Tristan comes around and opens my door. He takes my hand as we walk to the front door. I have a key, but I ring the doorbell anyway. My mom answers the door and before she says hi she’s hugging me.
“I’m so glad you’re here. We’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, mom. This is Tristan Langford. Tristan, my mom Michelle and my dad, Carl” I say as we step inside the house.
“It’s nice to meet you, Tristan.” My parents say as they shake his hand.
Tristan takes me hand again as we follow my parents into the living room.
“Is everything okay?” my dad asks.
“I need to tell you both something. I didn’t want to tell you before because I didn’t want you to worry. But Tristan thought it was better for you to know.”
My parents are staring at the two of us. I nod at Tristan to tell them.
“Lily has a stalker, we don’t know who it is yet. But it started a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been assigned to be her bodyguard. I work for Grayson Calhoun, owner of Lone Star Securities.”
“Wait. If you’re her bodyguard, why are you holding her hand and treating her like a boyfriend would?” my mom says to Tristan.
“Because I care about your daughter. She’s very important to me, but I’m still here to protect her too.”
“Isn’t that a conflict for your job?” my dad asks.
“I care about Tristan too, Daddy.”
“I understand that, baby. But that’s a conflict for a security detail. What if you miss something because you’re not watching your surroundings?” my dad frowns.
“Normally I would agree with you, sir. But I’m not alone in protecting Lily. My brothers are with me. They didn’t come with us because we felt it would too much for all of us to be here at first. But they’re about five minutes away if you’d like to meet them.”
“We would like to meet them. I want to know who’s taking care of my baby. Are you from Texas?” my dad asks Tristan.
I text Paisley to let her know that they should all come here now.
“I was born and raised in Valor Springs. When I was eighteen I joined the Marines and I just got out earlier this year.”
“Are you back living in Valor Springs?” my mom asks.
“No. I live in Lake Renegade, here in Illinois. I’m going to be joining the Sheriffs department.”
“Then why are you my daughter’s bodyguard?”
“Grayson and I went to high school together. We ran into each other and he knew I just got out of the Marines. He needed extra help and he trusts me.”
My dad doesn’t look like he’s convinced and it’s annoying me. But before I can grumble at him, the doorbell rings. Suddenlythe house is loud and doesn’t seem as big as it normally does. I see another two guys walk in with them that I don’t know.
“Mom, dad, you know Paisley and Cora. This is Eros, Apollo, Keegan and Armando. I don’t think I know you two.”
“I’m Lorenzo Mancini.”
“And I’m Celestino Bastianini.”
My dad looks at all of them and shakes each of their hands.
“Mancini? As in the mafia Mancini?” my dad frowns.
“Yes, sir. My papà is Enea Mancini.”
“I’m not sure that makes me feel like my daughter is safer now.”
