Page 52 of Claimed By the Damned

During the past two weeks, the first thing I learned about having a personal bodyguard is that it’s a lot like having an overgrown, heavily-armed babysitter who enjoys making my life miserable.

Grim follows me everywhere.Everywhere. A constant, brooding presence mandated by Bastian after Kolya’s taunting message arrived.

At the grocery store? He looms over me like a shadow, tossing protein bars and beef jerky into my cart like I don’t have a say, his gaze constantly scanning the aisles.

At work? He sits in the flower shop, occupying a corner like some kind of tattooed gargoyle, radiating enough quiet menace to scare off timid customers.

In the bathroom? Okay, he stays outside for that, usually leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed, looking impossibly bored yet hyper-aware. But I wouldn’t put it past him to somehow have a sixth sense about when I leave the room.

I glare at him over my shoulder as we walk down the sidewalk toward the shop, theclunk-clunkof his heavy boots a constant reminder that my so-called 'freedom' is anything but free.

“You don’t have to follow me inside,” I say, folding my arms. “Pretty sure the biggest threat I’ll face today is running out of peonies.”

Grim lets out a low chuckle, slow and lazy, his deep green eyes gleaming with amusement. “Nah,Princess—you might trip over your own feet and need rescuing. Gotta be ready.”

I exhale sharply, pinching the bridge of my nose. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll get bored. Maybe if I wish hard enough, he’ll disappear into thin air.

I want to strangle him. He's like Ryker turned up to eleven, all menace and irritating nicknames. But underneath the bullshit... there's that same unsettling competence I see in Ryker sometimes. A coiled stillness. An absolute refusal to miss anything.

And damn it, despite wanting to deck him, the cold knot in my stomach loosens just a fraction knowingheis the one watching my back. He's still an asshole, though.

“Call me ‘Princess’ one more time and I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” He leans down, all six-foot-five inches of menace, a challenge glinting in his eyes, knowing exactly how much he pisses me off. “Stomp your foot? Give me a real good glare?”

I want to throttle him.

Instead, I spin on my heel and storm into the shop.Ignoring him is the only winning move.

Inside the shop, Stephanie is already behind the counter, humming as she arranges a vase, her blonde curls piled on top of her head in a messy bun. The second she spots Grim stalking in behind me—a now familiar, and enormous, sight—her eyes light up with mischief.

“Ohhh, look who it is,” she calls out, leaning against the counter with a cheeky grin. “Brought your favorite brooding giant again, Lila?”

Another groan escapes me. “He’s not my favorite anything.”

“Could have fooled me. Besides,” she adds, eyeing Grim’s imposing frame, “He’s... definitely something. Hard to ignore someone built like a brick shithouse.”

Grim places a hand over his chest in mock sincerity. "Thank you, sweetheart. I try." He pauses, eyes twinkling. "Hard work looking this goodandterrifying. It's simply exhausting."

I bury my head in my hands for a second, recognizing his usual brand of suggestive bullshit. Stephanie’s grin widens, clearly amused. The memory of her first encounter with him flashes through my mind.

I remember walking in that first morning, Grim trailing behind me like a thundercloud. Stephanie’s eyes had widened, her jaw practically dropping. “Whoa,” she had breathed, doing a slow scan from his boots up to his scarred eyebrow.

“Okay, ditching the hot tech guy for… this? Upgrade? Side grade? Definitely a grade.”

“He’s my… bodyguard,” I had muttered, praying for the floor to swallow me. “Bodyguard?” Her grin had returned, sharper this time.

“What’s his name? Thor? Hagrid?” I had snorted despite myself.

“Close. This is Grim.” “Grim?” She had tilted her head, assessing him.

“That’s… deeply unsettling.” Grim had leaned in then, just like he does now sometimes, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through the small space.

“Good.” Stephanie had blinked, then nodded slowly, a look of pure, unadulterated approval spreading across her face. “Okay. Yeah. I like him.”

Back in the present, Stephanie is still grinning. "Still think he's unsettling, by the way. In a good way." She winks at Grim, who just radiates smug satisfaction.

I sigh, giving Stephanie a look that screamsyou’re not helpingbefore walking around the counter and tying my apron. The bell jingles as a new customer steps in. I barely have time to glance up before he strolls toward the counter, exuding the kind ofconfidence that only comes from having other people do things for him.

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