Chapter 9
2165 Words
MARCO
We went inside my room. She ordered me to sit on the couch as she tried to find where my first aid kit was.
"It's in the bathroom," I told her and she immediately went inside it to pick it up.
It didn't take long before she went back holding a white box that has all the basic materials needed to tend a small wound. She sat on top of the table in front of the couch and quickly grabbed my injured hand.
I was amazed at how soft her hand is. I can barely feel the pain as she gently wiped the damp cotton against my wounds.
"You're quite skilled when it comes to cleaning wounds," I noticed.
"In my line of work, it's part of my everyday life to see men get wounded in missions. Most of our missions are top secret so we can't just barge into any hospital. This is actually part of our training. We need to know the basics," she proudly explained.
I can't help but notice the proud beautiful smile on her face. She seems to be very fond of what she's doing. I was quite taken aback when I saw her radiating face. It is the first time that she smiled at me. Not the forced or fake smile but a genuine one.
Her natural scent was invading my nose as she was so close to me. There is nothing elegant about it,, but I somehow find it sexy. The smell of her body wash is enough to stimulate my whole body.
She doesn't wear any makeup like the typical women that I met from time to time. While she's busy tending my wounds, I took the chance to stare at her face intently. Her short black bob haircut that was slightly reaching the back of her neck fits her small oval face perfectly. I like her short hair, it shows her beautiful long neck. I can imagine my lips rubbing against it. Her thick eyebrows and deep set of brown eyes make her look tough but I can see her gentle soul through it.
My eyes landed on her sharp jaw before it finally settles on top of his thin lips that turn red whenever she bites them. I can't help but imagine what would be her lips feel like when pressed against mine. I wanted to bite her lips until it turns red.
This woman in front of me has something about her that makes my mind go crazy. That explains my sudden outburst when I heard Brandon said that he loves her. Brandon is one of my good friends, but at that moment, I was actually thinking of burying him beneath my vineyard to use his body as my fertilizer.
I didn't notice that I was holding the glass of wine too tightly, causing it to break. It makes me more curious about her relationship with Brandon.
"What's going on between you and that brute?" I can't stop myself from asking. I'm dying out of curiosity or I must say, someone, is going to die because of it.
"What? Me and Brandon?" she answered before turning her head towards me which gives me more chance to look at her beautiful face thoroughly. "No way!" she firmly denied before letting out a nervous laugh. "He really likes to annoy me. He's always been like that. He's your friend, I bet you already know that."
I can't explain it but somehow I let out a breath of relief when she denied it. It was as if a knife that was pierced into my chest has finally been removed. Though I'm relieved, I still had a feeling that there's something serious going on between the two.
She's right. I know Brandon very much. He's been my friend for a long time now that's why I'm sure that whatever it is that he's feeling towards this woman, it is something serious. I've never seen nor heard him said I love you to anyone. It's only her and that is something that I can't dismiss.
"There, all done!" she announced.
I turned to my hand and I hadn't noticed that she already put a bandage around my hand. I was so focused on looking at her face that I almost forgot that I was wounded.
"Thank you," I told her. She was about to stand up but my hand immediately went to grab hers to stop her from doing so.
"Do you still need anything, Your Grace," she asked, confusion is apparent in her face.
"Have you eaten properly?" I asked.
She stays silent for a minute before she finally answered.
"I haven't, Your Grace. But it's fine. I'll just go down and continue eating in the dining hall."
"Would you please join me for breakfast?"
She tried to open her mouth but nothing came out. She looks like she was about to say something but decided not to do it. I felt her body stiffened just by holding her hand. I somehow regret saying those words.
What am I thinking? I know I'm attracted to her but I shouldn't do anything about it. She will never be fit to become a duchess. I should have never shown interest in her. It would never work out. I have a responsibility to the House of Costa De Lucca that I have to uphold. This woman will only be a distraction.
"I can't use my hand before of my wound. I want you to feed me," I quickly added.
I saw her face quickly change from confused to anger. It seems like I offended her with what I've said.
"I am here to ensure your safety, Your Grace, not to be your nanny. If you need someone to feed you, you can ask Venida to do it for you," she said coldly. From the soft and gentle soul that was tending my wound, she instantly changes into a wild tigress. I kinda felt worried for my life.
"But what if someone tried to poison me? Isn't that part of you ensuring my safety?"
"If there's someone who's planning on killing you right at this moment, I would be first on the line," she said before giving me a fake smile.
There's that fake smile again. I wanted to grab her ripped out that fake smile from her face.
"Are you saying you're not going to do it what I ordered you to?"
"Definitely," she quickly answered.
"Okay, maybe I should ask Brandon," I said.
"Maybe you should, Your Grace," she said, mockingly.
"If that would be the case, isn't it seems like he's doing the job that you supposed to do?"
"I told you, feeding you isn't part of my job," she insisted.
"But as you said, he's willing to do it, right?"
"I guess so," she responded, crossing her hands in front of her chest.
"Then I think it just right that I chose Brandon to take over the job that you're not willing to do. Technically, I am your client. I still have a final say on who takes the job and who's not."
"That's unfair!" she exclaimed. "I won the fight fair and square. I have all the right to be in this position and you can't take that away from me just because I'm a woman! Keep your gender prejudice to yourself, Your Grace."
I smirked when I finally hit the right nerve. I can already smell my victory.
"Life isn't fair, Signorina."
"But it shouldn't be. It's because of people like you that makes life so unfair," she said before turning her back on me and walked out of the room.
Her words felt like a dagger piercing right into my chest. I think I pushed her too much. It wasn't my intention to offend her.
"D*mn it!" I cursed out loud. I felt horrible about what I said to her. That was a low blow, I know. I blew a loud breath before I finally decided to follow her.
I was about to open the door when it swung open and Brandon came out of the door.
"Andi said you're looking for me, Your Grace," Brandon said.
"No, I'm not. You can go back to whatever hell you're doing. Or better yet, you can go back to the Philippines," I told him.
"Aww...And here I thought you missed me, Your Grace," he teased.
"Shut up, brute!" I tried to walk past him but he deliberately blocked the way using his body. "What the h*ll—"
"Come," he said before grabbing my hand and went back inside my room.
It didn't take long when a couple of servants went inside right after. They brought food and set it up on the table in front of the long couch.
"Andi said you needed someone to feed you. So, let me help you," Brandon said.
"What? No!" I was just teasing her when I said that Brandon should do it but I don't have plans in doing so. I used that excuse to have another reason to spend more time with her. I don't know what got into me to say those horrible words to her.
"Ohh come on! Andi said you insisted that you wanted to be fed. So here, let me help you, Your Grace," Brandon insisted before picking up the spoon and tried to shove the spoon into my mouth.
"Get off me!" I complained. I was about to shout at him again when I saw his playful smile turned into a straight face.
"What's up with you, Marco?" he said in a serious tone.
He's always addressing me in a formal manner when he's trying to tease me or to annoy me. But he calls me by my first name when it was something serious.
"What do you mean?"
"Are you interested in Andi?" he asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I denied as I tried to turn my gaze away from him. "She's here to work. I'm not the one who sent her here."
"I promise to keep you safe, Marco. I will even lay my life for you in all kinds of danger but I want to ask you something. I was hoping that you would grant this favor."
"What is it?"
"Leave Andrea alone," he said with a straight face.
I was taken aback by his being blunt. It was the first time that I saw him look so serious when asking a favor.
"You are insane. I don't have any idea what are you talking about."
"Andrea is a beautiful woman, I know that. I can see that you admire her but we both know that you can't just marry someone. She needs to have a title to be fit as your duchess and Andi doesn't have any of that. You'll just break her heart," he explained.
"I don't plan to marry her. What are you talking about?" I told him in confusion. I don't know where is he going with this conversation.
"Exactly my point, Marco. So, stop leading her on."
"I am not aware of whatever it is that you're accusing me of," I told him. "I'm not interested in her nor do I have plans of dating her. She doesn't fit my taste. I don't even see her as a woman," I strongly denied. I was about to add another thing when my eyes noticed a woman standing in front of the door.
I suddenly felt something blocking my throat when my eyes landed on her cold eyes. I wonder if she heard everything I say.
"There's a woman looking for you downstairs, Your Grace. Adelina is busy fixing her something that's why she asked me to come here and inform you about the presence of Lady Anna Margarita," she said blandly, not showing any kinds of emotions.
It's hard for me to read what's going on inside her mind. It makes me wonder if she was standing there long enough to hear what I've said.
"Thank you. Please—" She didn't even let me finish my sentence. She turned her back on me and left the room without another word.
"I think I don't need to worry about you getting on her pants. You already sabotage yourself, Your Grace," Brandon said.
It makes me more agitated when I realized how Brandon has been overly protected about Andi.
"Are you interested in her?"
"What if I do, Your Grace? I don't see anything problem with that. I'm single and hot," he answered.
He's right about everything. But somehow, part of me wanted to punch him for shoving it to my face. Not to mention, that there's a woman downstairs waiting for me, who never gets tired of making it evident that she's interested to become my duchess.
"I wish this day to be over with," I said to myself.
Brandon chuckled beside me as if he was enjoying my misery.
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- Writer
