The Bodyguard's Temptress

Chapter 5

Natasha

As always, Knox shows up bright and early. As I step into his car, I breathe in the familiar scent of his cologne mingling with the leather upholstery. It strikes me how much time I truly spend with a man of very few words, at least around me. It would be easy to just hire a car service or drive myself, but Knox insists on taking me wherever I need to go himself. He's adamant about always having me in his sight, so that if I'm ever in danger again, he can quickly intervene. Though his protective nature makes me feel safe and secure, I can't help but think that it must be exhausting for him.

Other than an exchange of good mornings, most of the ride to the bakery is silent.

Good.

I don't really want to talk about how I spent most of last night crying, but I'm grateful to Brandon for being there for me. No one ever asks me to recount the details of my abduction, which is nice because I never want to talk about it. What happened was for the mafia to deal with, sparing me the need to give a statement to the police or testify in court. Thanks to Knox, the men who hurt me are either dead or in hiding. So, I've simply bottled up my emotions and tried to move on with my life.

That was until last night when Mr. Edwards seemed to rip open my old wounds, plunging me back into the depths of my trauma. In my mind, it was if everything I went through was happening again, raw and fresh. My body is exhausted from the emotional toll, but I promised Brandon that since he was kind enough to open the bakery today, I could at least muster the strength and lend a hand.

"How did you sleep last night?" Knox asks, the low rumble of his voice snapping me from my thoughts.

"Okay, I guess," I respond softly.

I expect the conversation to end there, as it usually does, but then he surprises me with another question. "How are you feeling today?"

Knox never talks this much, especially not in the morning. He prefers to stay close but keep his distance until I actually need him. Like last night. I must have worried him last night, and he's taking pity on me.

Just freaking great.

Any chance of making him attracted to me is gone. He probably just sees me as some weak, spoiled mafia princess.

"I'm fine," I lie through my teeth, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Natasha," he growls, his voice carrying a warning that sends a shiver down my spine. The way he says my name ignites heat in my core, and I clench my thighs together, trying to ignore it. I meet his intense gaze in the rearview mirror, my eyes widening as they lock with his steely gray ones.

"I've told you before that I don't enjoy being lied to. How can I take care of you if you're not truthful with me?"

Take care of me. Yep, he definitely sees me as nothing more to him than a helpless child.

I divert my gaze out the window, feeling a pang of sadness creep into my heart, but I push it aside. "Last night did bother me a lot, but I feel better now," I confess, opting for honesty this time.

His tone turns cold and absolute. "He'll never touch or speak to you again."

Oh, god. Why does he sound so sure of that? Wait...did he kill him?

"You didn't kill him, did you?" I nearly whisper, the question hanging in the air like a dark cloud. Yes, what Mr. Edward's said to me was f****d up, but I didn't want him to die because of it. Knox has already killed too many men for me.

"No."

His curt response leaves me with more questions than answers. But I trust him. He wouldn't lie to me, especially not about something like this. With a nod, I settle back into the seat, relief washing over me.

I reach into the door compartment and pull out a bag of ranch corn nuts. Knox always has my favorite snacks stocked in his car. I guess he really pays attention to me because I've never specifically told him what I like. I just got in here one morning, and there they were waiting for me. But I guess that's his job, right?

"You know, once you're done being my bodyguard, you could be an Uber driver," I tease, popping a kettle into my mouth. These things might just break my teeth one day, but these things are so damn good, it's worth the risk.

He completely ignores my attempt at humor, instead focusing on the other part of it. "When do you believe you'll no longer require my services?"

His question makes me squirm in my seat, the reality of our dynamic hitting me like a ton of bricks. "I'm not naive, I know I'll always need a bodyguard because of my dad," I start, the weight of the truth heavy on my shoulders. "But I also know you won't be my bodyguard forever. One day, you'll retire, and Dad will have to find someone else."

The thought of Knox not being around fills my stomach with angry, buzzing bees, but like every job, his will eventually come to an end. Perhaps it's a good thing. I'll just go back to dealing with the annoying ass bodyguards I had before him.

But then, the memory of the two men that were supposed to be protecting us that day flash in my mind, their lifeless bodies sprawled on the sidewalk. They didn't do their job. They miserably failed Mom.

They failed me.

What happens when the next incompetent bodyguard fails me too? What if I get kidnapped again?

My heart beats so loudly, I'm sure Knox can hear it too. Anxiety tightens its grip around my chest, making it hard to breathe.

As Knox pulls up in front of the bakery, he turns off the car. "Look at me," he commands and my eyes immediately snap to his in the mirror.

"The only reason I'll ever stop being your bodyguard is if I die protecting you. That's it. I will never abandon you when you need me."

His declaration washes over me like a warm embrace, sending tears to my eyes. Does he really mean that? The sincerity in his voice tells me that he does, but I've been let down so many times in my life, I struggle to allow myself to believe it.

But Knox is different. Or at least I hope that he is.

Still gazing at him in the mirror, I notice something I hadn't before. A dark bruise mars his otherwise gorgeous features. It looks like he tried to conceal it, but I can still see the outline.

Anger boils beneath the surface of my skin at the thought of someone harming him. Did he get into a fight with Mr. Edwards? Or was it someone else?

"What happened to your eye?" I ask through gritted teeth, concern lacing my tone.

"Nothing," he grumbles.

I give him a pointed look. "I thought you said no lying."

His lips draw into a small smile, the sight sending a flutter through my chest. "Okay, nothing to worry your pretty little mind about, baby girl."

Baby girl.

A rush of desire surges through me. What did I do to earn all this today? Not only did he speak to me for more than more than usual, but he also gave me a new nickname.

There's a comfortable silence between us as we hold each other's gazes. It can't possibly be more than a few seconds, but it feels like forever. His eyes are so captivating, they practically threaten to steal my damn breath away.

The thoughts running through my mind are anything but innocent. The things I could do to this man...

He definitely has a daddy vibe. I don't mean like being a replacement for my father, I don't f*****g need another one of those. More like he'll take control in the bedroom, and f**k my bratty mouth when I talk back to him.

A girl can f*****g dream.

"You should get inside," he finally breaks the silence, his voice pulling me back to reality. "Your friend seems to be having a hard time handling the line of people that are beginning to stretch out the door."

I don't miss the way he says "friend" as I whip my head towards the building. Damn it, he's right. A line has formed, and through the glass doors, I can see Brandon struggling to keep up. We haven't hired additional workers yet; that process is supposed to start next week.

"s**t!" I shout, springing out of the car before Knox even has a chance to open the door for me. I know he hates when I do that, but I need to hurry up and get in there.

And later, I'll definitely need to bake Brandon an apology cake or something for getting lost in my bodyguard's eyes when he needed me.