Page 50 of Shielded Secrets

“Leave her alone,” I warned.

“I’m not talking to you,” he repeated with more ire in his strained tone.

And I wasn’t wasting time listening to him, either. “Let’s go,” I told Kelly, urging her to walk out the exit with me.

I didn’t know who this fucker was or why he thought he could harass her right now, but I didn’t intend to stand around and find out.

“She’s not going anywhere,” the guard said, puffing his chest out.

Leaning against me, almost cowering, Kelly trembled and clutched the front of my shirt.

I leveled a hard glare on the man. “Fuck off,” I ordered.

Before I make you.

21

KELLY

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

Panic filled me as I stayed plastered to Rurik’s side.

While he stared down the security guard I’d bumped into accidentally when I hurried out of the dean’s office suite, I tried to think of some excuse or loophole to talk my way out of this. That was what I did before. That was my go-to method whenever any figure of authority questioned me before. Lie, fudge, and divert. It used to work like a charm.

Except for the case of Officer O’Malley.

And apparently, except for the case with this security guard.

“She’s not going anywhere until she explains why she was hurrying through the offices.”

Rurik huffed. “It’s against the law to be in a fucking hurry?”

“She was acting suspicious,” the guard declared, scowling at me.

“No, I wasn’t.” I narrowed my eyes at him, feeling stronger and bolder with Rurik at my side. I wasn’t alone. I had backup. I had support. Facing off this man, we were a team.

“Don’t tellmewhat I saw.” He jabbed his finger at me, speaking through clenched teeth. Whoever this guy was, he clearly had issues with his temper. Anger management could work wonders with him.

Rurik smacked his hand away. “Don’t point at her like that.”

“I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to her.” He locked his steely gaze on me again. “Why were you rushing away?”

“I wasn’t,” I protested. Nervous all over again, I tried not to panic or react. The mere thought of being caught spying terrified me. I was a rule-follower as much as I could be. I didn’t go looking for trouble. My motto was to stay on the down low and avoid making waves.

I’d screwed that all up by agreeing to be with a Mafia man, though. And I’d worsened it all when I said I would spy for the Baranov Family.

What have I done? What am I going to do?Terror gripped me, and I couldn’t find the words to give this man. If I opened my mouth to speak, I feared I’d say something to make this even worse.

He was targeting me just because I’d bumped into him exiting the office, but I hadn’t been running. And I’d been so careful to look bored and not nervous. Avoiding others’ attention was something I had practice with.

“I don’t believe you. You’re acting suspicious,” the guard accused.

“And I don’t give a fuck what your opinions are of her.” Rurik urged me to turn and walk away with him, but the guard wasn’t having it.

“You don’t walk away from me!” He grabbed for Rurik’s arm, getting a flimsy grip on his sleeve. In a blur of motion, Rurik faced him again and encouraged me to hide behind him. He’d moved so quickly that it blurred in a flash. Rurik had the front of the guard’s shirt within his fist as he shoved him back. Standing between me and the guard, he looked like an impassable wall of strength.

“Did I give you permission to lay your hands on me?” he growled.

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