Page 36 of Untamed Protector

“Gabe, there’s something else you could do, but you won’t like it.” Dominic comes up to me and rests his hand on my arm. “I saw the video of you guys at the Casino ball. It’s viral. I don’t know if you realize it, but people already think Lexi’s your girlfriend. I’ve been teasing you about it, but seriously, now… if you claim her publicly as your girl, that’ll send a message. Anyone messing with you knows how you handle things. They wouldn’t dare touch someone under your protection.”

“Only you can come up with stuff like that, Dom…” I pause, sigh, and continue, “…but it might just work. It would give me some breathing space to find the asshole who’s behind this. Because whoever they are, they can’t get away with it. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to close this case.”

“I assume you’re planning to report them to the police with evidence, so they can be held accountable,” Damien says, the voice of reason among us. “What other leads do you have, Gabe?” he continues.

“Well, some of her coworkers could also be behind this. I’ll ask Peter for the list and see if there are any suspicious connections.”

“That’ll take time. I can help,” Damien says. I know his official position grants him access to a lot of data, but I’d much rather he was in the field, gathering intel from informants rather than behind a computer.

“Look, Damien, I appreciate it, but my team’s got the background checks covered. Of course, if anything criminal pops up, you’ll be the first to know—that’s where your expertise comes in.”

“Gabe, I understand you feel deeply indebted to Peter. He’s been incredibly generous, sponsoring our work and the many causes we care about. But the real question is: what’s the connection between Lexi and the Maiers?” Dominic asks.

He points out something that’s been bugging me ever since I spoke to Peter. Exposing Lexi so recklessly was terrible enough, but what truly bothered me was the sense of secrecy. It felt like Peter wasn’t being fully transparent with me, like there was something bigger he wasn’t telling me.

“Peter is a question mark for me, too,” I answer. “Also, we need to investigate Lucas. Lexi uncovering some of Lucas’s dirty laundry wouldn’t surprise me. If she has proof, it could explain the threats. The arrogant, scared tone of the letters feels like his style.”

“And how do we do that?” Dominic asks.

“I’ll handle Lucas, don’t worry.” Lucas and I have some unfinished business. I’ve gotten him out of hot water a few times—bad loans, gambling… the whole nasty package. Thanks to Peter, I couldn’t exactly give him what he deserved. But maybe a little fear would make him reconsider his current path.

“So, as I was saying earlier… there’s one other thing left to do,” Dominic circles back. “We need to make your relationship public, Gabe. Let’s have something at the club or the restaurant. Where would you like to host a party?”

I knew this was coming. Lexi’s going to flip when I drop the bomb about her being my fake girlfriend. I can already picture the eye rolls and the dramatic sighs. It’s going to be a complete show.

10

Lexi

“Gabriel’s here to pick you up. He’s waiting for us in the parking lot,” Mike tells me calmly.

His phone rang a few seconds ago. The call I’ve been waiting hours for, so I could finally leave this freaking office. Everyone has already left the building. Mike and I are the only ones left, patiently waiting in a meeting room.

I asked Peter if I could work from a conference room this afternoon, away from the people in the office. Having Mike, our resident human security blanket, shadowing me all day, has everyone buzzing. I appreciate the protection, but I can’t take the constant staring. And it’s not me they’re captivated by. It’s Mike, the six-foot-five giant with impressive biceps straining against his shirt, and a killer stare.

As it turns out, he’s a really sweet guy. We had a heart-to-heart when we were alone in the room. I wanted to know more about Gabriel. Two minutes in, I was already done with the whole Gabriel thing. Mike is such a fan that he probably has Gabriel’s poster on his ceiling, so I switched gears to ask about his life. It turns out he’s a veteran, and he met Gabriel through the Veterans Association. He thought it was great how he gave jobs to veterans and how working for Gabriel felt like a family. Ugh. He either gave me the rehearsed speech, or he truly believes this stuff.

“Thanks, Mike,” I smile and finally say as we take the elevator to the parking lot.

“Don’t mention it,” he says, a tight smile creasing his lips. “And stay safe,” Mike adds instead of Goodbye as we leave the elevator and enter the empty parking lot. There’s a black SUV parked nearby. It must be Gabriel, who’s here to collect his package.

The good thing is that I got to talk to Lena. I called her the second Gabriel told me what happened, but there was no answer at first. That just freaked me out even more. I needed to see her with my own eyes, but Mike kept stopping me. “You’re not going anywhere, Miss.” When she finally called back, I almost cried when I heard her voice.

I feel horrible for dragging her into my mess. My life turned into a prison in just a few days—living with strangers, unable to be near loved ones, constantly scared of noises and strangers. Threatening letters, cars following me around, and people breaking into the house I live in. Everything is a lot more intense now, and that feels overwhelming. I need some time to think everything through and come up with a backup plan or more. To search every corner of my mind for the red thread that runs through this story. I usually get it right away when I focus. But with Gabriel constantly on my case, I can’t think straight.

The car pulls up, and Gabriel gets out when he sees us. He waits patiently by the open door, gesturing for me to get in. Cold and professional. His mood swings drive me up the wall. I feel his overwhelming presence again when he gets inside next to me, just like the night at the Casino.

“I’m a little late. There was a lot to take care of. I hope you didn’t get bored with Mike.” I can’t tell if there’s an apology in there or if he’s messing with me.

“Not at all. Mike’s an amazing singer and dancer. He knows a lot of jokes, too. I don’t even know when the time has passed.”

He attempts a smile that comes out crooked. I can’t read this man. I can’t tell when he gets angry and when he doesn’t.

He doesn’t start the car. Instead, he leans in slowly, his gaze dropping to meet mine. A hint of citrus cologne fills the air as he brushes his hand behind my seat, sending shivers down my spine. And then the unexpected. His arms wrap around me, pulling me close in a warm embrace. My senses ignite—his scent, the heat of his breath on my cheek, the feel of his powerful arms holding me safe. Lost in the moment, my eyes trace the lines on his face—the furrow between his brows, the hint of a beard shadow, the crinkles etched on his forehead. What is he doing? Is he going to lecture me? Haven’t I been a good little prisoner?

“I’m sorry for what happened to Lena. But she’s fine now.” His voice, surprisingly gentle, carries a hint of unexpected compassion.

“I know,” I reply. “I talked to her. She texted me as soon as she got settled and sent a picture of her forehead after she got stitched up. Did you figure out what happened? Any leads?”

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