CHAPTER 24
“What’s the job, boss?” Angelo asks.
Javier rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.
The two men in front of me are complete opposites. One is pale and blond; the other has tanned skin and black hair. One is a bit shorter than me; the other is bulkier and taller.
Javier beat me in agility, speed, and cunning. He was quick and resourceful enough to knock me to the floor. I’m surprised—he’s only twenty, though I’ve been training him since he was about seventeen. Back then, he was as skinny as a stick; now he can even beat me.
An injured me, but still.
On the other hand, Angelo, the one Ian hired when I was missing, is an expert in brute strength. They had to intervene to stop him from breaking my arm. If anyone gets close to Lana, he won’t have any trouble keeping them safe.
Victoria said Lana Müller can stay dead, but rumours about the incident are spreading like wildfire. Most of our enemies know I wouldn’t have given up on her, and they already suspect she’s with me. I can’t let them put a price on her head just because I’m in love with her.
Over these past few months I had a group training so they could take care of Lana.
Most of them will surround her, but these two will be the only ones she’ll meet.
I wanted to stick with only one, but Javier doesn’t have experience.
Angelo, on the other hand, has a good resume, according to Ian, and has been working actively with us for the past two years.
He insisted the guy was one of the best choices.
I sigh and stand up.
“You’ll be her bodyguards.” I hand them each a folder with all the information about Lana—no photos. “You must look after her and her son. Her late husband, Stefan Noskov, sold them. It turned into a race to see who would get to them first. I went ahead and got her out.”
“She is your ex-fiancée, right?” Angelo asks.
I frown. “How did you know that?”
“Rumours.”
“The child is your son?” Javier asks, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Ever since we met, he’s looked up to me.
I helped him, like my dad once helped me when I lost my mom and nonna.
In his case, I rescued his sister and got him out of his home.
That kid has been through a lot, and he wasn’t even part of this world.
He and his sister should’ve gone back to their families, but instead they both got stuck with me.
My mom insisted I help them. Now they’re practically my younger siblings.
“It’s none of your business,” I snap. “I need you to take care of Lana whenever she decides to leave the house. She’s free to go out during the day, and you’re free to roam the grounds as you please. Always stay alert in case someone catches them. And keep up the work pace—no fooling around.
“I’ll pay you both double for the service. I need one hundred per cent from you—both of you. You can’t afford a single mistake.”
“Is there anything else we need to know about her?” Javier enquires.
I nod. “Lana’s been through a lot of shit, so I don’t want to hear you pull a fast one on her. She deserves the same respect I do. Do not touch her unless it’s life or death. Don’t look at her with double meanings. Don’t you dare argue with her, and do not try to get more from her.”
“What if she’s the one who approaches us?” Angelo asks.
I snort. “Then you stay professional. She is your boss. Her word means more than mine. The only order you can refuse is if she tells you to keep your distance outside—that’s strictly forbidden.
” I wait until they both nod. “Good. There’s not much more you need to know.
If anyone approaches her claiming to be a friend, don’t believe them. Lana doesn’t know anyone.”
“She’s all alone?”
“Traffickers’ daughters have no voice, Javier.
They don’t go to school. They don’t leave the house.
They don’t have friends. Their parents raise them to be sold and to preserve family bonds.
They have no contact with men except the ones who buy them.
In Lana’s case, that confinement only got worse five years ago.
” I sigh. “So yes. She is alone. She has no one to rely on—not even her mother or sister. Don’t let her get close to anyone, and don’t let anyone get close to her, no matter how harmless they look. ”
Javier nods, though not with much enthusiasm.
I’m afraid he’ll be too soft for this job.
He’s strong and agile but soft. He killed one of his partners a few months ago and needed therapy after, getting caught up in his own thoughts.
Maybe it was because it was an accident.
Maybe because he can’t kill; this is his first real task, so I won’t know for sure.
“You think you’re capable of killing someone, kid?”
“If it’s necessary.”
Angelo pats his back, smirking. “Don’t worry. If he’s not, I’ll do it instead.”
Javier shoots him a glare, jaw tight, and steps a few inches away.
They’re like oil and water. They’ll never get along—but maybe they’ll balance each other. Hopefully.
“Any other questions?”
Angelo steps forward with a grin. “When do we start, boss?”