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‘Oh? What did he tell you it was?’
Hugo narrowed his eyes at me. ‘He told me I was being given the opportunity to be his wife’s personal bodyguard. This is most definitely a promotion for me and the other four men who were in here before me, Alana. I don’t like to toot my own horn, but he chose his best men for this. This is most definitely no babysitting job, ma’am.’
I felt my skin flush pink. ‘I didn’t mean to belittle what you do,’ I stammered.
‘I know,’ he said as he smiled again. ‘But don’t underestimate your importance to the boss, is all I’m trying to say.’
I nodded. ‘What happens now then? Do you start straight away?’
‘I got the job?’
‘Yes,’ I smiled.
‘Then, yes. Orders were to start immediately.’
‘Good. I have a lunch at one. Is that okay?’
‘Of course. Wherever you need to go, I’ll take you. That’s the deal.’
‘So, how does this work? Do you work seven days a week?’
‘I usually have Wednesdays and every other Sunday off. I’ll be needing your schedule, but I’m also on standby whenever you need to leave the house. Without Mr. Montoya, obviously.’
‘So, who guards me when I’m with him?’
He looked at me as though I had just asked him the stupidest question in the world. ‘He does, of course.’
Hugo held open the door of his car and I climbed into the back seat. I’d have preferred to sit in the front, but I didn’t know what the correct protocol was for having my own personal bodyguard.
On the one occasion I’d left the house since my fateful wedding day, I’d been in the back of a limousine with Hank and another man with a gun.
Hugo climbed into the front seat and started the engine. ‘Safer in the back,’ he said as though reading my mind. ‘The driver is always the first target. Although most of Mr. Montoya’s cars are bulletproof, so we’re pretty safe,’ he said with a flash of his eyebrows in the rear-view mirror.
‘I’m just happy to be out,’ I replied as I leaned back against the seat and smiled.
A short time later, Hugo pulled his car up outside the exclusive yacht club. He got out first, checking up and down the street before he opened the door and reached for my hand. He remained hyper-vigilant as he escorted me through the club and to the room where the ladies of the charity committee were meeting.
‘I’ll have to come inside, but I’ll wait near the exit,’ he said quietly in my ear. ‘It will be like I’m not even here.’
I nodded and took a deep breath as I walked into the room with Hugo close behind me. Everyone in the room looked up as I entered, and I smiled widely.
‘Alana, dear,’ a blonde-haired woman, who I guessed was in her mid-forties, shouted and then she walked over to me and gave me two dramatic air kisses. ‘Ladies,’ she said as she took hold of my arm by the elbow and turned to address the room. ‘This is Alana Montoya, and she has come to join us in our work for good causes. I know you’ll all give her a warm welcome.’
The dozen women in the room all smiled as they looked me up and down, some of them barely able to hide their disdain. I noted the bottles of expensive champagne on the table. Perhaps this was a celebration?
‘I hope I’m not intruding,’ I said quietly, suddenly feeling very self-conscious as I stood there in my simple wrap dress. There were enough designer labels in the room to feed a small community for a year.
‘No, we meet here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday,’ the blonde woman replied as she ushered me towards the table. ‘My name is Amelia, by the way. My husband is one of Alejandro’s investors.’
‘A pleasure to meet you,’ I replied as I took a seat.
Amelia sat on my right, but I didn’t have a chance to speak to her any further because the woman on my left grabbed my hand and started examining my ring finger.
‘I’d have expected a bigger rock than that from the King of L.A,’ she snorted.
I pulled my hand away. ‘It was my grandmother’s ring,’ I replied defensively.
‘Your grandmother’s? How quaint!’ One of the other women squealed and a few people broke into laughter.
