Page 89 of Fierce King (L.A. Ruthless 1)

‘But you’ll stay there? Promise me!’

‘Yes. I promise.’

‘And if you see Blake anywhere near the place, then you call the cops, okay? We’ll deal with everything else, but you need to keep yourself safe.’

‘Okay,’ she agreed.

‘What is Blake’s full name?’ I asked, knowing that Alejandro would need that information to find him more quickly.

‘Blake Fielding.’

‘Blake Fielding?’ I repeated.

‘Yes.’

‘Okay. I have to go, but I’ll speak to you soon, okay?’

‘Okay. And thank you, Alana.’

‘You’re welcome, sweetheart,’ I said.

We said goodbye and I hung up the phone and handed it back to Alejandro.

‘What the hell is going on, Alana?’ he snapped.

I rubbed my temples. ‘It’s a really long story. Can I tell you when we get home?’

Alejandro sighed. ‘You shouldn’t have gone out alone.’

‘I know that. And I’m sorry that I’ve inconvenienced you –’

‘Inconvenienced me?’ he snapped. ‘You think I’m mad because I had to drive a few miles to pick you up?’

I shook my head. ‘I don’t know.’

‘I’m pissed because you almost got yourself killed, Alana! Do you have any idea how reckless you’ve been?’

‘All I’m trying to say is that, this life is a big adjustment for me. I’ve never had to worry about leaving the house or had to ask permission to do anything before. I’m a grown woman –’

He turned and scowled at me before I could finish my sentence.

‘I know that’s not the issue, Alex. I just mean that sometimes, it’s not easy to be unable to make a decision on my own, on the spur of the moment. I feel like I have absolutely no control over my life any more,’ I sniffed as a tear rolled down my cheek and I swatted it away.

He looked at me and I looked out of the window because I couldn’t meet his eyes. I knew he was disappointed in me. I stared out of the window and listened as he made a few calls. He spoke mostly in Spanish but I gathered that Blake Fielding was now a wanted man. As we drove along, I noticed that we weren’t headed home.

‘Where are we going?’ I asked him.

‘You’ll see.’

‘Are you going to punish me for going out alone?’

He turned to me. ‘Yes.’

‘Is that where we’re going?’ I said, the tremor in my voice audible.

‘No,’ he said and then he reached for my hand and lifted it to his mouth, brushing the backs of my fingers lightly across his lips until I felt a warmth spreading through me.

Alejandro made another call, this time to his second in command, Jax, whom he always spoke to in English.

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