CHAPTER TWO

Unwanted Company

I dragged my feet forward. The door creaked when I pushed it with my fingertips, the sound too loud in the silence. My pulse pounded in my ears. Nothing looked out of place at first glance. Same bed, same clothes on the couch, and scattered music sheets. This was not a robbery attempt. Whoever broke in wanted to tell me they could. For the first time in my twenty-four years of existence, I was scared. Even if I didn't want to admit it.

I closed the door behind me and I took out my phone to call my manager. My thumb hovered over the phone screen. I should probably wait until morning since it’s already late. 

I sat at the edge of my bed after checking the whole room twice. Bathroom? Nobody. Closet? Clear. And there was only dust under the bed. I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me. I took a quick shower and came back to lie on my bed,

 gazing at the ceiling. I pulled the sheets higher and tried sleeping. After twisting and turning nonstop, I finally drifted off to sleep.

By the time morning light spilled through the curtains, I felt like I had been run over by a truck. My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I picked it up reluctantly. It was my manager.

“What now”, I answered sluggishly. “You tell me. Why do I have hotel security breathing down my neck about suspicious activity on your floor?”. I sat up straighter. 

“About that…I think someone…”I didn't get to finish my sentence before she cut in.

“Don’t tell me someone broke into your room last night.” I remained silent. “ That’s it Neo, you’re getting a bodyguard starting today. I'm calling him right away”. And she hung up on me before I could argue. 

A few minutes later a knock sounded on the door. I pulled the door open, ready to unleash my frustration, and froze. Vivian spoke first. “Meet your new bodyguard Daniel Ross”. The man standing there was like nothing I expected. Bluish gray eyes pinned me down where I stood. Over six feet tall, broad shoulders and

muscles that could only be achieved by years of consistent training. His dark short hair gave him a military look with a chiseled sharp jawline. Tattoos peeked out of his short-sleeved shirt, covering his entire right arm. He dipped his head a bit, “Mr. Vale. The single word sounded more like a confirmation than an actual greeting. ”“I’ll leave you two to get to know each other then “, Vivian gave a brisk nod and disappeared down the corridor. Leaving me with my new shadow.

“You need to move,” he said, his eyes sweeping the room like an eagle scanning prey.

“And if I don’t?” I countered, tilting my head slightly, sharp with defiance. “You can’t just barge in here and start ordering me around.”

He didn't answer right away, only circling the space with slow, measured steps. The longer he stayed silent, the more he got under my skin. Today was going to be a long day, and I could feel myself hating every second of it.

“It’s either you move,” he replied coolly, “or you don’t make it to your next concert.”

That caught me off guard, irritation spiking hot in my chest.

“I’m not going anywhere,and that’s final. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

He ignored me completely, carefully rifling through my things as though I hadn’t spoken at all. He checked the bathroom for hidden cameras, tested the edges of drawers, his movements efficient and precise.

“Mr. Vale,” he said at last, his tone sharp and professional, grating against me. No one had called me that in years. Everyone knew me as Neo.

His voice was low and deep, threaded with just enough huskiness to make it dangerous. Even quiet, it filled the space, pressing down on me in a way that was hard to shrug off.

“I need your full schedule,” he went on, “your car routes, the people you usually meet, your interviews, and those places you like to sneak off to. And I’ll be with you. Everywhere you go.”

I let out a short laugh, folding my arms. “So you’re going to be my puppy, following me around?” I arched a brow, but his stare didn’t waver. For a moment it felt like he was looking through me, weighing something I didn’t understand.

What was his problem? I hadn’t wanted him here in the first place, so why did he look at me like I was already trouble?

“Loosen up, big guy,” I shot back, trying to keep my tone light. “I’m not a child. I don’t need a babysitter. And I definitely don’t need you trailing me like some lost dog.”

He didn’t so much as blink. “I’m following procedure. My client’s safety is my top priority.” His words were flat, absolute, the kind that left no room for argument. He refused to leave the room for some unknown reason. And I didn't hate it like I always did when someone was in my personal space for too long. It was kind of peaceful even if I hated to admit it. Or so I thought. 

Vivian had asked my personal assistant to give Daniel my schedule for the week. For the next thirty minutes, we went through the logistics  of how things were going to work. “This is all fine”. Daniel said, as he closed the file containing my schedule, concert venues and places I usually visited. “Let me be frank here Mr Vale, you’re not the first client I've worked for and won’t be the last. And in all my six years of working with clients, I've never had any client harmed under my watch and do you want to know why?”

“Why?”, I said amusingly. 

He adjusted his collar and sat upright, holding my gaze. “I never get involved in my client's life, emotionally and whatnot. I am not your friend or your confidant. The second thing is, my clients understand how things must be done in order to ensure their safety”.

“And how is that”, I asked curiously, as if I hadn’t guessed what he was going to say. And I was right. “ They do what I say, whenever I say it, for issues related to security”, he stated, while his bluish gray eyes remained locked on me. It was like staring into a brick wall. “ Do you understand Mr. Vale?”.

What I wanted most was to slap the arrogant expression off his face but I could only  manage a hesitant “Yes”. 

He stood up abruptly, “I’ll be in the living room area”. Without giving me a chance to respond, he walked stealthily towards the door and exited. 

Great, now I was stuck with a company I didn't want.