Page 30 of Fiercely Protective

She still didn’t understand, still so reluctant to accept her fate. “You will learn very soon, Angel, that I can do whatever I want. You have no idea how far I will go or the drastic steps I will take to protect what belongs to me. But you will find out shortly and then you will no longer be in doubt about where you belong.”

I watched her eyes widen and decided to change the subject. “We will be having lunch with Nickolai today.”

“The man we are meeting, is he the same one that was almost killed outside your club? Will that not be dangerous? Especially if the ones that shot at him return to finish the job.”

“Nickolai faces threats regularly. As head of the Bratva, he has many enemies. Last night wasn’t even serious enough to make him increase his security detail, and we are meeting on his turf. They will not be so foolish as to try and attack him there sosoon after their first failed attempt. He is much more powerful than the men who want to see him dead.”

Her eyes searched mine. “And you? How powerful are you? Powerful enough to be well-protected?”

I found her obvious concern amusing. “Worried about me now, love?”

The concerned expression she was wearing quickly turned into one of irritation. “Never mind, I shouldn’t have asked. Being shot at is probably an everyday thing for you. I can certainly see why. Sometimes I want to shoot you myself.”

Her cheeky nature and quick wits amused me. I continued to look out the window, knowing that if I looked at her now, I would not be able to keep my hands to myself, and while I had every intention of throwing her skirt over her head and devouring every inch of her before fucking her until she could barely walk, Nik’s favorite restaurant was only a few minutes away. There would be time for that later.

Bri

Rogue remained quiet, but I could tell from the hard set of his jaw and the rigidness of his body that he was angry. I didn’t know much about the kind of life that he lived and while I imagined being shot at and being friends with people who were vicious criminals could make anyone’s nerves on edge, he was not the type of man to be intimidated. To say that my nerves were a bit frayed would be a monumental understatement. My foot continuously tapped against the floor, a gesture I often didwhen I was nervous; my palms were sweaty, and my stomach fluttered. We were about to meet with the leader of the Russian mob. Would we be searched when we entered? Would there be guys with guns everywhere? I had only met the man once before Rogue threw me over his shoulder and carted me away. But he did say that his friend Nickolai was dangerous, as if I couldn’t have figured that much out on my own.

The car came to a stop in front of a small Italian restaurant that was nothing like what I expected. It was very simple, almost like a family café, nothing like the fancy expensive restaurants that seemed to be everywhere in Chicago, the ones I could never afford to eat at, the ones where you had to have reservations weeks ahead of time or know someone important to get in.

The driver came around to open the door for Rogue. He stepped out and adjusted his suit jacket before extending his hand to me. When I got out of the car, the only familiar face I recognized was that of his scowling and sulky friend that I had seen at the club and again at the penthouse.

He stepped closer and even though he was wearing dark sunglasses that hid his eyes, I knew he was staring at me; I could almost feel it.

“Hello, little one.”

It was the first time he had spoken to me directly. I was too nervous to speak so I just gave him a timid smile, and I felt Rogue tighten his hold on my hand.

“Blaze will be by your side anytime I am not. If anything happens and you can’t find me, he will find you. He will protect you at all costs.”

I looked from one man to the other and wondered how two obvious alpha males could coexist peacefully. Then the words he had spoken began to pierce through the stupor my brain seemed to be in.

“Do I need protecting?”

He turned back to look at me briefly. “You are my woman, and I will not take any chances with your safety.”

Those four words,you are my woman, sent a chill down my spine and seemed so final, as if that was all I needed to know.

I didn’t have any more time to argue that statement with him as he immediately began tugging me behind him as we entered the restaurant. I heard a deep brief chuckle from behind me, and I wondered if Blaze found this entire situation entertaining. It made me speculate how many women he had said that to before and if any of them were held captive as I found myself to be. I imagined I am the only woman who did not run to his bed the minute he looked in their direction. Although I kept referring to my predicament as captivity, I had to admit that I hadn’t tried very hard to escape since the first night. There was something wrong with me.

When an unintentional sigh slipped past my lips, Blaze stepped forward and whispered near my ear, “Bored so soon or were you thinking of the more pleasurable aspects of being Rogue’s woman?”

I turned my head and met his gaze. “Jealous? I will trade places with you if that’s what you want.” I was about to also let him know in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t anyone’s woman when a very large and burly-looking man stepped out of the shadows.

“You all have to be searched before you go any farther.” His Russian accent was thick.

Blaze stepped past me. “The fuck we do! Nickolai knows we are coming.”

“Yes, he does, and he left strict orders that everyone was to be searched.”

Blaze’s expression became even more severe. “Let me save you fuckers the time. I have three pistols on me and about five different knives and not one of you is capable of relieving me of them.”

Rogue released my hand and opened his coat. “We are both carrying weapons and Nickolai knows it. What kind of game is this?”

One of the men stepped between me and Rogue separating us. I took several steps back as a small grin crossed his lips.

“Touch her and I’ll cut off both your hands.”

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