Page 28 of Untamed Protector

The Celtic Love Knot symbolizes devotion, much like our modern wedding rings. And that’s what I find strange about this. Someone with a loving heart wouldn’t have left us stranded like that.

“There’s something else we haven’t thought of.” Lena drums her fingers on the wall we’re hiding behind. “Maybe it disappeared, but like, metaphorically. Have you heard of the Harbor Black Hole?”

“I just read about it in a document Peter brought. It seems to be a hidden part of the port where stolen goods supposedly disappear without a trace. But I don’t know if that’s a real thing.”

“I mean… it’s one of those urban legends, but there’s some truth to all of them. I’ll ask around. Let me think about it.”

“Lena, please be careful. You got mixed up in my affairs, and I’m afraid you could get hurt.”

Lena is the type of person who dives headfirst into her investigations. Like when she waltzed into one of Dominic Monti’s clubs, hidden camera rolling, dodging security. She’s been obsessed with exposing criminal networks and high-level corruption for a while now. When Dominic caught her recording without permission, they clashed. He threw her out, angry she hadn’t talked to him first, and their hostility lingered. But even though she got kicked out, she’s still hell-bent on exposing some of his regular clients.

“I don’t think your story is any riskier than my investigations. I’m going to miss you,” she says. “We made such a great team. I got the info, and you solved the puzzle. You’re my secret weapon.”

“I won’t be gone for long. I’ll figure it out. If I push back too hard now, Peter might get suspicious.” The thought of Gabriel keeping me apart from the only two people who love me, Lena and Dad, is terrifying. I’ll be all alone.

“Just tell me again how you ended up agreeing to move in with him,” she says with a smirk.

“I don’t know what it’ll be like or where he lives. He just said he’ll come and pick me up later and send someone to your place to get my clothes. Please pack whatever you can. Oh, and something else that’s important. You still got that burner phone?”

“Yeah. Why do you need it?”

“I’m worried Gabriel’s watching every move I make. He’ll probably bug my phone or track me with apps. This burner phone should be safe, though. I’ll use it to call you when we need to talk about the car or the Maiers. Otherwise, I’ll use my normal phone.”

“Are you sure he’ll go that far? Aren’t you being a little paranoid?”

“I don’t even know. But it doesn’t hurt to be careful. He straight up asked me why I was working for Peter. It’s like he knows something about me or got hired to snoop around.”

A wave of unease washes over me as we reach Lena’s car. The trunk is a mess from last night’s collision.

“And you be careful, Lena. Gabriel gave me the address of a repair shop for you. He’ll take care of the cost. Check for any tracking devices when you pick it up.”

“Don’t worry. I know a guy who can get rid of everything. I could’ve helped you, too, but you’ll be stuck with Gabriel all the time. By the way, what’s the sleeping situation going to be? Do you get your own bed?”

“Come on, Lena. Is that what matters now? The guy doesn’t even like me. I made sure of it. I called him an asshole. A few well-placed barbs should keep him at a safe distance.”

“Too bad. He’s hot. You can at least admit it.” I give her a half-smirk.

Under different circumstances, maybe I’d act differently, too. But if it weren’t for the threat, Gabriel probably wouldn’t have given me a second look. I’m sure he’s got plenty of women. And from my recent experience in his arms, I understand why they would want a man like him.

“There’s no way he’s single; he’s too good-looking,” I blurt out. “Anita practically glued herself to him last night, and I’m sure there’s a waiting list a mile long. He’s friends with Dominic Monti. Nightclubs, parties… so you can imagine the secrets that land on his lap. He keeps his ear to the ground on everyone’s affairs, from his buddies to his business partners. Lena, the guy’s a fixer. He didn’t want to explain why he was doing this job for Peter. Well, besides the money. What else is Peter paying for?”

“God, Lexi. Your imagination’s gone wild. He’s not going to make you disappear into the Harbor Black Hole. Not now, when everyone thinks you two are a couple. What I saw in that video was super romantic. And you didn’t even bother to tell me last night, you sneaky little thing.”

“That’s a problem, actually. Nothing to be happy about. It’ll keep Lucas away from me. He’ll think Gabriel and I hooked up.”

“Okay, I see where you’re going with this. But why do you think it was one of the Maiers who hit you and your dad?”

“It all points back to them. They’re the only ones with factories in our hometown, rolling up in those flashy, sleek cars that are not good for our dirt roads. And here’s the kicker: Peter’s never been known for throwing money at injured workers. He sticks to the contracts and plays by the rules. Yet, here we are, Dad’s surgeries covered even though the accident happened off site. Everything about it screams guilty.”

“What if you find the car here in the city, and it’s not theirs?”

“I’m going to put whoever did it behind bars. Seven years in prison is the maximum, and I’ll make sure they get it.”

“Look, don’t get me wrong. I’ll back you up whatever you decide. But maybe your dad’s right. You need to let go of the past, move on, and live in the present. Won’t you consider putting this to rest? Leaving the Maiers behind and going back to school?”

“Shit! Dad. I forgot. Oh, and get this, this annoying Gabriel thinks Dad needs a babysitter. One of his guys, no less. I need to call him and let him know. What the heck am I supposed to say, so he doesn’t freak out?”

“You’re kidding me. Gabriel’s sending his guys over there? I hope he doesn’t think about having me followed, too.”

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