Page 43 of Desperate Desires

Michelle could play cool doctor all she wanted, but she felt something for me. That alone kept me going.

“Look, I’m sorry about that. I had to take care of some things before I came back to make sure you were safe,” I said, grateful when she paused and looked at me.

I didn’t want to lie. But I didn’t want to tell her everything either. I just wanted her. So I gave her just enough information to let her know I was serious.

“Safe? What do you mean?” she asked, the worry swimming in her big eyes pulling me in.

Was it possible she was worried? Was it even conceivable she cared about me?

“Nothing. It’s complicated,” I said, angry at myself.

I didn’t want to worry her. I wanted to explain. Wanted to tell her everything.

And that was a fucking first.

Michelle turned her body to face me, and I was about to move in when someone sided up to us, making my protective instincts go berserk.

I had an arm in front of her, ready to push her behind me as I turned towards the fucker who was getting all up in my space.

“Ono! What's up, man? You know our Shelly?” Sammy Ramirez shouted, slapping me on the back before nodding at Michelle.

“Back up, man,” I growled before I could stop myself.

I didn’t know why I was acting like an asshole.

That wasn’t true. I did know why.

I was fucking jealous. I didn’t want that single motherfucker around my Bellezza. Even though he was one of my closest friends. And even though I knew he’d known her longer than I had.

I was being irrational. But my instincts were going berserk. More than anything, I wanted to pick Michelle up, toss her over my shoulder, and get her the fuck out of there. I wanted to. But I didn’t.

So fucking sue me for being protective. Whatever.

“Hey, Sammy,” Michelle said, smiling at him, and that green monster on my shoulder grew another fucking inch.

“What's up, Shelly?” he ignored me and addressed her directly.

I rolled my shoulders, trying to calm the fuck down.

“Yo, Shell, is this mug bothering you?” another male joined us.

I closed my eyes as Nico fucking Fury Jr. joined our little trio.

FML.

“Hey Jr.! How’s Annabella?”

“She’s good. So, is this fuck bugging you or what?” he repeated, and I tensed, ready to start a fucking fight.

“No, he's fine,” Michelle said.

She turned her head, raising her eyebrows and looking at me as if to say what the fuck are you doing and I shrugged my response.

Yeah, I currently had both arms on either side of her, hands on the bar, caging her in. It was not my norm, and both men were eyeing me like they couldn’t figure out whether to hit me or what.

They could try. I mean, I was acting like a completely overbearing asshole, but I had no intention of removing my arms from around her body.

I wanted those pricks to get far away from Michelle and I wasn’t being shy about it.

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