15. Chapter 15
Rosalina
The intercom crackled, and a husky voice filled the crappy speakers. “Rosa, the door is unlocked. You can come out when you’re ready.”
That must’ve been my stupid asshole of a bodyguard.
Was he an asshole, though? I shouldn’t judge.
All he’d done so far was follow my father’s orders, which, if I’m being honest, everyone does.
Even me, usually. But not this time. There was too much on the line.
Too much to lose. I wasn’t going to roll over and take it.
It was time to enact Plan A: seduce the bodyguard.
This was a stupid idea, but it was only stupid if it didn’t work, right?
I tugged at the thick towel I’d wrapped around my body and strode to the door.
He said I was free to leave, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up, only to be crushed by the finality of being trapped in this hellhole.
Miraculously, the handle turned. Thank god!
The door swung open, and I stepped over the threshold into the cool evening air.
There was a subtle hint of sandalwood simmering under the ocean breeze of the island that sent a ripple of goosebumps along my bare skin.
Cruz’s shadowed gaze landed on my bare legs and ample cleavage that I was showcasing in the towel I’d used to dry off from my shower earlier.
His eyes dropped to the floor immediately, and he stood up straighter. “Excuse me, ma’am. I can wait outside until you’re dressed.”
He reached behind him for the door to the hall, but I waved the hand that wasn’t holding the towel up. “No need for that.”
The whites of his eyes grew at my suggestion, but his hand dropped to his side. “Your father requested that you join him for dinner.”
Ignoring his comment, I made my way to my dressing room, my hips swishing under the clingy terrycloth towel. Just as I stepped into the closet, I dropped the towel and bit my lip to hide my smile. He may have seen some skin, but only a tease before I shut the door behind me.
I hoped he was buying this because I had no idea what I was doing. I'd never intentionally seduced anyone. My experience was woefully lacking, I’d only had a few brief encounters with betas, but that was always more friendly than seductive.
There was more important shit in life than whatever this was supposed to be. For me, at least. But now, this was a means to that end.
Freedom.
A little irritated at myself for my underhanded tactics, I pulled on some cozy cotton panties and short shorts. But remembering I had a houseguest, I threw on a bra under my tank top and stepped into some fuzzy slippers. There, cute, comfy but not trying too hard.
I froze at my closet door. Could I do this? My father’s words played back in my head ‘I’ve arranged your marriage to Lorenzo Vasco.’
Even if I couldn't, I was going to have to try. I pulled my confidence around me like armor and strode out of the dressing room with my chin up and my shoulders back. Cruz was standing still as a statue next to the door. I scanned him slowly from head to toe. Fuck, he was cute. Really cute. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Nope, not gonna think about that right now. I kept walking, right past him and out of my room into the hall. I didn’t look back.
The only indication he was following was the quiet sound of his shoes on the terracotta tiles.
He kept a respectful distance, but I could feel the warmth of his big alpha body like a shadow.
My slippers shuffled in the most unsexy way, but I sashayed my hips a little more to make up for it.
My shorts were… very short. That had to count for something.
This was all part of the plan.
I wondered if he’d eaten while I was sequestered.
It was already dinnertime. Maria had brought me lunch, but I wasn’t so sure she would have fed our new guest. She would never admit it, but she took a minute to warm up to people.
She liked to size up their character first. I wondered what she thought of this one.
My father always had dinner served in the formal dining room, and tonight was no exception.
He was seated at the head of a long, ornate wooden table in front of tall windows overlooking the pool, with a view of the sea beyond.
The other end of the table was set, and my mother's absence was just as glaring and painful as always. I wished he’d stop having his minions set a place for her.
She wasn’t coming back. At least he stopped setting a place for my brother on his right.
I took my seat on his left, as always, but remained silent.
My father’s trusted men brought food from the kitchen, and we served ourselves in tense silence. Cruz stood at the door and watched the whole awkward scene. The food was immaculate. Maria took too much pride in her cooking to let a minor squabble ruin a perfectly good meal.
The creak of my chair was loud in the large room as I shifted in the uncomfortable stillness. Surely he would say something. My foot tapped as anxiety rose, and I forked some broccoli into my mouth.
“Lorenzo is coming by to see you tomorrow.” My father said, ripping apart the quiet like so many dead leaves. “We need to discuss additional shipments that have gone missing and more of our men being murdered by the Morenos, but there will be time for you two to get better acquainted.”
Blood leached from my face, and my head spun as I sucked a floret of buttery broccoli down my trachea, where it lodged, blocking the air I was gasping for.
Panic clouded my vision, and all rational thought fled.
My mouth opened like a fish out of water, and my arms flailed, not knowing what to do or how to save myself.
Cruz rushed forward, devouring the distance between us in two strides, dragging me from my chair and, in a backward hug, hammered my sternum with clenched fists.
The broccoli dislodged in an unattractive bout of coughing.
I shoved him away as I swallowed and gasped, filling my starved lungs with air.
Oh my god, I almost choked to death on broccoli… in front of someone I was trying to seduce.
This was going perfectly…
Wait, what had my father just said? Lorenzo was coming here? My eyes darted to where he perched half out of his seat, concern pinching his sun-weathered face.
“Are you okay, my little Rosita? It seems Cruz is even more useful than I thought.” My father settled back into his chair, tucking his cloth napkin back over his lap.
I cleared my throat, trying to soothe the scratchy ache, and with watering eyes, I asked, “Can you repeat that?”
My father adjusted the collar of his white button-up. “Yes, I was just saying Lorenzo will be coming to visit the estate tomorrow. He’ll expect to spend some time with you.”
Fucking wonderful. Even though I didn’t really want the answer, I couldn’t help but ask, “Will his pack be coming?” An omega was usually expected to service the entire pack when claimed.
Although sometimes there were exceptions, like my mother and father.
And Diego and Maria, whose pack, all but Javier, died defending my family from the massacre.
“No, they won't be accompanying him. They have responsibilities elsewhere that will keep them occupied. You’ve met them before, anyway,” he replied, settling more deeply into his high-backed chair.
I didn’t remember much about the previous meeting other than they looked like street thugs and smelled like moldy laundry. They were the typical hired muscle, and I wanted nothing to do with them. “Good.”
My appetite was ruined, and so was my plan.
Not only was I at the end of my patience, I was completely humiliated. My only strategy for salvation was gone in a spatter of broccoli bits. Cruz wouldn’t take me seriously now that he’d saved me from certain death in a spray of green vegetables and spit. I groaned internally.
In order to avoid another confrontation with my father, I brushed the reminders of my choking episode from my shirt and headed for the door.
No one moved to stop me.