Page 12 of The Ties That Bind (Fraser Crime Syndicate 2)

I watch with bated breath, unsure what is going to happen, as Kane steps into his space. “If you lay a hand on Elena again, I will make sure no one ever finds your body when I kill you.”

I didn't expect such a show of devotion from a man who has barely looked at me since I was introduced to him. It throws me off kilter, makes me uncertain, and I don't like it. I prefer to know who I'm dealing with.

I notice Lucas has moved to his brother’s back, ready for whatever is about to erupt. I knew the Fraser children had solid bonds, but I didn't expect to see it so early in our meeting.

Charlotte steps between her son and my father, a smile on her face despite the severity of what is happening around her. “We are all family here. There is no need for things to get out of hand.”

Kane hasn't taken his eyes off my father and Hamish looks ready to commit an atrocity against the family, even though it was his idea to join the Frasers with the Adams.

My father leans into Kane, a move that would have most men shitting their pants. Kane doesn't even blink. “Until you get that ring on her finger, she is mine. You don't get to give orders about how I raise my own child.”

Kane meets his stare with one of his own. “I'm about to put my ring on her finger, an engagement ring. You touch her again and I will kill you.”

For a moment the room seems to hold its collective breath. In a battle of wills, I'm not sure who would win. I'm not even sure who I want to win.

“Speaking of ceremonies,” Charlotte speaks as if there is not a deadly showdown going down between her son and my father. “Shall we get on with things?”

Charlotte grabs my father and leads him towards his office. Lucas gives me a look that can only be determined as good luck with this. He follows after his mother, leaving Kane at my side.

My soon-to-be husband watches my father leave, his shoulders ramrod straight. I can feel the tension rolling off him in fixed waves of anger. I seize the moment, whether it's right to or not. I place my hand gently against his arm. He flinches and peers down at my hand. I should remove it, but I keep it held in place even as my heart thumps against my ribs. “Thank you, for what you did.”

He doesn't speak for a moment, and I'm wondering if anybody's ever thanked him for anything. “I didn't do it for you.”

The admission floors me. I didn't expect him to be so candid, though maybe I should have. I doubt he's had to lie about anything in his entire life. When you are top of the chain there is no one to answer to. One day, he will be king of his territory, and he will have no one to answer to. “So why did you do it?”

It’s probably a mistake to ask, but my curiosity gets the better of me. I want to know what makes this man tick. It's going to help me survive our marriage.

His eyes find mine. There isn't a hint of warmth in them. “Because you are about to become a Fraser. No one will ever touch you unless I command it.”

I jolt. Is he serious? The look on his face tells me he absolutely is. He huffs out a breath and then follows his mother, leaving me standing there gobsmacked.

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