Page 13 of Abducted By the Mafia Don

“Mm.” I make a sound that could be agreement. “The thing is, I moved on them earlier than I planned.”

“Oh.” Her face falls. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m not.”

“Being shot in the head isn’t really part of the ‘cursed’ plan,” she says with a snort.

I shrug. “This is London, and those bullies were asking for trouble. It could have been anyone who killed them.”

But it wasn’t, and I suspect Thaxted will realise that. It’s too much of a coincidence that they were in London to retrieve Taggie and were all murdered together. Even if they were fucked-up little shits who were going against Essex rules to keep their sister a virgin.

“I should go,” she says suddenly, and I’m not prepared.

“No.” The word is harsh and out before I can stop it. “You’re staying here.”

Instead of being alarmed, as she ought to be, Taggie merely looks at me with a touch of confusion. “I can’t do that.”

“I think he might target you.” Look, that sounds rational. Protective. Considerate, even. Not at all like I will hold her hostage and spoil her until she can’t imagine leaving.

Her eyes fill with panic.

“I’d like you to remain here, for your own safety. Since his three sons are dead, I suspect he’ll be looking for revenge, and you…” I leave it dangling, and she makes the connection.

“He’ll think I killed them?!” Taggie’s mouth falls open, and she’s so genuinely horrified by the idea, I nearly laugh.

“No, but he’s not known for proportional reactions,” I say dryly, and neglect to mention that I’m not either.

“Oh. Right.” She pinches her eyebrows together in sympathy. “Sorry.”

“I couldn’t protect my family, but I can protect you, Taggie,” I tell her, low and earnestly, and in some ways honestly. I’m not above using every advantage I have. “But I need you close to ensure your safety.”

That’s a plausible reason that isn’t that I’m hoping she might fall in love with me from mere proximity. Which is absurd, of course. My love for her won’t transmit by osmosis.

More’s the pity.

But maybe… Just maybe if she had to show me affection, a gentle bambola like Taggie would find it easier to think of a scarred, tattooed, morally repugnant man who is twice her age as more than what he is? If I planted the seed of the idea that we would be good together, perhaps it could grow?

She blinks. “Why would you help me? I don’t understand.”

“He’ll discover soon enough that I murdered them, and he’ll wonderwhy.”

The baffled expression on her face is truly cute. “Because you found them intending to…”

Rape her. She can’t say it.

“And if Thaxted can’t get at me—which he can’t—he’ll come after the next best thing. The person he might hold responsible for his sons’ deaths.”

“Me,” she whispers.

“And if it were just that I was rescuing a damsel in distress, he would think he can take out his anger without repercussion.”

Taggie covers her mouth with her hands, horror in every angle of her slight body.

“It would be better if he thought you’re important to me. Then he wouldn’t dare touch you.”

This is all the surface of a lie with the kernel of truth.Thaxtedwillcome after her, but because she’s his daughter. She’llbe safer with me, because I’ll protect her with not only my life, but the lives of every person I can get hold of. I’d build a house of human bones if that was the best way to defend Taggie.

“But I’m not.” Her expression is a bit sad. “We only just met.” She rakes her eyes—fuck they are her father’s eyes—over my body from head to toes, as though I’m a half-forgotten dream. And even as I wonder if she saw me stalking her, I feel her regard like it’s her hands. Sensation ripples down my spine then spreads through to my cock, which thickens.