What's Your Price

The only person he’d trust with his woman beside himself was Felipe.

Pulling on his jacket, he left the warehouse. Whatever happened now, he was ready. The only problem he now had was Laura. She was known to belong to him. His enemies would try to take her, to use her. He had to protect her the best way he knew how, by keeping her close.

Rather than be repulsed or angered by the thought, he was happy.

He climbed into the back of his car and watched the city move on by as he made the journey back to his penthouse. Felipe stood outside. He stared at the door but had his gun raised as he approached. “You’re safe?”

“Yes.”

He quickly filled his man with the details of what went down.

“I need you to get some sleep.”

“No. Not while we can’t trust those bastards,” Felipe said.

“I can take care of myself from here, but I need you to be ready. They’re going to attack again. It’s only a matter of time. I won’t have anything happen to you.” He shook Felipe’s hand.

Besides Laura, Felipe was the only other person he cared about.

Felipe nodded at him and turned to leave.

Squaring his shoulders, he entered his apartment and put the necessary locks in place. Anyone who tried to get in would set off plenty of alarms. There was no easy way into his penthouse.

“Felipe?” Laura asked, coming around the corner. “Gabe!” She rushed toward him and stopped when she caught sight of the blood he was covered in. “What the hell happened? Are you hurt? Is this your blood?”

“No, it’s not my blood. I’m fine.” He took a step toward her, and she stayed perfectly still, not moving an inch.

“I’ve been so worried.”

He didn’t expect her to throw herself into his arms, closing the distance between them. He held on to her, pressing a kiss to her head.

“I’m fine.”

“Is that, like, normal for you?” she asked.

Gabe cupped her face and tilted her head back to look at him. “I need to know if you’re in this with me.”

“What?”

“This is beyond fucking now, Laura. You’ve been seen with me. They know who you are and what you mean to me.”

“But I don’t understand. I don’t mean anything to you.” She nibbled on her lip. I’m nothing. I’m no one, Gabe.”

“You are.”

She shook her head, and he pressed his lips against hers.

“You are someone. You’re mine.”

“You’re saying that right now because I’m with you, my life is in danger?”

“Your life is in danger anyway.”

“I don’t want to hear this,” she said.

“But you have to. I don’t want anything to happen to you. They know who you are, and if they don’t right now, they will soon. I’m not willing to give you up. You like me. You enjoy spending time with me or you wouldn’t be trying to encourage me to eat shitty hot dogs.”

She laughed.

“I’m not promising you an easy life. I’m not going to force you to do something you don’t want to do, but if you decide to walk away from me, I’ll try to do everything in my power to keep you safe.”

“So my choices are, stay with you or take a chance on my own and risk dying?”

“Yes.”

She pulled away from him and wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t know what the hell to do.” She rubbed at her temple.

“You need to do what feels right to you.”

She shrugged. “I hated today. Driving away from you. I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

“I’m not a good man, Laura. Anything that happens, I deserve.”

“But you’ve been a good man to me.” She bit her lip. “Don’t you see that?”

“And I’ve also put you in danger.”

She held her hand up. “Wait. Just wait. Do you want me to stay?” she asked. “That’s all I need to know.”

“Do you want to stay?”

Laura stomped her foot. “You answer my question first. Do you want me to stay?”

He stared at her.

Neither of them spoke.

She looked away and closed her eyes.

“Yes,” he said. “I want you to stay. But I want to know if you want to stay.”

She nodded her head. “Yes, I want to stay.”

“Why was that so hard?”

She chuckled. “I don’t know.” She covered her face with her hands. “This is all so confusing.” She looked down his body. “You really need to take a shower.”

He nodded.

“Is the man … dead?”

“Yes. I’ve been having a few troubles with the mafia trying to encroach on my turf. I don’t like it. They know the rules.”

“The mafia?”

He raised his brow.

“Okay, okay, so the mafia exists. I kind of should have known that one.” She nodded. “So, what do we do from here?”

“You need to give up your apartment.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Will you be willing to allow me to have my books here?”

“I’ll call my men and have your apartment empty within the hour.”