SWNOVELS Bossy Bodyguard: Part 2 – Chapter 16
“Stay. You’ll get cold. I’ll go get them,” Cillian bit out, pulling me back and not looking at me as he opened the door. “Which drawer or… closet?”
My cheeks scorched with embarrassment as I crossed my arms. “Just some pajamas in the second closet and… there are undergarments in the drawers.” Color coded, I added mentally.
He didn’t spare me a glance and left to fetch my clothes. I shivered from the cold and caught my reflection in the mirror.
I looked red. My cheeks, ears and neck were blushing red. I jumped when there was a sharp knock on the door.
“Y-yes?”
Instead of answering, the door opened and I stared at the broad chest in dark shirt that belonged to Cillian. I took my clothes in a hurry when he handed them to me and the door closed on my face before I could thank him.
I was a mess. I was never a mess. But I was becoming a mess just because of him.
Sighing, I let go of my towel and glanced at the clothes he had picked out for me. I pursed my lips seeing the bra and resisted the intense urge to open the nearest window and scream.
“Barbie. Seriously? What the fuck?” I whispered to myself, angrily clasping the hooks of the bra. “Out of all the expensive bras—he had to pick this one!”
I whispered out more curses because I knew he was waiting outside and I didn’t want him to hear me.
A humorless chuckle escaped my lips when I saw the underwear. I dangled it in front of me, my entire body burning with anger and embarrassment. I had underpants from La Perla, Agent Provocateur, but no, he picked out the ones that Summer and Mia had given me on my birthday to prank me. A freaking Teletubby underwear and a Barbie bra.
Either Cillian had a sense of humor in his big, stoic body, or he was punishing me for making him wait in a room while I was too scared to shower alone.
I knew it was the latter.
At least the underwear was pure cotton and comfortable. I thanked the Fashion Gods (whoever they may be), as I donned the full-sleeved tee shirt and plain sweatpants.
He must have not found the secret stash of embarrassing clothes in the back of my drawer.
“I’m decent!” I yelled after pulling the socks on my feet and hand-combing my damp hair.
I had to miss school today, and even though no one would mind because of my mother’s death, I didn’t want to miss it. I wanted to be around my friends, study, mix chemicals and note their reactions. I wanted to be around people, but I wondered why I was shaking at the idea of being out in public where anyone could—
“Emma.”
I blinked out of my thoughts and raked my graze from the carpeted floor to Cillian. I hadn’t noticed he had entered the room and was staring at me with a concerned look on his face.
“Are you okay?” he asked, crossing his arms.
I nodded, tucking my hair behind my ear and asking, “I’m sorry for making you wait. What did you want to talk about?”
“How’s your romantic relationship?” he said, his voice sharp and authoritative. “Any breakup recently?”
I let out a loud laugh. I was about to snort too when I noticed his serious expression. “Oh? I thought you were joking…” I rubbed my neck.
Cillian hummed and kept staring at me with a look that screamed ‘I don’t joke.’
“I broke up with my boyfriend of one year and three months yesterday,” I said, clearing my throat and twiddled with my thumbs on my lap. “No other romantic relationship before that.”
“I don’t want to prod, but… was it a bad breakup?” His voice had turned softer and I hated that he was giving me pity. I wasn’t someone to be pitied, so I raised my chin and met his gaze. “Was he violent?”
My mouth fell apart, “Violent? He’d never… Cal would never do that.” Caleb could be a player, and he was sometimes dumb about people’s feelings, but he was never violent towards me or anyone. Heck, he was the one who’d cry every time a pet died in movies, and I had to console him. “Why are you asking me that question? You think my boy—ex-boyfriend did this?”
He was rubbing his chin and I was finding it a bit hard to focus. “Well, most of the stalking cases are committed by exes. And women are most likely to be stalked by a current or former intimate partner during the rela—”
“Stalking?” I stood up, cutting him off, “You think I’m being stalked?”
“There’s a thirty percent chance that you are. For now.”
“What do you mean, for now?”
“This person sent you a text, gave you a so-called present, invading your privacy. And there is a huge chance that they would do this again.” Cillian looked at me and I didn’t like the way he sighed and added, “This is why I asked you about your ex—”
“Emma!”
I jumped hearing my name called and relaxed knowing who it was. “You want to talk to my ex? He’s here. You can interrogate him all you want.”
“Emma! Where the fuck are my car keys?” Caleb yelled, storming upstairs and I could hear his heavy footsteps going past the guest room towards my room.
I opened the door and called him, “Caleb, come here. Someone wants to talk to you.”
I heard Cillian mutter, “Caleb?”
Caleb looked haggard in our school’s uniform, his shirt half untucked, tie rumpled and eyes red. He looked like he had partied all night with drugs and alcohol. Yet I couldn’t stop the feeling of sharp pain between my ribs. I had seen him with someone else on my bed.
I looked away and let him enter the room, crossing my arms. “This is my ex, Caleb Chang. Cal, this is—”
“Dad? What the fuck are you doing here?”
My mouth fell apart when I looked between the two men. Caleb looked angry and guilty while Cillian looked shocked. And it was the first time I saw his cool and calm expression break.
What the fuck?
I don’t know if you’re keeping a count, but that’s twice I’ve been surprised in less than twenty-four hours.