Protect Me (Broken Heroes 2)

Only for her.

“We’ll do whatever you want. If you want to start using birth control, I’ll make it happen. If you were to get pregnant, I would be there for you every step of the way. I’m not going to leave you—if that’s what you’re worried about.”

I can see the tension leave her body, and a relieved smile spreads across her face. This is what I want—to make her feel happy and secure—for her to know I’ll go through heaven and hell for her.

A knock sounds, ending any further discussion. The smile on Keira’s face falls, and I tighten my mask into place. It has to be this way.

“Come in.”

The door swings open, and Gunner appears, followed by his girlfriend.

Shit, I don’t need this right now.

“Hey, boss.” He’s making a serious effort not to look at Keira—unlike his girl who is staring holes into her face.

“Keira, are you okay?” the girl asks—the one who is clearly ignoring me—as she steps closer. And Keira gets up like she is about to hug a friend.

“Sit your ass down,” I order Keira. She regards me with a pout on her lips, but does as she’s told. Then I turn my attention back to this girl.

“And you, you wait outside the door.” I point and glare at the girl. Now I got her attention, but she’s still not following my orders. She looks back at Keira, and I catch the exact moment she sees the bruises. Her eyes widen, and her eyebrows pull together.

“Did he do that to you? Is he hurting you?” she yells, and I’m sure everyone in the club can hear.

“Lily, please…it’s not like that.” At the same time, Gunner steps in front of Lily, shielding her from my gaze.

“Babe, calm the fuck down,” Gunner scolds her.

I grit my teeth, trying to relax myself. He better rein her in soon because my patience is running thin.

“Yeah, you might want to listen to him before I do the same to you,” I snap.

Gunner visibly tenses. He knows I’m not playing games. Lily, however, doesn’t get the memo—or she just doesn’t care.

“No, I won’t calm down. He’s holding her prisoner, keeping her from coming to class, and now he is beating her? Look at her neck, Gunner!”

Feeling my patience vanish into thin air, I walk out from behind my desk and come to a stop a few feet in front of Lily.

“I can do with my property whatever the fuck I want, so if I decide I want to choke her while I fuck her, then that’s what I’m going to do.” I mean business now, but I refuse to look at Keira. I don’t want to see the way she’s looking at me right now.

Keeping my gaze trained on Lily, I stare her down, hoping to scare her enough to get her to leave, maybe even take a step back when I came around the front of the desk, but instead, she fucking lunges at me.

She’s not close enough to reach me, so I don’t even take a step back, but I am slightly shocked. She’s got balls, I’ll give her that. She doesn’t get far. Gunner already has a grip on her, trying to keep her away from me. But I get the feeling that’s not going to stop her.

“Jesus, Lily, calm down. Are you trying to get us killed?”

Either Lily is not hearing what he is telling her, or she doesn’t give a shit. I’m going to go with the latter. Nevertheless, she’s pushing buttons she has no business pushing.

She thrashes back and forth like a wild animal in Gunner’s arms, and I have no doubt she will attack me again in a heartbeat if she gets loose. Out the corner of my eye, I catch Keira starting to cry on the couch. Her perfect brown eyes fill with tears, and she probably knows what I’m going to do next.

I pull my gun from the back of my pants and point it at her friend. My finger is on the trigger, ready to shoot any second.

As soon as Lily catches sight of the shiny metal of my gun, she stills. Her eyes grow wide. With my free hand, I grab cash from the drawer and throw it to Gunner.

“Get the fuck out of here before I put a bullet in both your heads. And, Gunner, from now on, you come alone—or not at all. I won’t have shit like this going down in my office. My word is rule here. I won’t end things so easily next time.”

“Got it, boss,” Gunner mumbles before dragging Lily out of the office by her arm.

The door closes behind them, and Keira is on her feet and across the room, running into my arms the next second. I pull her close to my chest, trying to absorb all her sorrow. I want to hide her from the world, protect her from everything that could hurt her—even me.