Page 15 of Hunted By the Cartel

As his breath evened out, his body relaxing into mine, I felt a strange sense of peace wash over me. I wanted to protect him, to keep him safe from the dangers that lurked outside these walls. As long as it depended on me, I was going to do just that.

But more than that, I wanted him, wanted to possess him fully, to claim him as mine. Only later, of course. Not right now. It just wouldn't feel right.

The next morning, I woke before him, my body still humming with the memory of the previous night. I gazed down at his sleeping form, his eyelashes fluttering as he dreamed, and I felt a surge of something unfamiliar in my chest.

Leaning down, I pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, my lips lingering for a moment. Was I feeling something for this omega? Something beyond the physical attraction and the need to protect him? Could that really be happening?

I shook my head, unwilling to dwell on such thoughts. I didn't have the time for that. I had something more important to do.

I rose from the bed, my eyes never leaving his face as I made my way to the kitchen. He looked adorable, which only reinforced my need to protect him.

I needed to focus on the task at hand, on keeping him safe and fed. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel good about myself, and suffice it to say that wasn't something that happened often.

I pushed aside the confusing emotions that stirred within me, knowing they would only complicate our already complex situation. I didn't need to make things harder for myself.

The scent of bacon and eggs filled the air, and soon, I heard Rowan stirring, his eyes blinking open as he took in his surroundings. For a moment, he looked disoriented, but then he remembered he was here with me and not back at his place.

His eyes widened as he caught a whiff of the food, and he sat up, his gaze flicking to me.

"Good morning," I said, my voice gruff as I stirred the eggs in the pan. This time, I was putting in more effort while making breakfast. I wanted it to be perfect. "I hope you're hungry."

He nodded, his eyes sparkling with excitement at the sight of the food. What happened last night changed his mind about me and staying here with me, it seemed.

"It smells amazing," he said, his voice soft. As usual, his voice was like music to my ears. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

I grunted in acknowledgment, turning back to the stove. I kind of didn't know how to react to that. It wasn't every day people thanked me for something I did. Usually, people just hated me. "Eat up," I said, my voice rough. "We've got a long day ahead of us."

He nodded again, his eyes downcast as he pushed himself up from the bed. As he made his way to the table, his eyes flicking to me, a hesitant smile on his lips, I felt a rush of something akin to warmth spread through me.

I wanted to take him again as many times as my body could handle. But right now wasn't the time for that. Later tonight, though, would be different.

Shaking my head, I turned back to the stove, focusing on the task at hand. I was keeping him captive, keeping him safe, and that was all that mattered.

I felt at peace with my actions.

Chapter 9

Rowan

As I sat in the back of the car, my heart pounding in my chest, I couldn't help but reflect on the events of the past few days. There was a lot to think about. A lot.

I had been taken captive by Diego, a loan shark from the Nightshade Wolves cartel, and yet, I found myself drawn to him. He was doing everything in his power to make that happen. I couldn't believe I was falling for it.

It was a confusing mix of emotions — fear, desire, and something akin to trust. The more time we spent together, the more confusing it got.

Diego had protected me, kept me safe from the assassin his boss had sent after me, and now, he was taking me to him, a man I didn't know much about. Diego also hadn't talked much about his boss. Part of me thought he hadn't done that because he didn't want to disappoint me.

I felt a mix of apprehension and curiosity as we drove through the winding roads, heading toward a hidden safe house in the middle of nowhere. The closer we got, the more anxious I became.

Diego sat beside me, his eyes fixed on the passing scenery, his jaw clenched. He had finally managed to get in contact with his boss, and the tension between us was palpable.

I hadn't heard much of the conversation, only that it had been anything but amicable. There was a lot of tension between the two of them. For that reason, I couldn't help but think that we were walking into a trap. Nevertheless, Diego had reassured me that everything was going to be okay.

Still, I knew he was worried about how his boss would react to his decision to protect me, and I couldn't help but share his concern. After all, he had gone against his boss' wish. If he hadn't done that, I would already be dead.

As we pulled up to the safe house, my heart hammered in my chest. The place was secluded, surrounded by dense forest, and I felt a sense of foreboding as we stepped out of the car. My heart was tight and my mind was thinking about everything that could happen here. I just hoped we were going to walk out of here alive.

Diego's boss stood on the porch, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes narrowed in disapproval. Given the way he was looking at us, I already knew this wasn't going to end well for us.

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