Page 34 of Surprise Pregnancy for Villain

I blink at him, not expecting that question. “Why?”

“A name, Nicki.”

“What do you plan to do with that information?”

“Nicki.” Ezio closes the distance between us. “Give me his name.”

Ezio might be the asshole that kidnapped me. Despite his heartwarming gestures, he still might have plans to harm me. Yet, I don’t want him attracting trouble on my behalf. Lucca’s family won’t take any attack sitting down. There will be war.

“No.”

He sighs, stopping right in front of me, so close that I can feel his warm breath on my face. “You’re protecting him. Why?”

“That couldn’t be further from the truth. I don’t want to cause any trouble, that’s all.”

An emotion flickers across his face, moving so fast I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. “It’s no trouble if someone pays for hurting you.”

“Look, it happened, and I got over it. So let it go.”

“It’s my job to ensure that it never happens again.” He grips my chin, the sudden action making me gasp. “I’ll kill a man for even thinking about laying a hand on you.”

“Why?

I don’t get this protective, alpha stance that he’s got going on. It’s hot but strange. He doesn’t even know me. He fucking snatched me, for heaven’s sake.

That turmoil returns in his eyes, but now it’s even stronger than before. He releases my chin, then brushes the hair from my face before cupping my cheek, staring fiercely at me. “Because you’re mine to protect. It’s my duty to keep you safe.”

“I don’t understand.”

“That night we met at the bar. I felt you before I even saw you,” he replies. “And when I saw you, something passed between us. I can’t explain it, but you know exactly what I mean. I saw that look on your face, too.”

My breath hitches in my throat. Yes, I denied it like hell that night, but I know exactly what he means. I remember standing on the dance floor and feeling that pull toward the bar. When our eyes met, I instantly knew I’d found the target behind that pull. I looked away, yet the sensation stayed with me.

“Call me crazy, but whatever it was, it bonded us somehow. Watching you, I could sense there was danger coming. I felt it in my bones.”

I search his face as flashbacks of that night help to explain what he’s saying. The only time I came close to danger was when—

“It was you,” I breathe, remembering the pair of long legs that moved away as I lay there on the grass. It wasn’t a dream. “You saved me from that wreckage. Katie too.”

He nods.

“Oh, my god. You literally saved our lives. I—I can’t thank you enough. Why didn’t you say anything, though?”

“There was no need to mention it,” he says casually. “I told you. It’s my duty to ensure you’re okay. I want to ensure that now.”

“Hurting Lucca won’t solve anything,” I reply before I realize the slip of my tongue. Ezio smiles.

“Thank you.”

“Ezio, no—”

He presses his finger to my lips. “I promise, I won’t start another war. Although you’d be worth it. I wouldn’t regret it, either.”

“I don’t want you getting into trouble on my behalf.”

A twinkle appears in his eyes. “If I didn’t know better, I’d assume you cared.”

“You’d assume wrong,” I reply, lifting my chin.

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