Chapter 1 MEETING HER BODYGUARD

"When are you going to grow up, Amelia? You're 23 for crying out loud!" Mr. Brown yelled from the balcony directly opposite Amelia's room, blasting with music.

She knew her dad hated it when she played loud music, especially at night, but she didn't give a care in the world. It was the price he was paying for grounding her for up to a week without money.

"23, dad, I'm still young, stop making it seem like I am as old as your hairline," Amelia retorted from inside her bedroom.

A smirk pulled at the corner of her lips, when she heard him gasp, she knew it was because of the last statement she made.

Not that she wanted to be mean, but she wished he could just mind his business and let her do whatever the fuck she wanted to do.

Speaking of what to do, she had a party scheduled for 11 p.m. in the Castello bar, and her mind was already made up to attend, grounded or not, but what to wear wasn't ready.

She sighed and walked to her wardrobe, flinging the door open like an excited birthday girl opening her present.

A short red gown stoned with crystals all over and a slit in front greeted her eyes. She picked it up and placed it on her body. It was as short as she wanted, and the slit began from her knees up to her thighs.

"Perfect!" she exclaimed.

Immediately after she slipped the cold fabric onto her sleek body, the door burst open. Standing in front of her was her father, who had a deadpan expression on his face, and a strange-looking man dressed in all black beside him.

"Amelia Voltez!" Mr. Brown said with clenched teeth.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, totally unbothered by the look on her dad's face. But she couldn't help but wonder who the strange man was.

The man looked breathtakingly sexy. He was finely shaped like her favorite pornstar, with a well-chiseled face that matched his physique. Amelia was certain his physique could send any woman into multiple wetness sessions, but not her.

"Who's this, dad?" She asked, throwing a disdainful look his way.

"Your bodyguard," Mr. Brown replied, not sparing any glance at her. He turned to the man who had been silent all the while, taking down mental notes of his latest client's daughter, whom he'd heard so much about.

"Rey, this is my daughter Amelia. She erm..." Mr. Brown faltered, cleared his throat, and continued, "She isn't the easiest of persons, but she's a good woman deep down."

Amelia's face contorted into a frown instantly. "Really dad? If I needed someone to babysit me, I would have said so."

"I won't have you disrespect Rey, Amelia. I'm sick and tired of your mannerless lifestyle." Mr Brown spat fiercely.

That seemed to hit home. "Are you saying you're tired of me, Dad?"

Mr. Brown squeezed his eyes shut in agony.

"You make me scared every single time you step out of this house late at night, with or without my consent. I want to stay alive, Amelia, for you, so please don't make this complicated."

Amelia's gaze softened as she stared at her father; having a bodyguard wasn't included in her ideal life plan. Partying, drinking, and shopping was all she cared about. A bodyguard would kill the fun of all those things.

"So you are my hired bodyguard?" She called as she walked closer to Rey.

"You can call me your protector, Princess." Rey corrected, his voice as deep and intense as she had imagined.

The word princess on his lips made her toes curl in ecstasy. And she hated that. Only her boyfriend could give her a pet name. Only her boyfriend should make her feel this way. Not some random stranger her father picked from who-knows-where just to spite her.

"You are anything I say you are, Mr. Man. And for the record, my name is Amelia, not Princess. I'll let you know that your presence is unwanted here. You are just here because my nosy father insists." She stated, giving him a challenging stare.

Rey said nothing. He looked like someone who didn't give a damn what she was saying, and that angered her greatly.

"Amelia Voltez!" Her father called, his eyes pleading with her. "Please, behave."

She snapped her mouth shut and just glared at Rey, who stood like an unmovable stone beside her father.

Mr. Brown breathed a deep sigh of relief, totally pleased that Amelia still had some sort of morality in her.

"I'll be traveling," he stated, staring at Amelia with motherly-like eyes. "And I have no idea when I'll be returning. You need him, Amelia."

Her father's warm gaze bore deep into her soul, and for the first time in her entire life, she accepted the fact that he could be right about her needing a bodyguard. But certainly not this one.

A streak of panic shot up in her as the realization of her father's words replayed in her head-the part where he said he's traveling.

"Don't tell me you'll be leaving me with this, man! till whenever," she asked indignantly.

Mr. Brown nodded confidently.

"How am I supposed to put up with him till whenever?!" Her voice was already taking on a hard edge.

"You're in good hands."

She sighed and rubbed her palm against her forehead, seething, "I won't accept this. Send him back to wherever the hole he crawled out from, or I swear to God, I'll jump out of the window."

It was another trick of hers that worked each time her father went against her wishes. And there was no perfect time to use it than now.

Mr. Brown sighed for the umpteenth time since the night began. "Doing this won't change my decision, Amelia. Rey stays"

And with that, he walked out of the room, leaving a raging Amelia totally dumfounded.

She was just about to follow him when her eyes caught Rey's figure looming behind her.

"Don't fucking follow me," she commanded and continued to walk. Her rage intensified the moment she whirled around to see Rey still walking behind her.

"Surely there's a brain lying behind that handsome face, so why are you choosing not to use it?!"

Rey stopped in his tracks and asked, "So you think I have a handsome face, huh?"

She went eerily quiet, feeling embarrassed for spilling out something that was supposed to stay in her head.

Rey smirked and walked closer to her until there was no space between them. She could feel his hard breath on her skin and the rhythmic movement of his chest against hers.

And his cologne, goodness, it smelled so heavenly and she couldn't help but close her eyes in ecstasy.

"Ahem!" Rey's delicate cough alerted Amelia to the fact that she'd had her eyes closed for far too long without saying a word.

"Open your eyes, Princess. I'm sure you wouldn't want your red dress wasting off here."

His statement rang in her ears, veering her away from her short moment of ecstasy. She snapped her eyes open and quickly stepped away from him, praying that something appropriate and sophisticated would emerge.

"Y-you, y..you... fucking stay away from me!" She croaked, sounding as awkward as hell, much to the pleasantry of Rey, who enjoyed every fit of awkwardness she was exhibiting.

"It's not happening anytime soon, princess," he replied, striding towards her.

"Stop calling me that!" She yelled, holding up her hands like she was about to strangle him.

All Rey did was wink at her, his smirk very visible to her.

Her heart sank; it was official that she now had a flirty-assed man babysitting her at the age of 23.

"Fine, you can do whatever the hell you want, but if you as much as say a word to me as soon as we step out of here, consider yourself sacked," she deadpanned.

Rey smirked and pulled her close to him, patting her hair, which smelled so sweet. "As you wish, princess."

Her mouth was wide open and she got lost staring at his lips while he spoke but he didn't let her live in that moment for long.

"Don't stare at my lips like a hungry hyena, Princess.."

Before she could say a word, he dashed out of the room.