“Careful, Adkins. I would not continue if I were you.” I narrow my eyes as I keep my voice low and controlled, approaching them from behind. I can feel the tension from Valentina’s body leaving as her shoulders relax. “This woman you called a little bitch is my wife.” I take the final step and place myself between my wife and this sleazy son of a bitch. “You're going to apologize.”
His throat works, and his Adam’s apple bobs up and down. His mouth opens, but no words come out. I raise my eyebrows, and fear fills his beady eyes.
“I’m sorry.” His voice shakes, and he tries to step away. I take a step toward him until he’s backed into the wall. “That’s not good enough.” My jaw clenches. He is going to learn not to look at what is mine. He is going to learn before he tries to do this to any other girl ever again.
Two of my men appear beside me. “Escort Mr. Adkins to my office. I’m going to have a chat with him.” I smirk. Thereissomething I can do.
I don’t have to tell her what it means to be mine. I can show her.
I can give her a taste of it, a glimpse sharp enough to carve the truth into her for the rest of her life.
I don’t say a word as I wrap my hand around her wrist and take her with me.
If I were a better man, I would address her concerns, answer her questions, maybe even explain myself.
Unfortunately, I’m not a good man, and she already knows that.
Adkins is already in a chair when we enter the room, my men holding him so he can’t move. I give them a sign to let him go, and they step back.
“I didn’t know who she was, I swear.” His shaky voice matches the fear in his beady eyes. I take a second to look at him. From his sweaty forehead to the shake of his body.
“You know, I never liked you. If Salvatore weren’t so focused on getting to the top of the hotel business, I would have killed you a long time ago.” I take a step toward him, and he flinches. “I know what kind of businesses you invest in, and not all of them are nice.”
His eyes widen, and his mouth opens and closes before he lets out a squeak. “Please, I didn’t know who she was. And I don’t care what I invest in as long as it makes me a profit. You, too, are a businessman. You get it. Besides, it’s not like you're better. You're mobsters, dammit.”
Tsk. Tsk. “Wrong answer. Maybe we are, as you say, mobsters, but at least we protect what’s ours. You would sell your own mother if that would bring you profit.”
“That’s not true.”
“Isn’t it? Is that why your mother was placed on a psychiatric ward for a long time, and you have controlled her assets for years?”
“No… How do you know this?”
“It doesn’t matter, and I don’t care about you or what you do with your mother. What I care about is that you will never look at my wife again, and I don’t want to see you around anytime soon.”
“I promise.” He stands. “I’ll leave now.”
“Oh, you misunderstood. You will be leaving, but not on your legs.”
His eyes widen, and my grin spreads as I launch my fist into his face. The crack of his nose fills my ears, followed by his cry.I smirk, and before he knows it, my fist lands in his gut, robbing him of breath. He hunches over, and I grab him by the lapels of his shirt and throw him on the chair, where I keep slapping his face over and over, using him as a punching bag to let out all my anger for daring to look at her, for daring to speak to her the way he did. I let out all my anger at myself, at my past, for everything that happened that made me the way I am toward Valentina. I let out all the anger at her for making me doubt myself. The last punch lands in his gut before he lands on his knees with his bloodied face, begging me to stop. Satisfied, I look at Valentina, who is watching me with condemnation in her eyes, even though I did this for her. She doesn’t flinch when I take a step toward her, but her eyes harden as I grab her wrist and lead her toward the bastard.
I grab him by his hair, lifting it up. “Now, you apologize, but this time, make sure you mean it.”
He opens his bloodied eyes, and I smirk when fear pools there. “I… I… I’m sor…sorry,” he splutters.
Satisfied, I let him go and watch as he falls on the floor. I signal to my man to get him out of here. They know what to do with the bastard.
“Was that necessary?”
I turn toward my wife. “What do you mean?”
She shakes her head. “Did you have to beat him to death?”
I smirk and close the space between us. “He isn’t dead. Besides, he deserved it. No one speaks to you that way and gets away with it.”
She rolls her eyes. “I think it was a bit much. I could have handled him myself.”
I smile. “I know you could. I have no doubt.” I raise my hand toward her face, and with my bloodied fingers, leave traces on her cheek, down to her neck. “But you asked me what being mine means, and for now, this is the only answer I can give you. I willprotect you. Even if you're strong and can take care of yourself, I will always take care of you,” I say before I seal my promise with a punishing kiss.
