Page 132 of Shifting Hearts 1
“Let her go.” The voice isn’t loud but still demanding enough that the two fools by my side drop their grasp on me immediately. I take a step forward to see where the voice came from, and somehow, I am not surprised to see the man with the scar on his cheek from before step into my view.
He nods in my direction before he focuses his glare on the don. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
The don snorts and dismisses him with a wave. “Go home and let me sort out my business.”
Walking closer, the stranger’s imposing physique cuts me off from the view of the don and the rest of the men.
“She is my business. What are you going to do with her?” he asks while staring at me.
Suddenly, he turns around to face the enemy, shielding me from everyone. He shouldn’t get involved in this.
But I guess he doesn’t know I can take care of myself. I touch his shoulder, and the same ripple as before runs through my body, except now I might have a name for it.
Lust.
Yearning.
Belonging?
There is an instant attraction to this man, and I have no idea why. It is impossible. I have closed my heart a long time ago to the idea of finding a man worthy of my time, and yet this stranger comes in and ruins it all with one touch.
I need to tread carefully.
Missing most of the conversation, I refocus when a word brings me back out of my reverie.
“…shipment…”
The man in front of me starts vibrating with anger, I hope. I remove my hand and try to peer around him.
He is squaring off with the don right in his face. “And how do you expect to get away with this? Are you going to take her here in front of all these witnesses after you have made your intentions very clear? I’m sure one of these stupid idiots will have a conscience. How will you explain that to the authorities? Let me take her instead.”
I stumble at his words and start retreating, but the two bozos at my back keep me caged in.
“You would do that for your don?” Alvarez asks, suspicion laced in his presumptuous words.
The stranger nods and then bows slightly before the short man.
“Business might not have gone as I have hoped, but you have a fine young man here, Angelo,” the don shouts over his shoulder.
I move to the side to see who he is talking to, and the man whose life I saved tonight appears out of the darkness. “That I do, Don, so with your permission, we will be taking the girl and leaving.”
Alvarez backs off, and the man reaches for my hand and pulls me with him. We walk past the glaring men, and freedom is almost in our reach when the don shouts out: “Don’t get too familiar with the merchandise. I might come to collect her one of these days.”
FOUR
Alejandro
Igrab her by the arm and keep my eyes ahead while I pull her to the waiting SUV. I open the door for Uncle Angelo before I shrug off my jacket, hang it around her shoulders, and usher her into the car.
Breathing in deeply, I steel myself before I open the passenger side door and get in.
What did I get myself into?
All I know is I have this burning desire in the pit of my stomach to touch her and make her mine. And I know for a fact that I will burn this world down if something were to happen to her.
There is no way I am letting that asshole lay a finger on her.
On my cue, the driver pulls away, and it takes all my restraint not to turn around to check if she is comfortable.
