Under His Protection

“Well this is a bit awkward, don’t you think?” Japhet chuckled as he looked up to Laura then to Michael, smiling inwardly Michael removed his eyes from the fancy menu in his hand and looked at the man who just spoke breaking the silence from the quiet table.

Japhet had finally saved him from ordering from the ridiculous pricey menu and equally absurd names for food.

“Are you comfortable Laura?” Japhet asked with a smile on his handsome face.

Michael shook his head and gave japhet a sanguine smile, there was really something about japhet that he did not like, well not really but even if he had to admit it is probably his first time dining with a woman and her bodyguard, something was off about the guy.

“I don’t seem to like the fact that you are here, no offense though” he looked at Michael with a small smile.

“None taken” Michael shot back briefly glancing at Laura sideway, she had been silent since they arrived for dinner, but he would not blame her. She might appear to be silent and collected with the whole ridiculous situation but he knew deep inside she was fuming mad with rage and it is probably directed to him. She still hasn’t accepted the fact that he is her bodyguard.

“So, shall we order?” Japhet asked, he gestured to call the attention of the waiter and waited for Laura to order before placing his, then it was Michael’s turn. Michael randomly selected the first thing he saw on the menu, japhet did not hesitate to show off his Wealth when he ordered a bottle of the most expensive wine in the restaurant for exuberant price.

When the waiter left Michael narrowed his eyes when japhet smiled adoringly to Laura.

“You look beautiful tonight princess” he complimented.

Michael rolled his eyes preventing himself from scoffing, ” what a charmer” he thought silently. Does he think he could get Laura Van-Lerie using such charismatic demeanor? He would be happy to inform japhet that it would be frutile.

“Thank you” Laura replied.

Michael looked fascinating at the woman in question as she replied japhet’s compliment demurely, when she caught Michael watching her, she threw him her sharpest look.

Michael hid his smile as though she was still smarting that he tag along with her to her dinner date, he silently smiled at the thought that she is still the Laura he knew before, the young princess that hated her father’s ex bodyguard from the first moment they met.

“How long did you work for his Excellency again?” Japhet asked as he sip a little amount of his champagne. Feeling his lip twich with smile as japhet dragged him out of his reverie forcing him to remove his eyes from the woman sitting in front of him, “Five years. I met his Excellency when I was 23″

Joahet eyebrow shot upwards ” wow that is quite a long time because I guess you might me 35 now, if iam right. Now I understand why he trusted you so much in taking good care of his daughter”

Michael shrugged indifferently ” maybe”

He nodded ” and iam sure you guys get along so well” he commented innocently placing the white napkin on his lap, he looked up to Michael ” You both seem very close”

“Yes” Laura answered.

“Nope” Michael said at thesame time, her eyes shot dagger in his direction Making him threw a goading smile at her then to japhet.

“Quite the opposite to tell you honestly japhet, she could not stand the sight of me and infact the moment I stepped my foot in their palace I was already labelled an enemy” Michael watched the pink stain spread through her cheek.

Laura scoffed ” I beg to disagree japhet, if I still remember correctly the moment you arrived you labelled me the annoying daughter of your employer, you never let the opportunity to pass to remind me of it Everytime” she rolled her eyes.

Michael’s mouth opened at her ” I never…….”

“You are” she cut him off giving him an accusing look.

Michael shook his head, he has never treated her as she thought. Yes he had to admit that sometimes or most of the time he was giving her a cold shoulder back then because of the fact that he have to remember she is off limit, and way out of his league. He never thought of her as an annoying spoilt little daughter of Jadua Van-Lerie.

“Wow!” Japhet said in amazement, ” I think I can breathe comfortably now I don’t have to worry about the special bond I thought you have back home, I have to admit when I first saw the two of you in Laura studio you seem like old couples”

“Iam sure you got it wrong japhet” Laura replied sipping her goblet of water, ” when you saw us a while ago arguing it means that we cannot stand each other. Oh believe me, it is our favourite past time when we are within twenty feet from each other”.

Japhet smiled ” it is good to hear that then”

Michael gave him a hard look, oh how he wanted to remove that pleased smile from him, japhet then looked at Michael ” I apologise for my uncalled behavior when we first met, by now you should probably guess that iam courting Laura”

Michael could swear he saw red haze in his vision when he looked at japhet who had the nerve to admit his feelings for Laura to his face. It took an ounce of his will not to strangle him or worse still snap his neck right on the table.

Thankfully he was saved by the waiter from his unexpected death in his hand and Michael was saved from answering him when their food arrived. They ate in silence, Laura and japhet were making small conversation smiling and eating ignoring Michael which was fine by his opinion. Michael just ate his food without really savouring it, while they had the chance to busy chat with each other he had the chance to study them in silence.

Everyone would agree that the pretty Laura Van-Lerie and this guy would make a striking pair but there was really something about japhet that he did not trust.

“….. Michael” the man seated opposite him inquired with a friendly smile on his face, Michael cleared his throat as he sat straight from his chair, he glanced briefly at the woman in front of him who was looking at him intently. He suddenly felt his cheek heated upon receiving their undisturbed attention.

“Uhm… iam really sorry I didn’t get your question”

Japhet smiled again, Michael noticed he had this friendly manner that he could not shake off the uneasiness that comes along with it neither could he ignore his instinct. Michael shook his head, he thought he was being paranoid about the whole stalker thing.

“I said since you are the personal bodyguard of Laura, I assume that you are also the one who will take her home tonight”

Michael idiotic brain gave him a different image inside his head with the word japhet just spoke, he suddenly felt uncomfortable in his chair and shifted his position, he tried to clear his throat again discreetly trying hard to remove the images from his brain.

“Um.. yes of course”

“There is no need to do that” Laura inserted tonelessly eyeing him with such acid in her pretty eyes, ” you don’t have to guard me twenty-four-seven”

There was nothing else in the world he would like more than seeing the fire in her eyes while giving him a disapproving look, bantering with her like this made him happy, he gave her a sardonic smile which he knew she hated.

” I regret to inform you miss Van-Lerie, that is exactly what I have to do with your father’s directive, I need to keep an eye on you all the time, so please expect me to be around you”

Laura exhaled a deep breath, tossing her white napkin on the table, she tucked her arm in the middle of her chest, ” I don’t understand why my dad need to butt into my affair. Why doesn’t he just focus on his empire, businesses and his wife. I can take care of myself”

“He is just worried about you” Michael told her as his warm gaze raked over her beautiful face, she really looked cute when there is a small grown between her eyebrows.

Laura scoffed focusing her glittering eyes in his direction. Seeing her like this close under the soft lightening of a posh restaurant makes him wanting to do something he had promised himself never to do again just like that fateful night, he stopped himself ncrom remembering but here he goes again touring himself with those memories.

“If I did not know better my father has just found the perfect opportunity to keep an eye on me now that iam away from home, he likes to know everything” she lamented.

“Call it fatherly love” Michael said while trying so hard not to focus on her exquisite lip, those same lips he had tasted before when he gave in into the temptation one night, long time ago.

She snorted pushing her hair at the back of her shoulder ” my father is a stick-in-the-mud kind of guy who cannot accept the fact that iam no longer a little girl that needs to be in his care”

“You cannot blame his Excellency for doing that since you are his daughter after all, he just wants to protect you” they both looked at the man who had been silent but recently spoke up.

Laura shook her head ” japhet is that supposed to make me feel better about his autocratic behavior towards me? She asked with a displeasure in her pretty face.

Japhet smiled and gave her a light squeeze on her arm ” I think let’s call this a night?” He spoke after a long silence enveloped the dinner table. He gestured for the waiter for the bill and they waited in silence when he placed his black card on the machine the waiter gave him, finally when everything was settled they stood up with Michael waking behind them.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.