Was this Dante? If so, how did people spend time with him? Just looking at him was making her want to run and hide.
She tightened her hold on Cash’s hand and wished she could bring Snaggles out of her backpack.
Although even Snaggles might be intimidated by this man. Not much scared a saber-toothed tiger, but Dante might be the one thing.
They’d had to get by one scary-looking guy guarding the entrance and she’d kind of expected there to be more in here. But they seemed to be alone.
Ralen walked over to the terrifying Dante and held out his hand. For a long moment Dante just stood there and stared at him.
“Dante,” Bonnie said in a quiet voice. “Ralen is your cousin, remember?”
“I am trying to remind myself of that fact,” Dante said smoothly. “And how upset my mother would be if I murdered him.”
Addie couldn’t stop the small squeak of fear that left her at those words. She took a step toward Ralen, wanting to protect him, but then she also had to protect Cash. What if Dante wanted to hurt him too? She immediately regretted the noise and her movement as Dante’s dark gaze slid to her. She stood frozen like a rabbit in headlights as he studied her closely.
“This must be Addie, the reason why you left your post to fly to Las Vegas without telling me, or Titus,” Dante said in a drawl.
Oh, God. Oh, God.
She couldn’t move. She was frozen on the spot, paralyzed. This was the meaning of paralyzed by fear. She thought she’d been afraid before, but this almost seemed an extreme sort of fear.
His eyes seemed to hold hers, and she couldn’t even look away, let alone move.
And then Cash swept her up against him, lifting her onto his hip. At another time, she might have been embarrassed to be held like this, but right now she was relieved to have an excuse to take her gaze off Dante.
She buried her face into Cash’s chest and let him hold her. Perhaps she’d just let him deal with Dante.
“Cute little thing, isn’t she? Does she talk?” Dante asked.
“Dante, you’re being rude,” Bonnie scolded. “Addie is my friend. And I don’t mind that Cash and Ralen went to help her. From what Ralen said, if they hadn’t been there, she could havebeen badly hurt. She could have been stabbed. I’m glad they went.”
“I know you say that she’s your friend, Bonnie,” Dante said, his voice softening. “But how long have you even known her?”
“Is there really a number of days that you have to know someone in order for them to be your friend?”
“She’s met her once,” Titus said.
“Titus, whose side are you on?” Bonnie exclaimed.
“He’s on mine,” Dante said. “Since he’s my man.”
“Well, since you get a man, then I’m going to claim a woman, and I claim Addie,” Bonnie told him.
“Really? And what do you claim her for? What will she do for you?” Dante asked her.
“Dante, people don’t always have to do something for you. Sometimes you can do something for them.”
“Oh, like try to save her from me?” Dante asked smoothly.
Was she in danger?
“You’re not going to hurt her, Dante,” Cash said.
Oh, shit. Things were not going well.
“And who’s going to stop me, if that’s what I want?” Dante asked.
“I am. I’m not going to allow you to hurt her. Addie belongs to me. She’s under my protection. She’s my girl.”
