Page 13 of Under His Protection

It was news to me that she worked in the restaurant down below, too. “I have my hands in many businesses, Nina. I didn’t know you were an employee in the steakhouse.”

She shrugged, dismissing that detail. “Not like I’ll be going back now.”

I stepped closer, confident that my first hunch was right. When she slammed into me and then jumped at the chance to get out of there, I wondered if she was trying to hide. Hell, I was too. I’d been eager to get away from Vanessa and Stefan. Now, with Nina’s bitter quip, I wanted to know why she sounded so upset.

“What’s wrong?” When she opened her mouth, I cut her off. “And don’t tell me you’re upset about my absence at Henry’s funeral.” I doubted that was it. Something else was up, and I demanded to know what.

“I—” She clamped her lips shut and shook her head. As she crossed her arms, I advanced toward her. The hell with that defensive bullshit.

“I asked you a question.”

I took her hand and lowered it, physically altering her stance as I urged her to backtrack toward the car. She leaned against the closed door and stared up at me. Only a fraction of fear shone in her eyes, and I hated how her lower lip trembled.

“My brother…” She hesitated, licking her lip and lowering her gaze. “Ricky lost me in a bet.”

“He what?” I’d never cared for Henry’s spineless, dull-witted son.

“Ricky was in debt and he thought he had a ‘genius’ idea to bet on me, like I’m some kind of possession to—” She inhaled a quick breath. Her eyes opened wide as someone neared the lot. By the sounds of the throaty engines, it had to be bikers.

Furious that Ricky would do something so stupid and dangerous at the worst place, at my gambling rooms where illegal deals were struck, I waited for her to finish. “To?”

Her hand lifted toward me. She grabbed the lapel of my jacket, but she had yet to look away from whatever captured her attention behind me. “He lost me in a bet to someone in that motorcycle club. Someone named Reaper.” Her throat tensed as she swallowed, fisting her fingers as she curled them around my jacket.

Fuck. You fucking dumbass. Ricky would answer for this bullshit. I had my answers. I knew why she wanted to run from there now.

An idea struck, and even though it was rash, nothing could stop me from wanting to step in and help her.

“Play along,” I ordered.

“What?” Lines formed on her brow as she frowned up at me. “What do you mean?”

“Play along.” I didn’t wait. Those engines could only mean that the MC men had followed and were coming for her.

Too bad for them. They wouldn’t get near her now.

But I did. With a possessive hunger I couldn’t understand, I stepped closer until she was caged against the car. Sandwiched between me and the hard surface, she gazed up at me and opened her mouth to argue. To demand an explanation. To ask what I wanted her to play along with.

Ignoring her reaction, I lowered my hands to her hips. Flipping up her skirt, I pushed against her.

I had her pinned, panty-covered core rubbing against my growing erection as I wedged her legs apart.

I had her silenced as I leaned in more.

I quieted her protests—all laced with utter confusion—and kissed her hard.

6

NINA

Nina

Dante lunged against me so quickly that I had no time to react. He vaguely instructed me to play along with whatever plans he had, then before I could shove him back and insist on some personal space, he held me up against his car.

His solid body pressed into mine, shoving me back roughly before I could protest.

He hadn’t given me a chance to catch up, to insist that he back off. But now with his hard presence firmly locking me in his embrace, I had no willpower or desire to tell him off.

I wanted no space between us. As I looped my arms around his shoulders, hugging his neck as he plundered my mouth, I wanted no barriers or distance between us. With his muscled body flush to mine, his hulking size blocking me from the view of those bikers who’d pulled into the lot, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be, anywhere else that would make me feel this secure.

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