Page 48 of Fiercely Protective

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You are a good judge of character.”

“I wouldn’t say so.”

Before I could argue the point with her, I saw Blaze standing across the room. He inclined his head slightly, then looked toward the bar where our informant was drinking while trying to coax his way into the pants of a girl much younger than him.

I gripped Bri’s arm. “I would take offense at that if I thought you were speaking of me.”

“Who says I wasn’t? Where are we going?”

“I have someone I need to speak to alone. You are going to wait with Blaze. Have a drink, enjoy the music, perhaps he will delight you with stories.”

She sighed softly. “Delight me with stories? Are we talking about the same guy?”

I knew Blaze was not much of a conversationalist, but he was trusted, and I would only leave my most prized possession with him. “Stay here. I’ll be back when I can.”

“How long will you be?”

I heard the change in the tone of her voice. “Miss me already?”

“No, I just wanted to know how long I would be free of you.”

I leaned closer to her ear. “Just long enough for you to imagine all the things I am going to do to you tonight once I rip that dress and anything you are wearing underneath from your body.”

Her cheeks were still flushed from where I had fucked her in the car before we arrived at the gala, and I loved it. “I bet if I backed you up against the wall, and my fingers found their way to your pussy, you would be soaking wet.”

“Stop talking to me like that.”

She looked away, and I couldn’t resist leaning over and kissing her cheek. “I enjoy seeing you flustered, baby.”

Her eyes lowered. “Am I just to stand here with the grumpy giant? What if someone asks me to dance?”

My teasing smile instantly vanished. “No dancing unless you want to see me commit violence.”

I glanced over at Blaze, who had heard her question and was grinning at my response. The two of us had always commented on how ridiculous we thought Alessio behaved when it came to his wife Eden, but now that I had Bri, I understood the feeling of intense possessiveness that coursed through my veins at the thought of another man touching her or thinking that they could take her from me.

“Keep her in your sight at all times. As soon as I have what I want from Sevan Avagyan, we will get the hell out of here. I have already grown bored with this.”

Chapter Eleven

Bri

As Rogue walked away, I observed how the women in the room immediately tried to gain his notice, either by a sly smile, a casual wink, a louder than necessary laugh, or the even bolder approach of walking into his path. I couldn’t blame them. He was sexy as hell, and in that tux, with the way he exuded money and power, it was enough to make any woman do a double take. A few weeks ago, if I had seen him in the same situation, I would have ogled him too. Now, after being in his bed, I felt as if there was a hypnotic force drawing me to him. I had said time and again that I would leave when given the chance, that I didn’t belong to him. I repeated it in my head over and over, just waiting for the right moment, but now I wasn’t sure if I would take the opportunity if it was given to me. The man was captivating in a strange perilous sort of way.

I pulled my eyes away from him and instead turned to Blaze. “Why does he come to these things? He doesn’t mingle well. He doesn’t dance. He doesn’t seem to enjoy any of it. And he wants to leave early. I just don’t understand. Why not avoid it all?”

My grumpy bodyguard stepped a little closer to loom over me when it looked as if a gentleman was getting ready to approach us.

“It’s business, little one. He makes an appearance to let everyone know that he is still in power and that this is still his city. To remind his enemies and anyone foolish enoughto confront him, that they will not succeed. It is a show of supremacy and lets people know what he will do to keep it. And you.”

I looked at him sharply. “Me?”

“Yep, you don’t think he brought you here tonight just to show you a good time. He is letting everyone know that you are his now.” He looked down and his lips turned up for just a second. “Marking his territory…so to speak.” His eyes flicked over the red teeth mark embedded on my collarbone.

I scanned the crowd until I saw him again. He was speaking to a man at the bar, his stance, his mannerisms, and everything about him radiated authority and dominance. The man he was speaking with was older and appeared to be nervous. I couldn’t deny my curiosity.

“Are we here because of what happened at the club? Because someone tried to kill your friend Nickolai? Does this man have information or ….” I paused as another more disturbing thought crossed my mind. “Are we here because of the men that were following us today, the ones that were after me?”

I reached for his arm to steady myself and the look of panic on his face was almost comical.

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