“Can I help you?” I grit out, gathering the attention of the room and causing Rose to half jump out of my lap. Luckily, my arms are wrapped around her, so she doesn’t fall off.
Tony’s beady eyes move from me to Rose, and I can see him eyeing every inch of her up as if she’s a damn steak on the buffet line. My blood pressure skyrockets, and I just barely restrain myself.
“Heard you got yourself a little slave girl.”
“Don’t care what you heard if you aren’t here to play, then get the fuck out.”
Tony smiles, his yellowing teeth beckoning my fist toward them. “I’m willing to make you an offer that any smart man wouldn’t refuse.”
Curling my lip, I stare at the fucker with murder in my eyes, “She’s not for sale, and I don’t need your fucking money. I think maybe you have a death wish.”
“Anything is for sale if the price is—” before he can get the rest of the words out of his stupid mouth, I’m up on my feet. In one move, I push Rose behind me and grab Tony by the throat.
I don’t think. I simply act, the beast inside me urging me to destroy the bastard so he can’t hurt Rose. With my hand wrapped around his throat, I slam him against the nearest wall. I squeeze, making sure he gets the point and remembers my words.
“She’s not for sale,” I scream into his face, spit flying. Shock fills his features but no fear, and that just annoys me further. My hand tightens further around his throat, and I get high off the panic that starts to fill his face. It wouldn’t take much for me to snap his neck, and if Rose wasn’t in the room, that’s probably what I would do, but I don’t want her any more frightened of me than she already is.
Lifting his hands, he tries to pry my grasp from his throat, but I’m stronger… “Did I not make it clear enough for you?” I sneer into his face, watching as his lips turn blue, and his eyes bulge out of his head. He attempts a feeble nod, and even though it’s the last thing I want to do, I release him, listening as he gasps for air a second afterward.
“Miles…” Rose’s soft voice breaks through the haze of anger. My name falls off her lips like a prayer, and I am enchanted by it. This is the first time I’ve heard her say my name, and I want to hear it over and over again. It’s the first thing I want to hear in the morning and the last before I go to sleep. And I definitely want to hear her moan it when she comes all over my cock.
Growling, I tell Tony, “You live only because she is in this room right now. Fuck with what is mine again, and I will kill you.”
The blood in my veins pumps viciously, and when I turn around, the only thing I want to do is grab Rose and hold her to my chest, but she’s looking at me like she’s frightened again, and the last thing I want to do is scare her more. Vibrating with anger, my gaze moves about the room. Everyone is staring, watching, waiting for something to happen. They know me well enough to know I’m seconds away from exploding.
Slowly, Rose inches toward me, seeking my protection, and I can’t help but smirk.
Grabbing her by the hair, I tilt her head to the side, exposing her creamy white throat. I feel like a fucking caveman, but I don’t care. All I care about is her. “Mine,” I murmur into her skin, loving the way her pulse spikes with fear as I drag my tongue over it. Fragile, so very fragile, but protected by myself and my men, she will come to learn that she has nothing to fear. Releasing her hair, I turn to Nick, who is watching me like I’m a ticking time bomb.
“Remove him, and make sure everyone knows that Rose isn’t for sale. She’s mine, and I’ll kill anyone that tries to take her away from me.”
I don’t care about his response, and I don’t stick around to listen. Lifting Rose’s tiny little body up, I tuck her close to my chest and walk out of the room, my boots echoing loudly against the concrete.
“It’s time for me to make you mine. It’s time I claim your perfect little pussy.”
8
Rose
My entire body tenses at his words, and it becomes hard to swallow around the anxious knot that’s now formed in my throat. When we reach his car, he opens the door and deposits me in the passenger seat. I’m still taken aback by what he said. He’s going to claim me, take my virginity. I shiver at the thought. He’s so big, and I’m so small, how will this work?