Page 20 of Her Cruel Bodyguard

I snap out of my thoughts and quirk an eyebrow at her through the rearview mirror, my scrambled mind trying to make sense of what she is saying.

She shrugs. “You are not driving; we might as well sleep here,” she drops her camera bag gently beside her, and I nod subtly. Bad-mouthed little devil.

I start the car, careful not to drive reflecting the way she drives me nuts. The last time I did, we arrived twenty minutes early. I didn’t appreciate the gutting I got when she started acting like I was the worst person to be around.

She used to like being around me. She never minded my silence. She used to be comfortable with it. And whenever she had had enough, she would break it, filling it up with stories or photography bullshit, not caring that I hadn’t the faintest idea of what she was talking about.

But now… Ah, for fuck’s sake, I sound like a whining child.

“Someone is in a good mood,” she chimes behind me. “Not driving like a mad person today,” she scoots to the end of her seat and leans the side of her head on the window frame.

She chews her lip for a while, her eyes bouncing around, and like she is uneasy with the simple chore of breathing.

“Do I make you that uncomfortable, Eva?” The words slip out before I get a chance to stop them. Or think them through and have more to back them up if she decides to engage me.

“Huh?” She blinks, sitting up, clueless. “I didn’t get that.”

“Do I make you that uncomfortable?” I repeat, this time louder.

“Why would you ever think that?” She snorts. “How can you ever think that?”

“You look like you would rather be anywhere than around me…”

“You don’t get it, do you?” She shakes her head, chuckling. “You don’t get that I…” She looks out the window. “Over there,” she points at Paul, although I had seen him some seconds ago in his stupid gray T-shirt and black jeans, holding a camera bag, standing in front of a snack shop. I was going to take a detour so we could continue our conversation, but the idiot had to wave at us.

I drive and park in front of the snack shop, pull down my window, and then honk. He walks to the car, smiling as if he is seeing his favorite snack, and I nod subtly.

He ignores me and goes over to her side of the window, which is now open, “Hey, babe,” he reaches into the car and brushes her cheek. “Ready?”

Eva nods, “I couldn’t wait,” she smiles warmly.

Hmm.

She scoots to the other side and reaches for the door handle, but I don’t budge or try to unlock it.

“Fabio,” Eva’s calm, pleading voice is my undoing and I unlock the door for the kid to get in.

“Where to?” I start the car.

“We go around the next street…”

“Not you, kid,” I clip, and the idiot grumbles something. He better not give me a reason to toss him out of this moving car.

“We make a U-turn and go the opposite street,” Eva fiddles with the strap of her camera bag, and I do as she says.

A few hours later, I am stalking behind them, stopping when they stop, which is often. I try not to think too much about the fact that they keep holding hands, and he keeps brushing her hair off her face. I try not to think too much about the fact that she seems to like it and is cozying up to his touch and presence.

They stop again and I seize the opportunity to shoot Mindy a text.

Me: Update?

I can bet my ass I won’t be getting a reply now. I stare at some of the pictures she sent me and find myself smiling. I find myself wishing, aching for what could be, but the wish withers like a plant in the drought. I am not supposed to wish for things that are far-fetched or for things that put Eva at a disadvantage.

No matter how much I want this, Eva won’t. It would be too much for her to handle. I can’t do that to her. I can’t do that to Emanuele. I can’t do that to… My eyes lift from my phone to look in the direction they were before I got caught up in my head, but they are gone.

I shove my phone in the pocket of my suit, my eyes flipping around as I search for them. I take long strides like a man on steroids, searching through the corners on each side of the street. Two more streets and I will be crossing over to Bratva territory.

I search for her white dress. It’s twilight; bright enough for anyone to see and know they’re crossing territories.

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