Page 49 of King Of Order

Chiara was in her kitchen rummaging through her fridge. She glanced up when I knocked on her glass and issued a curt explanation.

‘I need to case each room, the external buildings, and the garden perimeter and secure it all.’

‘OK,’ she nodded, giving me her assent.

I jerked my chin at her and prowled off.

My assessment began with every window, each door, and the boundary for blind spots.

I grasped the weak points and where anyone might try to access them.

Dragging hefty supply boxes from my SUV, I set about installing cameras. Front and back, the driveway, the side alley along the house, and even a couple inside the inner living areas.

My new landlord arrived in time and studied me as I worked, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

She appeared less thrilled about the upgrades, but this wasn’t up for debate.

‘Isn’t this a bit much?’ she asked, her tone clipped.

She leaned against the door frame, her usual grace cloaking the impatience simmering beneath the surface.

I grunted, not bothering to turn around as I continued screwing a camera into place above her front door. ‘No.’

‘No?’ she repeated, her voice rising an octave. ‘Rio, you’re turning my house into Fort Knox.’

‘It’s necessary,’ I clipped, not softening my growl.

I was getting grumpier by the second.

But I wasn’t about to let her play this off like her safety was frivolous. ‘You’re vulnerable here. Anyone might break in with a crowbar and two minutes.’

She uttered a sharp laugh. ‘Un grande momento. So now I’m residing in a vault instead of a home.Graziefor that.’

I turned around, locking eyes with her. She was beautiful when angry—cheeks flushed, eyes sparking like fire.

But this wasn’t about what either of us liked. It was about her safety. ‘It’s safer this way. If you want to argue, go ahead, but I’m not backing down on this.’

Her eyes narrowed further. ‘You’re behaving like a grumpy alpha hole. Do you realize that?’

I barked out a laugh, surprised by her bluntness. ‘Alpha hole? Really?’ I shook my head and crossed the room toward her, my frustration rising. ‘You don’t get it, do you? I don’t care if you think I’m being over the top. This is your life we’re talking about. You’re getting targeted, attacked—’

‘It was Claudio who hit me at the hospital!’ she shot back. ‘Not some random intruder.’

‘It doesn’t matter who it was!’ I growled, stepping closer until I was right in front of her.

Tension arced between us, a mix of anger and something else, something more dangerous. ‘Whether it’s your brother or a stranger, you’re exposed. I’m not letting anything happen to you.’

She stared up at me, her eyes blazing, but something softer was beneath the fire.

Clenching my jaw, I ran a hand through my hair as I turned away, trying to restrain my temper and wrestle it under control. ‘It’s what you fucking hired me for,si?

The silence between us stretched thick with unsaid things. When I shifted back to her, I saw the fierce fire in her eyes dim, replaced by something softer, more thoughtful.

‘I can’t do my job if you won’t let me protect you,’ I growled, irritated with the conversation.

Her lips curved into a soft smile, although her eyes still held a touch of defiance. ‘I don’t mind protection, Rio. I care about you being all alpha hole about it.’

I chuckled, shaking my head. ‘You’re not gonna allow that to go, are you?’

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