Page 25 of Merciless Protector

Tayla’s hand quickly shot up to protect her neck as color leached from her face. “You can’t.”

Griff, quick with jokes, said with amusement, “Is it sentimental?”

I had a very different idea because she likely hadn’t taken it off, including when she showered. “Is it booby-trapped?” I asked. That was something Ruin would likely do based on everything Connor had told me about him.

Tayla nodded, not letting go of her neck. “He said if I removed it, it would shock me ten times worse than a Taser gun on full charge.”

Griff cursed as I did. Kelsey, however, said, “Do we have any rubber or thick plastic?”

My mind raced through the possibilities. Griff said, “Wait.” Then he darted toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms. He’d obviously checked out the apartment before sending us here because he came back with a green resistance band used for exercise or strength training as if he’d known it was there.

Already on the same page with Griff, I walked over to Tayla. “May I?” I asked, pointing at her neck.

There was still fear in her eyes, but it wasn’t directed at me as she moved her hand away. I brushed a finger lightly across her neck and under the lacy collar. I leaned in and spotted the silver disks that lined the inside, noting there was a little room.

“Okay. That might work.” I let go. Was it hard to do so? Yes. But right now wasn’t the time to examine the pull I felt toward her. Instead, I went over to where Griff had the band stretched out. “Were there others?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “The others were thicker.”

I nodded and gave him the signal to go through with slicing the band in half with the butcher knife he held. There was a single fatal slice before Kelsey took the severed band. “Let me measure it first,” she said.

If Griff had asked to do it, I would have shut him down, not wanting any man to touch Tayla except me. Instead, I gave a barely perceptible nod to Kelsey.

“I’ll get the bolt cutters,” Griff said and exited the condo.

Kelsey went over to Tayla and measured before holding out the rubber band to me. “Here,” she said. She’d marked it where I should make the second cut.

Channeling all the frustration I felt from not getting Ruin yet, I chop the band, uncaring that it hadn’t belonged to us. Like Griff, I sliced through the thicker rubber with ease. I took the measured piece and walked over to Tayla.

“Do you want Kelsey to do it?” I asked, fighting the desire I felt every time she was near.

“No. You can,” she said in a near whisper.

Just skimming my finger across her collarbone was enough to do me in. I focused on the task and worked the rubber under the collar. As I finished, Griff breezed through the door.

“Honey, I’m home,” he said, and Kelsey admonished him with whispered words for him to hush.

It was then the magnetic hold between Tayla and me eased off. I turned toward Kelsey and Griff. His brow was raised in question. I held out my hand and Griff stepped forward. “You sure you don’t want me to do it?” he asked.

He sidled up behind Tayla so she didn’t see him teasingly wink at me. I couldn’t glare at him, or Tayla would suspect that we were having a silent conversation about her.

“I’ll do it,” I said instead.

“Griff, why don’t we go get something from the van,” Kelsey said.

He frowned. “What?”

She rolled her eyes. “Something to check for trackers,” she said and tugged on his arm.

He flashed me a smirk before Tayla shifted her focus toward them. Griff let Kelsey lead him out of the condo. Then it was just us.

“This will work,” I said, trying to reassure her.

“I know,” she breathed.

I kept my cool, keenly slipping the tips of the bolt cutters just right. Internally, I counted to three while holding her gaze, then snipped. There was a zip of electricity that was stopped by the rubber, and then she was free.

Her eyes drifted shut as if she was saying a silent “thank you” that it had worked. I held there a second before removing the collar and taking a step back. It was then that she opened her eyes and her gaze landed on me.

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