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The first thing I notice is his square face. He is unshaven, and a desire to feel that roughness in the palm of my hand makes me close my fists to resist the temptation. His lips are full, but they form a straight line with not a hint of a smile or friendliness.
His nose, which could belong to a sculpture that’salmostperfect, is slightly bent at the top. It doesn’t harm his beauty—on the contrary, it makes him even more attractive.
His hair is short and very dark, but it's his midnight blue eyes that keep me captivated.
They are what draw me even closer.
I open my mouth to try to suck in some air, feeling my entire body filled with a heat I've never felt before. It's as if my skin pulses, vibrating just from his gaze.
I force myself to try to say something. He must think I'm an idiot.
Before I can form a sentence, however, he says, "Why didn't you respond to my message? I don't like wasting time, girl."
Girl.
That sounds my alarm bells. It's like he already knows me.
"What?"
"I'm Ares Kostanidis. I texted you that I would take you to dinner."
"I . . ."
Confused, I try to process the information, but I can't think of anything other than the fact that I'm half-naked in front of my guardian.
A wave of heat warms my cheeks, as if all the blood in my body has flowed there. "I didn't check my phone, sir. If you can give me five minutes, I'll be ready to go."
"You didn't seem to be in a hurry when you approached me. Is this how you behave around strangers? Because if that's the case, I'll have to increase the number of bodyguards, Serenity. You are a danger to yourself."
Ares
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
She doesn't back downafter what I say, and it takes me a fraction of a second to understand my mistake.
Serenity may have the fragile appearance of a hummingbird, but her wings are made of steel.
For much less, just the tone of my voice has made some men tremble. I have no intention of frightening her, but despite being struck by her beauty, I am, first and foremost, her guardian, and now I won't be able to stop thinking about whether she’s being careless.
She's practically naked, and I could be anyone.
Unable to stop myself, my eyes roam over her perfect body. Delicate but deliciously sensual. Small breasts, narrow hips, waist so tiny I could circle it with my two hands.
Shit. What am I doing?
I look at her confused face and thank God for her innocence. She wouldn't want to know what I'm thinking right now.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kostanidis." She seems to be recovering. "I haven't picked up my phone yet. It was on vibrate, and my teacher came to talk to me after the performance. Iassume you came here to meet me, although the timing is . . . strange." Her voice is flat, devoid of emotion, and her eyes don't look at me. However, a half-smile tries to form when she adds, "Thank you for the invitation, but I'm not hungry."
She has the nerve to say this while holding the door as if to close it behind me.
I don't move. I look at her and am satisfied when I notice that behind the courage, there is anger.
I don't know how to deal with fragility. I was forged to never bend, and if I'm going to have to look out for Serenity in the years to come, I will mold her into someone capable of standing on her own two feet when our contract comes to an end.
We've introduced ourselves. I can leave with a clear conscience. The girl didn't order me to enter recklessly. She was expecting someone she knew. It didn't escape me that as soon as I entered, she used the word “madam”.
What's more, the bodyguards would never have let a stranger pass them by.