Page 102 of Ruined By Protection
The sincerity in his voice steals my breath. This isn't the smooth-talking enforcer or the dangerous man who threatens my abusive husband. This is just Matteo, laying himself bare.
"You don't have to trade anything," I whisper, reaching up to trace the line of his jaw. "I'm right here."
His eyes darken as he captures my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm. "For how long?"
The question hangs between us, weighted with implications neither of us is ready to face. My divorce, his deadly lifestyle, the complications that surround us at every angle.
"I don't know," I answer honestly. "But I'm here now."
Matteo nods, accepting my answer for what it is—the most I can offer right now. He pulls me closer, tucking my head beneath his chin.
"Then I'll take now," he murmurs against my hair. "And tomorrow. And however many days you'll give me."
CHAPTER 31
Matteo
Ihold Hazel to me, savoring the voluptuousness of her body on mine. Her breathing has evened out, soft and steady against my chest. I trace my fingers along her spine, memorizing every curve, every dip.
This moment feels stolen—fragile and precious. I want to freeze time, keep us locked in this bubble where nothing exists except her warmth against me.
My phone vibrates on the nightstand, shattering the tranquility. Carefully shifting Hazel to the side, I reach for it, checking the screen.
Noah.
"What?" I answer quietly, not wanting to wake Hazel.
"He's gone," Noah says without preamble. "Montgomery left New York."
I sit up, instantly alert. "What do you mean, gone? I thought we had eyes on him at the fucking hotel."
"That's just it," Noah's voice is tight with frustration. "The fucker knows how to hide himself. He was never at that hotel, not really."
I slide out of bed, moving to the window to keep from disturbing the goddess. "Explain."
"I put one of my men on it—had him get inside the room posing as room service." Noah's voice has that feral calm that means he's seriously pissed. "The guest in the room Montgomery booked under his name? A woman. When my guy said he had dinner for Elliott Montgomery, she told him there must be a mistake."
"Fuck." I tear a hand through my hair. "He's playing games."
"He’s always managed to slip us," Noah admits. "I'll give him that. The cameras at the hotel show him entering but never leaving. He must have found a way out that we didn't catch."
"What about Hazel's family?" I glance at her, sleeping peacefully in the bed. The thought of Montgomery getting anywhere near her family makes my blood run cold.
"That's why I'm calling. You should check with your guy in Austin."
I nod, even though Noah can't see me. "I'll call him now. Keep me posted if anything changes."
Ending the call, I immediately dial another number. It rings three times before a voice with a heavy Mexican accent answers.
"Señor Caruso."
"Javier," I acknowledge. "How's the situation in Austin?"
Javier is one of the men I worked with some years ago on a job on the Texas border. He owes me after I took a bullet meant for him during a deal gone wrong. When I called in the favor to have him watch Hazel's parents' house, he didn't hesitate.
"All quiet,jefe," he reports. "I have two men watching the house in shifts. The father, he stays inside most days. Themother leaves for work at seven-thirty, returns at six. The boy—he goes to school, to basketball practice."
"Any sign of Montgomery?"
