Chapter 20: I Don't Need a Bodyguard

5 O'clock

Amelia sat frustratedly in her office. Waiting for James to finish his meeting and call her so that she could have her "bodyguards" dismissed. 

The whole afternoon was a series of embarrassing and frustrating bodyguard events. First, Claire, her assistant, has informed her that before entering her office, the bodyguard looked at her identification and had a weapon detector through her whole body before she was allowed in. 

The same thing went through with everyone who had to enter her office. 

Even the managers from the other department were afforded the same security procedures and it was starting to embarrass her. 

When she decided to be the one to go to the other offices, she had to be accompanied by her bodyguards which was frustrating for her as she was not used to people following her around. She also felt eyes of her employees looking surreptitiously at her and her bodyguards, making her feel uncomfortable.

Now, she's staying in her office, gritting her teeth, trying to work even though she still feels irritated either at James for taking so long to call her or at the bodyguards who would not accept her dismissal of their services. 

By five thirty, she was ready to go to his office and personally vent her frustrations to her husband. She was about to get up from her chair where she had been trying to read a document she needed to sign when James walked in. 

"You wanted to talk to me?" he asked, though he already knew why his wife wanted to talk to him. 

Abby, the lady bodyguard already informed him through text messages of his wife's frustrations and requests earlier today. 

"Yes. I wanted to talk to you about your bodyguards." Amelia could not help herself but glare at James while she talked. Her earlier frustrations and embarrassment coming right up to her head. 

"What about them?" he asked seating down on the chair facing her table, looking all relaxed; while she was standing up, arms crossed across her shoulders and a full glare on her face.

"I don't want them guarding me. It's humiliating that every time someone comes in, they have to go through security procedures when this is only an office."

"It's for your own protection sweetheart." 

"Protection from what exactly? I wasn't even going out." Amelia could feel her chest balloon in frustration. All afternoon, she has wanted, no needed to have this conversation with him and now that he was finally here, she wanted to vent all the frustrations that had been building up. 

"You don't know it yet but, I have had business dealings that have turned unsatisfactory with some previous associates, and they can be dangerous."

"That doesn't have anything to do with me." Amelia answered instantly.

"It shouldn't have. But being my wife, they will find a way to bring me down by hurting you."

"May I know who in particular?" 

"No need. You don't know them at all. You just need to know that some of them can be really dangerous and would not think twice of killing you." He said seriously. 

"But I'm in the office. All the people who come in are my subordinates or co-workers, or my boss." She says, glaring at him with large glaring eyes.

"Do you know how my mother died?" Amelia slowly shook her head, wondering if his mother fired her bodyguards and was killed. Wouldn't that be a big coincidence! 

"When we got to Bruzzels City, we had plans of starting over after my rehabilitation program. No one knew us, no one hated us. And we started living like normal people without enemies. A month before I was to be released from rehab, my mother was shot after visiting me. My personal intel tells me, it was a friend of hers who informed my father's enemies of our whereabouts." James was seated, his hands linked behind his head, looking at the ceiling. Then he looks at Amelia. "So, you see, even friends kill friends. Sometimes, you just have to accept that it's a cat eats cat world."

The final sentence was said quietly while James looked at her in the eye. 

Amelia felt depressed after his confession. It was saddening to think that Mrs. Richardson was betrayed by a friend. At the very short time she spent with Mrs. Richardson, she wasn't treated badly. At the very least, she did her best to be a good person towards her, especially during the fake wedding. 

"I'm sorry." Amelia said softly. Feeling sad for her husband, who only wanted to turn his life around. And for his mother, who sincerely wanted to correct her mistakes in raising her son.

James looked at her foe a few seconds. "I'm not going to lose you now that I found you, my wife. I'm sorry, but the bodyguards, is one request from you that I will have to say no."

Amelia felt disheartened, seating quietly. Then James stood up. "Are you done yet?" He asked, referring to her work for the day. "I still have a meeting with the Finance Department, but I'll have Max bring you home earlier so you can rest."

Amelia looked at the wall clock, almost six o'clock. "What time is your meeting?"

"They're already waiting for me. I just came by to talk to you."

"What? You held up a meeting for this?" Amelia was shocked.

"You wouldn't have come up to talk to me if it wasn't important to you." James was really relaxed as he sat back down on the chair in front of her table. Not rushing to finish their conversation to be able to attend his meeting. 

"This is embarrassing. I am holding up a meeting because of a simple request." Amelia was feeling ashamed of herself, and of her previous complaints regarding her bodyguards. She should have just waited when they got home.

"Come here." James motioned for her to come near him. He gently pulled her to his lap as she neared him. Amelia wiggled her butt as she was seated in James' lap, making herself comfortable, linking her hands behind his neck and resting her head on his shoulder. 

"Hmmmm... You feel so good, and you smell so nice." She says softly, kissing him on the neck. 

James laughed, caressing her back and shoulders. "You should have told me you only wanted to cuddle. I could have ended the first meeting earlier and came here sooner."

He kisses her forehead, then raised her chin, kissing her softly on the lips.

"Miss me?" he asked her softly. 

"Yes." And eagerly responded to James' slow entrance with his tongue in her mouth. Feeling that sensation all over again. They went at it for a time until Amelia had to cut it off to breath in some air. 

"Why don't I cancel the meeting and we just go home?" James whispered in her ear. 

She immediately squeaked, trying to seat up. "Your meeting! They're waiting for you. You should get going!" 

James laughed, holding her tighter. "You should have told me that earlier. Now, I just want to go home and ravish my wife." He jokingly tells her as he kisses her lingeringly one more time on her neck.

Amelia forcefully stood up from James' lap. "C'mon, you really should go. People are waiting for you."

James stands up, then embraces her. "I'll ask Max to drive you to the house so you can eat and rest earlier. This meeting might take at least three hours."

Amelia nodded even though she actually wanted to wait for him so that they could go home together. She wondered how she became clingy. True, she has never been in a romantic relationship before, but she actually never imagined she would ever be the clingy type. 

But now, she seems to feel incomplete going home alone. She couldn't even imagine eating in James' very wide dining area alone, without him eating with her. 

She paused when she felt James kiss her on her forehead then get out of her office. She heard him talking to her bodyguards, perhaps, giving instructions on getting her home. She went behind her table to fix her things and get her bag. She walked to the door and opened it, seeing the two people who caused her irritation the whole day and smiled at them as a sign of her tacit apology for being an ass to them. 

One of them walked in front and the other walked behind her. They walked silently to the elevator and just as the lady bodyguard was about to press parking 1, Amelia decided to press top floor instead. She wanted to wait for James so they could ride home together, eat dinner together, and just be together. 

Ashley was surprised when they got out of the elevator but greeted her with a wide smile. "Hello Mrs. Richardson, Mr. Richardson is in a meeting right now, but do you need anything?"

"Please call me Amelia. I feel like looking over my shoulder for Mrs. Richardson when you call me that."