Page 43 of Untamed Protector

“Like a puzzle.”

“Yes, pretty much. I know you like puzzles. Peter mentioned that when he first told me about you.”

The little window into Lexi’s life is about to close. She seems to be shutting down again.

“Hey, you didn’t tell me why you dropped out of school,” I try my luck one last time.

“It’s late, and I should go to bed. I’m not trying to dodge the question. It’s just painful to talk about that. I had to go back to take care of my dad. Health issues.”

“Is he okay now?”

“Our life has never been the same since then. But, yes, he’s better now. That’s why I could come to the city and work for Peter. And live life the way my dad wanted me to. But before I knew it, these threat letters started coming on. Some life…”

Her voice shakes. She’s been playing with her fork the whole time without looking at me. I only caught a bitter half-smile when she talked about the little pranks she’d pulled in school. She wipes her mouth with a napkin and takes tiny sips from her glass. As she turns around, I notice the scar on her upper lip, where her lipstick has faded.

Lexi sees me flinch and covers her mouth. “Just a minor accident,” she says before I get to ask. “I’ll go cover it up. I’ll be back to talk if you have any more questions. Sorry.”

She gets up to leave, but my hand shoots out, catching hers before I can even think. Her fingers slip perfectly between mine, a spark igniting where our skin connects. Heat floods my cheeks as I pull her closer. My heart stutters a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Gently, I meet her lips with mine, without forcing my tongue inside. Not a demand, but a whispered promise. She’s surprised but doesn’t fight back, not even after seconds go by, as she keeps her eyes closed and her hand on my arm.

I slowly part from her lips, our breaths still mingling in the intimate space between us. “There’s nothing to feel sorry about, Lexi. Don’t cover it, not for me. Scars are not ugly or something to be ashamed of. They’re like battle stripes, proof you faced something tough and came out the other side. They’re a reminder that you’re a survivor, that you healed, and that deep down, you’re braver than you might think.”

12

Lexi

“I’m not sorry for this,” Gabriel says as I instinctively take a step back. That kiss was unexpected, reckless, and impossible to refuse. My mind reeled, caught between surprise and a pull I couldn’t resist. My body felt weightless, anchored only by my hand gripping his arm. Timidly, my other hand found his abdomen, the warmth searing through my fingers. As I felt the heat radiating from his lips and the softness of his touch, a swarm of butterflies erupted in my stomach, an exhilarating mix of fear and excitement.

“Are you usually sorry after a kiss?” I ask. He smiles, grabs the plates, and walks over to the sink like nothing had happened. Like he could just as quickly get back to the table and kiss me again, or maybe even…

Is he playing me? I suddenly remember my bare upper lip and feel exposed without my usual shield of lipstick. He saw, he touched, now he knows. Will there be more questions? It was a moment of weakness. I can’t keep getting caught off guard. But how can I stay alert when he’s strutting around in his tight jeans? Damn, they look good on him. And that shirt straining at the buttons… the rock-hard abs my fingers felt? Get a grip, Lexi!

“It’s late. I think I’ll go to bed. Can you come grab your bedsheets?” I mumble.

Ugh, what am I doing? I push myself to my feet and walk barefoot to the bedroom, the cool floor a shock against my heated skin. I peek back over my shoulder as the silence stretches between us, thick. His footsteps seem louder than ever in the quiet. He doesn’t say a word as he walks behind me, and that bugs me. What is this supposed to mean? Did he even enjoy it?

Leaning against the wall opposite the closet, I wait for him to walk in. A half-unpacked duffel bag gapes on the floor, spewing clothes everywhere. Just a quick shower and changing clothes before dinner left no time for proper unpacking. Luckily, Lena came through with the burner phone and the tablet. I need to talk to her. I’m not sure I should tell her about the kiss. Not yet. Not until I know what Gabriel’s up to.

He comes in, grabs a stack of sheets from the closet, and throws them on the bed before taking another for himself.

“Do you need help with the bed?” he says as he’s about to walk out.

That’s the last thing I need now. A shiver runs down my spine as I imagine it: tangled sheets, my cheeks burning, my mouth dry, and the I know what I’m doing to you! look on his face.

“I got it. Thanks for dinner.”

He throws a smile and a nod my way before walking to the door but then stops with his hand on the knob: “Tomorrow, we’re going to talk to Dominic and Lena. Is it okay if I wake you up at nine?”

“Isn’t it Saturday tomorrow? Are you working, or is there another reason we’re seeing them?”

“We’re gearing up for step two of our plan, in which you’ll be a full participant.”

He walks out, leaving a whirlwind of confusion behind. My mind races. Should I follow him? But what if he starts grilling me with a thousand other questions? I still don’t know what to tell him about me. Maybe Lena knows more about our meeting tomorrow. I wait by the door to hear him walk away and then call Lena.

“Hey, girl,” she answers, all cheerful.

“Hey. Where are you?”

“Soaking in the jacuzzi at Dominic’s incredibly posh hotel.”

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