Chapter 2
1338 Words
Marco heard a soft knock coming from the door. "Come in," he answered.
He doesn't need to ask who it is because he ordered everyone the only Adelina can go near his office. Since the night of the incident, he started to be suspicious of everyone. This time, Marco is definite that the culprit is lurking inside his palace.
"She's here, Your Grace," Adelina said the moment she entered his office.
Marco frowned when he heard Adelina referring to his guard as she. He already acquired the services of his good friend Hunter Lorenzana. He promised that he would be sending his best agent. And today is the day that he would meet him. Marco thought that he might mishear Adelina.
He shrugged his shoulder before he answered. "I'll be there in a minute," he said.
Adelina nodded in response before excusing herself and left the room. Marco then followed Adelina. They both proceed to the great hall where the guest is currently waiting.
The Great hall that was full of lights and decorations from the previous banquet is now empty. There was nothing there but a woman who looks so delicate while standing in the middle of the Great hall.
Andi gasped in awe the moment her eyes landed on the tall and masculine Italian man who resembles a Greek God that graces the human on earth with his presence. He was standing on the balcony before he slowly leaned on the wooden rails and put his hand on top of it. She gulped when she saw how he was glaring at her as if she had done something bad ever before they met.
Though she has a bad feeling about this, Andi can't help but admire the perfectly sculptured man looking down on her from the balcony. She had been with countless men in her life, but this is the first time that her heart started to rumble like there's a buffalo stampede that's happening inside it. Perfect is an understatement to describe his long golden hair that reaches his shoulders. His pointed nose, deep-set of eyes, and thick eyebrows harmonize perfectly to create a masterpiece. Her eyes slowly dropped to his thin lips that reflects the color of a beautiful rose. She slightly feels ticklish when her eyes landed on his light stubble that covers his sharp jaw.
Andi hadn't noticed that she has been admiring the Grand Duke for a while now. But all of her fantasies and admiration flew over the window the moment he opened his mouth.
"A woman?" he said in disgust. "I believe Hunter made a mistake. I'm sorry for wasting your time, My Lady. But I don't think that this job is for you," he said.
Why wouldn't it be? Marco said to himself.
He couldn't believe his eyes the moment he laid his eyes on her. Marco firmly believes that Hunter's agency made a mistake. He believes that Hunter knows the severity of his situation. Thus, he knows that Hunter would never put his safety in the hand of a woman. It must be some mistake.
For Marco, there's no other role for a woman but being a wife and a mother. A responsibility as dangerous as his situation could not handle by a woman.
By looking at the woman in front of him, he clearly knows that it was a mistake. How could a woman, with a delicate body such as her, do to protect the Grand Duke of Pietro Monte. Her petite body is no match to whoever is planning ill against him. A woman like her should be in bed beneath him, writhing and moaning in pleasure.
Marco quickly reprimands himself when he realizes that he's already lusting over the woman standing in the middle of the great hall.
"There's no mistake done here, Your Grace."
Marco cut off his thought when he finally heard a soft voice coming from the woman he was dreaming of taking to bed a while ago.
"I believe there is, My Lady," he contracted her.
"You can call Hunter if you don't believe me, Your Grace," she said confidently before crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Hunter is your boss, right?" Marco asked, frowning. Why does she call her boss on a first-name basis?
"Yes, he is, Your Grace," she answered quickly.
"And you call him by his first name?" he asked again, grimace spread all over his face. Marco doesn't understand why he suddenly felt angry when the thought of her and Hunter being close entered his mind.
"Yes," she answered, frowning. She was puzzled by how he looked at her and how he reacts to what she said.
Marco clenched his fist while glaring at her. He quickly gets his phone from his pocket and dialed Hunter's number. His eyes are still not leaving Andi. He doesn't know what makes him angrier, the thought of this woman being in charge of his safety or the thought that she calls her boss on a first-name basis. Both thoughts don't make sense to him.
It didn't take a while before Hunter finally answered his call.
"Miss me?" Hunter greeted him the moment he picked up the call.
"F*ck off," he answered him angrily.
"Woah! Are you on your period, Your Grace?" Hunter continued to tease him.
"What is this?" he asked Hunter with a loud voice. He doesn't if she heard it. He doesn't have any plan of hiding his distaste of her presence, even though he can't ignore the fact that he's attracted to the beautiful woman in front of him.
"What do you mean?" Hunter asked.
"I asked you to send me your best agent," Marco said.
"And I did. So, what's the problem," Hunter quickly answered.
"A woman, really? Are you f*cking kidding me, Hunter? Tell her to go back and send me your best agent as soo—"
"I didn't know that the Grand Duke of Pietro Monte is afraid to be kicked in the b*tt by a woman," Andi cut him off. She couldn't bear standing there, listening to him whining about her being a woman.
"What did you say?" Marco asked her, giving her a death glare.
"Isn't it unfair that you already concluded that I'm not fit for this job without asking about my credentials?" she asked while trying her best to control her anger.
She has been around many men, but this is the first time she has been humiliated for being a woman. If it just for her, she would already throw him on the ground and bury him alive.
"I don't need to see your credentials. How can a woman protect me from someone who's possibly twice your size?" Marco said as he slowly walks down the stairs.
No matter how much she hates this man, she can't help but notice that she describes her from afar doesn't give justice to his appearance up close. She immediately took a step back when his scent touches his nose.
She cleared her throat before she answered. "My size has nothing to do with my ability. Let your best royal guard face me into a fight. If I win, you will let me do my job. If he wins, I would gladly go back to the Philippines," she said confidently.
He maintains his silence. He keeps on staring at her eyes. It was as if he was studying every part of her face.
She gulped when he took another step closer to her. Before she could even put a space between them, he already grabbed her waist, leaving only an inch of space between them.
"Why don't you fight me, instead?" Marco challenged her.
She almost closed her eyes the moment his minty breath sink into my nostrils. But before she lost into his charm, she quickly pushed him hard to put a space between them.
"My pleasure, Your Grace," she confidently answered before giving him a proud smirk.
It's time to give this arrogant Grand Duke a lesson.
- Writer
