The Man My Father Trusted

SIENNA

"Don't be late for your flight, princess!" I heard my father's voice from the bottom of the stairs.

I took one long last look at my room,  sighed, and shut the door behind me.

The maids helped move my luggage downstairs.  My father, Cruz, stood next to the dining table with a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other.

He quickly put the device in his pocket as I went to him for a hug,  careful not to let the coffee spill on me.

"I'm going to miss you and Alex," I said, already beginning to feel that nostalgia kick in.

"Call him,  or he'll forget about you."

"Don't forget about me, dad."

"That's impossible," my father said and kissed my forehead.  "One more thing." He picked up a black card from table and handed it to me.

"What's this? More allowance?" I asked, eyeing the logo on its smooth surface.

"No, that's not it.  I've thought about you staying in school and I've decided  someone who would look after you,  like a guardian."

"What?" I didn't like what I was hearing.

"You'll be staying with  my friend, Leo Hart in Washington.  I've called him and he's expecting you. On that card us his address and number.  Keep it with you at all times."

"And you are just telling me about this?" I asked.  It was ridiculous to hear my father say something like this.  I already  had my life in college planned out.  I wanted to stay  in alone, get visited by Jason, my boyfriend, and Lana, my best friend.

"He is the only person I trust to keep you safe,  princess.  And your safety is top priority to me."

"I'm not a child anymore, dad!" I complained.

"I know that.  But we aren't going to argue about this.  You'll stay with  Leo,  and he'll watch over you.  Now, get going so you don't miss your flight."

It was useless arguing with my father anyway. When his mind was made up about something,  especially if it concerned me,  there was no getting  him to go back on his decision.

I held back the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes.  No doubt I was going to miss everyone in the house.

I hugged my father again,  and he patted my back.  "All right,  princess.  Let's go."

We walked out the door together.  The car was waiting to take me to the airport.  I slipped in and we sped off.

The flight from New York City to Washington took less than an hour. On the way,  I thought about him.  Leo.  I remembered when he paid is a visit and taught me how to play a few chords on the piano.  It was an innocent gesture then. Didn't know what it would be soon.   The moment I turned on my phone in the waiting  area, I saw a missed call from Jason.  Just as I was about to reply, a call entered.  I smiled when I saw the caller ID.

"Where the hell are you?" it was Lana, my best  friend.

"Where do you think?" I said and giggled.

"Oh,  my gosh, are you in DC?"

"Yes!" I said.

"When did you arrive?"

I made a face.  "Oh,  I thought  you knew that already  since your call entered the moment I turned off airplane  mode."

"Wicked.  Anyway,  I'm coming to pick you up right now."

"That won't be necessary,  Lana. I'm staying with someone else."

"With  someone else? I thought we had  a deal.  We stay in the same hostels!"

"That was the plan until my father changed it this morning.  Says  he wants me to stay  with someone who'd look after me."

"Oh, my.  Daddy's baby," she mocked.

"Don't do that.  I don't even like who I'm staying with.  It's Leo Hart."

"Last I checked,  that guy is sexy. And dangerous."

"He's my father best friend," I told her.

"So don't have anything to do with him."

"Of course, I am going to avoid him for as long as I can till.."

"I doubt that."

The tone was manly and commanding, yet I didn't have to think twice about  who it belonged to.

I turned and there he was.  Almost unrecognizable because the last time I saw him,  he didn't look as good as he looked leaning  against that wall  in his black bomber jacket and jeans.

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath.

Leo Hart walked towards me,  his eyes never leaving my face.  He was tall, had dark hair, and wore rings on some fingers.  The scent of his Cologne was masculine and it evaded the ample amount of femininity I had in me that I found myself actually wanting to give Leo a hug and breathe him in.

I ended the call abruptly and got to my feet as he closed the distance.

"Who was that?" Leo demanded.

"My best friend."

"This friend of yours has a name?"

"Her name is Lana."

He smirked.  "Were you and Lana gossiping about me?"

"I was just expressing my discomfort about staying with  you to her."

"Hm," he said,  his eyes took me in from head to toe.  "Well,  you look delicious, baby girl.  The flight had nothing  on you."

What the hell was he talking about? Was it my clothes? I was wearing a shirt that hugged my upper half and faded Jeans skirt which stopped just below my kneecaps.

"Don't you think it is rude to do that?" I asked.

"Do what?"

"What you're doing.  Undressing me with your eyes?"

"Would have preferred it if I could use my hands."

The audacity! He was flirting with  me after my flight! With that smug expression on his face.  What gave him the right  to do so? But I didn't complain about that anyway.  He had already painted the picture into my head and I thought about his hands peeling off my clothes...

I snapped back to reality.  "How long do you intend to keep me standing here while you dream?" I asked.

"I don't intend to,  baby girl." And with that,  he snapped his fingers and two of his guards came forward and took my luggage.

"How's your father?" he asked,  as he came to walk beside me.

"He's all right. Did you talk him into this?"

"No one can talk your father into anything, baby girl."

"Can you stop calling me that? You're not my boyfriend or something."

"Who knows," he said.