Hating My Bodyguard

3. I'll keep her safe

ZURICH

The moment she left the room and the door closed behind her, I started to question my own decision. For almost thirty minutes I had stood there, looking as uninteresting as I could be, and watched her arguing with her father, stamping every negative opinion I had of hers as a fact. And my opinions ranged from thinking of her as an ill mannered brat to a cold hearted b***h who thinks that the world revolves around her.

And as always she proved me right.

I straightened from where I was leaning against the wall, the refusal to follow through the job I had initially accepted against my better judgement on the tip of my tongue but before I could say anything, Mr Barsetti opened his desk drawer and pulled out a file and then meeting my eyes he said, “Sit down, Zurich. Let's talk if you’re even ready to take care of my daughter.”

The expression on his face made me pause and the fact that he was even questioning if I was capable enough to protect his daughter only made me want to prove to him how much capable I was. But I was mature enough to not take it on my ego and decided that I’ll hear him out before telling him that Gabe was right and he should let Mac do this job. And even though the thought left a bitter taste in my mouth for some unfathomable reason I decided to ignore it.

Mr Barsetti opened the file and then without a word he started to pull out the photos from it and placed them in a neat line in front of me so I wouldn't miss anything. There were more than twenty pictures that he had to make a second line. And then he picked up a zip lock bag from which he pulled out small slips of paper which all looked same except the messages written on them.

As I read the few directly in front of me, without having any knowledge of doing so I had my fingers tightly curled on the armrest of my chair and the leather there creaked under the force. “Does she know?” I didn't even recognise my own voice. I didn’t know why reading these disturbing messages was making me so f*****g furious, but I guess I was still a gentleman enough to care for her as a woman and a human being.

Mr Barsetti looked sad as he nodded. “She does. In fact, she hid it from us until she couldn't anymore.” I frowned at him and he must've seen my expression because he explained, “For almost a year she was getting these threats and she was aware that someone was following her but she didn't want to worry me so she kept it to herself. But then one day she almost got kidnapped. Again.” The last word was only a whisper but I read it on his lips and for the moment kept my questions to myself as he continued, “If not for her quick thinking and the self defence classes Theo was teaching her, I don't want to think what would've happened. She got some bruises but she acted all tough and strong when she came back home and told me what happened when I demanded the answers.”

“I didn't want something like that to happen again so I instantly put more guards around her even though she fought me on this too with a busted lip and a concussion. I won that discussion but it didn't help. No matter how much security I increased on her, her stalker somehow has managed to infiltrate his way in and made his threats. He’s not some roadside rookie and for the sake of my daughter’s safety I need to know if you’re up for the job.”

Maybe I was too quick to say that I was mature enough to not take it on my ego but after hearing Mr Barsetti and after seeing all the ways this stalker was making himself known, not so subtly, and threatening Katlyn, I wanted to be the one to put him on his knees, shove my gun in his mouth and pull the trigger. Of course, it was because now protecting her was my job.

“You don't have to worry when I’m here. The men you entrusted your daughter’s safety to were obviously incapable of doing their jobs but I assure you it won’t be the case with me. Every threat will be dealt with before it could even reach your daughter.”

And even when I hated her I meant each and every word. The thought of this unhinged motherfucker getting his hands on the bratty princess made me want to go looking for him and then break every bone in his body until there’s nothing left but a bruised pile of flesh.

“Good.” Mr Barsetti nodded, and then pulled out another file. At first I thought it was more of her stalker’s threats or something similar but when he held it out to me and I took it, grudgingly. He said, “Before you take your duties as her bodyguard I want you to sign an NDA and a contract on what’s expected from you as her bodyguard.” He paused, suddenly looking older than he was as he rubbed a hand down his face. When he met my gaze, he said, “Sign it, because what you’ll learn after that won’t leave this room. Shouldn’t leave this room.”

For a moment indecision took hold of me once again and I questioned myself if I really wanted to do this? But against my better judgement when he pushed the NDA in front of me, I signed it. And after that came a contract describing my job and rules I’ll have to follow and the consequences if I failed. The consequences written on that piece of paper should’ve stopped me from going forward. I should've stopped me then and there. I should've told him that he was fûcking insane and I won’t put my life on the line for someone like his daughter. But then I reminded myself that if I actually failed to protect her then what does it fûcking matter, I’ll have to spend the rest of my life thinking I failed to do my own job. And yeah, maybe I was egoistical and didn’t want to accept failure of any kind.

Without giving it much thought, I signed the contract and her father looked at me as he pushed another manila envelope toward me. I arched a silent brow, he said, “This is everything you need to know about her.” When I tried to take it from him, he held on to it tight. “My daughter is very precious to me, Z, I can’t even handle a scratch on her person and this stalker has managed to do more than that.”

“I’ll keep her safe.”

He nodded. “I know you will, but this isn’t about that,” he pointed at the envelope as he added, “You can’t share the details in this file to anyone. Not even Gabriel Wolfe.”

I narrowed my eyes on him. If he thought getting me as his daughter’s bodyguard meant that I’d somehow betray Gabriel or help him in any way to go against my friend, he’s going to get punched in the face right here and now. I wouldn’t even care that he’s almost my father’s age.

But fortunately for him, he clarified, “I promise this isn’t about him or me trying to hurt him in any way. I know where your loyalties lie, but since your aim is to protect my daughter from now on it means you’ll share that loyalty with her. And, this is just about her, my daughter, and as a father I want it to be kept a secret. I wouldn’t even share it with you if it wasn’t important but considering you’re going to live twenty four seven with her, you should be aware of it. And be able to take care of her.”

With each and every word out of his mouth something dark was whispering at the back of my head as if warning me away from going any further. I quashed that thought, I had already decided my fate it seemed or maybe it was destiny that every blames which made me nod. Secondly, I wasn’t one to shy away from anything and suddenly everything about protecting Katlyn was turning out to be one. “I won’t tell Gabriel.”

He finally released his grip on the file and I stood up, ready to leave, when he said, “And, Z,” I paused to hear him. “Be ready.”

“For what?” I asked.

“For the ways my daughter comes up with to make you quit, because she will try everything under the sun.”

Amusement crossed my face for the first time as I replied, “Let her.”

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Note-

Helly guys, I'm on a vacation and I haven't yet heard from the app about the book, the process is taking time. Thanks for waiting and being patient! ?

A. Gupta