RI-RI looked at herself once more in front of her full-length mirror. She had managed to get ready in just over an hour. Her movements had been rushed, but her look turned out great. Her hair fell in soft beach-wave curls, and her makeup was flawless. She wore an off-shoulder, sparkly black dress that accentuated her curves. She smiled, satisfied with how she looked.
It had been three days since she was grounded. During those three days, she had been on her best behavior. She even befriended Matteo, constantly talking to him to win him over. It wasn’t hard to do—he was a funny guy and didn’t hold grudges against her. The man Matteo had been talking to by the pool crossed her mind, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask about him. Her pride got in the way. She didn’t want to seem interested or anything… even though she really was.
Giving herself one last look, she finally stepped out of her room. Matteo already knew where she was going, so there was no reason to sneak past him. She went to find him to properly inform him, and so her parents would know where she was headed too. To make it up to her, Blanca had promised they’d go out to eat at a restaurant. Her friend had made her promise not to get drunk this time, though, so her mom wouldn’t get mad again.
She decided to look for him outside since he was always there. But before she could reach the glass door, the hairs on her arms suddenly stood on end when she felt someone following her.
She immediately turned around, and her breath caught in her throat.
The handsome man Matteo had been talking to over the past few days was standing right in front of her. Even in her five-inch heels, he was still taller. She realized he was too close for comfort, so she stepped back a little. His gaze was piercing right through her, making her throat dry. She wanted to speak, but her lips were just slightly parted. Damn! What’s wrong with you, Ri-Ri?! she thought inwardly.
“Where are you going?” he asked instead. She may have gasped a little at the sound of his sexy voice. “You’re not going anywhere, Fruity,” he continued, and her ears burned.
“F-Fruity?” she said after recovering from her brief attraction to the stranger. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard from him. Before she could ask again, she heard Matteo laugh from behind her.
“I see you’ve finally met your new bodyguard,” Matteo said.
She looked at him, confused. “What do you mean? He’s my new bodyguard? But you’re still here,” she said to him.
The stranger answered her question. “Your mother decided to keep Matteo as well. You will have two bodyguards from now on.”
“But he’s your main bodyguard. I will mostly be driving you around,” Matteo added, pointing at the newcomer.
She looked at him again and swallowed involuntarily. She’s doomed, if this is her new bodyguard. For the first time ever, she honestly felt intimidated by him. But hell would freeze first before she would show the newcomer how much he had affected her.
She held her chin up and turned to look at Matteo. “Blanca and I are meeting—”
“Haven’t I told you you’re not going anywhere?” the stranger cut her off. Her head automatically turned toward him. She saw that there wasn’t a trace of playfulness in his eyes.
Ri-Ri gritted her teeth. “I’m no longer grounded. And besides, my mom knows where I’m going.”
“She changed her mind,” he replied simply. “Don’t worry, she already called your friend and cancelled the plan on your behalf.”
“What?” she asked in disbelief. When she looked at Matteo, he nodded. “This is ridiculous! Why would she change her mind? For heaven’s sake, it’s Blanca I’m going out with tonight!”
“Apparently, your mother no longer trusts you.”
Ouch. That was a blow she didn’t expect from a total stranger. She shot him a sharp glare. He didn’t even blink as he met her eyes. Ri-Ri was the first to break the staring contest, feeling her knees wobble a little because of the intensity of his gaze. She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Whatever. No one can stop me. I’m going—with or without both of you,” she said, then walked past the stranger.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Matteo called after her.
She didn’t turn back. Instead, she kept walking. She was already near the door when someone suddenly grabbed her. The next thing she knew, she was draped over a broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Her expensive sling bag fell, and Matteo picked it up, laughing at the situation.
“What the hell?!” she shrieked. “Put me down right now!” she ordered the man whose name she didn’t even know. She was hanging upside down over his shoulder, and his hands were holding the hem of her dress to keep it from riding up. No one had ever done this to her before. “I said, let me go! Matteo, help me! This is despicable! I will sue you!”
The man acted as if he hadn’t heard anything and simply continued walking up the stairs. Matteo even told him where her room was. Now, she was glaring daggers at Matteo too.
When they reached her room, he dropped her onto her bed. He threw her so hard onto the soft mattress that she bounced, her skirt riding up to her hips a little because of the movement. She immediately fixed her clothes before his eyes could go there—but it was a little too late. His gaze had already darted to her lower region for a couple of seconds before returning to her face. She hid her embarrassment by snapping at him.
“You have no right to do that to me! Who gave you permission—”
“Your mom gave the orders.” He cut her off.
She fell silent for a moment. She was barely aware of Matteo entering and placing her bag on the nightstand. “Get out! Get out of my room!” she shouted at the two men. She never imagined that her mother’s orders would come to this. She felt humiliated in her own damn house.
When the man closed the door, that was the only time she lay down on the bed. She closed her eyes as she felt them grow hot with tears. Inwardly, she cursed her new bodyguard—and the cage that was her life.