It’s okay, Nova. Breathe. Dean Vuk is a scary man who just so happens to be extremely attractive. You’ve dealt with many of them before.
My inner talk hasn’t finished when I lick my lips and return Azar’s smile with a large grin, dropping the large picnic basket in my other hand, I wave at them.
Azar waves back.
Dean’s fingers are stretched open as he raises them a fraction, almost like he was about to wave back but realizes it too quickly. He fists his hand and I watch him throw his guard back up with a painful clench to his jaw and a look on his face that shows how much I irk him.
He doesn’t waste another second walking inside.
Azar watches him with a smug smirk on his face before putting his hand down. As unnerved as I am from that interaction, I pick up the basket and walk over to Azar.
“You weren’t supposed to be back yet,” I bemuse.
“Aw,” he presses a hand over his heart. “To be missed this much by a fellow friend.”
I roll my eyes.
Azar and I have been friends since the minute I stepped into Vuk Securities. The story isn’t a fun one but it’s funny. Originally, I walked into the security company hoping to get a job as a security guard during the day. At the time, I was desperate for money and Rivera’s Roses—my shop—wasn’t doing as well as I thought it would. I can’t stand office jobs or tedious work, and this was available.
I forgot one tiny detail and that was how being a Pilates princessdoes not mean I can protect people.
When I walked into the waiting lounge, Azar was sitting at one of the couches, sipping an iced coffee with his intimidating presence. One look at him had me gasping and not because he was attractive, but because I knew I wasn’t getting the job.
He laughed at that, completely chuckled. He did try to hit on me with an exaggerated wink that looked like he was trying to get something out of his eye without touching it—lost a thousand aura points that day—and told me he was one of the partners of the company (not sure if I count him as a partner when he works as a bodyguard).
We then laughed because we both knew how unqualified I was for the job in my loose pants and a habit for always smiling.
When I didn’t get the job (already predicted that), Azar was waiting for me outside and asked if I wanted to get lunch somewhere. Somehow, along the way, we became friends.
Now he comes over every weekend to watch Love Next Door, hangout when Sunny is in the mood, and workout at the gym together, which is slowly gaining back his aura points.
“I actually did miss you, Az.” I smile at him. “Sunny said she saw you looking glum at one of the concerts.”
His grin becomes grim, and he turns mildly annoyed at the memory. Azar’s tasks are… interesting. Sometimes he goes to protect a mobster and other times it’s a royal family. I’m pretty sure he had to bodyguard a chihuahua once. Now,thatwas pretty funny. Considering all the tiny dog did was hiss and sass at the guy.
“Just a stuck-up popstar and her annoying football boyfriend.” He bares his teeth at the memory. Running a thick thumb over his upper lip. “The thing is,” he raises his arms, runs his hands through his hair, before slamming them down. “He doesn’t like her, and she doesn’t likehim, but they’re doing this fake dating shit for popularity, and it pisses me off because he treats her like crap.”
Way to drop a bomb.
I cluck my tongue. “Azar,” I say. “Do you like her?”
He goes red. Complete, beetroot red. “Fuck no.”
A dramatic, over the top sigh flutters out of me. “Oh Azar, love is not a cri?—”
“I don’t,” he snaps. “She’s just… irritating.”
Irritating. Key word for: I’m madly in love with her.
Mark it. Write it down. Engrave it on my tits if it helps.
But this man is in love.
Azar’s phone buzzes and he looks at it with another grim look of his. The first of many, I’m guessing. “Fucking hell, she’s stuck in an elevator. I’ve got to go.”
“Give her a kiss for me,” I mock him by blowing pouty lips.
“Shut up, dude.” He gives me the middle finger, getting back into the car and not a second later, it zooms away from the curb and to wherever it is Azar needs to go.
