11. The charming bodyguard.

It's another normal Friday evening with another probable bride of Arthur sitting at our reserved table at the golden spots waiting for him.

Rayleen Scott is the softest lioness you will ever meet. Everything from her skin to her voice is as soft as a cotton candy. Sam was totally drooling over her so I had to kick her out of the monitoring room. Rayleen has a profession that suits her aesthetics; she is an elementary school teacher who loves kids. I love kids too....the ones that are at least eight feet away from me and know when to shut up. Cute little suckers.

Back to Rayleen, she would have been perfect for Arthur considering how much he hates my loudness but I'm not actually planning on setting them up. I have another plan for this evening and that plan's sitting on the table next to Rayleen, one that will be directly visible from Arthur's line of sight when he arrives.

Yes you guessed it right, it's the lovely Rhea Wright sitting there in all her elegant glory with her date. Mr. Jonathan Brown owes me a personal favour and is hence sitting with Rhea despite having a very pleasant mate of his own.

I put the headphone on as soon as Arthur walked in. Mia gave me thumbs up. I nodded and cleared my throat loudly startling Arthur to a halt *grins evilly*

"Hey devil" I said "I have personally decided to entertain you through this date. I hope you are feeling privileged, Sir"

I successfully distracted him just in time for Jonathan to shield Rhea. Now Arthur can only see her when he sits down for the date.

I watched as Arthur closed his eyes and took a deep breath to keep his composure. Ah the joy my heart feels when he is at discomfort.

"Thank you" he gritted out looking around for his date "I can already see the disaster happening tonight. Not that I was planning long term with this girl"

"It's the same table" I informed him "We always book the same table. It's a lucky charm for us"

Arthur rolled his eyes "No superstitions remember?"

"I'm superstitious not her. Go find the mother of your future babies" I told him earning a snort from Mia who was observing our interaction closely.

"You have no class" he shook his head hopelessly and started walking towards Rayleen's table.

"And you have never kissed anyone in the thirty miserable years of your life" I said lazily "Now that we have established the fact, stop talking. You look like a lunatic talking to yourself"

"Check your facts" he smirked at one of the cameras before walking over charmingly to Rayleen. The bastard.

"What do you mean by that?" I frowned but the devil was busy kissing Rayleen's soft candy hands and simply smirked some more to irk me. I'll keep that for later.

Rayleen's skin turned red at Arthur's stupidity. She mumbled an awkward hello as they settled down.

Arthur covered his mouth with him palm and whispered "What's her name?" and then went back to smiling at her.

I slapped my forehead "Rayleen Scott. Seriously Arthur? She's an elementary school teacher and loves kids so pretend like you like kids too"

It was only after the waitress arrived for their order that Arthur stiffened. He saw her.

"Don't react" I warned him.

He pulled the menu to cover his face hiding himself from both Rayleen and Rhea "I am going to kill you" he whisper yelled.

"She only wants to talk to you, to get an opportunity to apologize for the pain she caused you" I said "Please Arthur, just give her a chance"

"Shut up" he was about to get up from his chair.

"I'll do anything you say" I yelled urgently. He paused for a moment and that gave me a chance to keep going "I'll give you anything you want if you talk to Rhea"

"Arthur?" Rayleen said softly

He cleared his throat and settled back "Ah yes what would you like to have?" he asked her.

I sighed in relief as they went back to the menu. Mia nudged me with a concerned frown. I shook my head and looked back at the screen. Rhea was sitting there with a smile. Yes thank me sister. I took one for you.

Mia pushed my phone under my nose. I looked at it and immediately looked at Arthur. His hands were under the table where he was busy texting me.

"Anything?" his text read.

"I am not sleeping with you" I replied defensively over the Bluetooth. Arthur choked on his food "I have standards" I finished.

Rhea almost stood up from her chair in concern. Calm down sister! He isn't dying. Knowing Arthur he will probably come back from the dead to die again if he dies from choking on food. It will hurt his Leoline pride to die in such a trivial manner.

Rayleen then rose to show her sympathy and handed him a glass of water which he gratefully gulped down.

Spirits! Why is this man so jumpy today? Did I go overboard?

Arthur didn't dare to interact with me for the rest of the date. I could see him glancing subtly Rhea's way every few minutes. It gave me hope. He was polite to Rayleen but his attention was on Rhea. He was wary of her movements. He only relaxed when Jonathan and Rhea finally left.

The date with Rayleen would have been perfect had Arthur not done what he did at the end.

"I know I shouldn't be speaking about this but I think I really like you" Rayleen blushed at his words "and so I want to make sure we are on the same page here" he smiled at her "After my mate's death I got a vasectomy done. I never want children if it's not with her. I hope you are okay with that?"

Rayleen's happy face immediately fell. I wanted to throw the phone in my hand at him for hurting the poor thing. He then kissed her hand once again before leaving her with a gloomy heart. The girl seemed to really like the devil. Hard luck Candy.

I didn't mind it much because Rayleen wasn't my target anyways.

"Home. Now" Arthur barked into his earpiece as soon as he was out of the restaurant.

"I don't know where your home is" I replied lazily.

"Now. Amelia" he hissed "You don't want the rest of your friends to know do you?"

"give me an hour"

"Good" he hummed, satisfied.

I pulled the headphone away with a sigh.

"What was that?" Mia was on me the next instant.

"What?"

"That" she pointed at the screen "With Arthur Leoline. You speak like you are an old married couple"

"Give me a break. I have tolerated the man single handedly for twelve long years" I defended myself "Some familiarity is bound to sip in"

"Were you always this close?" She asked

"Close?" I frowned "We aren't close and no we didn't interact this much until recently. There were times I didn't see him for more than a year"

"Please don't lie to me Amy" Mia scoffed "You want me to believe that a predator went more than a year without being close to his mate?"

I narrowed my eyes at her accusation "Is there a rule that says he can't do that?"

"His animal wouldn't let him do that" she replied confidently.

"How would you know" I glared at her "You aren't a predator"

"I have read a lot of romantic books about mates" she admitted sheepishly.

I rolled my eyes "Stop believing in fictions. The only thing you were correct about was that we behave like a married couple. Yes we do. We are like a couple who are stuck in an unhappy loveless marriage with no escape. It's choking us both"

"Are you sure it's loveless?" She raised a brow.

"What was that?" I asked pointing at the screen "You saw how much we despise each other"

"I saw no such thing" She shook her head with.....pity?

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just hope that's what it is with him, familiarity" She said taking my hand in hers "Because spirits forbid, love has no place between the two of you. You know that don't you Amy?"

I barked out a laugh in disbelief "Why would I love him?" I pointed at the now dark screen, my voice louder than necessary "He....he is a predator......he killed Cathy"

Mia nodded "Just keep those things in mind. He is a predator and no matter how much the times have changed, we are his prey. The predators wouldn't take you in their circle but our society will be swift in throwing you away. You will lose everything. Keep him away Amy, mate or not"

"Unbelievable" I muttered pulling my hand away from her "You are crazy" I told her as I stormed out of the soundproof room.

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Arthur was leaning over my fence and chatting with Mrs. Jones, my eighty-eight year old neighbour.

"There comes your boss" Mrs. Jones playfully nudged Arthur at me.

"Boss?" I raised a brow walking up to them.

"Oh Amelia why wouldn't you tell us about the horrible stalker" she said dramatically.

"Stalker" I smiled with tight lips glaring at Arthur.

"Ah yes" he smiled "I was telling Rose here about the attack at your place last week" Rose?

"I suppose that was when I lost my hearing aid" Mrs. Jones nodded grimly "I should have paid closer attention. It's good that you have hired a full time bodyguard and a charming predator no less. You must make a lot of money with that shop of yours"

"It's a mate finding agency Mrs. Jones" I reminded her for the eighty-eighth time.

Arthur was trying hard to keep himself from laughing at my misery.

"Yes that" she nodded "What help is that of? You couldn't find yourself a nice stallion. I had seven kids at your age. You need to hurry up before all the good stuff get sold young woman"

A snicker escaped Arthur.

"Well excuse me" I huffed "I need to talk to my 'bodyguard'. Have a good night"

I glared at her despite being fully aware of her poor eyesight. I then narrowed my eyes one final time at Arthur and stormed into the house.

"What was that?" I spat out as soon as Arthur closed the door behind him.

"What?" he shrugged walking lazily towards my couch and plopping down as if he owns the place.

"Bodyguard" I have decided to be straight forward with him s he could leave as soon as possible.

"I was helping you out" he replied "How else are you going to explain a man living in your house and that too a predator no less"

"Living in my house?" I walked towards him angrily and took the opposite couch "What's this new game that you are playing?"

"You are the one playing games. I'm simply trying to survive here" he replied "you said you would do anything for me to talk to Rhea again"

"Well I meant a one-time favour" I said.

"You said anything" He reminded me "This is what I want"

"You want to live with me?"

He rolled his eyes "You want me to consider Rhea romantically. Don't even deny it" he warned when I was about to protest "If I start dating her, my animal will kill me unless I give him something to keep him distracted"

"Wow it feels great to be used as a distraction" I said "But really, you are really planning on dating her" I grinned "Still holding dearly to that puppy love aren't we Leoline?" I wiggled my brows suggestively at him.

He made a face "Stop grossing me out. I said we will see where things go"

I stretched my foot to nudge the flip-flops that he seems to have permanently borrowed from me "Arthur and Rhea sitting on a tree K.I.S......"

"Shut up" He kicked my foot back "Hey you touched me" he suddenly said.

"I touched my flip-flops" I nodded at the pretty pink at his foot.

"That reminds me" He pulled himself up "Keith will be here anytime now with the rest of my belongings"

"You are not staying here" I protested.

"Unless you don't want me to chase after Rhea...." He drawled "I guess you don't want freedom from me"

"I do but you aren't staying here"

"I am"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"I'm taking the bedroom you can take the guestroom. I don't like the bed there" he stood up lazily and strode towards the staircase.

I close my open mouth and shook my head trying to keep reminding myself that I bought this house with my own hard earned money.

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