Page 241 of Hate Mates

Probably not, given our history.

“Will…” Rocky’s onyx gaze sweeps over me, then lingers on Emilia in a way that makes me want to punch him in the fucking face more than I already do. “Just the man I’m looking for.”

I tighten my grip on her, pulling her to my side and wrapping my arm around her lower back to keep her there. She tries to shift away from me, but I hold her steady, hoping she’ll sense the danger the men in front of us pose and understand the cryptic warning I gave her. “I’ve been waiting for you. About time you showed up.”

He sneers. “Something…unexpectedcame up. But we handled it.”

Handled it.

The way he says the words sends a shiver through me that I try not to let him see.

His focus returns to Emilia. “And who is this?” A single black brow rises. “Your little blonde bitch know about this one? She’s quite a piece of ass, isn’t she?”

Emilia goes completely stiff against me.

I dig my fingers into her hip, hoping she won’t react—toeithercomment. There’s only one way to get Rocky to direct his attention where it belongs and away from her—give him a reason to be afraid of what will happen if he keeps focusing on her.

“This is Emilia. We’ve been off and on since we were kids, and we’re very much back on.”

The lie at the end rolls off my tongue easily, and Rocky smirks, leering at her in a way that makesmyskin crawl, so I can only imagine how uncomfortableshemust be.

Time forhiswarning.

“She’s Orion Gates’ daughter…”

Rocky’s eyes widen, as do those of the two fuckwits on either side of him. “Well, well, well, I didn’t realize I was in the presence of a pirate princeanda fucking pirateprincess.”

Shit.

What the hell is he thinking saying thatout loud?

I glare at him, scanning around in case anyone overheard. “Are you insane? Shut the fuckup.”

Apparently unconcerned about outing our parental history, he smirks and holds up his hands—as if he couldeverlook innocent.

“She’s just on her way out.” I turn Emilia in my hold and capture her face between my palms, forcing her to meet my gaze. “I will call you later.”

A thousand questions fill her eyes, but before she can voice any of them, I kiss her again—hard, demanding, the way I’ve wanted to for the past year and a half, even when I hated her for what she said and thought about me.

Her hands press to my chest, tightening in my T-shirt, a silent plea to explain what the fuck is going on.

I can only hope she understood what I said earlier andleavesinstead of fighting me like she normally would. Mouthing “go” as discreetly as possible, I start to step back and release her so she can get out the door and away.

Rocky narrows his eyes on her. “I think she should stay. She may prove useful to get her father involved, if you can’t deliver.”

Fuck.

That backfired in theworstway.

Instead of beingafraidof what Rion might do to him if he lays a finger on his daughter, Rocky sees her as a bargaining chip to try to get one of the OG’s involved in his mess.

And there isn’t any room for argument in his tone.

If I try to fight him on this and get Em out, it will cause a scene, and the last thing I need is anyone in here seeing or overhearing something they shouldn’t.

Instead, I reclaim my hold on Emilia and give Rocky a curt nod, motioning toward the storage room with my free hand. “Let’s head into my office.”

Rocky and his goons stalk that way, and I slide Emilia’s arm around my back until I’m sure she can feel the gun I have tucked into my waistband there, under my T-shirt. Brushing my lips to her temple, I keep my gaze locked on them to ensure they’re not looking back or listening to what I have to say as we follow them.

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