Bulletproof

*Ville’s POV*
I hadn’t expected this to happen. When Bam had told me about his newfound family member, he had pulled me aside and had warned me to be careful with her, she was feisty but had a broken past. I had assured him before I had even laid eyes on her that wouldn’t be a problem. I wasn’t one to go around romancing children. He had laughed and reminded me what a hopeless romantic I was and had the worst case of ‘wounded bird syndrome’ he’d ever seen and had told me she reminded him of me. And that she wasn’t bad looking. He was wrong though. ‘Wasn’t bad looking’ did not cover it.

When Raab had quite literally dumped her in my lap without a warning, I’d been surprised to say the least, but I was more shocked at the girl holding my neck in a vice. I’d seen many beautiful women. Hell, certainly more than my fair share. But the moment she looked up at me, it was like nothing else mattered besides those big blue eyes. I could see the emotion in them and immediately I knew I was in trouble.

It took every bit of restraint I had in the twelve hours I had been with her to keep myself calm. She was seventeen firstly, and I had no intentions of taking advantage of that.
But as the night wore on, I found myself wanting to know more and more about this mysterious girl. She was so reserved, and level headed, unlike the women I’d allowed in my life previously who only wanted to talk about themselves. Funnily enough, I wished to know everything about her.

I had slipped up later that evening in her bathroom. I had mentally kicked myself for even allowing myself to be alone with her. But the moment she’d been sick, I wanted nothing more than to take care of her and make it go away. I’d made it my personal mission to protect her. I had only meant to look into her eyes momentarily when she took initiative and kissed me. I hadn’t been ready for the warmth of her in my arms and was more than a little disappointed when she’d pulled away suddenly, freaking out and yelling an apology.

After I’d left in the morning to catch our flight back to Europe and was able to think clearly, I’d decided I couldn’t see her again. She was young and impressionable, and I did not want that on my conscience. That thought process had lasted long enough for us to get back home, and then she was in my thoughts again like a bad addiction. I dug my own grave when I got her phone number from Bam. I had sworn to myself it was just to assure her I hadn’t abandoned her that night, until one phone call turned into calling her weekly when I found a spare second which hadn’t been hard when it came to hearing her voice.

I had done my best to keep it from her, but I’d been caught; hook, line, and sinker. All I wanted was this young, determined girl whose favorite color was in fact grey and not black and who had dreams of traveling the world, things she had confessed during one of our late-night talks.

When Bam had called me and asked to bring her to Helsinki for her eighteenth birthday, I’d been elated! I could count on one hand the nights I hadn’t spent dreaming about holding Wynter.

So to have her now, in front of me in my home of all places, crying nonetheless… It broke me.

“Darling I insist you tell me what’s the matter,” I begged as she cried into my chest. Wynter wasn’t a crier and it struck me as odd. I had the suspicion something was off the moment I had seen her, but I didn’t want to seem too pushy. She wasn't a fan of being treated like a child, nor did she enjoy when people invaded her privacy.
“We have to talk,” she sputtered in between breaths. My heart lurched. That was never a good sign. I swallowed.
“By all means,” I returned, ushering her over to the bed and sitting down with her. I watched as she removed her shoes and curled up her legs, wiping her eyes and slightly smearing her makeup. Even in emotional distress, I couldn’t ignore how her steel blue eyes seemed to cut right into me underneath the curtain of burgundy bangs that attempted to shield them. I swear those cobalt orbs could see every secret my soul held, and I was entranced looking into them.
“Ville, when… when I was there alone with Jussi, he got me wine drunk and I don’t know how but I ended up kissing him,” she admitted, not making eye contact. My heart thudded in my chest and immediately I could feel adrenaline coursing through my veins, testosterone pleading with me to find the bastard who dared attempt to lay claim to what was rightfully my own. I was not a violent man but the primal urge to protect the girl in front of me was in every fiber of my being.

I could tell she’d been drinking when I’d seen her. I could taste the wine on her mouth. I hadn’t guessed that this was where the conversation was going to go though.

“Love, I will take that up with Jussi but please don’t cry, I’m not upset with you,” I reassured her, scooting over and pulling her into my lap.
“What? You’re not?” she stopped mid-cry to look up at me. I met her stare with a small smile.
“No,” I answered. I couldn’t be mad at her regardless. I had been the one to put conditions on our relationship. We weren’t technically together anyway. I had to admit I did have the incredibly strong urge to rip Jussi’s throat out but that was not the problem I needed to deal with currently. I would deal with him later.
“I’m so sorry Ville, I blame myself,” she cried, burrowing her head in my chest and throwing her arms around my neck. Had I not been dealing with the situation at hand, I’d be purring like a housecat at her closeness.
“Come now, is this how you should be spending your birthday?” I questioned, gazing down at her as I stroked her hair.
“No… except maybe the part that includes us being in the same room,” she commented, peering up to look at me innocently. My heart skipped a beat in my chest. God she had me wrapped around her little finger.
“That’s the spirit. Why don’t you go get cleaned up and I will fetch your present?” I said and instantly she perked up with a curious look.
“Present? Oh Ville, you didn’t,” she began, and I cut her off.
“Oh, but I did. Go on, go freshen up while I grab it,” I smirked at her. If I had it my way, this sweet little thing wouldn’t want for anything ever again. I would court her and give her anything and everything she ever wanted.
“Okay, okay, just give me a second,” I could see the storm clouds in her eyes already dispersing as she untangled herself from my grasp and made towards the bathroom.
I watched her go with a smile as my heart fluttered in my chest. Oh, I would give this girl the fucking world.