Craved by the Wrong Volkov-Chapter 301: Genny’s plan

Braelyn’s POV

I was livid.

Security. Raphael had to be fucking kidding me. I had never been more tempted to slap that calm face of his.

I had anticipated many things, but seeing two trained guards waiting to escort me for coffee still made my blood boil. It was not entirely beyond my imagination. Raphael had been suspicious all week. Paranoid, even. Still, I had hoped he would restrain himself.

"This is ridiculous," I said, folding my arms across my chest. "I am going for coffee, not fleeing the country. The Sinclair family have always been there. I have been safe. There is no need for security now."

The presence of two ex-military men in broad daylight would only attract unnecessary attention. Even in casual clothes, they couldn’t hide their aura. They were at least 190cm tall. People would stare. They would talk. In our circle, nothing stayed private for long. I wasn’t a caged bird.

Raphael stood a few steps above me, his brows slightly arched, his posture calm in a way that irritated me more than anger would have.

"Amelia was not pregnant in the past," he replied evenly.

I snapped before I could stop myself. "And whose fault is that?" Silence fell between us. My chest rose and fell with unrestrained anger. His jaw tightened, but he did not answer.

"Why do I have to suffer for your mistakes?" I demanded, my voice sharper now. "You were the one who let this happen. You were the one who entertained her long enough for this to become a disaster."

His gaze darkened, the softness in it fading. For a moment, I saw the man who ruled boardrooms without mercy.

"I apologised," he said quietly. "This is for your own good. It is better to be safe than sorry. Besides, they are trained to stay out of sight."

I let out a humourless laugh. "Out of sight? They are built like bodyguards in a political thriller, Raphael. People will notice."

He descended the steps slowly until he stood directly in front of me. His presence was imposing without him even trying.

"You are accusing me of being controlling," he said, studying my face carefully.

"Because you are," I shot back. "You cannot trap me here. I am not a prisoner."

A faint crease appeared between his brows. He exhaled slowly, as if weighing his next words.

"That is not the case," he said. "If you are uncomfortable with them, I can accompany you myself. However, you are not stepping out of this house without security."

There was finality in his tone. "This isn’t fair, Raphael," I said softly.

"What if something happens to you?" he continued, his voice lowering. "What if they target you to get to me?"

I forced myself not to push further. The last thing I needed was to arouse his suspicion. I could not afford a bigger scene—not today of all days.

This was not just about protection. I knew that.

Raphael knew me too well. He had felt the shift the moment I mentioned divorce. Since then, his guard had been up. He was not merely protecting me from the Sinclairs. He was guarding me from myself.

I lifted my chin and gave him a tight smile. "Fine. They can hold my shopping bags, then."

A scoff slipped past my lips before I could stop it. I shot him a glare sharp enough to cut and walked towards the car without waiting for his response.

Jeremy moved immediately, opening the door for me. I slid into the back seat, keeping my spine straight, refusing to look rattled. A second later, he joined the driver in the front while the other guard positioned himself discreetly in another vehicle behind us.

Jeremy turned slightly. "Where to, ma’am?"

"Starlight Avenue Mall," I replied begrudgingly. My mouth tasted bitter. He nodded and the car pulled away from the driveway.

Through the tinted window, I saw Raphael still standing on the steps, hands in his pockets, watching the car disappear down the long road leading out of the estate. His expression was unreadable, as always.

The car pulled out from the gates and got on the road. I pulled out my phone and texted Genny.

Lynn: Bad news. Raphael placed security with me.

It didn’t take long for Genny to reply.

Genny: Now I am considering killing that bastard.

I could feel her annoyance all the way here.

Genny: How many?

Lynn: Two, but there might be others.

Genny: If it’s two, there isn’t much of an issue. There would be a slight change.

My heart was still racing despite her assurance. After a long ride, the car arrived at the mall. It was around 4 pm when we arrived and the weather was dreary.

Rain was drizzling softly.

"I can get an umbrella, madam," Jeremy politely said. I didn’t wait for him to open the door and stepped out anyway.

The soft shower fell on me. It was cold, for sure. Jeremy and Zayne both came out immediately. They were cautious. I scoffed.

"That won’t be necessary. If it gets heavier, we can get an umbrella inside," I suggested. They nodded. I gave Jeremy my purse and we marched inside. He was stunned for a moment but understood I didn’t need to stay hidden.

I paused, then glanced back at my bodyguards, who seemed a bit confused. I guess they were expecting a bit of resistance from me.

"What are you waiting for? The bag won’t carry itself," I grumbled, then rushed forward. I stepped forward, drizzle hitting my jacket. Jeremy and Zayne followed, two steps behind as usual. Eyes on me, they looked slightly confused by my confidence.

We entered the busy mall and, of course, we drew attention. My guards weren’t just tall with a good build—they had a good face and could be considered handsome, although not up to Raphael and Lucien’s level.

They were both in their mid-thirties. Jeremy was a bit lively, with bright blue eyes and chocolate brown hair, while Zayne, on the other hand, radiated this lethal vibe with his pitch-black hair held in a small messy bun, sharp jaw and dark obsidian eyes.

My first stop was coffee. I grabbed a latte and offered to get them one, but they refused. I smiled—it was fine. While sipping my coffee with two gorgeous bodyguards, my eyes searched for the store Genny mentioned.

On the second floor, I finally found it. I felt like laughing. It was an underwear store... a popular one known for its crazy lace.

Genny had got to be kidding me. Jeremy and Zayne’s eyes twitched. I shrugged, then walked through the doors.

MISSION START.