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“He saved me from a lady asking about our engagement.”
Letting go of Noah’s attire, he took a step back, rolling his shoulders back. He offered no apology as he glanced down at his suit jacket. He pressed it back into place.
Joseph remained on his phone call, paying no mind to the situation. He had been working for Valentino long enough to know that regardless of what was happening, he was never to get involved in personal matters. That was, unless one of us was in immediate danger. Valentino was known for losing his temper quickly if he thought I was at risk.
I was a bit shaken up. Not about what happened inside, but more about my bodyguard almost getting beaten up by my fiancé. However, Noah had followed protocol and acted even faster than I could speak. Still, I was irritated at Valentino for being over-protective toward someoneprotectingme. He had hated Noah since he showed up, and a part of me felt as if he were waiting for the opportunity to punch him.
The moment Joseph slid his phone into his interior jacket pocket, the limo drove up. Without waiting for anyone to open my door, I marched around to the other side and slipped in. I closed the door and glanced out the window at Valentino, who was holding his hands up. Shaking his head, he backed away, knowing I was distraught about the way he treated Noah.
The entire ride back to the estate was silent. Valentino did not like when I was upset or in a bad mood. It made him feel anxious and out of control, which he hated more than anything. While I might have mildly overreacted, I wanted him to trust the man hired to protect me. Not everything needed to result in violence.
Occasionally, he would reach for my hand, but I withdrew it each time. Finally, he gave up. In my peripheral vision, I noticed his features become rigid as he clenched his jaw. I wanted to discuss it further, but we were not alone.
When we arrived home, Isabelle sped into the house. Though I was almost positive I knew why she was angry with me, I had a small tinge of doubt. Instead of chasing her down, I allowed her to cool off for a bit.
After Joseph and I entered my office, he closed the double doors behind him. Taking a few steps further into the room, he threw his hands out to the side. “What was that about?”
Still tense, I strode to my desk and sat. Gently, I rested the heels of my shoes on the surface and crossed my ankle over the other. Hands folded together on my stomach, I narrowed my gaze at the confusion painted on his face. “With Isabelle? The restaurant? I actually have no idea.”
“With Noah.” He overlapped his arms over his chest. “I know I’m not to involve myself, but may I speak freely?”
I offered a single stoic nod.
“I think you and Isabelle need a vacation.” He cocked his head, almost as if he were challenging me.
Jaw tightened, I took a cigarette from my inside jacket pocket and stood. Holding it between my lips, I lit it, then inhaled a deep drag. “And I think you,” I pointed toward him, vice pinned between my fingers, “need to use formalities when it comes to my fiancée.”
“Very well,” he bowed his head before meeting my gaze, “but think about it.”
I sat back down in my chair and spun it to face the enormous windows, peering out across the luscious garden. “Take the rest of the day off.” I put my cigarette to my lips, focusing on the way the trees blew in the calm wind.
“You may want to put that out before she walks in.”
Swiveling the chair back toward him, I leaned forward, propping my elbows on my desk. Brow arched, I glared directly into his gaze as I took a profound inhale of my cigarette. Joseph shook his head as the corner of his lips twisted into a small smirk. Though I would never admit it, he was right.
Isabelle hated when I smoked, but she loathed when I did it in the house, even in my office. She had asked me to quit altogether, but after London, I smoked more frequently. Often, I tried to be respectful of her and not do it around her or in the house. Regrettably, I had a few weak moments.
The second I heard the door close behind Joseph, I sighed. I brought the cigarette to my lips, and something stopped me from breathing it in. Shaking my head, I unlocked the latch and slid up the screen-less window. I tossed it out into the garden, unsure why I did not just snuff it out in the ashtray on my desk. Just as I slid the window closed and sat back down, Isabelle opened the double doors and ambled into the room. My eyes widened, knowing she could smell the smoke.
“Don’t worry.” She lifted a hand. “I’m not going to get upset about that right now.”
Suspicion etched on my face, I leaned back in my seat, crossing my feet on the desk again. As patiently as I could, I waited for her to speak her mind. She never yelled at me, but she was a confident and strong woman, which was one of the reasons I loved her so much.
She sighed as she plopped down in a chair in front of my desk. It was the same chair she sat in the first time she graced my home office with her presence.
Locking my fingers behind my head, I offered a small grin. “Hello beautiful future wife.”
“No!” She shook her index finger at me. “You don’t get to be all sexy and adorable with me right now.”
“I think I might know why you’re upset but go on.”
“We need to talk about the way you reacted to Noah.”
Happy Birthday
“Sweetheart.” I sighed, reminding myself he was only being protective. “You can’t get so angry about him all the time.”
Valentino removed his feet off the desk and slid his chair underneath it. Tilting forward, he entwined his fingers together, propping on his elbows. Hand over his lips, he tried to hide a smirk, but the corners of his mouth twisted upward, giving him away.
