Page 18 of Tarnished Reign

She’s so fucking alone.

The doors to the large salon slide open, and I glance up.

Adriana steps outside into the sunlight, and she’s breathtaking.

Suddenly my exhaustion poofs out of existence as I watch her hungrily.

Skimming her curves is a simple shift dress, which she’s paired with sandals. Her hair waves over her shoulders, dry now, clean, and so thick and shiny I want to pet it. She isn’t wearing any makeup, yet she still looks more beautiful than most women who are expertly made up.

How did such a sexy young woman remain a virgin? Is her family deeply religious? Then again, they can’t be if her father remarried and her stepmother was willing to sell her to men who traffic women. Maybe it’s her decision to be celibate. Plenty of women do choose that.

Damn, what a waste, I think to myself.

She glances to the side and immediately looks down. Jinx is back after spending time at Virgil’s, and he’s lounging in a chair at the far end of the deck, staring at Adriana.

My gaze sweeps around the men. Yep, every damn one is staring at her.

Like a fucking lightbulb going off in my head, realization dawns. All she gets is men leering at her. Salivating over her like animals. No wonder she avoids them and avoids sex.

My gaze flicks back and passes by Jinx. He licks his lips like he’s looking at a rare steak.

Fury ignites my veins. How fucking dare he? That woman is mine to protect, and they all know as much. Him in particular after what happened before in the bedroom.

I stand and casually walk over to him. He’s stuffing a sandwich into his face, still staring at the woman under my protection.

Lightning fast, I slap it out of his hand. He stares in shock at the sandwich on the floor. Exploding from his seat he glares at me, face to face. “What the fuck?”

“Pick. It. Up.” I stare him down.

For a delicious moment I think he’s going to defy me and give me a reason to make him hurt.

The rage simmers still in his gaze, but I can see from his repeated swallowing that he’s seriously second guessing blowing up at me, now that the initial knee-jerk reaction is over.

“Boss?” He shakes his head but eventually lowers his gaze and bends to pick up the sandwich.

I pull him up by the neck of his shirt and lean in close so Littleblue can’t hear, as I whisper, “Look at her like that again, and I’ll pluck your eyes out and make them into a necklace as a warning not to fucking stare at what is mine. Understood?”

“Perfectly, boss.” His face is angry and red, but he nods and sits down, placing the mushed up sandwich remains on his plate.

“Adriana, come here.” She jerks her head around and walks to me. She glances at Jinx as if scared he’s going to do something.

I pull her to me and point around the men. “This lady is here as my fucking guest. If I catch any of you leering at her like perverts, I’ll have your eyes. Show some respect.”

“Yes, boss.” The murmur travels around the group.

“You all need to start being more serious. This isn’t a game. I don’t run things that way.”

“Due respect,” Jinx mutters. “We don’t all work for you, so maybe we weren’t aware of the rules and how seriously you take this. From now on, I’ll make sure I am aware.”

He’s being all placatory, but he doesn’t mean it because there’s the tiniest touch of condescension in his tone. His words carry a double edge. He’s reminding me that he works for Virgil and technically Virgil, according to old school rules, is higher on the rung than me.

Some of these men are my father’s direct employees, so they work for the Pakhan himself. Others work directly for the men at brigadier level, but either way, right now, they answer to me.

I don’t follow the old rules and hierarchies from the Bratva’s days in Russia, and neither does Jacob. If any of these men disobey me, they will face the consequences here and now, from me.

Jacob has me as his enforcer, but also his second and his heir. These men might not like it, but I’m the one he runs everything by first. I’m the one he trusts with the most confidential information.

Looking around at the men, I put as much power into my gaze as I can.

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