Now I was locked inside a hotel room with two goons holding vigil while being forced to deal with a man who could crush rocks with his jaw.
Maybe I was just a little cranky.
“Well, thank you, Mr. Know-It-All for ruining the same fantasy every girl has. I’m so sorry I interrupted your space and your life. I think I’ll be going now. It would appear you have your hands full with attempting to solve the puzzles in your mind. Let me give you a hint. You’re missing some pieces.” I turned, heading for the door.
Dear God. I didn’t think any other man had made me this furious.
“You’re not going anywhere, Lainey.”
Stopping short, I rubbed my eyes. They ached. From exhaustion. From fear. From agitation. The man had me furious and flustered at the same time. “I’m not your prisoner.”
“In case you haven’t figured it out, you witnessed the start of a mafia war today.”
What? What did he just say to me?
The shock of hearing his words floored me. I slowly turned, gawking at him. I had a terrible feeling my mouth was open. “Correct if I’m wrong. Please do. Okay? But that sounded suspiciously like you just threatened me.”
His sigh was one of those traits that at first, I’d found sexy. But right now, the heavy intonation as if I was irritating him was all I could concentrate on. And rightfully so, it pissed me off. “Do you think I’d threaten you? You’d know if I was. I’ll go back once again to what I just said to you. You don’t know anything about me and trying to psychoanalyze me won’t change facts.”
The air between us was hot as Hades or maybe that was just my mood.
“Wow. How did I not see this side of you?” I tossed out, shocked. He was worried I would talk to the police. After what we’d been through together? Confusion crushed the earlier feelings. Now I was angry.
“What side is that?”
“The one screaming in vivid color a single word. Asshole.”
His clear amusement was baffling. “Maybe I am, but I’m also trying to protect you.”
“From what? From you?”
“Perhaps so.”
Maybe because of my level of indignation he jumped out of his chair, his movements so quick that I tumbled backward.Gone was the fire in his eyes, replaced by shock as if I’d just accused him of a heinous crime. That was the moment I noticed specks of blood staining the light gray material of his trousers. Maybe I had my answer.
He slowly followed my gaze while approaching and all I could think of was that he was a predator. Maybe he read my thoughts or perhaps my expression was a strange mixture of shock at his behavior and coming down from an adrenaline rush. Whichever it was, he stopped dead in his tracks.
“Yes, that’s blood, Lainey. If that’s what you were thinking.”
Nodding, I tried to look away, but he was such a magnificent specimen of a man that even while being furious with him, I craved being in his presence. “How many?”
“How many what?”
“Men did you kill in cold blood?” I tried to keep my voice down, even glancing over my shoulder to ensure Nina wasn’t standing in the doorway listening in on a conversation no seven-year-old child should ever need to hear. She’d seemed oddly unaffected, as if she was used to violence in and around her household. The thought was completely unnerving.
“Enough.”
“Doesn’t that bother you that your little girl is forced to grow up in a world where men with guns follow her around everywhere? That her birthday party turns into a shooting match? Or that her father could be killed over some ridiculous turf war?”
Every muscle in his body tensed, his gaze explosive and his mouth twisting. The man was a stick of dynamite ready to explode. “Turf war? This is about much more than a turf war.”
The hint of pain mixing with anger was unexpected. “Who is after you, trying to destroy your entire family?” When he didn’t answer, I took a deep breath. “You don’t know. Do you?”
“We’re uncertain at this point. The men who stormed the house didn’t carry identification.”
“Wow. You have so many enemies that you have no clue who to carry out your act of revenge on. That’s what you’re going to do. Right? Hunt them down and punish them even if a few innocent people get in the way?” The thought was horrific even though my words reminded me I’d thought the very same thing.
His features hardened further, the darkness shadowing his face as disturbing at it was attractive. “We will do what’s necessary.”
