Page 73 of Untamed Protector

“Thanks,” she mutters, burying her face in her hands and letting out a big sigh.

Lexi’s really shaken up. Seeing me like that, all rage and violence… I don’t think she was prepared for it.

We pull up and take the elevator to my office. As the doors hiss open, I scoop her up and hold her tight, one hand cradling her back, the other guiding her face closer to mine until our lips meet. Greedily, I take in the taste I’ve become so familiar with over the past few nights together. Her kiss tastes of tears as she presses her lips against mine. She clings to me, her sobs muffled against my chest, each shuddering breath a slow release of fear.

“Please stop crying. I can’t see you like this. It breaks my heart. You’re safe now.”

I hold Lexi close, refusing to let go. The elevator doors slide open, and she instinctively reaches for the floor. A quiet sniffle escapes her, and she looks everywhere but at me, the fear still hanging heavy in the air.

“I’m not putting you down,” I mutter, stepping into the office. She leans her head on my shoulder, a silent plea for comfort. I settle onto the couch with her in my lap. We face each other, my hand brushing her cheek, lifting her chin until our eyes meet.

“Seeing him hurt you… it triggered something primal in me. I wanted to kill Vargas. I almost…” My voice trails off, the image of Vargas’s face contorted in fear flashing in my mind. “I’m sorry, Lexi. I scared you, didn’t I?”

My fingers brush her lips, a soft touch before I kiss her cheek, then flutter a kiss over her eyelids. “You’re safe now, Lexi,” I whisper. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again—not ever. Today made me realize… I can’t imagine a world without you in it.”

“Gabriel, don’t do this. Don’t play with words. I can’t get abandoned again. I can’t handle another loss.”

“I’m not going to die, Lexi. Do you hear me? I’m here, and I’m not letting go of you.” I squeeze her tighter, feeling her body melting into mine. We probably have a few more minutes before the others show up—just to hold her, touch her, calm her down, and let her know she’s safe with me.

I leave her on the couch and head to the safe behind my desk, hidden behind a painting. I open it up and take out a ring, then turn to Lexi and put it on her finger. She doesn’t flinch, but looks at me in shock.

“Gabriel, what is this? Are you…? You can’t propose to me now. I know you’ll protect me. We don’t need a ring for that.”

“This ring has a tiny GPS in the stone that I can track from my phone. It’s something I use for some of my clients. You should never, ever take it off. That way, I can always find you.”

“A ring with a GPS? And here I thought you didn’t have experience with female clients…”

“Come on, Lexi. Do you have to give me a hard time every time I ask you to do something?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m not used to being with someone or having someone really care for me. I’ve always relied on myself alone… never had time to enjoy life or know what joy truly is. There was so much hate and resentment in my heart.”

“All I ask is that you trust me—I mean, really trust me. If there’s anything you’re still keeping from me, now is the time to change that.”

***

The first ones to get to the office are Lena and Mike. Mike hands Lexi her phone back, the one she left behind in his car when she snuck out to get to the port. She whispers I’m sorry as she takes it, with a guilty look on her face.

After a long hug, Lexi and Lena head to the bathroom. The adrenaline rush is fading, and the aftershocks of the assault will probably hit them soon. Lexi seems more affected by what happened, but Lena really surprised me—completely calm and fearless the entire time. Lexi’s lucky to have a friend like that.

“I sent two men to watch over Iris. Dean’s on guard duty at Lexi’s dad’s house for now. I’m sending reinforcements—two more will take shifts keeping an eye on things there. Dominic’s team is on the way to pick up Lena and take her back to the hotel. She won’t be happy about it, but it’s for her safety. On the ride here, she made it clear she wanted payback on the jerk who double-crossed her and Lexi in the port. Apparently, she has something on him and plans to press charges.”

In just one breath, Mike gives me a rundown of everything he pulled together during his twenty-minute trip to the office. Our protection plan is in full swing. I’m waiting for Damien and Dominic to get here so we can decide how to take down Vargas. After the humiliation he’s suffered, he’ll want revenge—and I expect he’ll go after Lexi and her family and friends.

“Thanks, Mike, that’s great. Are you okay?”

“Me? I’m practically untouched. I can’t say the same about the other guy, though.”

Dominic storms into my office with Damien a few steps behind, talking on the phone. “Where are the girls?” he grunts. “I will kill that motherfucker Vargas if he laid a finger on them. I should’ve let you beat him up when you had the chance, so he’d never think about going against us again.”

His eyes quickly scan the room before stopping on the office bathroom and kitchen doors. He turns and gives me a questioning look. I nod, and he heads over, shouting for Lena. Just as he reaches the kitchen door, she comes out and stops in front of him, looking confused. “What’s with all the shouting?”

“I just wanted to make sure you’re still in one piece. Helena, you’re such a pain in the ass, woman. You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you?”

“I’m okay. Stop making such a fuss about it. And stop playing the nice guy. It’s not a good look on you,” she snaps.

Dominic tries to act tough, but I know he’s really worried about her. He doesn’t let Lena out of his sight, measuring her from head to toe.

“What happened to your clothes?” he explodes, his anger rising as he notices ripped fabric hanging off Lena’s shirt and pants. “Who did this to you?” Before she gets to say anything, he turns to Mike and me. “Do you guys have a picture of Vargas’s goons? Were they the ones who jumped her?”

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