Page 44 of Fierce Protector

He runs a hand over his face, a remorseful expression fluttering over his features, and for a second, guilt washes over me. Then I remember how worried I was when I found out he was injured and hold my ground. He leans in, cupping my cheeks and resting his forehead to mine.

“I hate that everyone doesn’t know that you’re mine. But that’s what you are. Entirely mine.” He kisses me softly and it becomes almost impossible to stay mad at him while he’s touching me with such reverence, but Imanage to hold on to at least a little of the anger that’s fuelling me.

“I’m fed up withplayingat being yours, Stefano. All day at the hospital I have people that mean nothing to me congratulating me on a relationship that no one I love knows about. Not one of thefamilyknows. And my father doesn’t count because it’s not like he’s shouting his support from the rooftops.” My words catch in my throat when I mention my father. It still hurts that he won’t discuss Stefano with me.

“You wanteveryoneto know you’re mine?”

“Yes,” I let out on the barest of whispers.

I can feel my emotions swelling in my chest and I find it more than a little frustrating that these feelings have me blinking back tears. I’ve never felt so emotional. I’ve spent most of my life bottling up my feelings and now that I have the man I always wanted, I hate that my body betrays me to him at every turn. It’s impossible for Stefano not to see how deeply I care for him, whether I want him to or not.

“Firstly,micetta. If they didn’t know before, I’m pretty sure everyone knows there’s something going on between us. You basically shouted at the don until she called me in to the hospital to get checked out,” he says with a smirk. “And secondly—” he pauses to pull a small box out of his pocket and presents it on his palm. “I want absolutely everybody to know that not only are you mine, but that I’m yours too.”

My gaze oscillates between his deep blue eyes and the red velvet box.

“What are you doing? We’re fake engaged, not realengaged.” The second the words are out of my mouth I want to take them back. He must see the sheer panic in my face because all of a sudden I’m annoyed at the chuckle he lets out.

“Katerina Mancini. This is not a fake engagement ring. It’s a very real promise. I’m not asking you to marry me; I’m telling you that you will be my wife,” he says with absolute conviction, pulling open the lid and exposing the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. An exquisite emerald-cut diamond with a halo of smaller stones cushioning it. The central stone so large, you can, in fact, see where the Titanic hit it.

It's breathtaking, but it’s his words that almost leave me speechless. Almost. “You don’t like to follow conventions, do you?”

“I’m too old to waste another minute without you by my side. Tell me I’ve got this wrong. That ever since I first kissed you, this isn’t everything you’ve ever wanted?”

“I can’t do that.”

“No. And I can’t pretend you’re not meant to be mine.” As he speaks, I’m so lost in his words that I haven’t noticed he’s taken the ring out of the box, poised to place it on my finger. He locks his gaze with mine, and a thousand promises of what’s to come pass between us as he slides the ring on.

“I love you, Katerina. Now and forever,” he says, his voice rough and filled with emotion.

“I love you too.”

I slide my hands to cup the back of his neck and pull him into a kiss. The type of kiss that you can get lost in and never want to come up for air from. I let out a littlemoan of complaint when my pager goes off, releasing him far sooner than I’d have liked.

“I’ll see you tonight, baby girl.”

His phone buzzes as I reach for my pager. When I check, I see I’ve been called in for an emergency on one of my patients. “I might be late back, depends on how much this derails my service.”

After checking his message, he says, “My day is pretty light after I meet with Aurora, but I’ve got a late meeting at Inferno. Marcus is on your security detail today. Contact him if you need anything and can’t get hold of me.”

“Isn’t it overkill having your second following me around the hospital all day?”

“No,” he says firmly, brooking no argument, even when I glare at his protectiveness.

After another gentle kiss, he heads off to work leaving me to get ready. I may joke that he’s overprotective, but the messages are getting out of hand. I reach for my phone to see what today’s wake up text says, and a shiver rakes itself through my body.

Unknown Number:

I’m tired of playing this game with you.

Your heart doesn’t belong to him.

I let you have your fun, but now it’s time to take what’s mine.

If you won’t rid yourself of the distractions in your life. I will.

My pulse throbs in my neck as I swallowdown the sense of dread and screenshot the messages. I know Stefano and Sinclair have cloned my phone so they can monitor the content, but I’m not sure if Marcus has a view of them so I forward them to him too.

Make sure any protection working with the Consigliere takes this threat seriously.

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