't been running things perfectly from prison.

Madison had her eyes closed for most of the meeting; peeking out every now and then to roll her eyes at Lauren. Apparently Valentina had given her a heads up on Lauren's tendencies.

"Ms. Jauregui," Lauren snapped her eyes to her Uncle, "is there anything you want to add?"

"Nope. We done here?" Lauren drawled.

"One last thing, we heard you lost our gun runner." Lauren shifted in her seat and let out a deep sigh.

"I motivated him to stay but he asked for too much in return." Lauren replied calmly. "I'm not bargaining with rats like him, first sign of a sinking ship and boom, he's gone."

"He's the best in the city."

"Then I'll get someone else who can run stuff for us." Lauren said impatiently. "You act like this is the first time someone's ever been ditched."

"They're not normally around long enough to spread the word."

"Then he's gone." Lauren replied darkly. "Before the sunsets, he'll be gone."

"Will you-"

"Yes. I'll personally handle it." Lauren said standing up abruptly, smoothing her jacket and looking to Madison. "If that's all gentlemen."

When no one else spoke, Lauren and Madison left the conference room.

"Normani told me you don't hurt people anymore." Madison said quietly. Lauren pressed the elevator button and clenched her jaw.

"I don't. Which is why I need Dinah, now." Lauren muttered, pulling out her phone.

"Or..." Madison took a deep breath, "I could give you a hand."

Lauren looked at her apprehensively.

"Valentina made it clear none of her boys were to get involved with crime, what makes you different?" Lauren asked as the elevator arrived. Madison smirked as they walked in, pushing the floor button before Lauren could even think about it.

"I'm her friend, not her employee." Madison clasped her hands in front of her, glancing at Lauren out of the corner of her eyes. "I couldn't let someone so gorgeous be left for dead with some like Healy gunning for them."

Lauren nodded, biting her bottom lip and keeping her gaze firmly on the closed elevator doors.

This... made things interesting.

It wasn't unwelcome but Lauren was determined; Camila was the only girl since Lucy that Lauren had any strong feelings for. There was no way she was letting her slip away because of a stubborn outdated mindset.

But there was nothing wrong with Madison stroking her ego for a while.