Guarding Her Heart 💚

Chapter 3

Delaney unlocked the door to her house before being nudged out of the way by Richard. She rolled her eyes as she followed him in, looking around. She went up to her bedroom, putting her stuff away. She stood at the door of her bathroom, looking inside.

Richard watched her standing, just looking, "ma'am? Are you okay?"

She sighed, turning back to him, plastering a smile on her face, "I'm fine." She pointed down the hall, "you can have the room down there if you want."

He nodded, "thank you ma'am." He watched her roll her eyes before shutting the bedroom door on him, leaving him alone in the hallway. He turned to leave towards the bedroom she pointed to but heard her crying on the other side of the door. He sighed, standing for a moment before leaving her alone to cry.

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When Delaney came downstairs at lunchtime she found Richard in the living room, reading. "Are you going to be here all the time?"

He stood up, "mostly just at night. I'm here today because I thought you might not want to be alone."

She rolled her eyes, "are you British?"

"Scottish ma'am."

She nodded, "and isn't Scotland in Britain?"

He sighed and nodded, "technically."

She shrugged as she smiled, "so you can be British and Scottish."

He hesitated, knowing she was teasing him, "yes ma'am. Please, just go about your normal routine. Pretend like I'm not here."

"Whatever. I'm gonna make lunch, would you like something?"

He followed her into the kitchen, sitting at the counter, "yes please. Ma'am."

She sighed, turning to face him, "stop calling me ma'am. I'm only 27. What are you, at most like 35. You have to be older than me. If anything I should be calling you sir." She leaned against the counter facing him as she saw a slight smirk appear that he tried to hide. "Oh. You like that. Cheeky."

He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck, "Ms. Martin. Please. And I'm 33."

She laughed as she turned away to make lunch.

Richard sat with his book, pretending to read it as he watched her flit around the kitchen, her long dark hair flowing as she did. He looked back down at his book when she turned around to set a sandwich in front of him, "thank you ma'am." He shook his head. "Ms. Martin."

She nodded, "nice try, but how about Delaney? Or Lane."

Richard nodded, "okay. Delaney."

She laughed, "good boy Richard."

He shook his head as she walked away, leaving him alone in the kitchen.

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After finishing lunch, Delaney went into her sitting room where Richard was reading. She pointed to the piano, "I was going to play. Would that bother you?"

He shook his head, "of course not. This is your house Delaney. Do whatever you want. Ignore me."

She sighed as she sat at the piano, fiddling around for a while.

Richard looked up, watching her as she closed her eyes, singing.

🎵I can hold my breath
I can bite my tongue
I can stay awake for days
If that's what you want
Be your number one
I can fake a smile
I can force a laugh
I can dance and play the part
If that's what you ask
Give you all I am
I can do it
I can do it
I can do it
But I'm only human
And I bleed when I fall down
I'm only human
And I crash and I break down
Your words in my head, knives in my heart
You build me up and then I fall apart
'Cause I'm only human🎵

Richard heard someone at the door, seeing a tall male with dark hair enter the house. He pinned him against the wall as he shouted.

"What the fuck?!"

Delaney heard Chris yelling, entering the foyer to see Richard having him pinned to the wall. She leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed in front of her chest, "what do you want?"

Chris looked from Richard, who did not move, to Delaney, "who the fuck is this?"

She shrugged, "my guard dog. It's fine Richard. You can let him go. This time."

He nodded, releasing Chris, "ma'am." He glared at Chris as he fixed his shirt, "what are you doing entering the house without knocking or letting yourself be known?"

Delaney nodded, motioning to Richard, "yeah. What he said." She swore she could see a small smile on Richard's face as he looked at the ground.

Chris shrugged, "I heard you playing, I didn't think you would hear me. Now who is this?"

Delaney sighed, rolling her eyes, "this is my bodyguard Richard." She motioned to Chris, looking at Richard, "this is my ex boyfriend Chris. Feel free to rough him up next time."

Chris rolled his eyes, "I came to check on you. You left this morning before we could talk."

She nodded as she went back into the sitting room, sitting at the piano. "Yeah. That should tell you that I don't want to talk to you."

Richard stood in the doorway of the sitting room, crossing his arms as he watched Chris sit on the bench next to Delaney.

"Please talk to me Laney."

She banged hard on a chord, "stop calling me that! And you can't just walk in here like you belong. Because you don't. Not anymore." She held out her hand, "keys. Give them to me."

Chris hesitated but handed over the keys.

Delaney took the keys and tossed them at Richard, "those are yours now."

He nodded, "ma'am."

Chris scoffed, "really? You're giving my keys to him?"

She shrugged, "he belongs here." She hesitated, looking at Richard, "well I'm still deciding that. But he's at least welcomed here." She looked back at Chris, "unlike you."

Chris sighed, "please Delaney. Can't we at least talk. I miss you. I love you."

She shook her head, staring at the piano keys, "no. I can't even look at you right now Chris. Please. I need space. Across the country sounds good. Please go back to Boston and leave me alone."

Richard watched her avoiding Chris's gaze as Chris watched her for a moment. He finally gave up and left the house. Richard locked the door behind Chris, going back into the sitting room to see her now crying over the piano. "Delaney?"

She groaned, shaking her head as she stood up, running upstairs to her bedroom.

He sighed, plopping into the chair next to the piano.