But now she couldn’t even leave her apartment unless she was under guard?
“You won’t even know we’re there,” one of the men said.
Bianca put her hands on her hips. “I will not have some man I don’t even know following me around. I can’t believe you of all people are even suggesting this.” Her mother was a woman who questioned every young man to come sniffing around her precious daughter. Fortunately, she’d been oblivious to the young women. Not that there had been many of those, to Bianca’s disappointment.
“Well, I’m assured that Rainier Protection Services has plenty of capable people on their roster. You can choose someone from it yourself. Would you stop acting like a brat if I let you pick out your own bodyguard?”
Bianca huffed. But her mother had extended an olive branch, and when it came to her freedom, Bianca had long learned to take a mile whenever an inch was presented to her.
“Yes, I would most definitely like to hire my own bodyguard. Someone I’ve at least looked in the eye first.”
“Fine.” Vivianne clasped her hands in front of her. “We’ll have these nice gentlemen arrange for you to meet with their superior and discuss options.”
“You’ll like our boss,” one of the men said. Bianca decided that the taller one with half a goatee was Brent. He looked like a Brent. “She really knows her sh… stuff. Whip-smart, too.”
Their boss was a woman? Perhaps a strong, commanding female bodyguard was something Bianca could get on board with…
“In the meantime, I don’t feel comfortable with you going out as usual,” her mother said. “Invite your friends over if you want, but—”
“Seriously? I’m in my twenties. I just graduated from college, and you’re basically trying to ground me? This is bullshit!”
“Watch your language, please.”
Bianca bit back a retort. Instead, with a pivot of her foot, she began her march out of the Black family home.
“Make sure you’re taking care of yourself, honey!” her mother called behind her. “Don’t forget to get enough rest. Are you eating properly? You know you have to be careful with your condition and all.”
Bianca stopped halfway to the front door. She almost turned around to give her mom another piece of her mind. But it wasn’t worth it. The tense conversation had already drained all her energy. And now she had to pick out a bodyguard to assuage her mother’s paranoia?
Because it was just paranoia. It had to be. Her mother was just being dramatic and overprotective, as usual. She had nothing to worry about, and neither did Bianca.
So why did she feel a growing hint of unease as she returned to her apartment?