Chapter 3: In Which He Gets Promoted

Isla didn't have much to do that morning so currently, she sat on the swing that was a little too high for her feet to touch the ground after a few kicks. Alexander stood at a little distance behind her, chin up, posture firm, and hands one on the other in front of him just like a proper bodyguard keeping an alert eye to the surroundings. "Alex umm is it okay if I call you Alex? Could you give me a little push please, I wanna go higher but it seems I am a few inches short" she requested sweetly. "Yes, ma'am you can call me as you wish" he told her stepping forward to give her swing a little push making her go higher than before. She tilted her head backwards as the cool winter wind swept through her lustrous long black hair and a smoked graced her lips. She always kept herself busy like that, alone. "Tell me about you Alex, where are you from?" She asked. "San Francisco ma'am" he answered. "Cool. How long have you had this bodyguard job?" "You'd be my first one ma'am, but I am skilled, I'll assure your safety to the best of my abilities ma'am" "You're so professional I never would've guessed, and I don't doubt your abilities even a teensy but Alex but what did you do before you landed this job?" She questioned, truly curious. "I was in the army ma'am, Seal team lieutenant" he answered. Usually, Alexander was never the person who liked to talk about his life or answer too many questions but for some strange reason he felt completely at ease with answering hers, in fact, he was secretly even pleased that he'd piqued her interest and she was curious about him. "That is awesome! you might be the coolest person I've met in my entire life" she exaggerated while trying to slow down and stop the swing so she could face the other way to look at him but her feet wouldn't reach and she turned her head looking at him with a silent plea to help her out to which he gladly obliged holding onto the chains of the swing gently making it come to a halt. "Thank you" she said turning the other way on the swing and facing him before slowly kicking her feet back and forth again. "Do you have a family in San Francisco? Parents?" She asked "Yes, my elder sister and younger brother ma'am, parents passed away" he answered his face still void of any emotion. "I am sorry, I am being too nosy" she looked at him sadly and apologetically. "That's quite alright ma'am, I don't mind" he reassured "You're of course gonna say that, you're my bodyguard but I'd very much like it if you were my friend, I have no siblings or friends. It would've been so amazing if I had a sibling, all the fun I could have with him or her" she confessed. He stayed quiet but he felt for her when he heard the sadness in her voice. "So, you're always gonna stay with me from now on?" she asked with hopeful eyes. It tugged at his heart, these morbid feelings towards this angelic girl were ones that he couldn't let get to him. "My orders are to follow you around everywhere excluding your bedroom ma'am or if I am told otherwise" he answered, his tone robotic. Isla got the point, and she gave a slight nod with a frown thinning out her ruby lips. At that moment Alexander saw a maid approaching towards them from a distance and he stood straighter moving away from the swing a little. "Miss Isla, lunch is ready and Mr. Rossi you're being summoned to the compounds by Mr. Gambino" the maid informed them. Weird, it was only an hour or so ago that Mr. Gambino had a chat with him, but he couldn't defy the orders. Isla looked at him with eyes, there was this unexplainable connection she felt with Alexander, she felt like she could easily talk to him, and she felt safe with him so hearing that her father had summoned Alexander caused him to be a little disappointed. Alexander had caught her saddened eyes and although his face was stoic, giving away absolutely nothing, he felt the need to stay just to make her happy. "Alright, I'll escort Ms. Gambino inside safely and head to the compounds after" he said, this would buy a few more seconds not much but worth the tiny smile tucking at Isla's lips. They walked the short walk to the entrance of the estate with Isla in front and Alexander close behind. Upon reaching the entrance they came to halt and Isla turned around looking at him with her big baby blue eyes in contrast with his own obsidian ones. "See you later Alex" she said with a smile and a little wave of her fingers. He gave her a curt nod of acknowledgment before taking off. After asking for a few directions, Alexander had reached the compound in the large estate. The compound basically was the place where all the IT operations and the physical training took place. It was way back from the main house and was crawling with men in black. "There you are, I have been expecting you" Richard Gambino said spotting Alexander. "Sir" he courtesies. "Men, this is Alexander Rossi, he is Isla's personal bodyguard. He is an Ex-Marine Seal, a damn good one and he will lead the operation to the Lightning night club tomorrow, what do you say Rossi?" Richard said with a wicked smile. "Not really in my job description sir" Alexander answered. "Well now it is, I'll pay you thrice of what I am paying you now if you do it" Richard negotiated. Damn, that would be a hefty amount of money. "Do I keep up my bodyguard duties?" Alexander asked. He was praying inside that he would get to keep his bodyguard duties of protecting Isla. "Of course, don't get me wrong with this but your first priority is her protection, you'll only very occasionally lead these sorts of operations and when you're not, her protection is your sole duty. When on occasion you're not around my own personal guard here, Dante will be with her, never underestimate the threat on my daughter Alexander she is my life and my weak point the Costello's know where to hit" Richard said his expression going stone cold. Alexander looked at Richard's left at the guy whose name now he knew as Dante. He was a blonde about as tall as Alexander himself with a lean figure, he looked like a golden boy. "Yes, of course, sir, you can count on me to keep Miss Gambino safe" Alexander assured. He would definitely lay down his life for the sweet girl without batting an eye.