Chapter 3 Daphne
3 Daphne
‘He’s young.’
‘You’re young,’ Amelia says, briefly looking up from her laptop as Josh, one of our cooks, places my breakfast in front of me.
‘Thank you, it looks lovely.’ I direct my words to Josh, with a smile, then glance back over to Amelia. ‘Yes, I’m young but I’m the protectee. I don’t need to be old.’
‘Protectee?’ Amelia laughs. ‘Is that even a word?’
‘He’s the protector, which therefore makes me the protectee by extension. It makes perfect sense.’ I shrug. I’m sitting in the main kitchen atop a bar stool in front of the island while Amelia is bent over the other side, eating a snack while finishing some work. Normally I eat my breakfast in the dining room by myself, but after that meeting I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts so I came to the kitchen to talk to her.
‘What’s the actual problem you have with him, Daph?’ Amelia queries as she closes her laptop, turning all her attention to me.
‘I don’t know,’ I groan. ‘The thing is, I get why Daddy is doing all of this, I really do. But I just don’t want a bodyguard, Meelie.’ I take a bite of my eggs. ‘And I mean, I know that sounds bad, but for the foreseeable future I’m going to have someone I don’t know ,’ I really stress that point, ‘following me around everywhere. And I didn’t want to tell Daddy any of this because, well, have you seen the man’s face recently? He looks like he’s in a constant state of stress from the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to bed. I can’t be a brat about it if this will bring him some peace of mind.’
‘Hey, Josh, any breakfast for me?’ Henry asks as he walks into the kitchen, grinning when he spots Amelia.
‘Why couldn’t I have had Henry?’ I ask Amelia as he comes up behind her and gives her a kiss on the neck, wrapping his strong arms around her waist.
I’ve known Henry since I was five and Amelia since I was seven. A lot of my friends have staff as well, but they don’t really interact with them as much as I do. Since my parents were always working when I was younger I spent more time with Henry, Amelia and the others, so we’ve got very comfortable together over the years.
‘Ah, we talking about Daph’s new bodyguard?’ Henry enquires, moving from Amelia over to Josh, plate in hand.
‘Yeah.’ Amelia giggles. ‘Hen, can you please tell Daphne this is a good idea, and to stop worrying about all of it?’
‘Yeah, Daphne, it’ll be fun.’ Henry smirks, coming to sit down next to me. ‘Stop worrying about it.’
‘Have you met him yet?’ I ask, completely ignoring both of them.
‘Yeah, George just introduced me to him. He’s with the other guys now.’ When I first met Henry, he was our only security guy, but over the years he’s become the head of security and now manages three other men – one daytime and two night-time security guards.
‘Okay… Well, what did you think of him?’
‘The question isn’t what I thought of him.’ Henry looks up from his food, that same irritating smirk on his face. ‘It’s what you thought of him, Daphne.’
‘I thought he seemed…’ I trail off, thinking back to moments ago when I was sat in Daddy’s study as Mr Petrov walked in. He was taller than I expected, with dark brown, almost black hair, longer on the top and shorter on the sides. Gently tanned, with green eyes, thick dark eyebrows, a strong nose and an even stronger jaw, dressed in black cargos, boots and a black short-sleeve tee, he stepped into the study with an air of dominance and assertion. His voice was deep, with an American accent that had a hint of something else, something Slavic maybe. He didn’t say much, but when he did speak, he spoke with such conviction and purpose. ‘… professional.’ I finally settle on, before clearing my throat and bringing myself back into the current conversation. ‘He seemed professional.’
‘That’s it?’ Henry probes, his cockney accent shining. ‘Just professional?’
‘What exactly do you want me to say, Mr Harris?’
‘I want you to tell me how you really feel, not do your calm, collected and mature thing.’
‘In my opinion, Daph,’ Amelia cuts in, smiling softly, ‘I think he seems nice. Well-trained and discreet. And those are two of the most important attributes you need in a bodyguard.’
‘Yes. I agree,’ Henry adds. ‘Well-trained and discreet is great. And I mean, it doesn’t hurt that he looks like a young Captain America with the broodiness of Bruce Wayne.’
‘I’d have to agree with that, but I was thinking he’s more of a Clark Kent.’ Amelia nods thoughtfully.
‘Wait, are we talking ability or physical appearance?’ I ask.
Hey, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
‘I don’t know,’ Henry cocks his head. ‘What do you think, Daphne?’ Both Amelia and Henry have the same irksome look on their faces. I can really see why they’re married.
‘I think my father hired Mr Petrov for his ability.’ I look pointedly at both of them. ‘Not his physical appearance.’
‘Yes, that’s true, but your father also hired Henry for his ability and not his physical appearance, and now look where we are.’ Amelia gazes at Henry and all of sudden I feel like I’m interrupting something.
Henry and Amelia met when she joined the household two years after he did. From the moment Henry laid eyes on her, he’s looked at her with adoration that never falters for a second. After what seemed like an age of constant flirting with stolen glances and lingering and very unnecessary touches they decided to go on a date, and they’ve never looked back.
Watching their love grow and deepen over the years, seeing the way Henry treats her, I’ve resolved to never settle for less.
If it’s not like Amelia and Henry Harris’s love, I don’t want it.
‘It was the best decision I ever made, taking this job.’ Henry’s eyes soften as he reaches over and tugs on Amelia’s arm, gesturing for her to move next to him.
‘I agree,’ Amelia whispers as he cups her face, pulling her in for a kiss.
With Amelia being 5’6” with lovely hazel eyes, tanned skin and soft light brown hair and Henry a solid 6’3” with chiselled features, strong arms – one with a tattooed sleeve – and fluffy brown hair, they make an absolutely stunning couple. But that’s no excuse for the constant PDA. You’d think he’d just come back from war with the way the two of them continuously carry on.
I do love love and all that, but I could do without it being shoved in my face constantly.
I get up and swiftly leave the kitchen, signalling Josh to perhaps do the same, when I collide with a warm wall.
‘Miss Green.’
‘Oh, Mr Petrov, apologies, I didn’t see you.’ I right myself quickly as he stands there, hands in his pockets, looking everything but impressed. ‘Have you finished with my father?’
‘Yes, he told me to find you or Mrs Harris to show me to my room.’ I look down to see his duffel bag in his hand then look back into the kitchen to see Amelia still wrapped up with Henry.
‘Amelia’s a little… preoccupied right now, so I can show you to your room and give you a tour of the house if you like. Do you have any more luggage?’ I ask. His duffel bag is small… and black… and sad. It looks like it could barely fit everything I’d need for one night away.
‘No, this is it.’
‘Really? Everything you need for the foreseeable future is in that bag?’
‘Mm hmm.’
‘Oh.’ I pause, glancing back down at the bag. ‘Are you sure? That’s an awfully small bag.’
‘Yes, Miss Green, I’m sure,’ he drawls, his eyes briefly perusing my body.
‘Well, all right, then.’ I smile politely, clearing my throat and standing taller as I pull my robe a little tighter, trying not to wither under his gaze. ‘Follow me and we’ll start on the first floor.’