My Fiancé’s Bodyguard by Ivy Wild

The next morning,Max and I rode in silence for most of the drive back. I watched the scenery pass by me, knowing that I likely wouldn’t get much of a chance to see it for quite some time. I had a feeling my father was going to put me under careful guard after this incident, at least until I was sold off to Johnny.

The car pulled into the driveway before I’d realized we were even close to the house, and I blinked my eyes at Max.

“Let's go,” he gruffed, getting out of the car.

I gulped, but nodded. There was no use fighting this.

He climbed out of the car first, closing the door behind him roughly before circling around to my side and opening the door. He pulled me out of the car and we began walking toward the house. Butterflies in my stomach began to flutter with increasing anxiety about what I was walking into.

My steps became heavier as we walked up to my childhood house. I say house because it never was a home. Even when my mother was alive, I never felt a sense of safety in the lofty mansion. My parents never got along, but things certainly got worse leading up to her death. This wasn’t some sad story of a man who was distraught over his wife’s death. No, there was something much more sinister going on.

It’s a lot easier to see something when you’re looking down at it. That’s why high society gets away with so much. Everyone else is forced to look up at it, and it's harder to see from that angle.

Max’s knuckles on the front door pulled me out of my self-reflection. Claude opened the door and for better or worse, we stepped inside.

“This way,” he said, motioning for us to follow him down the halls of uncertainty.

Max’s grip was still firm on my arm, and I tried to breathe. Maybe it was for show, maybe it wasn’t. He must have figured I wouldn't run by now. But still, I was grasping out for anything that might keep me upright.

Claude led us to my father’s study and knocked. The doors swung open and out walked my father followed by Johnny.

“My sweet daughter,” my father said in an overly fake voice. “I’m so glad you’ve been returned to us safely. I was worried sick about you!”

I bit my lip and held back the attitude I so desperately wanted to give him. If I had any hopes of getting through the afternoon in one piece, I needed to tread lightly. I knew my actions had caused a world of trouble for my father, and I didn't even want to begin to think about Johnny's reaction to all this.

“I’m sorry to have worried you, father,” I said sweetly. “I lost my mind for a bit, but I am grateful you sent someone after me,” I replied, trying to play.

“You see,” my father’s voice boomed. “She just got cold feet is all.” He turned to Johnny who didn’t look quite as convinced as my father.

As Johnny approached me, Max stepped away. In a weird way, he was almost like my shield and I felt the loss of his touch immediately. But, I schooled my features and forced myself to look forward. I was in this alone. That had been made abundantly clear to me. Johnny took my hand in his and bent down to place a kiss to the top.

“Is that true, Madelyn? Do I make you nervous?”

I hesitated, trying to figure out how to play this. On the one hand, if I said yes, I could offend Johnny and offending Johnny could put my safety at risk. But, my goal in this situation was to draw out the time before the wedding as long as possible for obvious reasons. I needed time to figure out what I was going to do.

I swallowed, my mind mostly made up. “It’s all just happening a little fast,” I admitted, trying to sound sweet. I brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “I’m just a little overwhelmed. Maybe if we took some time to get to know one another?” I ventured to ask, my words trailing off.

Johnny leaned down and placed another kiss to my hand before turning around to face my father. I kept my features schooled even though I so badly wanted to brush the back of my hand on my jeans.

For a moment, I wondered whether Johnny had ever been handsome as a young man. Did he ever have charm? Did women ever dream about him? I imagined that some women might fawn over him still for his power and influence. In terms of social standing, he certainly had more clout than Max.

But, there was just something about him that I couldn’t bring myself to like. It might have been the fact that he was a mob boss and likely ordered the death of multiple people. That could definitely have been it.

“Henry, perhaps we’ve both been a bit hasty in this whole thing. We’ve failed to consider your daughter and her needs. There’s no need to have a wedding now. Let’s push things back to the summer.”

My father looked immediately uncomfortable. “Well,” he said with a small and awkward chuckle. “I’m not sure whether that works out for our business schedules, Johnny.”

I gave the two men my best blank expression and Johnny and my father stepped away from me to speak in hushed voices. Max was over against the columns again, having moved to a safe distance without me even knowing.

“I like this better, Henry,” Johnny said in a hushed voice. “We can do things on a trial run. If things go well, then we’ll keep the relationship going. But, if things aren’t working out, we can make adjustments.”

“There’s really no need to delay,” my father responded, obviously trying to push things forward.

I could see Johnny shake his head from where I was standing. “There’s no delay. We’ll still start up as planned. But things just won’t be locked in. Besides, I've got some business to handle in Florida over the next month.”

My father looked like he was going to say something but Johnny patted him on the shoulder and returned to me, ending the conversation and any of my father’s objections.

“How about a summer wedding? Does that sound better to you, my dear?” he asked.

I nodded my head shyly. “Yes. And if you and my father have regular business to handle, perhaps I could see you when you visit.” I tried to hide the bit of bile that crawled up my throat as I said the words.

Johnny looked pensive for a moment, and my insides twisted. "My schedule actually isn't going to allow us to see much of one another. I've got travel plans."

"Oh," I said, trying to act crestfallen. "That's too bad."

The quiet stretched on between all of us, and I shifted my stance, trying to think of what to say.

"Perhaps," Johnny started to say, "You'd like to accompany me."

My mouth fell open in shock and I tried to recover as I grasped for words. "Um, I . . ."

"I'm not so sure that's such a good idea, Johnny," my father said carefully. "She's just had a scare. It would be good for her to stay home and recover."

"Nonsense," Johnny said with a wave of his hand. "If anything, the last few weeks have just shown me that she is feeling cooped up in this lofty place. This way she and I can get to know one another."

My stomach was actively dropping out of my body. This was really bad. I seriously doubted Johnny would be the perfect gentleman and as much as I hated my father and this house, at least I knew I was safe, for the most part.

"I fear for her safety," my father said. "She's never been away from here for too long."

Johnny brushed off his comment again. "I can personally guarantee her safety. Max here accompanies me on all of my trips. When I'm not with her, he will be."

And my stomach just passed the seventh layer of hell. This was so bad.

I looked at my father with wide eyes but I could see the defeat on his face. He wasn't going to put his neck on the line for me.

"I guess I have no reason to disagree then," my father said.

I looked at Max, but he was still just leaning against one of the columns, looking about as disinterested in what was going on as a boomer at a Harry Styles concert.

"My flight is tomorrow." He turned to look at me. "You could come and stay with me this evening to save a trip."

I blanched internally. "That is really generous of you," I said, trying to sound shy. "But, I'm pretty exhausted and will need to pack. Where are we going?" I needed to find out as much information as I could. Maybe there'd be a way to slip out of his grasp while we were traveling. I chanced a look at Max and grimaced.

Probably not.

Johnny let out a low chuckle and shook his head. "I do love the shy ones. No need to worry. Max and I will pick you up tomorrow. Pack lightly. We'll be going someplace warm."

I nodded my head, not trusting myself to say anything.

“It’s settled then. Max, you’re with me.”

Johnny waved Max over, and he fell into step behind him without giving me another glance.

“So then, I’ll send the first shipment out as planned?” my father asked, calling after him.

Johnny raised his hand but didn’t look back. “Everything as planned, Henry. Do try and relax.” And with that, Claude led the two men down the hallway and out of sight.

My father turned to me and I could see the rage clear on his face.

“Do you know just how much money you may have cost this family?”

I shrugged, dropping all pretenses.

“If it wasn’t for me and the fact that I’m a woman that you can marry off, you wouldn’t even have this opportunity with Maldonado,” I said haughtily. My father paused and I knew it was because I’d landed a good punch of logic.

“I can’t even look at you right now,” he said, waving his hand at me. “Go to your rooms and for God’s sake get that junk out of your hair and put on some decent clothing better fitting your status.”

That was fine with me. I didn’t want to look at him any longer than I had to, either. “God’s never been in this house,” I said as I walked away.

Johnny hadn't toldme anything about heading South. It was another thing that irritated me. Five years in and I still felt no closer to my goal. Sometimes, I still felt like I was the last to know things.

But, this was the first time that Johnny had asked me to accompany him on a trip. That was a good sign. I had no clue what he was planning to do over the next month. No inclination of where we'd be going, either. The best thing I could do was try and stay close and learn as much as possible.

“So?” Johnny asked as we merged onto the highway.

“So, what?” I replied, caught up in my own line of thinking.

“The girl? You think she’s still worth the trouble?”

I scoffed. “If by trouble do you mean the trouble of making money off of her father?”

Johnny shrugged. “You know me. I’m not as interested in the money. I don’t need it. At this stage of the game, it’s a respect thing. It’s about making sure people don’t think they can take advantage of you or think that you’ve gone soft. I’d get Dimes’ money with or without his daughter.”

“Yeah, I know, boss,” I said. Because I did know. For Johnny, it wasn’t about the money. It was about the respect and making sure people still feared him.

“So, do you think she’s worth the trouble? She was out there on her own for how long?” he asked.

“A few weeks,” I grunted.

“When you found her, who was she with?”

I shrugged. “No one.”

“You’re telling me little miss runaway managed to make it on her own without help?” Johnny was incredulous, and I knew I had to be careful. I'd given the girl my word, which meant shit. But, I also didn't want to have to clean up two bodies this week. Those jobs were messy.

“I don’t know if she had help. I’m just sayin’ that when I found her, she wasn’t with anyone,” I replied.

“And you didn’t find out?”

A let a small smile slip onto my features. “Like how? You know what I specialize in, Johnny. Can’t really use the same tactics with the girl you might end up marryin’.”

Johnny adjusted his position in the car. “I guess that makes sense.”

“You think she’s still a virgin?” Johnny asked.

I swallowed a bit of rage at the question and forced myself to shrug. Sure, talk to a group of guys in a locker room and they’d brag about this or that girl that they’d deflowered. But Johnny brought it to a whole new level. And considering his age, his fascination with virgins bordered on sick. “I guess. She didn’t seem any different to me,” I said. “But I ain’t a doctor.”

“You think we should have her looked at?”

I grimaced. “Ain’t that a little antiquated, boss?”

Johnny just shrugged. I wouldn’t put it past it him to require the girl to submit to an examination with him in the room watching.

“And don’t rich girls ride horses or somethin’?” I added.

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

I shrugged. “Like, you know. Doesn’t that like break them in or something? The friction or some shit?”

Johnny gave me a face and I chuckled. “I’m just sayin’ boss, you’re asking the wrong guy. The innocent type doesn’t really do it for me.”

“Well, you’re missing out,” Johnny said and my insides twisted.

“Yeah,” was all I could manage to respond before we rode the rest of the ride back to the North End in silence.

When we got out of the car, I started to follow Johnny into the bakery, but he turned around and shook his head. “Go home, Max. You’ve been on the road for a few weeks now. Stop by tomorrow morning and we'll head back to Dimes to grab the girl before we head out.”

“You sure?” I asked automatically. Johnny rarely, if ever, gave his guys a night off. Sure, there were nights that you weren’t out on errands, but that didn’t mean you weren’t on call. Our jobs weren’t really the nine to five with benefits sort of situation.

“Do I look like a guy who says things he doesn’t mean?” Johnny asked, giving me a look.

I just waved my hand and climbed back into the car. “Thanks, Johnny,” I said as I closed the door and made my way to my apartment. It was probably a good thing. I needed to take a breather. My interest in this girl was fast becoming deadly.