Page 35 of Her Cruel Bodyguard

Fabio didn’t leave my room, even though I could feel the burn of hisannoyance from where he had beensitting all night, pretending to read a book.

When I left to clean up in my bathroom,I was torn between being overjoyed that he was my first and feeling frustrated that he hadn’t changed his stance.

Upon returning,wearing only my silk mauve nightwear,Idiscovered a freshpair of lemon-green sheets on my bed. When I thanked him, all he could muster was a grunt.

I climbed on the bed to find a cup of tea on my nightstand. He told me it was a soothing tea for the pain, and he had gotten it from Vittoria’s collection.

His affection and care were there. He didn’t leave me to myself. He was there every time I turned, and my eyes opened. My alarm went off, and when I woke up, he was on the chaise lounge wearing a freshcotton white designer dress shirt and navy blue dress pants. I’m not evensure when he cleaned up and changed.

When I went in to freshen up, a trolley of healthy breakfast was waiting for me. I couldn’t not eat with the wayhe was staring at me. Even though I don’t like breakfast, I decide to have it for him. Maybe it was his way of telling me some of the things he was unable to say out loud.

He cares for me.

I can’t dare argue against that truth.

He would kill for me; it’s not up for debate, even if the gun needs to be pointed at himself. He is already going against my father’s wish because he thinks it will make me happy. It’s a first for Fabio. He owes my father his loyalty. I don’t know the full story, but I have seen him show it more than once.

On Sunday, when I had started editing the pictures for the street photography project and lifted my eyes to look through the door of my studio, he was outside in the car, sitting in the driver’s seat with the door open. He stayed until dusk, until he was sure I had dinner.

Today is Monday, and his brooding is still there.

White silk shirt and maroon dress pants. I tried initiating a conversation when I got into the car, but the firm shake of his head folded my tongue in my mouth.

The drive down to my department was in complete silence. He didn’t utter a word even when he stopped for my cups of coffee and picked up burgers in case I got hungry since my lecture was chained and I had a few practicals.

I deflate as I dart my eyes around the almost empty lecture hall because whenever Fabio is mad at me, he drives like it’s a car race.

Great. Now I have ample amount of time to think about last weekend.

I drag my sore body to a seat and sit gently.

I drop my bag on the desk in front of me, careful not to ruin my camera and my mood by thinking about Paul and what he did. Not knowing what to do and needing some distraction, I open the pack of fast food and begin to eat my burger.

“The best day of the week is upon us!” Gloria shrieks in my ear, and I jump from my seat, cursing under my breath as I hit a sore spot.

“Gloria, seriously!” I scowl at her.

“Someone had a crazy weekend,” she huffs dramatically. “Guess who got ten thousand followers on Instagram?”

I point at her in a boring way, then push the second burger to her. “It’s beef.”

“Why? They ran out of grass?” She collects it and tears the paper bag open.

“I am not a vegetarian, I just like my burgers with…”

“Grass, noted,” she takes a bite. “But then, why are you having a beef burger on a Monday morning?”

“Fabio got them for us,” I shrug. “A little way to punish me for what I did to him this weekend.”

“Ah ha!” Gloria slams the desk in front of me.

“It’s not what you think or how you are thinking it,” I sip from my cup of coffee.

I am too tired to speak, but I know I have to let it out somehow. I couldn’t go to Vittoria with this secret, for fear she might do something. She's not exactly known for having the best temper, and thepregnancy only makes it worse. She would take it out on Fabio, and I can’t risk my father finding out.

I am not a child, but my father finding out I lost my virginity to his best friend in our house, a best friend who is still contemplating whether to marry me… isn’t the kind of news I want flying around.

“Tell me then,” Gloria chews loudly, her hair bouncing as she swings her head from side to side. Sauce drips from the burger onto on her cream dress with lemon grass prints.

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