Page 41 of Guarded Knight

“And whywouldn’tshe be my girl?” Blue Eyes challenges.

Gabriel doesn’t even glance his way. His eyes stay locked on mine, but he answers, plain and simple, as if his words are an empirical fact. “Because you aren’t good enough for her.”

Something jerks loose in my chest. Not a gasp, more like a bullet to the ribs. Sudden. Precise. And way too loud to ignore.

For a moment, I forget the bar. Forget Blue Eyes. Because Gabriel just said what no one ever has.

I’ve never felt too good for anyone. Maybe the opposite, like I’m the ugly plot twist in a story meant for someone else’s happy ending. I’m the one who costs more to maintain than a Kardashian. The one who can’t bear any children. The one who doesn’t make it to a golden anniversary.

No, I’ve never felt too good. More like not good enough.

But Gabriel’s gaze is fierce. Unflinching. And a small, traitorous part of me believes he didn’t just say that to insult Blue Eyes but because he sees something worth the tragic ending.

And now I’m scared he’s about to throw punches over it.

Giving this guy any time was a mistake, and judging by the heat radiating off Gabriel, I’ve got about two seconds before he digs a shallow grave.

I need to shut this down before it spirals.

I smile kindly at Blue Eyes. “I’ll catch your name next time.” I jump off the stool, and Gabriel follows me through the bar to the back, where I hope to God there’s somewhere private to make sure he doesn’t do something like this again.

I might be his job, but managing my social life wasn’t what either of us signed up for when I came here.

Freya stops chatting to Santi mid-sentence and glances over her shoulder as I leave, brows pinched, but I wave her off.

Outside the side door is a narrow alley between the Wild Cantina and the bakery next door.

“Seriously?” I bite. “I’m pretty sure cockblocking isn’t in the job description.”

I shouldn’t have said it that way because he pushes his sunglasses into his lush dark hair and narrows his eyes at me, and now I know I’m not the only one frustrated.

“You were one tequila away from crawling into that guy’s lap.”

I cross my arms, letting my back hit the bricks behind. “And?”

“I’m protecting you.”

“You mean I’m an assignment. And the assignment is to take down Cameron, not make sure I never get laid again.”

It’s a low blow. I had no intention of doing anything with Blue Eyes, but I know that will get to G, and I can’t help myself. I was raised to retaliate. And also… my wall is paper-thin at this point, and it hurts to feel this much. Anger usually smothers every other emotion… all the ones I don’t want to feel.

Like how much I wish I could have independenceanda small town back. How I could not worry my loved ones but be near them at the same time. And how I wish Gabriel and I could be something again without it stretching my heart to bursting whenever I’m close to him.

Gabriel takes a step closer; he’s an inch away from me, and his body heat hits, searing through that bullet hole he left in my chest back in the bar.

“Is that what you think?” His jaw flexes. “You think you’re just an assignment?”

“What I think,” I say slowly, “is that you don’t get to helicopter in and play hero and have me thank you for it. Not anymore.”

His expression hardens. “You think I want athank you?”

I laugh, humorlessly, trying hard to summon the anger for protection from the tears threatening the backs of my eyes. “Oh, I forgot. You’re above that. The martyr complex, very noble.”

He places his hands on either side of me, caging me in.

“You want to tell me how to live my life?” His voice is suddenly dangerous and simmers just below a boil. “Stop being a martyr? Is that it?”

Uh-oh.