CHAPTER FIFTEEN: i will protect you
1487 Words
“I can. And I will protect you with all my life.”
What in the world is wrong with this man? That was too fast, boy.
“Nothing is wrong with me. I mean it with all my heart.”
Ava had no idea she was thinking out loud until she heard the man in front of her spoke again. She fell silent. Her heart stupidly did a crazy flip. Strange. It was beating fast after hearing those words from his mouth. No. It was already beating fast since she came face to face with him at the door.
Her fingers that were playing with her baby hair just stopped. She felt it again. That stupid feeling in her heart as she stared at him. She did not get it at all. What is going inside me? She tried to look for a hint or sign that this man was just playing with her or doing some prank, but seriousness was all that was shown on his face. Prank? They did not even know each other, to begin with. His forehead was a bit creased because he was staring at her intensely. There was something in his dark brown eyes that got her so hooked. They were so mesmerizing, pulling her closer to him.
Why was he saying all those things to me?
Ava thought about it.
I will protect you with all my life.
It kept ringing in her ears, bothering her with so much annoyance. That was just swift. It became a really disturbing thought. It confused her as they just formally each other. Was it because he had saved her life once? No one had ever said that to her. Aside from her family, she had Mason. But none of them had told her such things. Only this man who she did not even know.
He only had one life, though but he was willing to risk it for me.
Who in the world would risk his life for someone he did not even know yet?
The longer Ava thought about it, the harder it was for her to deal with her tightening chest. So, she calmly took a deep breath, without taking her eyes off the man. A stranger. That was a fact. They were basically strangers.
Zephyr Hernandez.
It’s his name.
Born on December 24th. Born and raised in Mexico. American-Mexican.
She wondered if it was his father or mother who was American. Obviously, her mother. How stupid of me. Strange this would sound, but he did not put anything under the Work Experience in his resume. Although it was stated that he was a graduate of Business Administration. Why would he want to be her bodyguard? He was twenty-nine years old. Why didn’t he have any work experience? She felt a little bit affected because she wished he could have used what he studied.
This man is so mysterious.
You can give him a position in the company instead.
No.
This man is definitely something.
She saw his chest heaving up and down at a normal calm pace. She wondered if he could hear her own loud beating heart. Yes, it was so loud. The longer she stared at him, she noticed that his eyes had gone softer. His face was calm and she suddenly wanted to see him smile. Her frozen hand suddenly wanted to reach out and touch his face, but she knew the gesture would scare him out so she dismissed it.
Stop it, Ava. She silently scolded herself.
After what seemed like forever, she finally blinked, closed her eyes, and slightly shook her head, dismissing all emotional thoughts that were trying to overpower her. She let out a deep breath once again and went to look at the papers on her desk again. She didn’t know what else to point out. There wasn’t really much information he stated on his resume. She did not even bother to read his application letter.
Ave went through it again until her eyes landed on something that seemed to be very important.
Father: DECEASED
Mother: DECEASED
Her eyes stayed a little longer on the words, hoping that she was just seeing them wrong. Slowly, she let her fingers hovered them. She purposely covered them. But when she pulled her fingers off the words, the same things were written in blank ink. Her heart started to feel heavy again. Sad, sorry, and lonely for him. She suddenly did not want to see his face at the moment. She felt nervous. It never made her feel comfortable knowing someone who had been through so much emotional distress.
It was shocking enough to digest. She felt silent for a moment. It must have been hard for him. She tried to think of words that would not mean she felt sorry about him.
Instead of saying she was sorry about it, she looked up at his face and asked, “Do you have a sibling or relatives?” She wanted to know.
“I have a brother,” Zephyr replied.
Somehow, she felt relieved. Just a little relieved because she wished he had relatives too. A brother was all he had as a family.
“I think I’ve indicated that there.”
“Oh.” Ava blinked when Zephyr told her that and looked at the papers again. “Oh, yeah. Sorry. Yes, it’s here.” She said. They locked eyes again and Ava silently cursed when it happened every time. She cleared her throat without taking her eyes off him.
Can he make them less intense?
She thought, referring to his deep mesmerizing eyes. He was looking at her with just something in his deep eyes that she could not decipher.
Is he normally like this? Or he’s like this only to me?
Keep dreaming.
“Friends? Special someone?” She asked. She just wanted to know. She was so curious about him.
“That’s quite personal.”
Ava pursed her lips at his response.
Right. This man is a freaking sassy.
“Sorry. Fine, let’s skip that.” She cleared her throat. She did not realize it was so dry until she swallowed the lump in her throat.
“Oh, by the way... How did you know that I need a bodyguard?” How could she forget about that? It almost slipped out of her mind. She needed to know that. She just shocked when she saw him outside with a folder in his hand.
“I overheard you talking to someone on the phone while you were at the park.”
“You were there?” Ava asked, surprise.
He simply nodded in response. No words.
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“Are we friends?”
Ava’s mouth hung open in shock and disbelief. What the f**k? Why was he so freaking sarcastic and sassy? The way he made a retort at her made her feel so f*****g dumb and stupid. Her heart tightened again, not in a good way but a feeling of wanting to shut him up. How, though?
Annoyed, Ava leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked at him with the eyes that scared every single person. She gritted her teeth in utter annoyance. He was starting to get under her skin.
What I do expect? He did not even apologize to me when he bumped his hard wall chest at the hospital parking lot. He’s still the same conceited, numb person.
Ava thought, remembering the time when they first bumped into each other. She could not forget that moment. It was the first time she saw a Greek god.
Damn it, don't give him praise.
Since that day. His face was imprinted on her brain. She remembered all of it. He haunted her in her dreams. He did not have any idea how she badly wanted them to bump into each other again.
He looks very handsome. His face is everything a single woman can wish for. Tall, dark, and handsome. He is all that.
Stop it, stupid.
She just realized how great his physique was, but suddenly remembered that it must matter to her. He might be the most handsome, hottest, and sexiest man in the world, but he was very rude to her.
I shall not care. Personally matters first.
Ava reminded himself and almost scoffed when she realized she just thought about her ideal man again.
Why am I even thinking about it?
I don’t need a man.
You don’t need that.
Right, I don’t.
Family first. It had always been her top priority even if she did not have a good relationship with her father. She still thought that family was very important even if she could not feel her father’s presence in her heart. He might be physically there, but she could just not feel him being a father to her. Doing her best to follow him and keep up with his standards, she hoped her father would see her as someone great. Someone who was capable enough to do things.
Family first.
She reminded herself again before finally telling the sassiest man she had known, “Right. We’re not friends. You can start today.”
- Writer
