Chapter 5 Her Bodyguard

Luca came running with the bodyguards and spotted his boss holding a girl in his arms. They had split up earlier after Stefano found a clue that the traitor leaking their secret locations in America was present at that hotel. Ditching his bodyguards—since no one knew his real identity—he intended to switch into his Mr. Devil persona. But before he could, he collided with Leah near the washroom. "Who is she?" Luca asked, but his eyes widened the moment he noticed the blood soaking Stefano's shoulder. "Damn! What happened to you?" Instead of answering, Stefano gave a firm instruction. "We need to get her to the hospital." He murmured the last part under his breath, already scanning her for injuries. "She might've just fainted from seeing blood." Adjusting Leah in his arms, Stefano hissed silently as pain shot through his wounded shoulder. "Let them carry her," Luca urged, signaling the bodyguards to take Leah. But Stefano ignored him, striding past them, unfazed by the blood seeping through his shirt. Luca scowled, biting back a groan. He knew better than anyone how stubborn and proud the Italian don could be. Without another word, he trailed behind Stefano to the parking lot. Placing the unconscious Leah into the back seat, Stefano settled beside her as the car sped toward the hospital. Luca yanked off his jacket and pressed it firmly against the bleeding wound on his shoulder. His heart ached to see his mafia friend in this state. “You’re gonna pass out if you keep bleeding like that,” he muttered in frustration, only to receive an annoyed glare from Stefano. When they reached the hospital and the doctors began tending to Leah, Luca turned to Stefano, his eyes filled with concern. “Stefano, you should get that shoulder wound looked at.” Stefano nodded curtly. “Find out everything about this girl. I need to know," he instructed in his cold and stern voice before following the medical staff into the treatment room. Luca stood there, puzzled—the ruthless Don had never shown concern for any woman before, yet he seemed unusually worried about this girl, whom Luca had never seen before. After a while, Stefano’s wounds had been sutured and bandaged. He was given medication, and the doctor insisted he remain under observation for a few days. But Stefano refused to stay at the hospital, brushing off the suggestion with a curt, “I’ll follow the prescriptions and take care of myself.” Luca only rolled his eyes, unsurprised by the Italian don’s stubbornness. As soon as the doctor left the room, the first thing Stefano asked was, "Did you find out about that girl?" “Yes,” Luca nodded, unlocking his phone. “Her name is Leah Sinclair—” Stefano’s head snapped toward his assistant, his eyebrows furrowing in shock before his frigid dark eyes narrowed as everything suddenly dawned on him. “Find out who ordered the hit,” he ordered, his voice like steel. Luca nodded, already tapping on his phone. A notification popped up, and he glanced at the screen. “By the way, I just got information about the girl you were with last night—” "No need." Stefano dismissed coolly. Luca frowned, confused, but then shrugged. He knew better than to question Stefano’s moods. “How is she now?” Stefano asked, already heading toward the hospital room where Leah was being kept. “Still unconscious, but the doctors said she might’ve fainted from trauma. Nothing serious,” Luca replied, following closely behind. Stefano pushed the door open, and his breath hitched as he noticed Leah’s sleepy eyes slowly fluttering open, meeting his intense gaze. “Why are you still here?” Leah asked, her voice trembling as she blinked in fear, realizing she had woken up in a hospital bed to find the gigolo standing before her. “Miss…” Stefano’s stern, deep voice rang out, but Leah cut him off. "Are you stalking me? Do you want more money? Look, I don’t have anything! Just leave me alone!" Her words were frantic, her lips quivering as tears filled her eyes. "No... I..." Stefano was momentarily speechless, struggling to find the right words. His brows furrowed deeply in confusion on his otherwise impassive face. Had she forgotten that he had saved her? Was he really so terrifying? Yet, the fear in her eyes—staring at him as if he were a monster—made him feel... terrible. Luca, too, was shocked, completely taken aback by the sight before him. His boss, Stefano Lombardi—the man who commanded fear and respect from anyone who crossed his path—was visibly rattled. No one, not even the death itself, had ever intimidated Stefano. And yet, here he was, looking at this fragile woman as if she held the power to make him do anything she asked. It was almost unreal. In all his years he had been with Stefano, Luca had never seen him this vulnerable—especially not because of a woman. “Where are my bodyguards?” Leah demanded in a choked voice, her eyes frantically searching for help—any help. “Where are they? Mark! Chris!” she called weakly, as if naming them might somehow summon their protection. But the Italian don was now utterly confused. What was she talking about? He hadn’t seen anyone with her. However, the panic in her eyes made him feel more miserable and restless than he had ever felt in his entire life. And what happened next was something the Italian Don couldn't have fathomed. “I am… your bodyguard,” Stefano blurted out, instantly cursing the impulse that had pushed them past his lips. “Y…You?!” Leah’s round blue eyes widened in disbelief as she stared into his dark, enigmatic gaze. Stefano drew in a deep breath, finding himself momentarily drowning in the enchanting depths of her doe blue eyes. “Yes,” he murmured with a slight nod. “I’m your new bodyguard.” Luca stood there, stunned by the Italian Don’s unexpected and completely unnecessary lie. Then his eyes widened in realization—so this was the girl Stefano had spent the night with, and the next morning, he had unknowingly let his men take a contract to kill her?!