Chapter 02- Bodyguard

“ Amara Ildefonso, the nation’s daughter is spotted kissing the socialite, Mr. Kiko Lopez across the street last evening. The nation is now hungry for answers, are the two dating? And when will the nation’s daughter stop her wild rendezvous’ ?”

I just want to throw the remote directly at the screen because of so much annoyance. Flash in the screen is our photo yesternight and it looks scandalous. Photos of me and Kiko, kissing under the street lamps on the side of the road instantly gains popularity and have been trending on social media.

Browsing through my phone, I’ve tried to read comments and why am I not shocked when all of them are just mean comments? They even call me a slut for kissing any man that I come with.

“ Madam.” Someone knocked through the door and it stopped me from what I am doing. One man in a suit peeks through my door and I’ve waited for whatever he is going to say.

“ What?” I shouted because it took him a second to talk. He’s gulping while looking at my body and that’s when I’ve realized that I haven’t changed my clothes yet. I am still wearing my nightdress.

His voice trembles. “ The President wants you in his study room right now, madam.” He said before walking outside at a fast pace.

I’ve trembled and bitten my nails. I don’t want to face my father because I know that I will be scolded. Laying in my bed, I’ve tried to think of some believable alibi but nothing comes to my mind. Then, another knock on the door disturbs my thinking.

“ You should go now, madam.” The same bodyguard said in a trembling voice and suddenly, I just want to hide in my room. He’s angry. The President is angry.

Biting my lips and pacing through the room, the guard watches me as I think of a valid reason. He isn’t going to send me abroad, right? My mom is in there and she’s working as a lawyer.

“ Madam?” I glared at the bodyguard and exhales before I walk down the hallway. The coldness of the place sits through from what I am feeling inside. I am nervous, that’s the truth. Knowing how my father thinks, it’s either he will kick me out of this house or he will arrange my own marriage.

The painting of our political family bothered me while I am striding the hallway. The quietness of the place is something that I didn’t ask in this kind of situation.

Father’s side is mostly involved in politics and they have been ruling the country for almost a decade. The title is just being passed down through the generation and all of them are either successful in their own way.

“ Dad.” My voice echoes through the study room while my father is busy scanning some folders. He looks at me for a moment before he stops me from talking. Scattering my sight through the study area, I have noticed the tall bookshelves about politics and it scares me. The thickness of those books will consume almost half of my life if I ever decided to read those.

“ W-Why did you call me?” I asked him before stepping at the side, nervously watching him. This version of him is my least favorite. When dad is quiet, it’s either he solved the problem or he’s doing something that will solve his problem.

Then suddenly, the door creaks open and I stilled in my place while watching a man enter the room. His body is a bit muscular and there is a visible sleeve tattoo on his left arm. The way how he roughly closes the door disturbs me, it’s like everything about him screams danger.

His eyes met mine and for the first in my life, I felt uncomfortable. It’s like he’s piercing through my mind and judging every part of me but the small smirk on his lips didn’t escape my observation especially when he looked at my body.

“ Reporting for duty, Sir.”

Just like his physique, his voice is deep and dark. The roughness from his every word sent shivers down my spine. Who is this man? I’ve told to myself and shift my gaze to the corner to avoid his eyes.

He didn't seem like a normal bodyguard. The power and domination that he possesses are too much for me to handle. 

Father stopped momentarily and he looked at me. “ He’s your personal bodyguard. He will guard you and you will not leave without him.”

My breathing hitched. “ Dad?!” I’ve screamed when his words registered in my mind. Standing up, I thought he was joking but his face remains stoic and then he gazes through the man, standing like a statue.

“ Don’t let her cause any scandal. You can use force if you want, just don’t let her go outside of this house except for work.”

My mouth gaped open and I cannot believe what I just heard.

Personal bodyguard?! This man?!

“ No! I don’t want to.” I’ve protested. Tears started to form in my eyes, it’s like he’s trying to withdraw me from my freedom but there wasn’t any emotion in his eyes but firmness and determination to cage me here. 

“ I’ve had enough, Amara. It’s either this or you will live with your mother.”

Father cruelly said and it makes me cry. I don’t want to live with my mother because my life is here. I am just doing fine and she's living with her other husband. 

“ Dad, please?” I’ve tried to beg him but he goes back to his seat, ignoring my protest.

A large, calloused hand-scooped my arms, and I looked at the face of the man who tried to touch me. He looks like in his late twenties. The sternness in his eyes tells me that he is strict and unforgiving.

“ Please escort her back to her room,” dad said and in one swift move, I was dragged out of the study area.

I looked at him and slapped his hand away from my arms. “ Don’t touch me,” I shouted and run to my room but his large stopped me from slamming the door.

His eyes roam inside my room, inspecting everything until his eyes flicker at the site of my bed. What is his problem? He looked at me and gulp before stepping backward and positioning himself at the side of my door.

I scoffed. “ Are you going to guard me, even inside my bedroom?” I asked and he remains stoic. It’s like I am talking to a stone but the only difference is this one is breathing.

His hands are in the side of his body and he stands straight through the side of the door while looking straight ahead. It makes me feel weird and uncomfortable to have him here but then a call disturbs me from looking at him.

“ I’m sorry,” Kiko said from the other line. Biting my nails, I looked at the guard if he is listening to my phone calls.

“ I should be the one saying that.”

My personal guard gave me a glimpse of his stare because of what I did. Kiko laughed in the other line and told me that he’s enjoying the spotlight and I had to roll my eyes because of his teasing.

Laughing, I tried to try my luck. “ Should we date, officially?” I said.

There is a moment of silence and the guard didn’t hesitate to stare right into my eyes. It’s like he didn’t want what he heard and he’s killing me through the intensity of his dark eyes.

“ You know the deal, right? We can’t.”

My heart sank and I bite my lip. That was a straight blow. Kiko is in love with another girl and he just directly rejected me right now.

The guard clears his throat and all of a sudden I’ve realized something. My legs are spread in his direction while I am sitting in my bed. Kiko is talking about a certain party but my attention is focused on the man, in front of me.

“ What’s your name, again?”

Walking closer, I tried to lean forward to inspect his face. His beard is thick and his nose is pointed. There is no way that he’s just my personal bodyguard.

He looks at my face before answering. “ Major. Levi Sullivan, at your service madam.”

Amusement danced in my eyes as soon I took a step closer and lean in his muscular body. Guards are always roaming in our home but this is the first time that I’ve ever seen someone this hot.

“ I needed to escape today.” Bluntly, I bite my lips and allure him to help me but instead of saying something he grins and softly caress my waist which sends a tingling sensation in my body.

His calloused hand dragged my body away from him.

“ I’m sorry. I will not permit that madam.” His voice is firm and serious.

And just like that, I know that I am doomed. This man is going to guard me around and my freedom will now be gone.