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Serenity

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"What kind of agreement?" he sounds suspicious, but at least he's listening to me.

I just decided I want to know more about him. Not just in his role as a guardian but as a man too. "For every order you give me, I have the right to a request."

"The answer is no if it means you taking risks, Serenity."

"I won’t, I promise. But I want to have space to maneuver."

"Please enlighten me as to what that would entail."

"I don’t know exactly right now, but I swear I won't ask for anything that would be embarrassing for you, anything illegal, and much less anything that would put me at risk."

"I could force you to obey me anyway, without coming to any agreement with you."

"I'm starting to make money as a professional. I’ve been invited for interviews and even to represent a famous perfume brand. You'd be surprised if I told you how much they're willing to pay me. I could give up my fortune, and then do whatever I like, including get into trouble. Our contract would be void, but something tells me you like total control, Ares. You don't want to look back in a few years and remember that you failed me."

His eyes flash with fury, and I suspect it's because he's not used to being challenged, but by his expression, I also know I've hit the nail on the head.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to be my friend, first and foremost."

"No. I'm your guardian. Friends do not owe each other obedience."

"I'm an adult, Ares."

"Really? I hadn’t noticed. Your irresponsible behavior says otherwise. I want you to tell me everything about the stalker, which, by the way, you should have done a long time ago."

I look down at my hands resting on the sheets. I turn my palm up, focusing once again on the scorpion's tiny sting. "Think it might be a fan?" I ask.

"Who else would it be? You don't leave the house; you have few friends. Unless.. ."

"Unless what?"

"It's an enemy of your boyfriend."

"No. My . . . uh . . . relationship with Otis only started to get more serious after my debut as a soloist."

"After the night we had dinner, you mean." He looks at me as if he can read my mind and knows all my lies and sins. I don't have a long list of sins to my name, but as for lies...Jesus!

"Yes, that's right."

"In any case, I will have him investigated."

"Haven't you done that already?"

"No. I followed up on the information you gave me, and it checked out, but as you have barely seen each other in the last two years, I didn't think it necessary to go deeper."

"Not everyone has time to go out every night. Otis and I have a great relationship but separate lives."

"Platonic?"

"What?"

"You understood me, Serenity."

For a few seconds, I really don't understand, then I feel as if lava from a volcano is burning me from the inside. He's asking me if we've had sex yet?

I look at him to make sure that's what he meant, but when I see the shadow of a sardonic smile, anger overcomes embarrassment. "No, not platonic. When he visits me, we don't leave the hotel, if you know what I mean."

He will never be sure if I'm telling the truth. Otis always rents the room next to mine with a connecting door between us, although we've never used it because I always lock mine from my side, but at least I can pretend I'm not that inexperienced.

When I see that the ironic face has turned into a frown, I feel satisfied.

"Tell me about the stalker."

"That night you came to see me at the theater, I thought there was someone in my dressing room."

"What?"

"Behind the coat rack."

"And why didn't you tell your bodyguards?"

"I thought I was going crazy. I had only been out of boarding school for a few months, and I believed I was jumping to conclusions, as everything was new to me. But..."

"What?"

"Notes started appearing and sometimes a single red rose, no matter where in the world I was."

He paces from side to side, like a caged beast, and even though the memories of the times I’ve felt scared still make me anxious today, I can't take my eyes off my guardian. For all his arrogance and bad temper, Ares is a sight to behold. "Swear you'll never hide something like this from me again, Serenity," he says, coming close and holding my chin.

"I swear. I didn't want to worry you for nothing."

"For nothing? You just told me that you've been stalked for two years, and you think it's no big deal?"

"I know. I was a fool. Debra has fought with me several times about this."

"Who else knows?"

"Just her and JeAnne. I didn't even tell Otis."

"Or me."

"I didn’t plan to."

"Why?"

I shake my head, not wanting to speak.

"Tell me."

"I don't want you to feel sorry for me."

"I just spanked your ass after you were stung by a scorpion. Believe me when I say I'm not the type to feel sorry, Serenity."

"Are you a sadist, then?"

Oh my God! Why did I ask that?

To my surprise, lines of laughter form around his eyes, although he tries to hide it. "I’ve never thought about it, but I don't think so. Causing pain doesn't give me pleasure."

"What does?"

He looks at me with such intensity that I shiver. It's as if an invisible bond has formed between us. Then, his expression returns to neutral. "This conversation is inappropriate."

"I said I want to be your friend."

"And I never said I would agree to that. Now, tell me why you didn't say anything about this stalker before."

"Because I’ve gotten used to being alone, mainly. I was sent to boarding school when I was five, Ares. You learn to deal with your fears on your own."