Page 11 of Under Their Protection

“Left arm,” he replies. I glare at Rowan and he chuckles. “Better for him to see it now than in the middle of that club.”

“Let me see,” Max repeats. I back myself into a corner and Max boxes me in with a hand on either side of my body. Rowan turns and faces us to likely see what Max will do.

“Max, please. You’re going to get mad, and Isaac isn’t worth it,” I say softly.

“Either you take your shirt off or I rip it off of your body. Make your choice, Nika. If I have to take it off, you will be punished,” Max says in an eerily calm voice.

“You’d punish someone who’s bruised?” I ask playfully.

“Anika!” he says as he moves his hands to my shirt.

“Okay!” I snap. “Okay. I’ll show you. Chill out.” Max takes a step back to give me room. I take a deep breath before following the same routine as before and take off my thin white blouse. His eyes move to my arm and he audibly growls as he gently grabs my arm and pulls me closer to him.

“How does it feel?” he asks softly.

“It’s okay,” I say. Max runs his thumb over the bruise and I wince.

“I don’t like it when you lie to me, Anika,” he says smoothly.

“I’m notlying. It’s okay,” I repeat.

“How did it happen?” he asks, still looking at the bruise.

“I wouldn’t react. I caught them and just packed my stuff. I gave my wedding dress to Harper and told her to get it sized because her tits were too small. That was basically the only thing I said and he got pissed that I wouldn’t talk to him. He grabbed my arm when I went to leave. He was just trying to get me to react but I pulled my arm away and left,” I explain.

“And that’s when you came here?” he asks.

“Not exactly…” I answer slowly.

“No, she told Mia she was staying with her parents and told me she was staying with a friend from high school,” Rowan says as he walks over to us, blocking my way of getting away from Max.

“Where were you staying?” Max asks me.

“Her truck,” Rowan answers for me.

“Will you shut up?” I snap and Rowan smiles.

“I may not be able to punish you yet for lying, but he can,” Rowan replies.

Yet? Oh fuck. Maybe Mia was right…

“Your truck?” Max asks, trying to not get upset with me.

“Yeah,” I whisper.

“Nika, honey. Why didn’t you call me? You know I would have helped you,” Max says as he brushes stray hair out of myface.

“I didn’t want to ask anyone for help. I was just going to get by until I could get some money saved,” I say quietly as I drop my gaze to my hands.

“Nika, baby,” he says as he lifts my chin to look at him. “You are so fucking stubborn. You know that?”

“I know,” I smile weakly. “I just didn’t want to admit that I’m stupid and spent all of my savings supporting someone who was fucking my sister.” Max wraps his hand around the back of my neck and swiftly pulls me closer. I gasp and steady myself with my hands on his chest. He tilts my head back with his thumb under my chin. My breath hitches when he pulls me even closer, and we are nose to nose.

“I do noteverwant to hear you call yourself stupid again, Anika. Do you understand me?” he growls at me.

“Yes,” I say softly.

“Yes what?” he asks, narrowing his eyes and keeping me close.

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