"Alright, Mr. Rogers, before we arrive, I need to get over some things with you," Maria Hill said without even looking at the man next to her in the back of the car.
The fact that the car was armored proved to Steve that this new client was serious when it came to security which made him wonder if something had happened to require that kind of protection or if they didn't know what to do with their money. But seeing that he had been hired for a personal bodyguard position, he guessed the former.
"Ms. Romanoff wasn't fond at first of the idea of having a shadow follow her around."
"What made her change her mind?" Steve asked while he observed Maria who still wasn't looking at him. Her phone and the files that sat on her knees seemed more important.
"She was attacked two nights ago during her usual stroll through the park."
Steve nodded but didn't ask more for now. He had been briefed about the identity of his new client, broadly knew her story but waited to meet her personally to assess her personality and see for himself if she truly was the woman described in the tabloids as the "sexiest ice queen of 2019". He himself didn't read tabloids, he didn't even read the paper, but his buddy Bucky took a perverse pleasure in reading him the lewdest articles in order to bother him.
"Just keep in mind that this bodyguard idea wasn't her own, so she might seem cold or bossy, especially since she isn't fond of letting strangers in her personal affairs. But with the rest of her private staff we have gone over all the bodyguards available and you seemed to be the one best qualified for the job. Thank you again for agreeing to start on such short notice."
Steve smiled slightly, nodded politely but didn't say anything, letting Hill continue.
"Ms. Romanoff has a tight schedule that she will try to abide to under all circumstances, even if it rains, snows or hails. Her theater is her priority. Once we arrive I will introduce you to the other members of the staff. You already know Mr. Coulson if I am not mistaken?" The dark-haired woman looked at him questioningly.
"I had the opportunity to speak to him on the phone but I have never met him. I do know Mr. Fury personally though."
It was Maria's turn to nod.
"Yes, Phil Coulson represents Nick Fury when it comes to anything related to foreign affairs and important events. Mr. Fury would be overseeing the matters personally if he could."
Steve nodded again.
"You will have to discuss certain things with Phil occasionally since Ms. Romanoff likes to take part in social events organized around town, especially Stark's parties." Steve detected bitterness in Hill's voice at the mention of the billionaire's name and figured there was a story behind it.
"We will be working together closely since I am Ms. Romanoff's personal assistant." They were arriving because Hill looked through the window and smiled back at Steve. "It's a pleasure to have you on the team, Mr. Rogers."
"Likewise," Steve said before looking through the window as well.
The Romanoff manor was smaller than all the rich manors Steve had seen in his life. It had three floors and too many windows to count. Although it didn't seem to possess a pool or anything of the sort, a nice garden circled the back of the manor. When Steve climbed out of the car, a dozen different smells assaulted his nose, various flowers and sweet fruit, most of which he didn't recognize.
Maria smiled at him as though she knew what he was thinking and led him towards the entrance, a double oak doors mounted on three marble steps. Maria introduced him to Mr. Isaiah Ross the butler and Mrs. Anna Smirnova the head maid. A couple other people worked for Ms. Romanoff, like Mr. Yevgieny Smirnov the cook who was Anna's husband but Steve didn't see more staff members.
"Mr. Ross will show you around in a couple of minutes. On the ground floor you can find what Ms. Romanoff calls the social quarters, including her tea parlor, the ball room and others rooms used during parties as well as the kitchen and garage. On the second floor are her more private rooms like the dance studio, the dining room and a couple guest rooms. If the staff needs to stay at the manor overnight, they will be able to sleep in one of those rooms, Ms. Romanoff insists. Then the top floor consists of her own private quarters," Maria said all of this very fast, leaving Steve speechless. "Of course, there are other rooms, but this will give you an idea of the degree of privacy Ms. Romanoff applies to different parts of her property."
They were greeted in the entrance hall by a man wearing some kind of tactical gear but without the bulletproof vest and other protective gear. The stranger eyed Steve up and down with a sour face before extending his hand. From the way he was holding himself and the many scars that littered his bare arms, Steve guessed that man had seen some action.
"Hi, I'm Clint Barton, head of security for Ms. Romanoff," the man said.
"Steve Rogers, the new bodyguard."
"I've seen your resume Rogers," Clint continued once they shook hands. His handshake was firm and a little threatening as if Clint was trying to intimidate Steve. It almost seemed as if Clint was just waiting for Steve to screw up. "It's impressive."
"Thank you Sir."
"Call me Clint, or Barton. I'm not my father."
Steve nodded and all three of them walked upstairs and stopped on the second floor.
"Right this way," Maria said and led them through a set of corridors. Steve couldn't help but appreciate the subtle way everything in the manor seemed to be harmonized with the rest. How the marble stairs encircling the entrance hall and climbing all the floors belonged with the crystal chandelier. How the wooden panels covering most walls on the second floor seemed to fit just right in with the various paintings he could see, most of them showing nature and sceneries. Just from one glance he knew that whoever had designed the manor's interior had a keen eye for art and beauty.
Maria stopped in front of a door that was slightly ajar and asked them to wait. A feminine voice could be heard from inside the room, sultry and deep with a perfect American accent. The owner of the voice seemed to be arguing with someone and her voice remained even although the threat hidden in the inflexions was as clear as day.
When Maria knocked on the door, the voice dismissed the other person and the bip of a hung up phone could be heard before she invited them in. Maria went first, followed by Clint, before she introduced Steve.
"Natasha, this is Steve Rogers."
Steve stepped into the room, his hands by his side. He had decided to wear one of his best practical suits, the kind that he could easily move in but that wasn't fancy enough for a cocktail party or such big event. The room he entered was an office nicely furnished with a lot of deep green touches, such as the carpet or the cushions. Even the curtains were that color. Ms. Romanoff stood behind her mahogany desk and was placing books back into one of the three giant bookshelves that covered entirely the back wall.
Clint sat on the couch in the other half of the room, pouring himself a glass of water from the pitcher that stood on top of the liquor cabinet. Natasha finished putting all her books back before she walked towards Steve and extended her hand just like Clint had.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Rogers."
She didn't smile and her tone was neutral, all business-like.
"Likewise, but please call me Steve."
"Then you can call me Natasha."
She finally smiled at him and her handshake was firm but gentle. Everything about her seemed professional, from the way she was dressed in a tight black pencil skirt with matching heels and a red blouse to the way she held herself, her calm posture that radiated power and confidence at the same time. Her wavy red hair cascaded to the right side and was clipped with a dark green hairgrip.
"Are you ready to start working Steve?" Natasha asked while she grabbed her phone and went to sit next to Clint who playfully shoved her knee. In response she punched him in the shoulder and it seemed it had genuinely hurt him.
"Yes ma'am."
Clint snorted at the formality.
"Good, then Isaiah can show you around and then if you have the time, you can discuss security protocols with Clint. I want to leave in half an hour; I have a meeting in town."
Steve nodded. He was also the driver and so he followed Clint outside. He had this habit of observing his client to notice their relationships in order to intervene quickly if something went wrong. There was this one time where he had been hired to escort an ambassador and his wife on a trip overseas for a week. A friend of the couple was accompanying them and after one too many drinks he had tried to get his way with the wife when the husband wasn't there. Steve knew his place and when to intervene or not. And the wife clearly seemed uncomfortable and from her body language Steve had guessed that it wasn't the first time it happened. He had quickly intervened and prevented the situation from escalating and the wife thanked him later so did the husband while their friends was taken care of.
He had seen the signs that Clint and Natasha were really close. They were good friends for sure, but maybe they were something more. It wasn't Steve's place to judge but he made a mental note to keep an eye on Clint just in case. After all, he had been hired to protect Natasha and that meant protecting her even from her own staff if need be.
Once Steve familiarized himself with the car he would be driving most of the time, Isaiah showed him around but Steve didn't have time to talk protocols with Clint because Natasha and Maria joined them in the entrance hall thirty minutes later.
"Did you brief him?" Natasha asked Clint.
"Not yet."
Steve was expecting her to get angry or at least disappointed but she simply shrugged. "Alright. You'll have time for that in the evening. Right now, we need to meet with the Odinsons, they're expecting us." Unlike the other dames for whom Steve had worked before, Natasha didn't wait for him to open the door, she just opened it herself, Maria following closely behind. Clint actually laughed at Steve's dumbfounded face.
"Come on Rogers! I'm not going to wait for you so if you don't get your ass in the car now, I'm driving myself into town!" Natasha yelled from outside.
Steve quickly exited the manor and didn't see Isaiah shaking his head and sighing at the same time as if something like this had happened before. Natasha was halfway down the path leading to her car and Steve almost ran to get to it first and open her door for her. Thankfully, he was faster than her and she seemed pleasantly surprised.
"Ma'am," he said, bowing his head slightly and she patted him on the arm in approval. Clint threw him one of those 'I'm watching you' glances before he left them in another car and Maria waited until the door was closed to speak.
"Tomorrow, you'll know exactly how her schedule looks like, so you'll know when and where you have to go, who comes with you and all of that. I'll prepare all the documents you'll need." Steve nodded. They had already signed all the necessary papers even though Steve was used to being asked for work at the last minute. "I'm not going with you this time," Maria then added. "Don't worry, the meeting with the Odinsons will take most of the morning. She'll probably want to get to know you better over lunch so be ready for a plethora of questions."
Steve nodded again and watched Maria leave, her heels clacking behind her. Once he sat in the car and checked everything he needed to check, he looked in the rearview mirror only to find two intense green eyes observing him.
"Where to ma'am?" he said, gulping.
Natasha smiled again.
"You can drop the ma'am, Steve."
"Yes ma'am."
She laughed this time and Steve couldn't help but find the laugh endearing and beautiful at the same time.
"To the art gallery on fifth. I'm meeting the Odinson brothers this morning."
