Page 5 of Bound to the Mafia Guard

As I started packing my bag for going back to school, I decided to use this time as an opportunity. A chance to prove to myfather and to Andro that I could take care of myself without a bodyguard.

I could be the model student, the perfect omega. And when nothing happened to me, they'd see that I could handle myself. This wasn't just about surviving the next few days. It was about reclaiming my life.

Maybe I would even enjoy having Trev around. It could be like having a personal assistant. Or a very quiet, very armed roommate.

I didn’t know a whole lot about him, except that he was a cousin by blood, unlike me. I’d heard through the grapevine that he had been the brave guard who’d taken a bullet for Jeremiah. Why they gave him the crap job of protecting me was unclear. Maybe he was still recovering?

This didn't have to be a punishment. Maybe it could even get interesting.

3

TREV

I knocked on Rowan's door, wincing as the sound echoed through the mansion's hallway. There was no answer, so I checked my watch and frowned. We needed to leave in fifteen minutes if he was going to make his first class on time. I knocked again, harder this time.

"Just a minute!" A loud thump and muttered curse filtered through the door.

Great. I leaned against the doorframe and sighed. Thisassignmentwas already off to a great start.

A few seconds later, the door swung open and revealed Rowan wrapped in nothing but a towel. Water droplets clung to his bare chest, and his damp hair was sticking up in every direction. “Sorry. Running a few minutes late.”

The omega's scent hit me like a freight train, and I almost flinched in response. A sweet citrus and vanilla that made me want to lean in closer. I cleared my throat and averted my eyes. "Are you ready to go?" Dumb question. The man was in a towel. It was the best I could come up with.

Rowan ran a hand through his hair and chuckled. "Not even close. Come in, if you want. I just need to find my jeans."

He turned and walked back into the room, giving me an eyeful of his toned back and legs. He had those two dimples above his butt. The kind that looked good enough to lick if I was dumb enough to follow that train of thought. I hesitated in the doorway, making sure my alpha instincts didn’t interfere with my professional detachment.Get it together, Urbani. You've got a job to do.

I stepped inside and surveyed the chaos of Rowan's room. Clothes were strewn everywhere, and Rowan was bent over a suitcase, rummaging through it while making an even bigger mess.

"I didn’t mean to pack them." He threw his head back and closed his eyes. "They’re dark blue with a rip in the knee. Have you seen them?"

I raised an eyebrow, not sure I understood what he was asking. "Um, I just got here, remember? I don’t know where your jeans are."

He glanced over his shoulder and flashed a cheeky grin. "Well, after spending the next three days at my side, you’ll be intimately familiar with my jeans—whether they’re on or off me."

I ignored the comment and grabbed his duffel bag from the bed. "Can you wear something else? We need to leave soon if you want to make it to class on time."

"Maybe, but uh, just give me five more minutes." He continued digging through his suitcase while the towel slipped dangerously low on his hips.

My throat was suddenly dry as I tried not to stare at the expanse of pristine skin. This was going to be torture if the boss's cousin insisted on prancing around half-naked all the time.

"Found ‘em!" Rowan glanced at me and held up a pair of jeans.

"Great. Now get dressed so we can go."

Rowan stood up and clutched the jeans to his chest. "You gonna watch me change, big guy?"

I rolled my eyes and turned to face the wall. "Just hurry up."

The rustle of fabric filled the silence as Rowan dropped the towel and put on the rest of his clothes.

Instead of obsessing about the omega behind me, I focused on the job I was being paid to do. Keeping Rowan safe was my entire assignment. My only assignment. Andro was paying me to get him to and from campus without anyone taking an unusual interest because of his last name.

Simple in theory, but I could already tell that Rowan wasn't going to make this easy.

"Okay, I'm decent," Rowan said. "You can turn around now."

When I turned back, I was relieved to see he was fully clothed in jeans and a fitted t-shirt. “Need help with anything?” Apparently I could add keeping him on schedule to my list of responsibilities.

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