Defender's Heartbeat 2

Chapter 23

Manuel

"I'm your boss. Do what I say," Enzo said, staring into my eyes.

This is why I have trust issues with him. We're close, but not close enough for him to forget that he's my boss.

"Yes, boss," I replied.

"Thanks, Papa," he said, tapping my face like I was a child. All I could see on his face right now was his father, Gerardo. He looked exactly like him—the way he smirked, his dark hair, dark eyes, even the way he walked. No one would guess how much trauma he had faced just by looking at him. His body language never showed any sign of weakness. And he was manipulative. He'd been good at manipulating people since he was a kid who knew nothing.

He gave me a triumphant look after I agreed to his request. The expression sent a chill down my spine. I knew he loved me, but I didn't trust him. I was scared to bring him to my home.

"Why do you want to go there anyway?" I asked.

"To see them," he replied.

"Are you going to hurt them?" I asked, watching him closely.

"I won't," he said, avoiding my gaze. I couldn't look away from him. His long dark lashes fluttered as he looked everywhere but at me.

"Then what's with that look?" I pressed.

He didn't respond. He always did this—when he didn't want to talk, he just wouldn't. He never showed any emotion. All I could do was stare at his face, which looked like it had been perfectly sculpted by a master artist.

—----

Rachel and Miguel were surprised to see us arrive unexpectedly.

"Manuel," she said when she saw me. She glanced at Enzo as if she didn't know who he was.

I felt the atmosphere in the house shift the moment we entered. The presence of Enzo made everything feel different, and I couldn't shake the uneasiness that crept over me.

"Who's this?" Rachel asked, her eyes fixed on Enzo. The contrast between him and my family was striking. Enzo looked completely out of place, like he didn't belong here at all.

"This is my boss," I said, deliberately avoiding mentioning his name.

"Your boss?" Rachel repeated, looking at me in disbelief.

"Yeah," I confirmed, offering Enzo a chair, but he ignored it and began wandering around, inspecting the family photos on the walls.

"Is he an actor or a model, Papa?" Miguel whispered to me.

"Nope, his father's rich," I replied.

"He looks cool," Miguel said, still staring at Enzo.

"Really?" I said, a bit amused.

"Look at his shoes," Miguel pointed out, and I followed his gaze. Enzo's shoes were indeed stylish, but I couldn't understand what made them so special. Maybe it was just the price tag. I knew his shoes cost more than all the furniture in our living room combined. A sudden fear gripped me—had I put Enzo in danger by bringing him here? Luckily, there were two guards stationed outside.

"Did they come with you?" Rachel asked, glancing towards the window.

"Yes," I answered.

"Why don't they come inside?" she asked.

"They're guarding," I said simply.

"Him?" Rachel asked, still confused.

"Yes," I said, and both Rachel and Miguel looked at me in surprise.