Vow to Protect

I shake off the sudden spike of fear, forcing myself to remember, yet again, that he’s been wonderful to me since I arrived. He saved me.

“We need to discuss our deal and what it means for our future.”

The way he says our future makes me study his face. He’s staring down at me just as intently.

“Okay. Tell me what you expect of me then, please. I want you to be happy with our deal.” I want him to be happy because I want Sal’s blood running down a storm drain until there’s nothing left of the asshole. My vehemence surprises me, but I shake it off and focus on Adrian again.

“You will belong to me and only to me. No one will touch you. No one will so much as breathe too close to you. Do I make myself clear?”

I nod, about to say so, but he continues. “I’ll know where you are every second of every single day. It’s the only way I can keep you safe.”

I’m tempted to point out that if he kills Sal, then there’s no one else he needs to protect me from. It’s not like my father can stand up to him physically. He could send one of his soldiers, but even they are getting older. In the past year, it seemed to me he only held on to the family seat because of Sal’s men and the ruthlessness they brought to the table.

“Is that all?” I ask. Having him protect me doesn’t sound so bad. “What about…?”

“Sex?” he offers, his tone dry.

I nod, unable to expound on my train of thought.

“We’ll be having plenty of it soon. Don’t you worry.”

My heart takes another go at my ribs, pounding hard and fast. “Um…I-I’ve never done…that.”

Something shifts in his face. It’s subtle, but there’s a harder glint in his eyes now as he looks at me. No. Covets me. “I’m aware, Angel, but don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you.”

His words are innocuous, but the deep huskiness in his voice makes them sound positively filthy. I shift in the bed, hoping he can’t tell that I like it when he talks like that. Who the hell am I turning into?

I drag my eyes away from his and stare at the covers. “Is there anything else you want from me? If not, then I still agree to this deal. I…trust you.”

Without a word, he shifts off the bed, goes back to the door, and waves the doctor back into the room. I sit up, arranging the covers around my hips. Why is he back?

The doctor gives him one nod and crosses the room to stand by the bed to look at me. “Are you sure about this?”

I eye him warily. “Yes. I’m sure, but…”

He opens his bag and removes something that looks like an ear-piercing gun. I stare at it a little too long and then over the doctor’s shoulder at Adrian, who’s watching us closely.

The doctor grabs my arm gently and maneuvers it to my wrist and palm face upward. It might be my long-dormant self-preservation instincts kicking up, but I jerk my hand away from him hard.

“Valentina,” Adrian snaps.

He hasn’t used that tone of voice with me, and for a flash of a second, it felt like being at home. Fear threatens to overwhelm me, and I’m suddenly scrambling over the other side of the bed to get away.

Of course, he’s there in an instant, carefully, but bodily putting me back into the bed and holding me down.

I don’t know what the hell is happening, but I agreed to this.

I agreed to this.

I agreed to this.

I agree—

“Ow, oh my God.” I stare down at the tiny well of blood on my forearm as the doctor packs the device in his bag again. Then he swipes the wound with an alcohol swab that sends another bolt of pain into my elbow. He applies a bandage and I jerk my arm up into my chest the best I can with Adrian on me and glare at him. The man doesn’t seem to care as he gathers himself and leaves again.

I turn my accusing gaze to Adrian, but he’s staring at me with the same hungry feral gaze he had when I met him at the casino. It terrifies me and sets things on fire at the same time. I blink and wait for him to sit on the bed again. “What the hell was that?”

“A microchip. I told you I’ll know where you are every second of every day. This will ensure I can keep you safe. No one else will have access to the data except me. Not even my men.”

I’m about two seconds from bolting again, but…I agreed to this. He eases his weight off me and sits down on the bed near my splayed knees.