Giorgio (Vigilance #1) - Silvia Violet Page 0,41

from him and looked over the figurines once more. I shouldn’t have disappeared on him, but he didn’t have to treat me like a naughty child—even if it was hot.

“You should never have left the coffee shop.”

“I saw this store when we parked, and I thought they might have some cool things, so I decided to look in the window while I waited for you.

“You were inside, not looking in the window where I at least could have seen you.”

I sighed. “I meant to text you. I really am sorry. When I get an idea for a project or something gels, I just… I lose myself in it.

“You need to be on guard all the time.”

He was right, but I didn’t want to admit it. “If I hadn’t come in here, I never would have found these.” I lifted my hand showing him the objects I’d collected.

“I know you have pieces you need to complete, but—”

“Don’t you fucking dare dismiss my art.” I knew from his appreciative remarks in my studio that he didn’t discount what I did, but I’d spent too many years fighting my mother, stepfather, and family friends, convincing them I was never going to be a suit-wearing business major. I was going to be exactly who I wanted to be. I was never going to be controlled by someone else’s vision of me.

Giorgio let me go and took a step back. “Gather what you need, pay for it, and then we’re going home. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” He didn’t react to the venom in my voice.

I took my time sorting through the items in front of me. Giorgio stood perfectly still, his face neutral. He would’ve been the perfect picture of a bodyguard if he’d looked a bit more polished and less like a predator. Maybe if he was wearing a suit instead of the worn sweater and jeans he had on. Giorgio in a suit. Fuck, that was a hot image. Why did I want the man no matter how much he pissed me off?

When I was done, I headed to the counter. Giorgio followed so close behind me I could almost feel the heat of him.

Once I’d paid, he gestured for me to walk ahead of him. “Go straight to the car.”

I hated how much I liked his commanding voice.

He unlocked the doors, and I climbed into the passenger seat. “I’m coming back to look around the shop more thoroughly another day,” I said as he turned the key in the ignition.

His only response was a grunt. Neither of us spoke on the drive home. When he cut the engine in the cabin’s driveway, I reached for the door handle.

“No.”

I glared at him. “I’ve had enough of the caveman shit.”

“I’m not playing games with you. My job is to protect you, and I’m going to do my job. You’ll wait here while I check out the cabin. There’s a gun in the glove compartment if anyone approaches the car.”

My mouth dropped open as I stared at him. “I don’t know how to shoot a gun.”

“Point it at them. They won’t know that.”

I wished he was joking, but I didn’t think he was.

I couldn’t help but watch as he jogged up the steps and across the porch. It was really unfair that I was totally turned on by his whole controlling, protective act.

When he opened the door, I tensed. What if there was someone in the cabin?

I never miss. His words echoed in my head, but that had just been arrogance, right? He wasn’t invincible. One bullet in the right place and he’d be gone, all because he taken a job to protect me. And here I was acting like I didn’t even care. He was right. I was a brat, and I needed a spanking.

No. That would only make things worse.

The more I felt his hands on me, the more I was going to want him. I already wanted him way too much. Fuck, I already liked him way too much. I didn’t want to, but I did. He was an asshole, he was prickly, it was too hard to get him to really talk, but… there was something about him that drew me in. Something more than his looks and his dominance.

That was the last thing I needed. He’d made it clear he was unavailable, and I knew damn well he had some scary secrets. He was trouble, but maybe I wasn’t such a good judge. Alan had seemed perfect at first, and