Guarded: Worth the Risk

Chapter 11

                                                                                           Nico

            I get out of the town car and am greeted by a man holding out his hand. “How ya doing? I’m Declan O’Brady, Natalia’s boyfriend and date this evening.”

            The guy is a complete tool bag, total Channing Tatum wanna be if you ask me. He looks built but is definitely shorter than me. He probably only goes to the gym to pry on woman. Definition of f**k boy if you ask me. His blonde hair is tightly slicked back to accompany his from what I can guess, way to overpriced tuxedo.

            I shake his hand while waiting for Natalia to step out of the car. “Nico. Natalia didn’t tell me she had a boyfriend.”

            “You must be her new bodyguard.” He says completely ignoring my previous statement.

            I nod a bit annoyed but keep my composure.

            “Very good.”

            I overheard Dimitri and Natalia’s conversation about Declan being her date tonight. She sounded completely annoyed and not at all involved intimately or romantically with this guy.

            “Natalia, looking dazzling as always.” Declan says with a smirk growing at his lips.

            Yup total f**k boy, I wouldn’t be surprised if he only said he was boyfriend because he was intimidated by me. Natalia’s a very guarded person, she has her walls built up for some reason and I doubt she was about to let this douchebag in on all her deep dark secrets. One thing for sure though, I’m not letting this jerk off out of my sights. One wrong move and I won’t hesitate on tackling him to the ground.

            “Thank you, Declan.” Natalia say’s with a fake smile plastered to her face. “But flattery will get you no where Mr. O’Brady.” She says moving a good distance away from him. “You know the deal. So, be sure you keep to it.” She hands her clutch to Dimitri whose appeared behind her so stealthily. “And another thing, no inappropriate touching or comments. We are professionals and this is business. So, whatever you do or say in the bedroom needs to stay there. Do I make myself clear?”

            “Anything for you babe.” He says with a eat shitting grin on his face with a wink.

            “Good, now put your game face on and let’s get this over with shall we.”

            She links her arm through his and puts back on the fake smile she’s been wearing since stepping out of the car.

            My attention shifts from Natalia to Dimitri when he pulls my arm in the direction of the gala entrance. We stop to watch Natalia and Declan take photos as if they were a happy couple.

            “Don’t let that ass fool you.” He whispers to me while still watching Natalia and Declan walk the red carpet. “She’s as single as a pringle. He wishes he had her.”

            “Really?” I scowl. “Why lie then?”

            Dimitri turns to me, studying me as if he is unsure of me for some reason. “I think it’s better for her to explain to you the situation. However, I will tell you it has everything to do with her father and her company’s image.” He says before turning to walk into the venue quickly following behind Natalia and Declan.

            What would her father have to do with her dating life and more importantly why would that affect the companies image. Natalia had been featured in Forbes top 100 woman who own and run a company. She’s very successful, so I’m just confused as to what this all has to do with image.

            I walk to Natalia’s side once inside the venue to make sure she’s ok. Clearly, she was not into this guy, and was very uncomfortable with his advances on the red carpet. “Getting a little handsy, was he?” I whisper in her ear as she orders a drink at the bar. “A man who looks like he has hook-ups nightly doesn’t deserve someone as beautiful as you.”

 “Believe me, I wish I wasn’t obligated to be here with him tonight. It’s all a part of a business deal my father somehow managed to finagle without me knowing.” She says looking at me through her lashes in an attempt to hide the blush that has crept up on her cheeks.

            “Oh, really? Well, if you need any back-up, I’ll be over there with Dimitri.” I point to Dimitris table and then turn to walk away.

            Two hours go by and I decide to do another sweep of the venue. Natalia was finally able to ditch the prick and let loose with Dimitri and Kara on the dance floor. How I wish I could be out there dancing with her like I did my first night in Chicago. The thought of her body against mine makes my d**k stir, but I gotta keep it together I’m here to do my job, not hook up.

            My duties are simple, stay near Natalia at all times, but remain unseen. You can do this Nico, stop thinking with your d**k and think like you did when you were on the force back home.

            Glancing back at the dance floor to where Natalia, Dimitri and Kara were dancing, I notice that Natalia is no longer with them. Scanning the room, I notice Natalia walking back in looking as if she just seen a ghost, she’s scanning the room and stopping guests as if someone just robbed her of something. As I get closer to her and grip her wrist, I feel how fast her pulse is pounding. Her skin is clammy as if she’s become ill.

            “Everything, ok? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

            “We need to leave now.”

            I follow her to the exit when she is stopped by a very drunk and aggressive Declan. That asshole just doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. After Natalia’s failed attempts to get away from him, I take matters in my own hands and lay him flat out on his ass.

            What am I missing here?

            Natalia paces back and forth as we wait for Vincent to pull the car around, and I’m beginning to become concerned. She won’t make direct eye contact with me and it has me wondering if I did something wrong. Or was it Declan who did something wrong way before she stormed out of there. Maybe it’s the baggage Dimitri mentioned before, either way I need to get to the bottom of this.

            “Look at me Natalia- what has you so wound up and wanting to dash in a hurry?” I say spinning her around, so she is now face to face with me pulling her close tom my chest in the process.

            She doesn’t answer but makes some space between us.

            After waiting for her to finally respond, she explains the note she’s received. Taking the note from her had, I read the four words written on the crumpled-up sheet of paper.

            See you soon! O.

            Now I’m confused, who the f**k is O and why is she so freaked out by his note to her. I glance into her eyes briefly see the fear, terror, the shear panic reflecting back at me. “Whose O? And what does he mean by see you soon?” I ask. When she doesn’t immediately answer I ask again just as Vincent rounds the corner.

            Natalia slides into the car and instead of getting in the front I sit next to her in the back. Somethings not right and I need to get to the bottom of it.

            “Orlando Salvatore.” She finally says looking out the window as we leave the city limits.

            “And he is?”  I question wanting more then just a name, but an answer as to why she’s so freaked out.

            “My ex-husband.” Natalia says, her breathing increasing rapidly as if she’s speaking of whom who shall not be named. She turns to look at me and I can see the emotions I saw not too long ago still present. “It’s a very long story, but that note is not an empty threat Nico. It’s a promise.”

            I didn’t even know Natalia was married once before. Yeah, sure uncle Enzo mentioned she had crazy ex’s but I thought that meant like boyfriends or hook-ups, not ex-husbands with vendettas.

            “How so?” I ask trying not to pry. It might be best for me not to push, but if I’m to keep her safe, I have to know.

            “It just is.” She snaps before turning to look back out the window.

            Silence.

            That’s how the remainder of the care ride was spent, in silence.

            I’m f*****g pissed not because Natalia won’t tell me why she believes the note is a promise and not a empty threat, but the fact that whoever this Orlando guy is has her pretty frightened right now.

            Fear, panic, terror, anger has replaced the once confident, flirtatious, outgoing Natalia.

            I do a complete sweep of the house, twice ensuring all the windows and door have been locked once Natalia is locked into her bedroom. All the grounds personnel have been alerted and knowing that they all have severity of the threat before I do make my blood boil. Granite they all have worked for her for years, it’s just the fact that she won’t tell me so I can ensure her safety.

            I shake my head and jump into the shower hoping that the warm water rushing over me will help clear my head, but it doesn’t.

            What if something detrimental happens to Natalia on my watch.

            I could never forgive myself. I’m agitated clearly because she won’t budge.

            I dry off and change into some gray sweatpants before reaching for my phone to call Chase. Maybe he will have some insight on the situation and can do some more digging for me.

            “Nico man you gotta stop calling me like this I know you miss me and all but geez.” I can tell he’s smiling by the tone of his voice.

            “Believe me, right about now I wish I was back home.” I say in a frustrated tone.

            He lets out a loud laugh on the other side of the phone. “What, Miss seductive eyes giving you a hard time.” He laughs again. “Get it “hard time.”

            I take it he finally had time to search her for me.

            “Hardy- har-har-.” I respond. “Trust me, I take plenty of cold showers.”

            “I bet. I’ve seen her pictures in the database. She’s definitely a grade A hottie, I can see why you like her.” He lets out a long sigh as if he’s about to drop a bomb on me. “You know she was on the FBI watch list for a while before becoming a protected witness?”

            f**k.

            Why wouldn’t Uncle Enzo think to mention that to me?

            I clear my throat before responding. “No, I didn’t. Wanna fill me in as to what for?”

           “Files were sealed man. Confidential.” He pauses for a moment. “Maybe, that should be something she tells you.”

            That would be nice, but I get the feeling she doesn’t trust me. I have so many questions needing answers right now.

           “Look, can you do me one more favor. I need you to search the name Orlando Salvatore and send me anything you can come up with.”

            He lets out a chuckle. “You must be really into your boss if your doing background checks on her boyfriends.”

            “That person is most definitely not her boyfriend.” I defend. “It’s her ex-husband and for some reason she won’t tell me anything about him. He sent her a note tonight at her work gala and ever since she’s been on edge. I need your help Chase; something is off about this whole situation.”

            “I gotcha man.”

            I soon hang up and do one more sweep of the house. So many questions are running through my head right now and I know if what Natalia said is true, extra precautions are to be in place now, especially since I have no idea who this guy is and what he is capable of.