“By frightening the crap out of me?” I barked, abandoning the shutters to glare at him. “Not cool, man. Really not cool.” I took the man in properly. Late fifties, small, stout. He shuffled closer, and I could smell the alcohol on his breath.Oh, great.
“So, can I help?” he asked again.
“No, I’m good. But thanks. I’ll have this done in a minute and be out of here.”
“Do you want to grab a drink? I know you’re new to town, Hana. I’d love to get to know you a bit better.”
I wasn’t sure if I physically recoiled at him using my name despite having never met him before, or if it was just in my head. “I’m good, thanks.”
He took another step, and I didn’t like how he invaded my personal space or how he was risking the safety of my lasagna. If I dropped this tray, heads would roll.
“Simon, was it? Could you just back up?” He held his hands up, but didn’t step back, and I was starting to get annoyed. “Step back before I make you,” I said with more intensity, but the fucker laughed in my face.
“Oh, we have a feisty one. I like it. Come on, let me buy you a drink.”
Two things happened at once. He reached out and wrapped his hand around my elbow, and another man appeared out of nowhere like a shadow, sending a ripple of panic shooting through me as I looked around for a way out of this. But then, the second man spoke.
“The lady asked you to back off.”
He stepped forwards, and the light of the streetlamp illuminated him; the shock of his appearance almost made me drop everything I was desperately trying to keep hold of. He looked like a god. Ridiculously tall, wearing a black shaggy coat that looked like something he’d borrowed off a pimp or Jon Snow fromGame of Thrones, which hung from his huge shoulders and reached his calves. It was hard to see what he was wearing under it or the outline of his body, but this man emanated ‘I’m in shape’ vibes, and his hair, tattoos, and piercings screamed bad boy. I shuddered, not because I wasscared of him; quite the opposite. This stranger was like my walking wet dream.
He stared at my unwanted visitor as if he were waiting for something. Just then, Simon’s phone blew up with notification after notification. He pulled it from his jacket and looked at it, his eyes widening before he turned and walked away, the conversation he was now having with someone on the other end drifting into the night.
“Hi. No… I was at work… just went for a quick one… how did you know… what do you mean, someone sent you my location… woman? No, I’ve not spoken to a woman, honey. You know I only have eyes for you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh before my attention turned to the man still standing in front of me.
Shadows fell across his face, highlighting his cobalt blue eyes and the angles of his cheekbones, accentuated by his thick, neatly trimmed beard.
“You good?” he mumbled, the deep timbre of his voice carrying an air of protectiveness that made me shudder again.
“Yep.”
He held out his hand, and like an idiot, I tried to shake it with my left one as it was the only hand I had free, but he shook his head before stepping closer and pointing to the pile of belongings in my grasp. “Will make it easier, right?” he said, nodding towards the shutters I’d forgotten all about.
Heat flushed my cheeks, and I wondered why I was acting like such an idiot around this man.
I handed him my lasagna. “Protect that with your life.” And then I passed him my purse, pushing my keys and phone into it. “I’m Hana, by the way,” I told him as I turned and pulled the shutters down easily, locking them, before standing to full height and turning back to him, catching a scent of the aftershave hewas wearing that was possibly the most delicious thing I’d ever smelt.
“Where’s your car?” he asked, and I pointed just across the street to where my battered old Ford Fiesta sat waiting for me to cross my fingers about whether it wanted to start tonight. “I’ll walk you.”
Usually, I would have argued that I could walk myself, but he didn’t wait for an answer, striding away from me, taking my belongings with him, so I had little choice but to follow.
We reached my car quickly, and he handed me my purse so I could get my keys out. I unlocked it, putting my things and the tray of food in the boot. When I turned around to thank him, he was nowhere to be seen.
“Jesus,” I muttered to myself. “Who the hell was that?”
3
ROMAN
I couldn’t sleep,couldn’t concentrate on work, and had paced back and forth for so long I was sure I’d wear a hole in the floor. I still couldn’t believe she’d been that close… our fingers brushed, she’d smiled at me… my chest ached from the speed of my heartbeat, my cock wept at the memory, and my head hurt as I tried to resist climbing in my car so I could drive to that shitty little town Thomas dragged me to, in the hope of catching sight of her again.
But now I was back home. Hours away from her. No cameras on her. No way of knowing she was okay. What if I hadn’t been watching her finish work when that jerk turned up? She was alone in the dark. Anything could have happened. I hacked that man’s phone from the shadows and sent his wife the information he had on there that I was sure he didn’t want her to see. I saved Hana. It was my job to protect her. I’d made a promise.
I shoved my hands into my jean pockets and stared up at the ceiling, my mind going back to that day… that phone call.
“Roman, I don’t have long. Shit, things are falling apart. I don’t think I’m safe. I need you to make me a promise. You owe me, remember? If it weren’t for me, you’d be in here with me. If I don’t get out of this… if I don’t make it, watch Hana.”
