Perfect Opposite Read Online Free Page A

stammered, unable to finish the sentence.
    He turned to me, a look of indifference on his face, and waited one or two seconds before addressing someone to my right.
    “Your daughter has a speech impediment?”
    “She doesn’t. It's probably your presence. You know the effect you have on people.”
    Mouth open , I watched as my father passed in front of me and sat down comfortably in a chair near the TV.
    “Princess, allow me to introduce you two. This is Aleksey, but everyone calls him Alex. He’s in charge of your safety from now on.”
    Shocked as hell by this bolt from the blue, I turned to the guy sitting on the couch, totally relaxed.
    “You can’t be serious...”
    By turns I shifted my gaze from my father, who seemed like he might even be enjoying this, to my new bodyguard, who evidently found the whole situation extremely boring.
    “I expect you to behave responsibly,” Nikolai continued, paying no regard to my stricken state, “Don’t even think of sneaking out. Wherever you go, Alex goes with you. If I hear you're causing problems and not sticking to the deal, you know the alternative. We’ve decided it’s best that he moves into one of the spare rooms.”
    “What? How do you mean ‘moves in’? You ‘re not saying that... he’s gonna live here!?”
    “That's exactly what I’m saying.”
    “No way!” I shouted. “There are four apartments downstairs begging to be used. He could easily move in there. I don’t want him here.”
    “I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”
    “But...”
    “No buts. Aleksey stays here. I want him with you at all times, and won’t tolerate any unnecessary risks arising from what you might want. The debate’s over.”
    Anger coursed through me, but was soon replaced by a feeling of utter helplessness. I had recently managed to bring some order into my life and started to live normally, but now the whole thing was collapsing around me like a house of cards. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do if I wanted to avoid ‘the alternative’.
    “OK. But there’s no way I’m quitting classes. You might have decided to make a mess of my life, but I'm not gonna let you destroy it completely.”
    “Y ou won’t have to give up on classes. I know this situation’s pretty tough for you, and I want you to go on living the kind of life you’ve been enjoying lately. Just... with some minor adjustments.”
    Minor adjustments?
    I glanced at the ‘minor adjustment’ sitting in front of me. Totally chilled, as though he’d made himself at home already, he wasn’t paying any attention to us. He was young, maybe just a few years my senior, but at first glance he looked older. I took in his broad shoulders, but when butterflies unexpectedly took flight in my stomach, it seemed urgent to look away.
    “How... just how do you think I’ll explain this to Bethany? Or my friends? I can’t tell them I have a bodyguard, but I’ll have to give some reason for his being here.”
    “Tell them he's your new roommate. You can even add that he’s a relative, whatever you think is best.”
    “Are you even listening to yourself? A relative? Of mine?” I waved my hand in disbelief, “Just... Look at him! He’s the very image of a jailbird!”
    “Sasha, lower your voice and behave.”
    “Well, that's not a bad idea. He probably eats little kids for breakfast, so we wouldn’t want to make him angry!”
    “I’d appreciate it if you stopped acting like I'm not here,” Alex's deep , only slightly accented voice came from across the room, making me turn as a reflex towards him.
    Although he hadn’t raised his voice at all, I definitely felt the hairs begin to bristle on my arms. He still looked totally at ease as he flicked through the channels on the TV, maybe even more relaxed than he had been before. When I opened my mouth to continue my tirade though, he turned and flashed me a menacing star e. This had the desired effect and I bit my lip instead.
    Rising very