Page 78 of King of Rage

“Are you all right, sir?”

Shane nodded.

Once the man had confirmed that he was unharmed, he straightened and glanced briefly around the restaurant.

“I’ll inform Mr. Black.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had arrived, behaving as though the shooting had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

Lucius watched him leave, his expression growing darker by the second.

Shane then turned toward Stella, his concern returning to the forefront of his face.

“I’ll take you home.”

Shane reached for her, but Lucius immediately stepped between them. His hand closed around Stella’s arm, and before she could react, he pulled her against his side, keeping her firmly at his hip.

“You are taking her home?” Lucius’s voice dropped into a lethal growl as he stepped closer, keeping Stella locked against his side. “After someone just tried to put a fucking bullet through your head?”

His icy gaze swept over Shane.

“Your people show up with guns because someone’s trying to kill you, and you still think I’m going to stand here and let you take Stella with you?” His fingers tightened around Stella’s waist. “If your enemies come after you, they’ll come after her next. And if anything happens to her because of your fucking mess, I’ll make sure you regret surviving this night.”

He leaned closer, his voice turning quiet enough to make the threat feel even more dangerous.

“So, no, you’re not taking her anywhere.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Get the fuck out of here before I forget that Stella is watching.”

“Lucius,” Stella warned, her frustration sharpening her voice.

“I’m talking to him.”

“She’s coming with me,” Shane said.

“No, she fucking isn’t.”

Lucius made no attempt to release her.

Stella looked up at him, her brows drawing together as her frustration grew. “Shane didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t know they were going to shoot at him.”

Lucius’s eyes snapped toward her.

“So now you’re defending him?”

“He could have been killed.”

“And so could you.”

His voice rose, the anger he had been forcing himself to contain finally breaking free. His fingers tightened around her arm as he glared down at her, his jealousy and fear twisting together until he could barely keep either under control.

Shane stepped toward them, clearly intending to intervene, but Stella immediately turned to him.

“Shane, go home. I’ll come back soon.”

Shane hesitated, his gaze moving between her and Lucius.