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Chapter 56: The Commission
Last Updated:
2025-09-27 01:02:21
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the bodyguard's secret Chapter 57: Expanding Horizons
The idea came to Silas while he was teaching his weekly woodworking class for veterans at the community center. He was helping Marcus, a young man who'd lost his left arm in Afghanistan, adapt a traditional joinery technique when he noticed how the other students had gathered around to watch and offer suggestions. "You know," said Elena, a Navy veteran who'd been coming to the classes for six months, "we should have a space where we could work on bigger projects. Maybe even sell some of our pieces." "And teach others," added David, whose PTSD had been significantly helped by the meditative nature of working with wood. "I've got a nephew who could really benefit from this kind of therapy." Silas paused in his demonstration, looking around at the group of eight veterans who had become not just his students but his friends. They met every Thursday evening in the community center's cramped craft room, working with basic tools on small projects. But he could see the hunger in their
the bodyguard's secret Chapter 56: The Commission
The letter arrived on a Tuesday morning in March, delivered by a courier who waited while Leo signed for it with hands that trembled slightly. The envelope was thick, expensive, with the letterhead of the Meridian Foundation—one of the most prestigious arts organizations on the West Coast. Leo carried it to the kitchen where Silas was making coffee, his heart hammering against his ribs. They had been back from San Francisco for two months, and the experience had been everything Leo had hoped for and more. The group exhibition had been a success, his work had been well-received, and he'd made connections with other artists and collectors that were already leading to new opportunities. But this—this was something else entirely. "What is it?" Silas asked, noting Leo's expression as he set down the envelope with reverent care. "I think," Leo said, his voice barely above a whisper, "this might be the commission." They had heard rumors in San Francisco. Whispers about the Meridi
the bodyguard's secret Chapter 55: Growing Pains
Six months into their marriage, Leo and Silas had their first real fight. It started, as many fights do, with something small and seemingly insignificant. Leo had been invited to participate in a group exhibition in San Francisco—a prestigious opportunity that could significantly advance his career. The invitation had come through Margaret, his gallery director, who had been fielding increasing interest in his work since the Portland show. "It's three weeks," Leo explained as they sat at their kitchen table, the invitation spread between them like evidence in a trial. "Three weeks in San Francisco, working with other artists, creating new pieces for the show. It's exactly the kind of opportunity I've been hoping for." Silas stared at the papers, his expression carefully neutral in a way that Leo had learned to recognize as barely controlled emotion. "Three weeks," he repeated, his voice flat. "It's not that long," Leo said, though even as he spoke the words, he knew they wer
the bodyguard's secret Chapter 54: The Art of Being Seen
Three weeks after their return from the honeymoon, Leo stood in the main gallery of the Portland Art Museum, watching strangers examine his paintings with the kind of intense scrutiny that made his palms sweat. The opening reception for "Landscapes of Healing: New Works by Leo Moretti" was in full swing, the gallery filled with art collectors, critics, and curious members of the public who had come to see what the local papers were calling "a stunning debut from an emerging talent." Leo tugged at his tie—a deep blue silk that matched his wedding pendant, which he wore beneath his shirt like a talisman—and tried to calm his racing heart. This was his first solo exhibition, the culmination of three years of work and the validation of his decision to pursue art as more than just a hobby. But standing here, watching people judge and evaluate the most personal expressions of his soul, felt more terrifying than anything he'd faced in years. "Breathe," Silas murmured, appearing at his
the bodyguard's secret Chapter 53: Coming Home Married
The drive home from their honeymoon felt different from any journey Leo had ever taken. Not just because of the wedding rings that caught the light on their hands as Silas drove, or the collection of shells and sea glass Leo had gathered during their week at the coast. It was something deeper, more fundamental—a sense of returning not just to a place but to a life that belonged to them completely. "Look," Silas said as they crested the hill that gave them their first view of their valley, "home." Leo felt his breath catch as he took in the familiar sight of their house nestled among the trees, the workshop and studio buildings they'd added over the years, the garden where they'd been married just eight days ago. It looked exactly the same as when they'd left, but somehow it felt transformed, imbued with new meaning by the promises they'd made beneath the oak tree. "Home," Leo agreed, the word carrying more weight than it ever had before. They pulled into their driveway as th
the bodyguard's secret Chapter 52: Honeymoon by the Sea
The coastal cabin Silas had rented for their honeymoon was everything Leo hadn't known he wanted. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, it was small and weathered, with wide windows that framed the endless expanse of ocean and a deck that seemed to hang suspended between sky and sea. It was nothing like the luxury resorts where Dominic had taken him on business trips—those sterile, impersonal spaces designed to impress rather than comfort. This place felt alive, organic, shaped by wind and salt air into something that belonged to the landscape rather than imposing upon it. "It's perfect," Leo breathed as they stood on the deck their first evening, watching the sun sink toward the horizon in a blaze of orange and gold. "How did you find this place?" Silas wrapped his arms around Leo from behind, pulling him back against his chest. "I've been looking for months," he admitted. "I wanted somewhere that felt like us—simple, beautiful, private. Somewhere we could just be ourselv
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