Page 5 of Elusive Enforcer

With each passing block, the protective streak I didn’t know I had keeps trying to surface. She could be snatched off the street, mugged, kidnapped, trafficked…

I growl, making myself upset with completely made-up scenarios. I need to chill the fuck out and get those documents, no matter how enchanting the woman who took them is.

“Nice night,” someone says. The deep voice has a dangerous edge to it, putting me on high alert. A second later, a man steps out from his spot in a secluded alley between two strip clubs.

My woman ignores him.Good girl.I don’t have time to dwell on where the hell that came from or why I want to make her mygood girl. I’m sure that will come later when I’m fighting another restless night of no sleep.

“Hey, Cherry, I’m talking to you.”Cherry? Is that her name? Do these two know each other?

"Um… You must have the wrong person. I'm Florence, not Cherry."

I sigh and shake my head, not liking the fact that she gave this creep her real name. I can’t intervene. I shouldn’t.I won’t.

When the man crowds her space, all other thoughts and obligations fall right out of my head.

Florence tenses, her shoulders drawn up to her ears as she cowers in the man’s presence. He has to be nearly six inches taller than her with a beer belly his belt is struggling to contain.

“Cherry,” he repeats. “Because of your hair.” The vile man points his lit cigarette in the direction of Florence’s head, making her duck out of the way. “Listen, I–”

“There you are,” I say as I approach the two. I have no idea what I’m doing, only that I have to protect the woman I haven’t stopped thinking about in days. “Why didn’t you call? You know I would have picked you up from work.”

Florence turns her gaze toward me, then tilts her head back - way back - so we’re eye to eye. The fucker standing next to us may tower over my woman, but I still have a few inches on him. Questions flood her green eyes, but beneath that, I notice something surprising; relief. I can’t remember the last time anyone has been relieved to see me. I tend to have the opposite effect on people.

I silently plead for her to trust me, nodding my head once. She picks up on my intentions immediately, pasting on a smile and leaning into me. My arm automatically wraps around her hips, tucking her into my side.Fuck me, she feels so good right here, pressed up against me with my hand spread out over her hip to secure her in place.

“Sorry,” she says, still smiling up at me. “I was going to surprise you at the office.” She’s quick on her feet, which makes me respect the hell out of her.

“You know it’s not the safest out here,” I tell her firmly, hoping she understands this isn’t just part of the charade. I turn my attention toward the fucker who thought he had a chance with this stunning woman. “Any sleazy low-life could come out of the shadows and try to hit on you.” I don’t break eye contact, staring the man down until he backs away a few feet.

He doesn’t recognize me, but I sure as hell know who he is. Detective Dirk. He’s deeply embedded in the ring of filthy cops trying to destroy this city for their own gain. Yes, the mafia has several key members of law enforcement in their pockets, but these cops are an entirely different breed.

“I didn’t know she had a bodyguard,” he says, trying to play it off as no big deal. It is. It’s a very big deal. Not that he was hitting on her, though I’m livid about that as well.

The more pressing matter is that the cops know about the file and they must have some idea of who has access to it. If Detective Dirk knew Florence had the documents on her, he'd have snatched her purse and run. For now, he simply has his suspicions.

I don’t know what possesses me in the moment, but I find myself saying, “I’m not her bodyguard. I’m her boyfriend.”

4

FLORENCE

Boyfriend? Did he just say he’s my boyfriend?

I know it’s just pretend, but hearing that word from the single sexiest man I’ve ever seen in reference tomehas my heart racing more than it was before. There's zero chance of us dating in real life. With a chiseled jawline dotted with stubble, deep brown eyes, and muscles his well-tailored suit can't hide… there's no question that he's completely out of my league.

Not only is he older, more experienced, and drool-worthy, but he also has a commanding presence. He's confident without being arrogant, which is hard to pull off. This man doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.

The handsome stranger tightens his hold on me, making me feel safe and secure tucked into his side. Somewhere in the back of my mind, common sense is trying to talk me out of this whole situation. Yes, the large man smoking a cigarette and staring at my chest makes me want to vomit and run in the opposite direction. But can I really trust the stranger who stepped up beside me? What if his intentions are just as bad?

"My bad," the sketchy man in the alley mumbles as he takes another drag from his cigarette. He shares a long look with mysavior in a three-piece suit, each man silently daring the other to blink. Eventually, the sleazy man retreats back into the alley he came from, busying himself with lighting another cigarette.

“Let’s get out of here,” my rescuer says to me, his tone more casual than I expected. “We’re going to be late for our dinner reservations.”

“Right,” I manage to choke out.

He nods at me once, then escorts me down the street. "Don't look back," he murmurs, his breath tickling the shell of my ear. I follow him around the corner, away from the strip clubs and the whole scene. Not that I have much of a choice. I'm still pressed up against my fake boyfriend as we quicken our pace. He's half-carrying me as I scramble to keep up with his long strides.

I suddenly plant my feet, bringing both of us to an abrupt stop. “Are you kidnapping me?” I ask him point blank.

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