Page 49 of Untamed Protector

“What next time? God, Gabriel, it’s like you’re not hearing me.”

“I mean, the next time when we’ll need to act as a couple in public. So that people won’t see through us, as you said. Plus, if you were the least bit honest with yourself, you’d admit that last night when you were in my arms, wearing my T-shirt, snuggling up in my bed… things were getting pretty boyfriend-girlfriend-y, right?”

“Maybe. But you don’t do relationships, remember?”

“Right. I forgot you never forget anything. Let’s pretend that I do relationships. Happy?”

I get an eye roll and pursed lips in response. Luckily, we pull over in front of Dominic’s hotel. Maybe he and Lena can help me talk her into this. I texted Dom already, asking him for ideas on how Lexi and I could pull off this fake dating thing. He’s way better at this than I am.

***

I grab my phone to give Dominic a heads-up that we’re here. He has offices in all his hotels, but he keeps a suite on the top floor for himself and our Protectors’ business.

“I’ll look for Lena. She told me she’d be waiting for me in the lobby,” Lexi says, jumping out of the car before I can grab her hand and heading for the entrance. I catch up with her at the revolving door. We should’ve walked in holding hands, at least. God, this woman is driving me nuts. She only wants it her way. I need to change tactics, or I’ll leave room for error. Damn it! I knew I shouldn’t get too involved with her beyond a professional relationship. But we’re way past that now.

Lexi’s already scanning the lobby for Lena. I call Dominic, but he doesn’t pick up. Suddenly, I see a guy get up from the bar and head over to her. He stares at Lexi and then searches for his phone. As he reaches her, he grabs her arm and starts ranting. “You’re that girl who can count cards, right? Am I lucky to find you here or what? How much do you charge?”

Lexi rips her arm free and shoves him away with her other hand. The guy stumbles back, losing his balance, but quickly bounces back and takes another step toward her. “Come on, don’t play dumb. It says here you’re for hire. Let’s talk. I have money.”

What the fuck? Before he can spit out another word, I lunge and grab him by the neck, yanking him six feet away from Lexi. “Take your hand off her. How dare you talk to her?”

The guy turns red, eyes wide like saucers. He shoves his phone at me, babbling something. I loosen my grip, letting him breathe. Squinting at the screen, I see a video of Lucas—smug as ever—yapping on social media. It’s muted at first, but when I crank the volume, a nightmare unfolds—a slideshow with clips of Lexi from the Casino ball mixed with other photos of her. My stomach lurches as it morphs into a gross ad. Her name flashed big, followed by some sick line about special skills and her selling stuff. The last screen is Lucas, laughing like a total creep, saying Lexi still works for him, and I’m just her bodyguard. The guy looks at me and goes, “He’s right, you’re the bodyguard, yeah? I’m going to press charges for assault, you fucking idiot. Fucking meathead.”

My fist is about to fly at the jerk’s face, but before I connect, a yank, like a steel cable, pulls me back. “Let him go. I’ll have my boys kick him out,” Dominic says from behind me.

I pull away from Dominic’s hand, and I snap my head toward Lexi, who seems frozen in the middle of the lobby, tears running down her cheeks. The whole place has turned into a zoo: drunk barflies, Dominic’s confused staff, and even the creep I was about to punch, all gawking at Lexi. Then, like a bad movie scene, everyone whips out their phones. Lucas’s voice, replaying that garbage about Lexi, echoes from every corner.

I grab her shoulders, steering her toward the elevator. On our way, I see Dominic dealing with the guy I roughed up, talking him down and fixing the mess I made of his clothes. He throws me a nod to let me know he’s got things under control. I want to take Lexi, who’s shaking in my arms, up on the top floor, where Dominic’s apartment is. The elevator doors whoosh open, and it’s thankfully empty. We step in, the mirrored walls reflecting our flushed faces. I slam the button for the top floor and wrap my arms tight around her waist, lifting her a little off her feet.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe. I’m with you.”

“I’ll never be safe in this city now.”

14

Gabriel

The elevator doors slide open, and we see Lena waiting by Dominic’s fancy apartment door. He must’ve called her to explain the whole thing and see if she could help. Lexi throws herself into her arms, bursting into tears. Sobs wrack her body as Lena hugs her tight. A few minutes pass, Lexi’s cries turning into shaky breaths. They head inside and sink into the living room couch, taking a moment to catch their breath.

“Come here, girl. You can’t take it seriously. You know Lucas is an arrogant, spiteful asshole.”

“God, Lena, it’s like I keep reliving the same nightmare scenes from the past. I left my hometown and came here to be invisible and left alone. Now I’m being made fun of, again, by people who don’t get me or give a damn about me. I’m like a circus freak. That’s what Lucas has turned me into.”

Her voice breaks mid-sentence, a fresh tear slipping down her cheek with each shaky word. The hurt in her eyes is raw, bigger than just what’s happening right now. There’s something else there, a secret that she won’t open up about, so I can protect her. But Lexi’s like a puzzle box full of surprises. Every day feels like cracking open a new secret compartment, another piece of her story.

“And Gabriel wants us to pretend we’re a couple and go public. More exposure, more humiliation for me,” Lexi continues, turning her anger at me.

How the hell did I become the bad guy?

Lena waves me over and then heads to the window, leaving Lexi’s side.

I kneel beside Lexi, trying to find the right words to stop the flood of tears. Handling women crying was never something I was good at. I’ve had clients cry in front of me before, but I always stayed professional, putting a wall between me and their emotional storms. My job was keeping them safe; their feelings were a whole other department I never dared enter.

But Lexi… Lexi feels different. This tiny, fragile woman stirs something deep within me, an intense desire to protect that I’ve never felt before. Seeing her so vulnerable breaks my heart, and I can’t just stand by and do nothing.

I cup her hands gently, searching her eyes until they meet mine. When I see a flicker of recognition, I take a deep breath. “Lexi,” I say softly, “what you’re going through now comes from your past; I can’t change the people or the experiences you’ve had before you met me. But you’re not alone anymore. You have me now, and I won’t let anyone hurt you. Please let me in, make me a part of your life, and let’s tell everyone that we’re together. I promise I’ll take out anyone who dares to lay a finger on you. This is what my life is about. It’s what I got trained for and what I excel in—the best protector at your service. Let me take care of you. Please.”

The tremor in her hands melts away as she pulls back, wiping a stray tear with the back of her hand. Her eyes meet mine, and I hold her gaze, the awkward kneeling forgotten as a wave of protectiveness washes over me. At six feet three, I tower over her, but right now, all I want is to make her feel safe.

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