The Bodyguard

Chapter 02

Torren

I'M PISSED WHEN we walk out of the building. I don't know why I'm angry, I just am. I hadn't thought this through. I took Aura to the meeting mainly because I wanted to keep an eye on her. What I didn't predict is that Ruslan would be there too.

The bastard makes me sick. And I absolutely despise him and his father. But I prefer Igor than Ruslan. I still don't support their way of business, and Igor is messed up too. But Ruslan, Ruslan annoys the fuck out of me.

And I didn't miss the way he looked at Aura. He looked at her like she was a piece of meat. Dirty scavenger. Irritation flares in my chest as I think about it. I swear, if he puts his hands on her. I can't stand the little heathen. She irritates the hell out of me. But she's mine to hate. And I'm not planning on letting her go yet. Not by the long shot.

Of course the whole bodyguard thing is bullshit. No one is trying to kill me. I just wanted her at my side. This was all Giano's idea. Trapping her like this was his idea. And I admit it, this is a good way of having her at my side. My cousin can be smart when he wants to.

But damn it, the little vixen doesn't give up. She's constantly asking questions. And I don't like how much she and my cousin are talking. Giano has a big mouth, he might say something. She's already suspicious. I could see it in her eyes, she tries to hide it. But I'm good at reading people.

I don't know what happened while she was out. I don't know what my father said to her, but she didn't look fazed. She did something to him. I could see the smallest limp as he walked. And I noticed the bruises on her neck. If my father doesn't back up, I might have to step in.

I need her alive. My father doesn't know what my true intentions with Aura are. I don't trust him enough to tell him. Sure he's my father, but that doesn't mean I'm entitled to him. My father groomed me for this position, but he still finds ways to undermine my authority. He still thinks me unworthy of leading. Even though he put me up to this.

I guess he just doesn't want to retire yet. Too bad I'm his only heir.

Aura is a skilled assassin. If I hadn't planned all of this, if I hadn't hired Vladimir to order the hit on me, I might not have  gotten my hands on her. She was able to get off the grid for so long, I've been looking for her for five years now. With no luck whatsoever.

She surprised me today. I thought taking her to the meeting with me would scare her. But she didn't even break a sweat. Even being in Ruslan's presence didn't seem to faze her.

He knows. Ruslan knows how much she is worth. I could see it in the way he looked at her. He knows. And he's going to do everything in his power to make sure he gets his grubby hands on her.

There's a lot of money under Aura's name. But she doesn't seem to know that yet. Her father stole some money from us, and he put it under her name. And it can only be excessed when she turns twenty one. She's twenty now, and I plan to keep her at my side until she becomes of age. After that, I'll see what I do with her.

As I slide into the car, her scent fills my senses. Sweet wine and strawberries. I look at her, recalling what Ruslan said earlier. What happened between them that could've been so bad?

She meets my gaze, surprise etched into her features. There's something else. Her gaze is heated. There's a fire in her eyes. And then I notice it, she doesn't like me. In fact, she hates me. She burns with it.

Good.

I look away, turning to look out the window. "Stay away from Ruslan," I say. It's an order, not a warning. A warning would mean that she had a choice. No, I'm not asking. I'm telling her. I don't know how Ruslan found out about her. That should be the least of my concerns now. But if he found out, then maybe its not just him. Other people will come for her too.