AMELIA
I smoothed down the front of my short red dress, catching my reflection in the mirror. The crystals caught the dim lighting of my bedroom, and the slit running straight up my thigh was reckless enough to make my dad lose his mind if he saw it. Perfect. Castello Bar at eleven p.m. was non-negotiable.
Before I could grab my purse, my bedroom door swung open.
My dad stepped into the room, his face rigid, but he wasn't alone. Standing right beside him was a stranger dressed entirely in black. He was broad-shouldered, towering, with a sharp jawline that looked like it was carved out of granite.
My eyes searched his face before looking back back at my father, “what is going on here, dad? And who the hell did you bring into my room?”
"Rey Lorde, your new bodyguard."
"My what?" I scoffed, throwing a dismissive glare at the guy. “I hope this is one of your many jokes, dad. Because you sure as heck can’t be serious.”
The stern look on his face made me realize this was real. I heaved my brows, then blinked. “What the hell, Dad! If I needed a babysitter, I would have asked you for one. You can’t just show up with a man who looks like a target fast-forwarded out of a hitman movie and tell me he’s my bodyguard."
"Well, you made me do this and I am not arguing with you on it," Dad cut in, taking a step back toward the hallway. He pulled his coat tighter around himself, not even looking me in the eye. "If only you stopped sneaking out of this and returning home drunk whenever you wanted, I wouldn’t have to worry about you this much.”
“But dad…”
“Since I’ll be traveling out of the country for business and have no idea when I'll be back. I can’t leave you alone so Rey stays. He goes where you go, and he makes sure you stay safe."
"No Dad! You can't do this to me. I don’t fucking need some random giant in my room!" I yelled, taking a step forward to the so-called bodyguard. “Get the fuck out of my room and this house, your service isn’t needed!”
"Watch your attitude, Amelia. You're in good hands," he called over his shoulder, already walking briskly down the corridor. "Behave… and Rey, please remember everything I told you."
“Noted, sir,” his voice came out cold, not exactly as I expected, much more… hotter. I shook the thought of my head and turned to the direction of the door.
"Dad! Don’t leave! You can’t do this to me"
I lunged toward the door to go after him, but a massive wall of muscle blocked my path. I nearly crashed right into Rey's chest.
I stumbled back, my eyes snapping up to his. He didn't budge an inch. He just stared down at me, his eyes entirely devoid of emotion, like he was looking at an annoying fly.
"Out of my way, Mr. Man," I snapped, attempting to push past his arm. It was like pushing against solid concrete.
"Your father said to not let you leave your room once it’s past 10 P.M., Princess," his deep voice vibrating right through the air between us.
Princess. The word hit me like a slap, making my skin prickle with irritation. Only my boyfriend was allowed to use pet names with me. Not this random weirdo.
"Don't you dare call me that," I spat, crossing my arms over my chest. "My name is Amelia. And for the record, I do not care about your arrangement with my father. Take your little suit and walk right out that front door."
Rey raised an eyebrow, a slow, infuriating smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I don't take orders from you. I take them from the man who pays me."
"I am telling you to move!"
"And I'm telling you you're not leaving this house," he replied calmly, taking a half-step forward. The sheer size of him crowded my personal space, casting a long shadow over me.
My blood boiled. Castello Bar was waiting, my friends were waiting, and I was not about to spend my Friday night trapped in my bedroom with an arrogant mountain of a man. If shouting wasn't going to get him out of my way, I needed a different strategy.
I took a slow breath, letting my hands drop to my sides. I softened my expression, tilting my head slightly as I looked up at him through my lashes.
"Look... Rey, right?" I murmured, stepping closer until the toes of my heels almost touched his boots.
He didn't pull back. His eyes narrowed slightly, watching me with a sudden intensity mixed with shock.
"You're really going to ruin my night?" I whispered, my voice dropping into a soft, sultry tone. I reached out, my fingers lightly tracing the front of his black shirt, feeling the hard line of his chest beneath the fabric. "A big, handsome guy like you... taking orders from my dad just to bully a girl?"
Rey’s breath hitched slightly. His jaw clenched, his gaze dropping down to my lips as I slid my hand up to his shoulder, leaning in until my breath fanned across his neck. He went rigid, his hand rising to rest firmly against my waist—his focus completely compromised.
"Listen Princess..." he muttered, his voice dropping an octave, raspy and thick.
Got you.
The second his grip loosened and his eyelids heavy-lidded with distraction, I pulled my leg back and kicked him as hard as I could right between his thighs.
Rey let out a choked, muffled gasp, his eyes bulging as his hands instantly flew down to protect his groin. He bent double, staggering back two steps with a ragged groan.
"Consider yourself fired, asshole!" I yelled.
Before he could recover or grab my ankle, I shoved past him, sprinted out of my bedroom, and slammed the door shut behind me, turning the key in the lock from the outside.
I grabbed my clutch from the console table, bolted down the stairs, and threw open the front entrance, running straight out toward my car. My heart was pounding frantically against my ribs, but a wild laugh escaped my throat as I hit the ignition.
Just a little sexy voice and my fingers trailing his chest and he lost his guard. Typical men's behavior. They were almost all the same. Their dicks controlled them, except for my boyfriend!