Chap 12
Laura woke up in a bed that wasn’t her own, to the sound of her own father yelling downstairs. Rolling over and grabbing her watch, Laura saw it was almost 11 am, which astounded her. She was late for work, for one, and for two she never let herself sleep past 9:30 AM, even on the weekends. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Laura climbed out of bed to crack her door open and listen to what was going on downstairs. What was her father even doing here?
“Giovanni, you bastard! You can’t keep me from my own daughter!”
“Laura is sleeping.” Alexei said hashly, just above a whisper. “I am not letting you disturb her.”
“Disturb her? I am her father, I have the right to make sure she’s okay and not laying somewhere, drugged out of her mind and held hostage by you and your goons!”
“I would never hurt her.” Alexei growled now
“Then you need to let her go.” Carlos hissed. “Just your presence here is ruining everything for her. She could be happy with Marco, get married and have a family, but you’re standing in the way of that.”
“You are assuming Laura wants to be with him. And don’t act like you don’t have an alterior motive.”
“Laura was content with Marco until you showed up, now I barely recognize her. The only incentive I have is for my daughter to be happy. Yeah sure, the family ties will be better for business but Marco is a nice boy, he knows nothing about this life. Laura is safe with him, but with you? Non.”
Laura had heard enough. Here was her father, always meddling in her life, but Laura was putting an end to it, effective immediately. Yanking open the door, Laura made her way down the stairs. They opened up directly to the foyer, and she paused on the landing to see her father and Alexei looking at each other, glaring silently. Laura continued the other five steps to the floor, both of their gazes sliding to her.
“Laura, thank god-!” Carlos reached for her, but Laura smoothly slid away from him and plastered herself to Alexei’s side, wrapping one arm around his right shoulder to rest on his peck, her cheek against his left bicep.
“Papa, what a surprise, what are you doing here?” Laura said, faking surprise, and Carlos blinked at her, seeing her wrapped around Alexei like that. Alexei said nothing, just let her hold him, and studied Carlos.
“I came to see you, make sure you were okay, and to take you back to my hotel with me.”
“Well gratzi, Papa, but I’m staying with Alexei.” Laura raised her chin defiantly. She knew how she looked to her father, in an oversized long sleeved males T-shirt and socks, leaning into Alexei, completely at ease with him in the early morning. She knew it looked like she’d spent the night in his bed, him comforting her in a different way entirely, but she didn’t care. In fact, she relished in it. Take that, Carlos Santos, I can make my own decisions, and you can’t do anything about it.
Carlos looked back and forth between the two, and must have been convinced when he saw Alexei’s hand curl possessively over Laura’s where it rested on his chest. With a muttered curse, Carlos shook his head.
“What are you gonna do, huh?” He kissed Laura’s hand and pointed a finger at Alexei menacingly.
“You harm my daughter, I’ll cut your balls off, and take baseball bats to your knees.”
“Wonderful of you to stop by, Santos.” Alexei said smoothly, moving away from Laura to open the door for Carlos. With a last shake of his head, Carlos left the house, going down the stairs, where his bodyguards flanked him on the way to his car.
“Now, do you want to tell me what that was about, Cara?” Alexei asked as he shut the door and turned to survey Laura. Suddenly self-conscious of his piercing gaze, Laura crossed her arms over her breasts and hated how cold Alexei’s house was. But it wasn’t all the cold, was it? Laura scolded herself, refusing to acknowledge the attraction between them.
“That was for my father, just to get him to leave.”
“You wanted him to believe we were lovers so we would leave? Fascinating.” Alexei drawled, stalking towards her slowly, that deadly gait of his making Laura’s breathe catch. Dio, he really was breath taking. With his hair slicked back, still damp from his shower, the curls threatening to spring loose, dressed for a morning out in a lightweight cashmere sweater and khaki shorts, his well formed legs bronze and strong before ending in brown leather boat shoes. He was the antithesis of his bad-boy image from last night, looking downright preppy, but that mischevious gleam was in his eye and Laura found herself backing towards the stairs without thought.
“You had better find something other than that rat fink’s old shirt to sleep in, Laura, before I take it upon myself to strip you of it.” He said it low, his voice like liquid heat, and Laura turned and sprinted up the stairs like a startled fawn, as fast as her legs would carry her. Bending to enjoy the view as the shirt flashed glimpsed of creamy thigh and a curved backside at him, Alexei grinned wolfishly, then turned to go to the kitchen and make breakfast. He finally had her, under his roof, trusting him to protect her, and he’d be damned if she was going anywhere else anytime soon.
“This is ridiculous, I can drive myself to work, thank you.” Laura grumbled for the millionth time that week as Alexei once again dropped her off at her internship on his way to work. Not only did he drop her off everyday, but he personally walked her to her cubicle, kissing her cheek good bye, smiling and nodding to her co-workers and bosses as he went. It infuriated Laura, made her blush when the women cast her knowing looks and winked at her. Amy in accounting even had the gull to say to her, “Wow, if I had a man like that bringing me to work everyday? I’d be late every morning. I don’t know how you drag yourself out of bed and away from a body like that!”
Laura had turned bright red at the comment, and all the ladies around her laughed. Geez, these women were worse than men, talking about sex all the time. Oh sure, Laura and her friends talked about it all the time, but to talk about it with her co-workers? Very odd.
“Yes, you could, but I can not allow you to. The risk is too high.” Alexei said, for the hundredth time, and Laura just rolled her eyes at him.
“If the men who broke into my apartment were going to come after me, they would have done so already!”
“And when, exactly, do you think they had the chance? When you are with myself? Or when you are escorted with Yanes? Or with Bruno? Non, signorina, we do not take the chance.” He said with finality, the car pulling to a smooth stop outside of her building, and Alexei was out of the car and to her door before she knew it. One hand on the small of her back, Alexei held the car door open with his body, his other hand holding an umbrella over their heads as Laura gathered her bags, only to have her wallet, sketch book, pencil case, and agenda fall from her purse.
“Oh no!” Laura scrambled to catch her sketches before they landed in a puddle, snatching that out of the air, but sliding in her high heeled sandals as she did, propelling her even farther forward, as she twisted up and back, trying to gain her balance. Alexei’s arm shot out to steady her, snatched her against him, and Laura gasped at the sensation of him against her, her body squished to his, trapping him against the car door.
Laura looked up into his face, blinking those big doe eyes at him, and Alexei’s control snapped. With a muttered curse, he seized her mouth with his own, his tongue plundering without asking, and not taking no for an answer. But Laura wasn’t saying no, she was melting against him and giving just as good as she was getting. Reluctant to release her, but growing conscious of the fact that they were in a very public place, with Laura’s back open to attack, Alexei maneuvered her half in, half out of the car, practically laying her out on the seat before pulling away slowly. Laura blinked at him, her eyes glazed, and Alexei allowed himself a few more soft brushes of his lips against hers before smiling faintly at her.
“Come, Laura, or you will be late.”
Dazed, Laura grabbed her things that had fallen, out of Bruno’s waiting hands, muttering a thank you as she pulled herself together enough to walk into her job with Alexei ahead of her. She knew she must look a mess, hair askew and slightly damp, her wool skirt a little wrinkled, her smart dress shirt and tie combination also rumpled, and her lips kissed red.
“I’ll see you at 6.” Alexei said to her, kissing her hand as per usual, and walking out of her office.
“Ciao.” Laura whispered after him, holding her hand to her chest.
Distracted the rest of the day at work, Laura replayed the kiss in her head over and over. It wasn’t like the other ones, some part of herself was insisting, this was different, he felt something this time, and it wasn’t just in his pants. Laura shook her head of the notion. Anything to do with her feelings and Alexei Giovanni were to be squished, had to be squished! For no other reason than that she simply couldn’t focus on anything but him. But why not just be with him? The same part of her whispered in her mind. He obviously wants you just as much. Go to him, tell him you have feelings for him, see if you can’t have an actual relationship…..yeah, except for Carlos would kill her. Laura scoffed to herself, abandoning any pretense of getting work done and putting down her ruler and pencils. She couldn’t be with Alexei because it was forbidden. Point blank period, that was it. But Carlos already thinks you’re together, that other part insisted, especially after that display the other morning. But it’s more than that! Why did he walk away five years ago? She showed her feelings then, and he ran from her, so who’s to say he won’t do it again? Only this time, he’ll be sneaking out of the bed the next morning, and not just quitting his job. No, Laura swore, she would not give into-
“Alexei!” Laura gasped, struggling upright in her chair when she saw the six foot two man himself leaning against her cubicle. He gave off the appearance of relaxation, even laziness as he leaned there, but Laura knew he was aware of the female eyes of appreciate roaming over him from the other cubicles, and it made her blood boil just a little. “W-what are you doing here, it’s not six yet.”
“I came to see if you’d like to have lunch with me?” He asked, with a small shrug of his shoulders. Asked? Alexei Giovanni never asked anyone to do anything. Laura narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious.
“If I’d like to have lunch with you? You mean I can say no?”
“Si, Laura,” He drawled, glancing around the office, then back at her. “Though I do believe if you say no, one of these ladies just may kill you.”
Laura glanced around them, and saw Amy eagerly nodding her head yes and mouthing the word, and Laura rolled her eyes, but blushed as she nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“I…guess that would be okay. Alright.”
Alexei gathered her Burberry rain coat for her, holding it open as she slipped her arms in it and grabbed her bag. Once they were seated in his car, Alexei looked at her.
“Where would you like to go?”
“You’re asking me?” Laura asked, surprised, and Alexei grinned back.
“I realize I may have been a bit forceful about things with you, something Yanes was nice enough to point out to me.” Alexei shot the man driving a look, and Yanes snorted back. “But I’d like to change that, if you’d let me.”
“Um…there’s a little bistro around the corner that makes really great soups and sandwiches I sometimes like to get for lunch.”
“Va bene.”
Lunch was strangely nice, and quiet. Alexei was a lot more relaxed, calm, and downright silly sometimes, which was a welcome change. She often felt she was on some precipice when around him, at the edge of a cliff. She could either run away from the edge, and him, cautiously backing away, or she could throw herself over, let herself fall, and fall for him. This new Alexei was going to make it hard to back away, Laura realized, startled by the revelation as he grinned at her over his wine glass, looking very much like the big bad wolf.
With her headphones on, Laura danced lightly around Alexei’s spacious kitchen as she prepared something to snack on. Alexei wasn’t home, but would be back before too late, but in the meanwhile Laura was stuck with more bodyguards. At least it wasn’t Yanes, the most silent of the two silent guards. For some reason, Laura had a feeling the bodyguard was more than just that to Alexei. The two were prone to talking to each other in a muddled Spanish and Italian mix, with a lot of guttural street language that Laura hadn’t heard before. Half the time, she couldn’t keep up with their conversation. Finding a drawer full of only the best cheeses money could buy, Laura sighed happily and pulled it out, along with the French sourdough bread she’d picked up earlier. Lightly buttering two sides of the bread, and slicing more than enough cheese, Laura piled it high, and squished it all onto a Panini maker. The sharp smell of the brie wafted to Laura’s nose, and she breathed deeply before grabbing a bottle of white wine from the fridge and pouring herself a glass. Sipping as she slipped the sandwich onto a plate, Laura cut it into four delicate triangles, picked up the plate and her glass, and settled at the bar to enjoy her sandwich.
But before Laura could even get the sandwich to her mouth, Alexei, Yanes, and Bruno came into the house through the back door, which was off of the kitchen. Laughing and jostling each other, the men pushed each as they spilled into the kitchen, all three looking sweaty and tired after a healthy workout. Alexei was the first to approach her, looking around the kitchen and sniffing.
“What is that? You cooked? It smells amazing, and I’m starving.” Snatching a triangle, Alexei bit into her sandwich, and Laura blinked in amazement, then got angry.
“Hey! That’s-“
“Oh my God, Yanes, Bruno, you gotta try this.” Alexei said with a full mouth, and the men didn’t hesitate to snatch up the remainder of her sandwich and eat it all. Laura huffed, crossing her arms.
“Did you enjoy yourselves?”
“What is in that? It’s amazing.” Alexei said, sipping from her glass of wine, and Laura rolled her eyes.
“It was just a grilled cheese. Guess I’ll have to take your word for it, since I didn’t get any!” Laura rolled her eyes.
“Um, do you have any more?” Bruno said, looking at her sheepishly. “We’re kinda starved, and it’s almost time for dinner, and you have to be getting sick of takeout.…..”
The three men looked at her expectantly, hopefully, and Laura hesitated before caving.
“I guess I could make something tonight.”
“Va bene!” Alexei said, grabbing his work out bag. Bruno smiled and slipped out the back door with Yanes to their townhouse next door, while Alexei sprinted up the stairs to take a shower. Shaking her head, laura looked in the pantry, and decided to make a real dinner for them. She used to cook big elaborate meals whenever she’d come home from boarding school, huge dinners and breakfasts that would span the whole table, but after eating such large meals by herself when Carlos never showed up for dinner, or would decline breakfast that day, she stopped cooking as much. Now that she lived on her own, she liked to cook for herself, or sometimes herself, Lizzie, and Troy would throw a dinner party for themselves and Laura would cook while they supplied the drinks, and the three of them would laugh and eat until the wee hours of the morning. It may have only been a week since she’d been staying with Alexei while her place was being fixed up, but she was comfortable here, relaxed, but still anxious to get back to her own apartment.
By the fifth time the men wandered into the kitchen while she cooked, stealing pieces of meat and cheese to eat, Laura kicked them all out and threatened to never attempt to cook for them again if they didn’t stay away. Laura insisted that they get out the placemats and silverware and eat at the table, not the bar, like civilized people. They all grumbled about it, but did as she asked and opened another bottle of wine to go with dinner. Finally once everyone was seated, Laura brought out heaping dishes of pasta shells stuffed with mozzarella and diced mushrooms in a white sauce, asparagus, and her homemade bread with olive oil and herbs. They all cheered when she brought the food out, making her blush deeply as she swept her hair out of her face and hurriedly brushed away the flour she found on her cheeks.
“Bon appetite.” Laura said with a shrug, and the men descended like vultures. Laura pulled off her apron and sank into her own chair across from Alexei, who was shoveling everything but the asparagus onto his plate, and Laura frowned at him.
“You don’t like the asparagus?”
Alexei looked up, caught looking guilty, and Yanes smirked at him, while Alexei sent him a glare before looking back at Laura. “Non, I just, don’t eat them very often-“
“Oh.” Laura said, looking away, and Bruno kicked Alexei under the table. Alexei kicked back, but rolled his eyes and scooped four asparagus stalks onto his plate, much to Laura’s delight.