Page 38 of Stephan

“Please tell me when I get in you won’t benaked?”

“Can’t do that. I haven’t slept with clothessince I reached puberty.” I yanked the covers off and gathered herto me. She squealed and closed her eyes. I chuckled. “You’reclothed. So you’re safe.”

“Ha, I’m in bed with you, Stephan. Theclothes I have on couldn’t stop you.” Her legs settled on eitherside of me and she laid on me, her arms resting on my arms.

I stroked her back. “I know you’re not ready.I promise I’ll wait for however long you need to be ready. You’reimportant to me, Jade, and I want you happy and safe.” She sighedand snuggled against me. I loved the feel of her against me. Iwished we were skin to skin but I knew she wasn’t ready and Jadewas worth waiting for, I was sure. “Right now I want you to liedown and sleep.

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about earliertoday. I haven’t. I’m pissed at you. If you ever treat me like thatpoor woman at the movies I swear we’ll be through and I’ll nevergive you another chance.” She eased up and cupped my face. “Thenext woman or girl who throws themselves at you, you better throwthem off quicker than you did today. If not I swear I’ll drag themoff by their hair and kill you. If you want me to give this,” shelet my face go and pointed to me and then herself, “a chance, thenyou need to take me serious when I say this. I will never becomeone of those women. I won’t chase you around. I won’t follow youlike a puppy waiting for any attention. I will not beg you to doanything. I am my own woman.”

I pulled her down and brushed my lips overhers. “Good. I don’t want that.” I kissed her, fusing my mouth toher mouth, showing her she was all I wanted, and I didn’t need whatshe’d said. All I needed was her.

We broke apart panting to catch our breathand I knew it was going to be a painful night for me. I laid heracross my chest and her fingers stroked my chest. “Go to sleep,little bit.” I closed my eyes and I heard the soothing rhythm ofour hearts as it beat together. I waited until her breathing slowedand her fingers stilled, then I fell asleep holding my one, my soulmate.

*****

Jade

Standing with my hands on my hips ready forschool I glared at Stephan. Why did he have to ruin a perfectlygood morning? I was a cold body, I was always cold, I learned itwas just me and I put up with it, but this morning I woke warm,snug, and listening to the soothing beat of Stephan’s heart. Ihadn’t even been bothered about his hand in my undies cupping mybare arse. The alarm had gone off and we’d taken our time gettingup, I’d gone to my room to shower and get into my school uniform. Inow had all new school clothes instead of the secondhand ones I’dbought. I still had Stephan’s jumper he’d given me the first dayI’d met him and because it still smelled of him, I put it on. Iknew Stephan would get a kick out of me wearing it especially now Ihad three others in my closet my size.

Stephan had been waiting at my door for meand together we went downstairs and had breakfast together. It hadbeen turning out to be the perfect morning until Stephan got offthe phone and David—who I’d met last night because he’d drivenDerick and I away from the gun fire— and a guy named Rex, who I hadyet to meet, came into the kitchen. Stephan introduced them as mypersonal bodyguards.

“You’ll share the guards with the ten wehave.”

“Holy crap, why the hell does your familyneed ten bodyguards? Why on Earth do you think I need two? I don’teven need one.” I placed my hands on my hips and gave my best deathglare.

Stephan shrugged. “We have ten because therewere four in the family, now five with you. Two to each person,rotating shifts, and two spares for when we need them. Brand willbe interviewing for another two at some stage this week. Brand isthe head of our security, and Royce, is his second. They’ve bothbeen with the family for years. I think I was about four when Brandjoined the team. Anyway, you’re a part of the family now so Davidand Rex will be your day guards so look for them if you need them,they shouldn’t be far. I’ll be with you when you’re not in class soyou’ll have me with you if you need anything. ”

Okay, so I’ve stepped into the Twilight Zone.Looking around me I searched for cameras or a TV host lurking andready to pop out and tell me this was all a game or a prank. Givinga tight fake smile to David and Rex I studied the two beefy men asI held left hand out. “Hi. I’m Jade. I really don’t think you needto follow me or be my guards. I’ve gone almost eighteen yearswithout any. I think I’ll be fine for another eighteen ormore.”

David raised a blond eyebrow and shook myhand. “I was there the other week when you were almost beaten todeath. I don’t know if you would have survived anymore ofthose.”

Darn, I hated it when men were right. I stillthought a bodyguard for me was stupid and a waste of money, but Iknew I wouldn’t win this fight. I shook Rex’s hand too, he wasmassive with a bald head and big green eyes, that studied me withintensity. I knew he was committing every detail to memory.

So I now I had guards, David and a guy namedRex. I wanted to laugh and not just because one of my guards hadthe name of what I’d call a dog if I’d ever been blessed withhaving one, but nope, it's because me, a girl who only last weekhad less than two hundred dollars to her name, now lived in a megamansion and had bodyguards.

Grabbing my new name brand school bag, Ifollowed a happy Stephan to the garage and got into his jeep. “Am Igoing to see that stupid grin every time you get your way and Idon’t argue?” I asked Stephan as he drove down the road grinninglike a loon.

“Probably. You fought me so much for weeksnow I think any time you don’t argue will be a win, winsituation.”

“Arsehole.” I rolled my eyes, but I wasn’thugely bothered. I liked seeing Stephan smile and he had stuck byme so he deserved a bit of slack.

*****

What the hell was I thinking? You give a manan inch he thinks he can go a mile. I didn’t need a babysitter.Stephan had organized one of his mates to watch over me in myclasses. I had no idea I had at least one of his friends in each ofmy classes. I could feel eyes on me all the time. It was like I wasin a bad B-movie. Every time a class would finish a friend ofStephan’s would materialize in front of me to take me to my nextclass,becauseobviously,I couldn’t do it on my ownor even with Cassie or any of my other friends.

I put up with this for almost a week and onlybecause I was worried about Stephan, he was in the bloody home gymor out at what they called the no go zone, on the property, wherethey practiced using guns. It was Friday and today at lunch, Iswear whoever showed their face I was going to wallop them one. NowI tried very hard not to be violent, especially with my upbringing,but Stephan brought out a violent streak in me where I wanted tothrottle him and anyone associated with him.

My girlfriends thought it was cute whatStephan was doing. The bitches had no sympathy for me. I told themkarma would get them but they said they couldn’t wait if they gotsomeone like Stephan. Ha. They needed to put up with him for even aday and I bet they wouldn’t say that.

I wasn’t even sleeping in my bed, not that Iminded. I enjoyed Stephan’s heat and falling asleep to the sound ofhis heartbeat. We never had a break from each other, we drove homeevery afternoon and it was driving me batty. He was super carefuland he made every excuse under the sun to go straight home and notanywhere else. I missed hanging out at the beach, going to Cassie’shouse or even rugby practice. Ah, rugby practice, half nakedboys…mmm. It was tonight and I was going whether Stephan went ornot.

I turned to Cassie as the bell went off,grabbed her arm, and almost ran out of the classroom before anyonecould catch us. I whispered, “I’m going to rugby practice thisafternoon. I have to get out of the house besides coming to school.Stephan needs to go too and if I’m there he will.” I yanked herinto a little corner before the end of the buildings, and glancedaround to make sure none of Stephan’s lackeys were listening.“Stephan is driving me crazy. My last period is free. So isDerick’s. I’m going to beg him to take me home and then to rugbypractice. I need drool therapy. Derick is such a pussy cat with me,he’ll cave and take me. Evelin promised me she’d help with Stephantoo, even she thinks her son is being a bit much.”

Cassie’s eyes grew wide, a huge grin spreadover her face, and she giggled. Crap. Familiar arms slid around mywaist and I turned to look into deep blue eyes and a smirkingface.

“Somehow I don’t think my brother wouldappreciate being called a pussy cat.” I groaned and hoped he hadn’theard much else.

“I’d also like to know why you think rugby isdrool therapy.”

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