Page 59 of Fiercely Protective

I breathed in the scents coming from his small kitchen. “Hmm, smells delicious.”

He escorted me over to a small round table and held a chair out for me. Rogue sat opposite me, and Michael began serving us.

“I know our meeting yesterday was brief, Brielle. But I would like to get to know you better. Tell me a little about yourself.”

I immediately picked up the glass of red wine before me and took a drink. I wasn’t comfortable talking about myself or sharing my past, and I could feel Rogue watching me. He had never asked a lot of questions about my life before Chicago other than my relationship with Tony. “I hope you weren’t counting on me for lively stories. I haven’t lived the exciting type of life that the two of you have. I don’t have a lot of family and spent most of my time since I was fifteen working a full-time job and going to school.”

“Rogue had mentioned that you were from Colorado. What made you want to start a new life here in Chicago? I would think it must have been difficult to leave behind the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.”

I picked up my fork. “It wasn’t that difficult. I mean life is all about change and who of us knows how long we will be in one place.”

I looked up at Rogue, his expression had not changed.

I took a bite of the chicken, it was good, really good. “This is delicious, Father Michael. I think you could open a restaurant.”

“He would go out of business in a month,” Rogue said, his voice indifferent and distant.

Michael laughed. “Rogue is right. I don’t have the head for business that he does. Do you have plans to go back to the club tonight?”

Rogue swallowed the food he was chewing. “As soon as we leave here, but I will not be there for long. I have other plans for the evening.”

His eyes were intently fixed upon me, and I took another drink hoping the wine would help soothe the tickle in my throat.

Father Michael cleared his throat. “I was hoping Blaze would come tonight.”

Rogue wiped his mouth and swallowed the remaining contents of his glass. “He is occupied with other things.”

I watched as Father Michael’s face fell. “After dinner, I would like to speak with you, if you have time. One of my parishioners brought some information to me and asked me to tell you. It concerns a man named Petros.”

I immediately scooted my chair back. “I can leave the two of you alone.”

Rogue’s hand grabbed mine. “No, finish your dinner. Michael and I can step out.”

I watched as Father Michael and Rogue left the kitchen. I wasn’t sure where they would go and while a part of me wanted to follow and hear what was said, another part of me said to mind my own business. It wasn’t about Tony, so it didn’t concern me. I continued eating, licking, the final remnants of sauce from my fork before pouring myself another glass of wine. But my curiosity finally got the better of me, and I couldn’t resistmoving closer to the kitchen door, hoping to catch a little bit of the conversation.

Rogue

“What do you know of Petros?”

“I know that he is dangerous,” Michael said as he leaned back against the wall. “One of the young men who attends church said that he heard a man of that name asking questions about you. He is trying to discover your habits, the places you frequently attend, and your shipment schedules for your merchandise or whatever it is you deal in. I don’t want to know so don’t tell me. He has men watching the building where the penthouse is downtown as well as the club. I know he is working on a much smaller scale than you, but remember, a snake is a snake, and can easily take down a giant with one strike. Don’t underestimate your enemy, Rogue.”

“I’m not underestimating him. I already knew he had me under surveillance. What he doesn’t know is that Blaze is watching him as closely as he is watching me. Nik is also aware of him, as is Alessio. The fool has no idea the trouble he has started. His arrogance and pride will lead to his downfall.”

Michael looked back toward the kitchen door. “What of the men from yesterday? The ones looking for Brielle.”

I sighed heavily and motioned for him to walk farther away from the door with me. “The man that sent them is Tony Galante.”

I watched his eyes narrow as the name ran through his head. “It is not familiar.”

“I didn’t think it would be, but his stepfather is Frankie Ballentine. I’m sure that name will ring a few bells.”

“The mafia hitman? That Frankie Ballentine?”

“The same.”

I watched as he started pacing the room. “That is an entirely different problem. What does his stepson want with your wife?”

“Before she came to Chicago, he attacked her. He beat her and nearly raped her before someone heard her screams and came to help. That fact alone would have been enough for me to end him, but now that he has followed her to Chicago, I not only will kill him, but I plan to make him suffer.”

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