Page 3 of Three Billionaire Bodyguards and a Sneaky Mafia Princess

“Oh, thank you so much,” Oscar said, rising from his seat, a little color back in his face. “I will never be able to thank you enough. I’ll go and get my daughter.”

Just as he started toward the door, a soft knock sounded on the wood.

“Ah, Orchid,” Oscar called. “Come in.”

Brent, River, and Cash rose from their seats. What he expected was the quintessential mafia princess. He was sure River and Cash were too. What they saw instead was…

Something else.

For a moment, when he locked his gaze with hers, the blood in his veins heated, and his muscles pulled taut, and fuck if he could explain it all.

Overly demure, the dress Rossini’s daughter wore left only her slender forearms, a bit of her calves, and a glimpse of her clavicle bare. Save for a pair of pearl earrings and a thin gold watch, she wore no other jewelry, and her face was devoid of makeup, leaving her eyelashes silky. Her long, dark, gleaming, chocolate-colored hair cascaded over her shoulders, and every time she moved, the fragrance of her perfume tinged the air anew.

With a bow—a fucking bow—in her hair, twenty-two-year-old Orchid Rossini looked like an angel. The epitome of innocence. He didn’t know whether or not to trust her.

“Papa,” she said softly, placing her bags on the floor and kissing her father on both his cheeks. She then turned their attention to them.

“Mr. Knolls,” she whispered shyly, reaching out her dainty hand to him and then kissing him on both his cheeks as well. Her scent was so subtle Brent found himself holding his breath, so her perfume could linger a little longer in his senses.

They were friends and business partners long enough to be able to communicate with each other without saying a word.

She surprised the fucking hell out of all three of them. She did a weird thing to their senses, but they’d shut it down immediately. Seven days couldn’t come quickly enough as far as they were concerned.

“Mr. Adams,” she said, moving on and addressing River now, offering him a kiss on both his cheeks as well.

“Mr. Ingram.” She maintained her soft-spoken demeanor, keeping her eyes downcast. She seemed a little nervous. Shy.

“I don’t know how to thank you for doing this for us, for me and my dad. I understand how this must be a huge inconvenience for you, but I promise you won’t even know I’m there. I’m just so grateful that I’ll be safe from that awful man,” she sniffed, shook her head, looked up at them, and forced a smile on her lush pink lips.

“Thank you. Again. From the bottom of my heart. If there’s anything I can do for you in return… you have my eternal gratitude.”

“We’re happy to help,” River said, hands in his pockets, his voice calm and welcoming.

“You’ll be safe with us,” Cash added.

She nodded as she tried to suck up her tears.

“Gentlemen,” Oscar said. “I’ll be in touch as soon as all this is resolved. Like my daughter, you have my eternal loyalty.” He shook their hands, then turned to his daughter.

He drew her in for a hug, then whispered something in her ear, clearly not for them to hear. Except they did. They were constantly on high alert—perks of being raised on the dangerous side of the world.

“Please be good, Orchid.”

Chapter Three

River

What the fuck had they gotten themselves into?

The rather timid girl sitting opposite him and Brent and next to Cash in the limo, en route home—totheirhome—was nothing like they expected. She seemed sweet, agreeable, and grateful.

Maybe the next seven days weren’t going to be so bad after all.

Although…

River always liked to face the facts head-on, with no filter, no glitter. He’d taken a moment to analyze the two men who were closer to him than any blood brother could be.

Brent had shut down his reaction to her so quickly; if River hadn’t been looking at him at that exact moment, he would have missed it altogether. Cash, their resident ladies’ man, on the other hand, kept the utterly confused look on his face a little longer. River could see his mind work as he asked himself a simple question: Why?

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