Page 22 of Untamed Protector

“Then get to know me.” I get up and walk over to her, reaching out my hand. “Gabriel Ross, at your service.”

That steals a smile from her, at least. Lexi gives me her hand, and I grasp it, holding it against my chest, feeling the warmth of her touch flooding through me. It feels like it’s been too long since I felt her so close, and the sensation is almost overwhelming. Her eyes widen in surprise, and I can see her lips quivering with emotion. Is she waiting for me to kiss her? The temptation is almost unbearable, especially with the intoxicating scent of her perfume enveloping me. But I know it’s too soon for that, too soon to act on the whirlwind of emotions swirling between us.

I gently grab her hand and lead her to the window. Peter’s offices are in the industrial area of the city. You can spot the port in the distance from the window.

“Let me show you something,” I say as she takes a few steps in front of me.

“I know the city, even though Peter said I’ve only just arrived,” Lexi shoots back.

We stop by the window. “I know you do. You went to school here for almost two years,” I offer a smile. I know a few details from Peter, even if I haven’t seen her file yet. That’s next on my list today.

“Hell, you know everything about me, and I hardly know anything about you. It’s not fair.” She turns around, wanting to head back to the table. I grab her hand again to stop her.

“Bear with me, please. I’ll answer all your questions. But first, look. Do you see the port and the city in the distance? These places hold no secrets to me. I know what everyone does, the good and the bad. It’s my business to know. If anyone can get you out of this mess, it’s me. The quicker you help me understand who you are and why someone would threaten you, the sooner you’ll get back to your life. Whoever is out to get you, they’re going to regret it.”

I’ve been holding her hand the entire time we talked. She didn’t flinch away, but a tense distance lingers between us, her breaths coming in short bursts. Is it me or the shadow of the threats hanging heavy in the air? Her gaze darts between me and the window. If we are to work together, she needs to let me in. I need to know who she is if I’m to protect her. And I seem to have my work cut out for me.

She keeps quiet, looking out the window, but then, in a gesture both unexpected and intimate, she squeezes my hand, her fingers pressing a gentle warmth into mine. Like a silent response to my request.

“There’s one more important thing to help me understand the situation better. Why the Maier family?” I ask.

“What do you mean? It’s a job, and it pays well. I need the money.”

“With your skills, you can do anything. You can work in so many places. So why did you agree to do dirty work for Peter?”

“Landing a well-paying job like this would be a stroke of luck in my hometown. I make good money working for Peter here, maybe above average. We were lucky to get his help,” she says, looking down. That felt like a politically correct answer. And what does she mean by “we”?

“But you’re here now. Another city, with other possibilities.”

“I’ve just arrived. I can’t even afford to go a month without pay. It takes time to look for a new job. And it wouldn’t be fair to Peter. Why are you so attached to him?”

“I already told you. We do business together. It’s nothing personal.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me and my past. I have my reasons for liking the stability this job brings. And until recently, I had no issues in all the years I had worked for Peter.”

She suddenly stops and stares at me. “What’s with this interrogation? What are you trying to get to?”

I must’ve hit a nerve. These reactions help me piece things together. The clients I protect often lie, covering things they’re ashamed of or afraid of. Which one is it in Lexi’s case? It’s time I make her options clear.

“You need to get used to this, to me. I need to know a lot more to be able to watch over you. I need you to tell me everything. Can you do that? I’m your best chance right now. You can walk away and put yourself and your loved ones in danger. Or you can trust me, and I’ll ensure you’re protected. What will it be?”

She keeps staring out the window, her breaths coming quicker. As she processes my words, every emotion flickers across her face. It was a risk—she’s fiercely independent and impulsive. But there’s a weight on her shoulders, something in her past that’s made her guarded, afraid to let anyone in. Her body trembles slightly, and I can feel the tension under my touch as I hold her close.

Then, her enigmatic green eyes meet mine, and she says the words I’ve been longing to hear: “I’m not about to pack up and leave this city because of some random jerks. What do I need to do to put an end to this?”

7

Lexi

Gabriel’s hand rests warm and steady against mine, anchoring me by the window. His calm voice washes over me like a soothing balm. Here’s a confident man who seems to possess the power to solve any problem—even mine. He speaks of retaliation against those who dare to threaten me, and for a second, I find the idea strangely comforting, like a promise of safety. But with his claim to know everything and everyone in the city, a knot of unease tightens in my gut.

This new man in my life is a wildcard. He could be an ally for me, but he seems firmly in Peter’s camp for now. Peter, the enigmatic figure who offered us a lifeline—funding Dad’s surgery, then hiring me once I dropped out of school. Peter, the man who didn’t make his fortune by being generous to his employees, paid me a director’s salary, apparently with no strings attached. Was it kindness or something more calculated? He’s a man of immeasurable wealth with a known passion for fast cars, just like his mysterious playboy son. But can I truly trust either of them?

I’m beginning to think all this generosity is to hide something. Either Peter or his son did something to us. And I need to find out who it was and make them pay before time runs out. I’ve only got a month left to gather evidence. Meanwhile, Gabriel, Peter’s right hand, is on my case, watching my every move.

The only way out of this mess is for me to work with Gabriel and get my life back as soon as possible—my life before this mess, before the accident, my happy life with my father.

“So, what is it you want to know about me?” I ask Gabriel.

---