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The guy gurgles and I squeeze again.

“The thing you need to understand is Lucia is mine.”

“Callahan, please.” Her whispered plea turns from nectar to vinegar and my blood ices in my veins.

Is this…? Is this the fuck that almost got her virginity? The one who got her to taste his dick? I squeeze harder, gritting my teeth.

“Why, Lucie? Why the fuck do you care?”

“Because people are watching. And don’t… don’t kill someone for me. Please. I don’t think he’s worth it.”

The others in here are all part of the criminal underworld. It’s one of those neutral places where turf wars aren’t tolerated, but a beef over a girl? Now that’s a different thing. A frustrated sigh rattles my chest and I let the man down, but I don’t release him.

“Put hands on her in any way again, and I will kill you.”

I release the fucker and turn my back on him in disgust. A commotion follows, and two of the bouncers lead him out. I’ll get his name later and ban him when I own this place. Or maybe I’ll have him killed. I haven’t decided. The rage beats hard, a new reality for me.

Lucie stares up at me, her beautiful face a sea of emotion. She’s seen me do worse things, so I don’t understand either her expression or my reaction.

It shouldn’t matter one bit that her eyes are wide, fearful—for me.

And I think it’s the one thing I can’t fucking stand. Not from the girl with balls of steel. Not from Lucie Joy.

Because it does something to me.

I think it might be the vulnerability. She makes me scared for her. Worse, she makes me want to be what I’m not.

A better person. For her.

I drag her out, lifting a hand at the current owner on my way. We’ll do a deal tomorrow, sign papers, the whole thing. Diversification is key to success in business.

If I think of work, I’ll stay in the safe zone because I’m dangerously close to losing control.

She half struggles until I turn to her, and then she stops. Outside, away from the mass of people and loud music I onlylike to listen to when running, I spot Clive, who’s keeping an eye on things. He nods and I lead her to the car.

When we take off, Lucie tries to speak, but I put a finger against her soft, plump lips. “I wouldn’t.”

I don’t speak to her or my brothers as I pull her upstairs at home, and even Arnold whines as we pass. The kind of whine that’s a soft growl and believe me, I get it.

Yeah, I definitely get it, but it doesn’t stop me. She’s a fever in my veins, this woman, a fever I’m not sure I want. But I know I’ll kill any fucking bastard who thinks of putting a finger on her. She’s mine.

Mine.

“What is your?—?”

I kiss her, take her face and slam my mouth against hers, invading the depths, fucking her with my tongue, and her moan vibrates through me, down to the tip of my dick. Walking her backward, I push my hand on the wall as I push her into it.

Her mouth is something I could feast on all fucking day. But there are other things I need, other?—

I break that kiss and we’re both panting as I stare into her eyes. “I will kill anyone, anywhere, anytime if they try and do what that fuck did. Do you know him?”

“Not really.” Her hazel eyes flash anger and indignation, and it just turns me on more.

“What does that mean?” I slide a hand under her skirt and run my fingers over those tight, plump lips as I nudge the material of her panties aside.

I’d rather feel the slick heat of her, the wetness, uncovered.

She swallows a moan. “He was at the wedding, apparently.”