Page 33 of His Lovebug

I stared at him for a moment before I sighed and sat back in my seat so I could hit the accelerator and drive away. I couldn’t help but glance in the rearview mirror.

The sunset lighting up the outrage on his face was the last thing I saw before I turned the corner.

12

QUIN

Instead of going directly into the cute house that belonged to Derek, I paced outside the front door. Rage stabbed my brain.Just who the hell does Matt think he is? This alpha male bullshit makes me want to scream.

After being insulted for hours by that blowhard, dickwad cop, all I’d wanted to do was cuddle up with Matt and let him love me. He always told me I was beautiful and perfect, and right now nothing would’ve made me feel better.

Butno.

Without consulting me, he’d dumped me on Derek’s doorstep. Why? Because he thought it was safer? I held in a shout that tried to crawl out of my throat. I didn’t normally devolve into lamenting the idiocy of men, but right now I wanted to claw his eyes out. What was he thinking? Why would I be better offwithouthim?

“What an absolute cretin,” I muttered.

I wasn’t stupid. Situations like this were bound to arise from time to time because of what Matt did for a living, but if wecouldn’t discuss these things when they happened, how would we ever make our marriage work? Was there any way to do it?

A car pulled into the small driveway, and I crossed my arms and glared in that direction as Derek hopped out and hustled toward me with a wide smile. Aplacatingsmile. Oh, he could go directly to hell, too. Who did he think he was kidding?

He came at me with his hands spread wide. “Don’t glare at me that way, Quinny. You’ll break my heart. Why aren’t you inside? Someone so beautiful shouldn’t be standing around on the doorstep.” Derek lightly rested his hand on my back and urged me toward the door, but I shook him off. His dark eyebrows shot upward.

“No. Don’t you dare.”

“Oh.” He glanced around as if he was confused. “But I sent two men from the casino over. They must be inside. They’re armed to the teeth, and they’ll mow down anyone who steps foot on this property who shouldn’t be here. You’re in good hands.” He tilted his head and gave me a broken puppy look. Maybe he thought I was upset about the lack of security outside?Maybeif I’d had any input on it, I would have something to say about it. I gritted my teeth until my jaw ached.

“No.”

He cupped my hands and smiled wider. “It’s cold. I don’t want you out here when you belong inside. There’s a fireplace in the living room. I could?—”

“I’m going home,” I said, tone clipped.

Derek rubbed one of my hands between his, and damn it all to hell, it was sweet and comforting. I could see him treating his son this way. He stared at the ground for a minute before he hit me with another small smile. “Colt nicely, well nice for Colt anyway, asked me to keep you safe while he’s handling some messy business. Very messy. I don’t want anything to happen toyou, so I agreed. Please go inside.” His blue eyes gleamed with hope and sincerity.

I swallowed hard. Derek had always been sweet to me, but I knew that he didn’t bat an eye at helping to bury random bodies. His business wasn’t a clean one. Was there a point past which I couldn’t push him? I’d never had to worry about this crap with Derek, and I was mad all over again that I even had to consider my friend might hurt me simply for not listening to him—not followingordersfrom Matt.

I stomped my foot. “Derek, your house is beautiful, but I want to be in mine. I’m going home.”

He gripped my wrist and frowned, then turned toward the door. I stood stiffly as he opened it. He was careful not to hurt me, but he put his arm around me and sort of pushed me inside the front door, then locked it. I didn’t fight, but I didn’t exactly go easily, either.

“For your own safety, I insist,” he said quietly, but I could see the regret in his eyes.

“For yours, you better let me go.” The words contained all the fire I was holding in. “This isn’t okay.”

Derek sighed and reached toward my shoulder, but I dodged back a step, and there was sadness on his face as he let his hand fall to his side. “Youknowwe live a dangerous life. Kit doesn’t know anything about our business to keep him as safe as possible.”

“He’s your son. I’m going to be Matt’s wife!”

Derek nodded, jaw bulging with tension. “He wants you away from anything that could hurt you, and I understand. More than that, Iagreewith him. There’s nothing you can do to help. You’ll only get hurt. Stay here so he doesn’t have to worry about you. Let him keep his mind clear. I’m happy to keep you safe.”

Derek thought he was helping—I knew he did—but all I wanted to do was slap him across the face. “If I walk away from here, what will you do?”

He winced. “Please. I adore you. Don’t put me in this spot. I don’t want to accidentally hurt you, but you have to stay here. I’ll do what needs to be done.” Derek gestured toward the living room, and I was seething as I dropped onto a couch and crossed my arms.

Derek paced and rested his hands on his hips, pushing back his suit jacket. He exposed a gun holster that I’d never seen on him, and my blood ran cold. I’d known this was serious, but Matt had said more than once that Derek usually let his men do the “dirty work.” I guess my safety was something he was willing to get elbow deep in blood for.

“He cares about you.” Derek flashed me another one of those too-big smiles that weren’t the real ones, the friendly ones I’d become used to receiving along with dinner conversation.

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