Page 7 of Make Me Your Hitta

Even with his attractive features, there were visible scars on his neck and collarbone, from what I assumed came from the night of the attack. Still, he carried himself with a confident, almost noble stance as if nothing could sway him. His militant posture was as straight as an arrow and exuded dominance and strength. Dressed in a tailored dark suit and crisp white button-up that fit him perfectly, he looked the part of someone who commanded respect and brandished authority like it came second nature to him.

I turned back to my painting, trying to ignore how violently my heart was pounding. “Just… go away, Adonis. Let me have this one thing to myself.”

His sigh was heavy with resignation. “No matter how many ways you put it, whether a question or a demand, you know I can’t do that. So, you might as well stop giving me all this extra static. You’re only wasting your breath and my time.”

“Yeah.” I muttered in defeat while staring back at my reflection in the wet paint. “I know.”

Adonis

The security monitors flickered with over a dozen bodies watching the Hawthorne estate. My gaze pinged from screen to screen, cataloging every shadow and tracking each movement. I instinctively marked all the exits, ensuring an armed guard was at each post. I’d had heightened alertness ever since that fateful night. Now, I noticed shit I would’ve brushed off in the past. The perimeter fence on the east side needed reinforcing, and more floodlights needed to be installed for optimal night vision. I made a mental note, already forming my plan as I prepared to meet with Xenobia to review the latest safety precautions. My heart quickened as random memories of our first stolen kiss flooded the forefront of my mind. It had been a moment of weakness, her lips soft and yielding against mine. The taste of her lingered still whenever I closed my eyes.

A soft knock broke my concentration, and I pushed the forbidden thoughts away. “Come in,” I announced.

My feet remained rooted to the ground as my heart somersaulted in my chest. Xenobia sauntered inside with a quiet grace and simmering defiance, standing at the back of the security room wearing a black sweater dress that stopped just above her knees, and her arms crossed.

“New protocols,” I said, my voice gruff as I cleared my throat. “You need to know them, especially while your father is away.”

Xenobia’s eyebrow arched. “Now? I’m first-aid and CPR certified. Shouldn’t that be enough?”

I sighed, running a hand over the tattoo on my nape. “Can’t waste time, Nobi. The Toussaints are getting bolder. Now isn’t the time to take chances.”

“How do you have all this intel on the Toussaints anyway?”

“I have connections.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Sure, fine. Whatever.”

As I outlined the new security measures, my mind wandered. I remembered how she looked at me that night, vulnerable yet fierce. How I’d ached to protect her, to keep her safe from the darkness that surrounded us both.

“No leaving the grounds without an escort,” I continued, forcing myself back to the present. “All visitors have to be vetted forty-eight hours in advance. And the code to the panic room—”

Xenobia rolled her eyes skyward for the second time. “I know the code, and I know how to use the damn panic room, Adonis,” she snapped.

I met her gaze, seeing the frustration there. The longing for freedom. It mirrored my desire to break free from duty and expectation. But we were both trapped—she by her family name, me by my vow to keep her safe. She could protest all she wanted, but a boring life was better than death. Whether she knew it or not, she needed me.

“Look, I know this shit ain’t easy,” I said softly. “But please, Xenobia. Work with a nigga here.”

For a moment, I thought I saw something soften in her eyes. A flicker of understanding. Then it was replaced by that familiar steel I was always met with.

“Fine,” she replied. “Anything else you need to mansplain to me?”

I shook my head, watching as she turned to leave. Her lavender and jasmine-scented perfume lingered, a bittersweet reminder of what could never be. I turned back to the monitors, pushing down the ache in my chest.

Part of me—a dark, selfish part I hated—relished the thought of her safe and close in my arms, where I could always protect her. Where I could pretend, just for a moment, that she was mine. In the silence, I allowed my mind to roam back to that day—the sweet taste of her soft, full lips and her soft skin under my calloused hands. I hadn’t been a soldier or guardian for one perfect moment. I’d just been a man, holding the woman he...No.I couldn’t let myself go down that road again. I was here to protect her, nothing more. Taking her virginity had been a mistake, a moment of weakness we both regretted.

Didn’t we?

I kept a watchful eye on Xenobia all day while also keeping my distance so I didn’t have to hear her complain about me breathing down her neck or blaming me for clipping her wings. As the stars began to populate in the night sky, my phone buzzed with a text. It reminded me of my other responsibilities—ensuring things ran smoothly in my absence in my father’s territory.

With a glance around to ensure no one was watching, I slipped out of the Hawthorne mansion, blending into the shadows. I knew the risks of leaving my post, but I had to show my face so as not to blow my cover. I moved at high speed through the city streets with all five senses on high alert.

After arriving at my father’s territory, I found Luca and a few of my father’s men assembled and ready to discuss the latest developments. I stepped in, my menacing presence instantly commanding respect. I led the meeting, listening with intent while offering counsel. They ensured everything was under control and running to my liking. My father had put me in charge of a territory that already ran like a well-oiled machine, but my occasional pop-ins were crucial to ensure everyone’s respect never wavered.

At the close of my visit, I checked in with Luca one last time to ensure everything was on track before heading back to the mansion. When I arrived, my mind had shifted back to my primary duty of protecting Xenobia. I slipped back into the security room to double-check the cameras, ensuring everyone was at their posts before my final walk-through, and retired to my room. A wave of satisfaction washed over me as I realized I’d fulfilled my responsibilities without compromising Xenobia’s safety or blowing my cover.For now, at least.

The interruptionfrom the night guard made me rage. Xenobia had tried to slip past the iron gates that had been reinforced to keep her safe. My hands clenched into fists, dull nails biting into my palms. Of course, it was the one time I actually fell asleep, trusting my team to keep her within the perimeter. Imagine my fucking surprise when I was woken up by a phone call at two o’clock in the morning, alerting me to her attempted escape.

“What the hell were you thinking?” I barked at her, my voice low and dangerous as I approached her in the garden. “Are you trying to get yourself fuckin’ killed?”

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