Page 262 of The Protective Gryphen

The asshole yelped and landed flat on his back when Gryphen foot swept him.

“It’s metal, shit for brains,” he said, putting his size sixteen boot on his chest, holding him down. “Now, I suggest you gather your crying friend, and go. Because I get mean. You’ll be going home to your mommy in a fucking body bag.”

That was all he had to hear.

As soon as Gryphen moved his foot, the man was up, tipped over the bin, and helped his garbage-covered friend get over there.

Together, they ran.

When Gryphen turned, he saw how pale Ian was, and he suspected what they’d planned on doing to his mate.

“Come here,” Gryphen said, that rage still there.

Ian didn’t hesitate.

He ran at him and went into his body, shaking from the fear of what he’d nearly experienced.

Again.

In that moment, Gryphen could give him a lecture, but what good would it do?

Ian was scared, and he’d found him in time. Oh but he knew that he was buying handcuffs, and not only for sexy fun.

To keep the man in one place.

“Hey, Baby. Having an adventure without me in a dirty alley?” he asked, wrapping his arms around him to hold him protectively against his chest.

His heart was racing too.

When he’d come out and then went to go get Ian, only to find him gone, he started freaking the fuck out. It had been the scariest three minutes of his whole life.

This was why.

This was the kind of shit he feared happening to him if he let him out of his sight.

Oh, he was going to be driving him to work and then home after when they were back. He was not letting Ian out of his sight.

“They were going to hurt me.”

He was so angry, but not at Ian.

“I came out, and I couldn’t find you,” Ian whispered. “I started looking for you and was having a panic attack,” he admitted. “I got mixed up and came down here. I had to find you.”

That was on him.

He should have just picked up the necklace on his own and let Graham wait for the man.

“Shhhhhh, Baby, it’s okay. They are handled. No one touches my sweet man,” he said, wiping his tears with his thumbs.

Ian had a death grip on Gryphen’s peacoat.

“Want to go home?” he asked.

At first, when he didn’t get an answer, Gryphen opened his coat, and Ian practically crawled inside to be closer to his scent and body. Then, and only then, did he speak.

“No. I’ll be okay.”

Gryphen hated that someone had scared him, and that he almost didn’t get to him.

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