Page 49 of Her Cruel Bodyguard

“The drama never ends with the both of you, does it?” She huffs dramatically. “I am bored,” she tuts. “Have sex with him already, and let’s see if you still have this back and forth,” she spins to leave, observing Marcus’ car in the far distance but then she halts, her eyes flying open.

“Why are we parked at the side instead of the front?” I ask, silently hoping she won’t ask what I’m sensing she’s about to.

Her lips curve into a sly smile. “You fucked! And you didn’t tell me?” She circles the car to me. “You suffocate me with the drama and keep these juicy details from me?” She puts her hands on her hips and snits her eyes at me.

“It was nothing…” I stutter, “Sex is…” I shrug, “Not a big deal, right?”

“It was your first time, Eva. It sounds like a big deal to me,” she pouts. How could you not tell me?”

“With the pregnancy and all, I thought… “I gulp. I should have told her instead of Gloria. She is a better listener anyway, and she keeps my secrets safe.

“Pregnancy?” She closes the inch of space between us and places her hands on my shoulders.

“You have a lot to do, and I wanted to figure this out myself,” I swallow.

“You are my friend, and I might not be stepmom material, but I am your friend, and I would never not have time for you,” she wraps her arms around me, shoving me into a hug. “We will talk extensively about this when we get home,” she drags her hand up and down my back to comfort me.

I nod.

“Cute.” A familiar accented voice spurts beside us, and we let go of each other. Vittoria clutches her purse and takes a wide-leg posture. Nina, in a simple white flay dress, has dark hair flowing over her shoulders and a baby bump.

“The Russian bitch,” Vittoria dishes back, and then her face falls when she sees someone stepping out of the corner in black jeans, a black T-shirt, black boots, and sunshades.

His features are flawless, his height overpowering, and there'ssomething ominous about him.

“You were supposed to come alone,” Vittoria glowers at Nina.

“That is not fair, two to one,” she shrugs. “This is Lev, by the way.” She smiles at him, a strange smile that I have never seen on Nina. He tips his head but says nothing to us.

We chew on it, although I know having him as her tag-along would have tilted the scales if we hadn’t come out with Marcus. But we have backup, and I doubt Nina wants any trouble.

“Shall we begin?” Nina points to a corner.

“You don’t call the shots,” Vittoria folds her arms across her chest.

“I know you hate me…”

“You think?” Vittoria cuts her, “What for? That time you were fucking my fiancé,” she grinds her teeth. “Or that time you watched him beat me?” She says, taking a step closer to Nina. “How about I return some of the punches he gave me?” She balls her fists, and I quickly get in the middle.

“I did you a favor. If anything, you owe me one,” Nina slurs behind me. “You really wanted to marry him?”

“That’s not the point,” Vittoria claps back.

“No other point is important right now,” Nina retorts annoyingly.

“Enough with it already,” I clip and step out my voice sounding strangely tight to my ears. “A boy’s life is at stake, and I don’t have time to waste over a man that you both know isn’t worth the heat.”

“She doesn’t know that,” Vittoria drops her eyes to Nina’s bump. “She has his child, and they will live happily ever after,” she mocks. “You must love it, Nina, after all, you fought for it.”

“I want Salvatore out of my life for good as much as the both of you,” Nina snaps, her eyes drifting to Lev behind her and then back to us. “Can we get it going so that happens fast enough?”

So eager.

“I want to know what life without Salvatore will feel like, and I would do anything to make it happen,” Nina continues, and I don’t miss how aware she is of Lev’s presence behind her.

“Sounds like we are on the same page,” Vittoria opens her clutch and brings out the burner phone. “Let’s get this party started, then.”

Nina takes the phone, drags in a deep breath, and steps away from us, but not without sending a soft smile in Lev’s direction.

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