“They are very good dogs,” I comment, even though I said it last time.
“Protective and well trained,” She hums. “You’re not a normal bodyguard, you know that?”
“Because I pet the dogs?”
“Most of the men Daddy buys, try to be all serious and controlling like Gio, or totally quiet. They barely look at me. It’s like they’ll die if they get too close or look too long.”
I blink at her in surprise, but she laughs once. “They’re not wrong. Daddy has a problem with men he can’t control, especially if they like me.”
“You seduce them ... according to him.”
“What else am I supposed to do when I can’t go on dates and when I want information? When a man thinks he’ll get sex, he’ll give up all his secrets. I rarely have to follow through either. I just plant the idea, play with them a little, and then they’re eager to have what they’re not supposed to want.”
“Is that why you played with me?” I ask while continuing to pet the dog.
“You were fun.” She laughs. “I remember once when I knew you were taking over, I made sure I was in a big t-shirt, panties, and nothing else. You got so choked up when you saw me dancing around the kitchen I thought you were going to have a heart attack.”
I roll my eyes. I’d been so embarrassed staring at her that day. I’d nearly quit. Juliana shakes her head. “It’s hard to connect with anyone when they’re only around because our parents are friends or my dad is paying them.”
“I’m sure it’s taught you some things,” I say, just for the sake of conversation.
“More than it was supposed to.” Juliana grabs my wrist before I touch Charlie’s tail. “He doesn’t like that.”
I nod, but Juliana doesn’t let go. She looks at my hand, then compares our palms. My fingers are so much longer and larger than hers, that I can’t even see her hand behind mine.
She shakes her head then draws back and faces forward. “You should be more careful, Konstantin. You’ve learned plenty, I can tell, but you shouldn’t try to get to know me. It will only make your job harder and put you at risk.”
“If I had a problem with risk, I’d be in the wrong business,” I whisper.
She nods. “You did choose the job, but you didn’t choose to protect me. I know that. So, keep your job and protect yourself. It’s safer that way ... for everyone.”
We sit in silence for a long time until my stomach growls. Charlie whimpers and looks up at me, but doesn’t run or anything like that. When we stop at Juliana’s apartment, my stomach growls again.
Juliana laughs lightly as we get out. I set Charlie down carefully, giving him a generous pat. “I’ll be down here, Miss Giovani.”
She waits for the car to leave, glances around, and takes my hand. “Fuck that. Remember what I said last night?”
“You said plenty.”
“About the ‘what if’s.” That daring, challenging look in her eyes is addictive. There’s something so vivacious about her right now. Like she has all the energy in the world and is ready to climb a mountain just for the hell of it. “Konstantin, we’re staring at a “what if” right now. What if .. you come upstairs to have dinner.”
“I don’t ..”
“Don’t think about the consequences. Don’t think about tomorrow,” She insists. “Let me cook for you. Let’s be normal people foronehour. Just one. Where you aren’t my bodyguard and I’m not a Giovani. It’ll just be us. No one will know.”
I hesitate again, but the excitement on her face is impossible to deny. She wants this so badly. I clear my throat to try and maintain some control over the situation, of her. “One hour. Not a minute longer.”
“Don’t worry. I’m good at secrets. If someone asks, you can say I threatened to sneak out. So you locked me in my room and made sure I didn’t leave.”
I nod once. She lets me go and we walk into the lobby and to the elevator. I get in and she hits the button for the penthouse. I can’t help but think about what Gio said. That she’s selfish. I haven’t seen that.
Not really. I see a woman who was forced to grow up too fast and now that she has grown up, she’s had all her control and power taken from her. To the point, she can’t even decide where she goes or what she does in her free time.
It would make me a little crazy too. More than a little.
When we get to the penthouse, Juliana goes right to her room. The dogs come out first, running to the couch and sitting there, watching the door to Juliana’s bedroom. She leaves it open so I can see her bare back as she slides out of her dress.
I shouldn’t look. I know that. But she’s so damn beautiful and if I didn’t stare at her, I’d kick myself tomorrow. But then I notice the scars across her back. Some are lighter than others, but I can’t imagine the pain she would have felt.