Page 4 of His Mafia Bodyguard

"Signor Alessi, the wedding is coming up soon… Perhaps Bear could use a new suit as well?" Julian suggested playfully, letting his eyes roam over the older man's body once more.

He imagined what Bear might look like dressed in one of Signor Alessi's fine creations, the tailored fabric accentuating every curve and angle of his muscular frame…

"Maybe another time," Bear replied gruffly, his expression unreadable. "Right now, I have a job to do."

Damn. "Of course," Julian murmured, feeling a twinge of disappointment. He knew that he was pushing his luck by trying to engage Bear in this way but couldn't help himself.

There was something undeniably alluring about the stoic enforcer, something that drew him in and refused to let go.

That had always been the way he was, after all: the more people wanted him to shut up, the more he wanted to provoke them.

"Almost finished here, Mr. Toscano," Alessi announced, snapping Julian out of his reverie. "Just need to make a few adjustments and your suit will be ready."

"Thank you, Alessi," Julian said, forcing a smile. But inside, his thoughts were racing as he considered the tantalizing possibilities that lay just beyond his reach.

As the tailor continued to work on the final touches of Julian's suit, his thoughts drifted back to his teenage years. He remembered late nights spent in his bedroom, a stolen novel hidden beneath his pillow, the pages filled with tales of the Mafia world that they all inhabited. The stories had fueled his fantasies, the mysterious allure of danger and power intoxicating to his young mind.

"Signor Alessi," Julian said, his voice tinged with mischief as he turned his gaze to Bear once more, "do you remember those old gangster movies I used to watch when I'd come here after school? You know, the ones where the hero is always dressed to kill?"

"Ah, yes, of course!" Alessi chuckled, pausing in his adjustments to reminisce. "You were always so captivated by them, weren't you?"

"Indeed, I was," Julian admitted, allowing himself a small smile. "Especially when the enforcer would step out of the shadows, strong and silent like... Well, like Bear, actually."

Bear's eyes flickered towards Julian, dark and intense, as they locked onto him in a fiery challenge. His irritation was palpable, but it only served to fuel Julian's desire to push their boundaries further. Testing the waters of their relationship, he leaned against the counter, his fingers tracing the edge of an ornate silver button.

"You know, Bear," he mused, his words deliberately casual, "I always imagined what it might be like to be one of those characters in those movies. I may be the heir, but you're the one that lives that life, when it comes down to it. How does it feel, to do the things you do?"

"I don't have time for childish games, kid." Bear's response was curt, his focus shifting back to the door as if trying to dismiss Julian's words.

"Who said anything about games?" Julian countered. "I'm simply trying to understand the man standing before me—a man who has dedicated his life to serving my father and protecting our family."

"Watch it," Bear warned, his tone low and dangerous. "You're treading on thin ice."

"Alright, alright," Julian conceded, raising his hands in mock surrender. "No need to get rough with me... unless, of course, that's what you want."

Alessi, ever the consummate professional, let all their banter pass him by without a word. "Here you go," he said, handing Julian a selection of clothes. "Your suit will be ready for the wedding. In the meantime, please try these."

"Thanks, Alessi." As Alessi took his leave, Julian slipped behind the privacy screen. He stripped down to his underwear, feeling the cool air brush against his skin.

There was a standing mirror, ready for someone to assess their clothing. Julian couldn't resist the chance to look himself over, twisting and turning his body to check out his reflection.

Not too bad,he thought, turning to eye his ass.

Not that I've ever had any complaints…

He smirked. Yeah, it turned out that when it came to British men, an American accent and a smile did a lot of heavy lifting.

Well, technically speaking, the men he picked up tended to do the lifting—lifting him onto countertops, lifting him up against the wall, lifting his ass up to drive into him deeper…

"Try not to take all day, okay? We've still got places to be."

Julian jolted, startled out of his reverie. Trust Bear to be a buzzkill. "Of course," he said with a sigh, sliding his legs into the tailor-made pants.

Stupid Bear.Businessthis, andloyaltythat, andJulian stop wasting time, blah blah blah… It was a wonder that Julian had ever had a crush on him, really. He clearly didn't deserve it.

As he bent over to fasten them, he caught a glimpse of movement in the corner of his eye.

Bear's reflection in the mirror.

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