Dogs Among Withered Roses - Chapter 2

With so much work on her plate and countless tasks already underway, having another unwanted bodyguard assigned to her felt less like protection and more like a burden Berenice had to bear. And the fact that it was Erkin standing behind her only made it worse.

Since childhood, Berenice had relied on Andre as her constant bodyguard. If she ever felt the need for additional security, she simply chose a suitable man among the lower-ranking Picciottos who had yet to become soldatos.

As long as she bore the name Valentiera, it was safest to use members of the Family as her guards. And Ricardo had never once interfered in her choice of bodyguards.

But now….

It was difficult to guess what Ricardo was thinking by assigning Erkin as her guard. Was there really some reason that required tighter protection, or was he plotting something behind her back?

Or had he noticed something?

Whatever the reason, this wasn’t the time or place to ask. There were too many eyes watching, too many ears listening, and too many mouths ready to meddle. That only made the situation more suffocating.

Annoyed by Ricardo’s sudden interference and order, Berenice decided to dodge the issue first, pretending to consider both Erkin’s and Ricardo’s positions.

“If he’s that good at his job, keep him by your side. He’s one of your precious soldatos, isn’t he? I can’t keep someone destined to be a capo tied to me. If I really need another bodyguard, I’ll pick one myself—”

“It’s temporary, so just do as I say, Berenice.”

At Ricardo’s low, steady voice, Berenice instinctively turned to look behind her, as if asking Erkin whether he agreed with that decision. It was obvious that his guarding her was nothing more than following orders from the boss, but still, what difference would it make even if the two were on the same side?

Berenice’s chin, which had lifted sharply, froze awkwardly in place.

Maybe it was because he stood too close that she could suddenly catch the clean, refreshing scent of him, or maybe because he was simply too tall. Even when she tilted her head all the way back from her seat, she couldn’t clearly see his face. Only the blinding midday sunlight streaming through the dining room stabbed at her eyes.

Unbelievable….

He had been the one staring at her as if trying to bore holes through her earlier, yet now, even knowing she was looking up at him until her neck ached, he didn’t bother to lower his gaze.

Feeling a vague frustration she couldn’t quite name, Berenice straightened her posture and looked back at Ricardo. She widened her eyes as if to ask if he was serious about what he’d just said, keeping her voice low. But even as she clearly read on his face that it wasn’t too late to take it back, Ricardo’s gentle firmness didn’t waver.

Sensing that arguing would be useless, Berenice tapped her foot lightly against Emilio Ramaro and the Valentiera Family’s consigliere, Marcello, who sat across from her, silently asking for help.

Do something.

Both men, who had just finished their meal and were pouring espresso over their gelato, widened their eyes briefly before shaking their heads.

Their faces said, How could we possibly do something the youngest herself can’t? She might technically be the youngest by age, but in the Valentiera Family, no one dared to treat Berenice carelessly. And if the second-generation boss, Ricardo, had taken that stance, there was nothing they could do either.

Marcello, ever the mafia’s consigliere befitting his title, gave a small, knowing gesture as if to offer the most reasonable advice. He didn’t know why Ricardo was insisting either, but his look clearly said she should just take Erkin along and not stir trouble with the boss.

The executives right below the boss, and this is what they come to?

Berenice cast a cold, sidelong glance at the useless men. So much for their authority. As much as she didn’t want to back down, with even Marcello refusing to take her side, there was no point in pushing further.

Her tense shoulders, drawn up tight, dropped heavily.

This wasn’t what she came here for. She had no idea how things had turned out like this. Sunday luncheons weren’t always peaceful, nor were they gatherings for idle small talk unrelated to business, but at least she didn’t want to be the one to ruin the atmosphere herself.

She’d eaten well, and she didn’t want to end up with indigestion.

When she thought about it calmly, there wasn’t really any reason to stubbornly argue.

After deciding to soften her expression, Berenice accepted her share of gelato and stuck a small teaspoon into it. Her stomach was already full, but she figured she’d better finish dessert too; if only to see Chef Francesco’s proud smile one more time and maybe ease a bit of her frustration.

As she held the gelato, sprinkled with small grains of rice, in her mouth, her eyes widened slowly and roundly. She already knew how skilled Francesco was, but this was truly delicious.

It was so good that the annoyance she’d felt over the bodyguard issue melted away instantly. Berenice covered her mouth, letting out a small exclamation. As if he’d been waiting for that very reaction, Francesco peeked out from the kitchen and playfully gave her a thumbs-up.

Following his lead, Berenice raised her thumb and smiled brightly. The moment she did, she heard a faint chuckle behind her. Startled, Berenice jerked her head back while still covering her mouth.

He laughed. This time, he really did laugh.

At that certainty, Berenice caught the faint movement of Erkin’s lips, slightly curving upward before quickly falling back into place. Though his face was partly hidden beneath the shadow of his pronounced brow ridge, she instinctively knew that he was looking at her with his eyes lowered.

So it hadn’t been her imagination.

He really had smiled at her earlier too.

For a moment, Berenice held his gaze in the dim light between them, then slowly lowered the hand covering her mouth. Swallowing her laugh along with the gelato, she wore a subtle, knowing smile as if she had finally understood something.

***

It was cold.

Michele, Berenice’s chauffeur, unconsciously hunched his shoulders at the chill that felt even sharper inside the car than the lingering cold of early spring outside. Thinking maybe a window had been left open, he glanced sideways at Andre in the passenger seat, then at the rearview mirror, only to meet Berenice’s eyes in the backseat.

“Michele. Shouldn’t you focus on driving?”

Her tone was sharp, as if she’d been waiting for an excuse to snap. Knowing instinctively that provoking her now was a terrible idea, Michele offered a polite smile through the rearview mirror.

Normally, he would’ve been the first to crack a few jokes, and Berenice would have responded with a reluctant smile, pretending not to be amused.

Stopped at a red light, Michele risked another glance at the mirror. Her face was stiff, more rigid than usual, and it looked strange. From that uncomfortable expression alone, it was clear that taking Erkin as her bodyguard hadn’t been Berenice’s plan or decision.

When his gaze brushed over Erkin, who filled almost half the rearview mirror, Michele shifted gears and eased off the brake.

He didn’t know Erkin well enough to read much from his expression, but if his hunch was right—that this wasn’t a situation either of them wanted—then it meant Ricardo, the boss himself, had brought Erkin along and seated him beside Berenice without asking for permission.

Whatever the reason, it was unusual in so many ways.

Not giving her any notice before assigning a bodyguard, and that bodyguard being a soldato instead of a Picciotto, all of it was strange. Putting the bodyguard issue aside, Michele couldn’t recall a single time Ricardo had ever interfered in Berenice’s affairs like this. He tapped the steering wheel lightly with the tip of his index finger.

Even after she moved her accounting office and found herself a penthouse nearby to live alone, and even when she paraded around every day with a man she called her lover, he had never once interfered.

Even so, it wasn’t neglect or indifference. Ricardo’s trust in Berenice came from knowing she never crossed the line. Since he didn’t find fault in her behavior, the other executives in the Family couldn’t easily touch her either.

Of course, he clearly disapproved of her relationship with Brian Lockwood, but Berenice wasn’t the kind of woman to listen obediently just because her brother told her to stop. That’s why it was impossible to tell what Ricardo was thinking when he suddenly pushed Erkin on her as a bodyguard.

There were, in fact, a few things that came to mind….

Michele wanted to confirm if his guesses were right, but for now, he decided to hold his tongue. Ever since they’d gotten into the car, no one had spoken a word, and the silence had only grown heavier. If he tried to break it with some friendly small talk, he’d likely end up caught in the crossfire for no reason.

No thanks. I’ll pass on that.

Then it happened.

“Erkin.”

Berenice, who had maintained the frozen silence until now, was the first to break it. Michele and Andre quietly exchanged surprised glances.

Erkin also seemed not to have expected Berenice to speak first. He turned his head slowly, moving just enough to meet her eyes, and his lips parted slightly.

“I’m listening. Please speak.”

“Why did Ricardo assign you to guard me?”