Page 50 of Tarnished Queen

“He was making you uncomfortable. You shouldn’t have to be used to that.”

“Is that why you did it? Or was it because he was making you jealous?”

My hands tighten on the steering wheel. “I don’t like to share.”

“Oh, right,” she scoffs. “Because I’m yours.”

“One day soon, you’re going to say that and mean it.” My cock jumps at the thought. At the way the words will taste when I kiss them off her lips. “You’re going to scream those words like a prayer, begging for me to own every single inch of you.”

Belle releases a shaky breath. Her thighs squeeze together, and I want to pull to the side of the road and drag her into my lap. I want to take her right here, right now. I want to drive her to the edge of ecstasy until she’s begging for me to give her what she wants, what she needs.

I glance in the rearview mirror, trying to gauge how many witnesses our little spectacle would have. We’re only two blocks down from the house now, so it’s a residential area. No one else on the sidewalks, and there’s only one car on the road behind us.

A dark blue four-door sedan with a toll tag stuck to the windshield.

Immediately, I slam on the brakes.

Belle screams and wraps an arm around her stomach. Around our baby. “What the hell are you doing, Nikolai?”

“Stay in the car,” I growl, reaching into the center console and grabbing my gun. “We’re being followed.”

16

BELLE

He’s gone before I can ask any questions. I turn in fear and watch him stalk down the road towards a dark blue car behind us. I can’t make out exactly who is in the driver’s seat, but it’s clearly a man.

“No,” I whisper to no one. My legs are shaking with nerves and adrenaline. “Get back in the car, Nikolai. Let’s go. Don’t do this.”

If we’re being followed, it has to be because of Xena. It’s the Greeks or the Battiatos. I look around to see if there is any other movement on the street. Maybe this is a setup. Maybe it’s an ambush, and Nikolai is walking to his death.

We’re so close to home. I can see the roof of Nikolai’s mansion peeking over the treeline. Should I crawl into the driver’s seat and go get help? But he told me to stay here.

I’m arguing with myself and staring, riveted, through the back window as Nikolai gets closer and closer to the car behind us.

He’s nearly to the driver’s door, his gun at the ready. As he approaches, the dark blue car lurches forward, trying to navigate between our car and Nikolai’s body.

I scream just as Nikolai raises his gun, aiming at the front window. The car jerks to a stop.

“Oh my God!” I cry. My heart is pounding in my chest. I was sure I was about to watch Nikolai get run down in front of me.

But then Nikolai opens the door and wrenches the driver out of the car with one hand, his other still wrapped around his gun. His mouth is moving, but I can’t hear anything.

All I can think is,He’s not dead. He’s alive. We’re okay.

Nikolai starts dragging the man down the sidewalk and through the front gates of his property. The guy is a head shorter than Nikolai, though a good bit rounder. He has a stocky build and a balding head. But none of that means he isn’t a threat.

Without thinking, I climb out of the car.

“I told you to stay put,” he barks over his shoulder.

It’s clear the man isn’t putting up a fight. He moves through the gates willingly and allows Nikolai to lead him into the security shed off to the right of the driveway.

“Get out of here, Belle,” Nikolai orders over his shoulder.

I shake my head. “I’m staying.”

“I won’t hurt her,” the man promises. “Or anyone.”

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