All Chapters of Protecting The Heiress : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

LIA "Shhh," I wince. As warm tea sloshes over the rim, Grumpy catches it in time with his fast reflexes before it tips over. "Oh my god," I say at the mess I almost caused. "I'm so sorry. I am really sorry." "Your hands," is what Grumpy says after he sets the mug down. I stretch my palms out to him. He grabs my hands by the wrists. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" "I—" I start, then pause, taking in a breath. My mind was in so much torture, that I became numb to physical pain. Until now. Grumpy's face is taut as he reaches down to the center table, pulling an ointment tube out. Holding both of my hands in one grip, he unscrews the lid of the tube and squeezes out a small amount of cream. "It will hurt a bit," he warns. My body jumps when the cool cream makes contact with my bruised skin. I drag my teeth over my lips to stifle my cry of pain. "You good?" A strangled "Uh huh" escapes my lips. As he applies the ointment, his thumb moves in slow, soothing ci

LIA Gareth is the one in the video. Now what? I can't just ask him if he killed Father. Besides, even if he did, he won't confess to it and the video only shows that they had a huge fight before the accident. It's not solid evidence. But what could it be? What could be so serious that Gareth pushed Father? What could they be so heated about? Maybe it is not as it seems. Maybe I'm just barking up the wrong tree. But I'll never know if I don't try to find out if my father was murdered in cold blood or not. My first step is taking over ROQ, which in turn means confronting Gareth. Now, I wish I had been more patient about telling Gareth I wanted to hand over the company to him. A ball of nerves forms a lump in my throat by the time we arrive at Rodriquez Villa. My palms are slick with sweat, and my heart is pounding erratically in my chest. It's only ten in the morning, so Gareth will likely be at home. I climb down from Nikolai's bike, and by some miracle, I don't fall despite

NIKOLAI I had every intention of saying no to Lia's proposal. This wasn’t the first time I’d been asked for a bodyguard job, and I always turned them down without hesitation. I despise office work and, more than anything, I hate being tied to one person. I crave the adrenaline, the constant rush that comes from living on the edge. Jobs like this are too mundane for me. But then I saw the hope in the depths of her blue eyes. She gazed at me as if I were her last hope, as if with me by her side, she could conquer the world. Fuck that look did something to me. When I finally said yes, the instant relief that visibly washed over her made it worthwhile. I should probably stop seeing this woman. Our paths are too different; our lives have nothing in common. Like water and oil, we don't mix, we shouldn't mix. Yet here I am, about to start a full-time job in three days. "So I get to see you every day?" Hannah asks from her bed after I tell her about my new job. I've sworn off permanent jo

LIAHe takes a spoonful and chews thoughtfully. His face is a mask of indifference, but the rapid pace at which he digs in his spoon right back speaks volumes. "So this is how food should taste like?" he nods in approval. A buzz of satisfaction hums through my chest at his praise. "So what have you been eating?" "Trash," he deadpans. A whiff of chuckle makes it past my lips. "This isn't even my best dish." "I can't wait, then." The enthusiasm in his voice stirs something inside of me. "Prepare to have your mind blown away." He lets out a small huff. "How do you learn to be this good?" I shrug, "I'm just gifted." "Now who's got a massive ego?" I throw my head back in laughter. "I’m just kidding," I say, waving him off with a grin. But then my tone softens as I add, "It’s something I did a lot with my father growing up." The memory is hazy, but vivid enough to evoke the scent of spices that used to fill the air at Rodriquez Villa. I can still feel the warmth those weekends

NIKOLAI It's my first day at work and I'm already pissed off. I'm barely restraining the urge to go back and plant a fist squarely in Gareth's face as I trail behind Lia into the office. If it were to be only me, I certainly would take the shot at Gareth, but Lia's there, and she is my employer, so I have to act civil. Everything I do reflects on her, at least in here. This is why I despise office work. I can't just pull out a gun and clock someone in the head just because I feel like or they piss me off. There is too many rules and regulations, it's very annoying. This job is already shaping to be a nightmare, and it's only day one. The redhead secretary moves with quick steps, circling around me as if I'm not there, before handling a tablet to Lia, her face tight. "You need to see this." Lia reluctantly takes the tablet and as her eyes set on the glowing screen, they widen. The color drains from her face, leaving her pale, and her fingers grip the tablet so tightly that her