The Syndicate’s Bride

21

Owen

Vanessa stormed off immediately the car came to a park. Leaning against the driver’s seat with a sigh, I watched her sprint, disappearing into the building within a few seconds.

Before leaving for Europe, Mr. Logan had informed me that on my return to the states, I was to immediately commence my duties as Vanessa’s personal bodyguard.

So, of course, as soon as I had landed, after making my presence known to Mr. Logan, and unable to contain my excitement and anticipation, I had headed straight for her manor.

After thirteen long years, I was finally where I had always wanted to be; by her side at all times.

It felt more like a blessing than anything being in close proximity with her worries and happiness, taking care of her, protecting her, loving her at all times. However, I never imagined the day would come when it would feel like someone was slowly taking her away from me.

The first time I heard about her engagement, I thought I knew exactly what to expect – cold stares, sizzling hatred and heavy tension – everything but the somewhat cordial air between the two when I witnessed their first interaction.

Even at the hospital when the truth about the race finally came to light, her reaction to Ryan’s protectiveness took me off guard from her teary eyes to her evident feelings of guilt. That wasn’t the response of a person that lacked care for the other. In fact, it was the opposite. And it was beginning to seem like the start of something more.

That was information I wasn’t sure how to process.

When a couple of minutes passed and Vanessa still hadn’t returned, I began to worry. But just as I stepped out of the car, she appeared from the exit alongside a familiar dark-haired man, his arm draped around her, leaning on her slightly as they walked towards the car.

I raised a brow at him, wondering what kind of mess he had gotten into, but when my eyes finally landed on Vanessa, slowly accessing the little blood stains on her top, I ran forward in a panic, meeting them mid way.

“What the f**k happened?” I asked incredulously.

“Father,” she answered simply and I immediately understood.

“The race,” I stated, and she nodded. “Are you injured?” I asked, then tsked. “I should have gone after you, I just thought you didn’t want me to.”

I pulled the car door to the back seat open as she replied. “No,” she said, answering my first question, “and you’re right, I didn’t want you following me so it isn’t your fault.”

She gently lifted Ryan’s arm from her shoulder and guarded him into the car. “I expected father’s retaliation but I didn’t expect him to go as far as attacking him in a public place. Clearly, he’s pissed.” After making sure Ryan was seated comfortably she turned to me before climbing in beside him. “Take us to the hospital, please.”

We arrived at the hospital a few minutes later, and Ryan was taken to the examination room. One of the nurses tried to stop Vanessa from following him in, but he wasn’t having it. Turning to the doctor with a cold, assessing look, he tightened his grip on Vanessa’s hand and said,

“She’s my fiancée, she’s coming with me.”

The doctor silently agreed after that.

I stayed outside the room, waiting for the examination to be over and done with. A few minutes later, Vanessa came out, offering me a small smile as she took the seat beside me.

“How’s it going in there?” I asked, not because I particularly cared, but because it seemed like the only thing to say.

She sighed. “Good. I was able to take out the bullet and stitch the wound on time so it prevented his situation from getting worse. He’s fine.”

I blinked. “You took out a bullet from his body?”

“Yep,” she chuckled nervously. “It was mind wrecking but he basically talked me through it, so it was fine.”

No wonder she’d taken so much time in there, I thought.

“Anyway,” she sighed, “you have some spare shirts in your car right? Can I have one for Ryan? I had to cut off his racing suit to see his injury properly.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And why should I do that?”

“Because I asked nicely?” She said, unsure.

“I don’t like him, Princess,” I said, bluntly. I didn’t even care if I sounded childish or not.

She rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to, I just need a bloody shirt, Owen, what are you? Thirteen again?”

I scoffed. “You can take that attitude and go find another shirt for your werewolf fiancé.”

She chuckled, amused. “I can’t remember the last time I saw this petty side of you.” She laughed when I glared at her. “I don’t think he likes you either so that’s something you both have in common at least, even though I don’t understand why.”

“Do you like him?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“What?”

“Ryan,” I said, “do you like him?”

She was quiet, her eyes widening a fraction in thought. She then turned away, keeping a straight face as she suddenly pretended to study her fingers. As passive as she looked, the faint redness at her ears betrayed her.

“It’s complicated,” she finally said, her voice barely over a whisper.

“Then,” I began and she turned back to me, “do you trust him.”

She paused, mulling over my question for a bit before answering assertively. “Yes. Yes I do.”

Unable to contain my surprise, my eyes widened as I stared at her. For Vanessa, trust surpassed any romantic feeling. If you had her trust, you had her heart, every other thing came after that.

I let out a small, rueful chuckle. Vanessa wasn’t mine to keep but I allowed myself to mourn the part of her that would always belong to another man, even though that man was Ryan, unfortunately.

The only thing I could do was make sure he checked every box when it came to her safety. It was my job to protect her, and her growing feelings for Ryan couldn’t change that.

Which meant, I was going back to those eerie woods.

I stood, unable to carry on with the conversation anymore. “I’ll get that shirt for you, but I doubt it’ll be his perfect size since he’s a bit larger than me.” I said in a light tone, hoping she hadn’t caught on to my slightly sour mood.

Thankfully, she seemed to be oblivious as she grinned at me in gratitude before returning to the room.

With a sigh, I walked to my car, a million thoughts bouncing in my head. I didn’t like Ryan, but if he earned Vanessa’s trust despite my reservations about him, I had no reason to interfere with their relationship. However, if my investigation showed he was a threat to her safety, I wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate him.

“*” “*” “*”

It was around seven p.m. the next day when I tailed Ryan as he left the house. If I wanted to determine his security threat or otherwise to Vanessa, I needed to know what he did when he was alone, the places he visited, even the food he ate. Everything had to be investigated.

The sun had only just set and the light kept fading by the second. Thankfully, Vanessa hadn’t returned from her alone time with Alice so I didn’t have to make up any unnecessary lies about my whereabouts.

I drove behind him, keeping at least two cars between us so I wouldn’t be seen, and followed as he led me to his destination. After a few minutes, the emptiness of the road began to feel familiar, and it finally clicked when he turned onto a corner I recognised.

Knowing that the familiar eerie woods laid ahead, I began to slow my movements, making sure to park far away from his destination to avoid being noticed.

When he finally stopped his car a few distance ahead, stepped out of the vehicle and disappeared into the woods, I gave him a five minute head start before following him in quiet unsuspecting steps. We walked for a while, threading through parts of the woods that were unfamiliar to me, heading deeper and deeper into the eerie space..

Just as I began to get suspicious, a modern looking cabin came into view, filling up a large space between the tall trunks.

I hid behind a tree and watched as he stepped onto the front porch, took out a set of keys from his pocket and slid one into the keyhole. He gripped the doorknob, twisting it and willing the door open. But just when he was about to step inside, he stopped. His shoulders sank, as though he'd exhaled heavily, before he slowly turned around.

Folding his hands across his chest, he looked straight in my direction and I flinched.

There was no way...

“You can come out now, Owen, before I actually kill you this time.”

I clicked my tongue, irritated. Must be those f*****g werewolf abilities.