The Bodyguard | [Finished Not Edited | +18]

37

Valentino's Pov:

I don't sleep much over the next couple of days, so much so that Viviana comments on it when she catches me staring off into space for the third time in the morning. "Are you going to tell me what you're thinking?"

I wave my fork at her, the one I didn't even remember I held. A piece of melon dangles from the tines. "I'm thinking I need to find somewhere safe for you and the others to go."

Her forehead scrunches up as she chews her own food. "The others?" she echoes.

"Our Cook is already hurt, and I won't risk anyone else. I'm going to find somewhere safe you all can hide out until this blows over."

She laughs, short and sharp. "The 3 and me aren't going to go anywhere, not without you. Especially without you." She narrows her eyes. "Isn't that what you pay them for anyway? To keep you safe."

I hum in my throat. "Among other things," I hedge. She doesn't need to know the extent of everyone's specialized skills.

I snag my phone off the table, finally setting down my fork, and thumb out a quick message to Alexander and the others. At the very least, I need to try to get rid of them. My heart tells me that Alexander will be the hardest of them to shed. Maybe if I task him directly with Viviana safety.

I glance over the edge of my phone to my girlfriens, who is happily eating a bowl of fruit while reading the newspaper spread across the table. It'll be hard enough to get her to leave me as well. Especially after we've finally gotten through our disagreement about my protectiveness.

A few minutes pass, in which I shove my breakfast away and settle back into my chair to wait.

I swallow a heavy lump and study them all. Alexei, tall and series. Alexander, my second-in-command, dressed perfectly as usual. Finally, Ivan, whose anger is always at the forefront these days. He's a powder keg I don't want to be anywhere near when he erupts.

I fold my hands on top of my stomach and try for nonchalance. Not that it will work, but I have to start somewhere. "I have a special job for all of you. I need you to be ready to go within the next couple of hours."

I catch Valentino's grimace from the doorway. No doubt he's waiting for the arguments as well. When no one speaks up, I glance from face to face.

"What do you need, Boss?" Alexei says, surprising me, and Alexander as well by the look on his face right now.
I study each of them and lock eyes with Ivan. "Are you good to go, or do we need to put you in a safe house until we are on the other side of this?"

Her glare could cut a lesser man down in seconds. I weather it and nod in return. "You are on Lorenzo's family but don't make any moves. It's strictly a monitor, assess, and report back to Alexander."

I shift my focus to him for a moment. "You're on the casino. No one goes in or out without you knowing who they are. Make sure everything stays smooth while we deal with this."

Alexander clusters closer to Ivan and Alexei, no doubt waiting for his own orders. Next up, I pin Alexei with a look. "You are on the safe houses. We need to secure what we can and know if any are compromised in case we need to make use of them."

"Do you want them ready with food or just the basics?"
I consider having one prepped for Viviana, but I won't tell him right now. Not when she can hear me and try to throw down again about my protection. "Just the basics for now."
He leaves next, and then I survey Ivan. Of all my men, he's always been the biggest question mark. One minute, he might be perfectly calm, and the next, he's curb stomping an asshole for sitting too close to him. "Can you handle the business side of things other than the casino?"