Page 13 of Untamed Protector

I see her puzzled face when she notices Gabriel next to me.

“This is Lena, my friend I told you about.”

“Right, Dominic’s fan,” Gabriel replies. I wonder if Dominic is still listening to our conversation. Lena would go berserk if she knew the one and only Dominic Monti thinks she might have a crush on him. The thought makes me chuckle.

“Hi, I’m Lena. Not sure why Dominic Monti is in the same sentence as me,” she says, reaching out her hand. Gabriel shakes it gently and introduces himself. “Gabriel Ross.” Lena turns to me while still holding her hand in his. “You know, Gabriel is the one who…” I try to explain, but then realize I’m not sure who he actually is.

“…her protector tonight,” he answers for me.

“Well, hello, stranger,” Lena chirps, then winks at me. Not now, Lena.

“Dominic also says hi,” Gabriel adds, smiling.

Lena gives me a questioning look. “He means Dominic Monti. He can hear everything we’re saying through Gabriel’s earpiece. Dominic’s at the event we came from. They’re friends. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it later,” I try to wrap it up.

She looks confused but gets in the car. I take off Gabriel’s coat and give it back to him before I join her.

“Thank you. For the coat, I mean. And for a few things you did tonight. But not for everything. Anyway, thanks,” I stammer. I didn’t think I’d be this nervous in front of him.

Gabriel smiles. “Will you text me when you go to bed?”

“Is this you asking for my phone number?” I ask, ignoring the bed reference.

“I already have it.” Of course he does. He already knows way too much about me. And he’ll probably keep digging. I have a nagging feeling his interest in me won’t end tonight.

“I’m just asking for permission to be in touch. Here, I’ll text you my number. It would be great if you’d let me know you made it home safely.”

He’s asking for permission? What a joke. I ignore it and hop into the car. But then I look back and see him standing alone on the sidewalk, watching our car drive away, with a hint of sadness and worry on his face. Or I’m just imagining things.

What does Gabriel think he’s protecting me from? And how much does this man know about me? It all goes back to Peter. I’ll find out tomorrow.

“God, Lena, you won’t believe the night I’ve had. Let’s just go.”

“Who’s Mr. Smoking Hot? And how do you know Dominic Monti? Where were you? I thought you’d be with Lucas by now.”

Lena keeps bombarding me with questions as we take off, leaving Gabriel in the driveway. Just a few steps away from where I spent two of the most incredible hours of my life, and I can’t even put it into words for her.

“Just drive, please. Gabriel’s looking. I can’t talk when he looks at me like that. Let’s just go.”

“Okay, okay, we’re leaving.”

Lena takes off, tires screeching, and we quickly get caught in the busy city traffic. It’s almost midnight, and there are still a lot of cars on the street. Lena lives about half an hour from the Casino, by the sea, in a house she inherited from her grandma, in an old but cool part of the city. And I crash at her place, but I’m more like a long-term house guest until I get back on my feet.

Lena’s like a sister to me. She’s been my friend since primary school, and she’s the only one who knows where I come from and who I am today. She’s part of the mission that brought me to this city.

“We’re far enough now. Seriously, what happened?” she finally asks after a few minutes.

“The evening was a fiasco. Mr. Smoking Hot, as you like to call him, is the head of security for the event and followed me around like a hawk the whole time. He knows Peter. I mean, he knows everyone. He’s one of them. And he’s dead set on getting in my way. Gabriel literally carried me away from Lucas just as he was getting drunk enough for me to take him home and search his place.”

“Whoa, slow down there. That’s a lot to unpack. Plus, you left out the part about Dominic Monti. What was that about?” Lena asks, turning her head for a second to look at me. I see that sparkle in her eyes. She hates Dominic Monti for kicking her out of his club, but I think she’s still attracted to him.

“They’re buddies, they do business together, that’s all. Dominic hosted the event. Just so you know, he’s not how you described him.”

“Let me be the judge of that, okay? I know all the socialites in this city and their dramas. We write about them all the time. Why don’t you tell me about this… Gabriel, instead? That’s his name, right?”

“He’s like a puzzle I can’t seem to solve. One minute, he’s barking orders like a drill sergeant; the next, he’s playing the perfect chivalrous date. It’s like he’s trying to be the protector, but in a rough sort of way.”

“How do you mean rough?”

---