Page 121 of Tracking Luxe

“Hands off.” Luxe issued with a snarl.

Everything died inside.

Making his throat work, he swallowed hard. “The fuck is this?” he forced himself to say, keeping his eyes on Grigori only or feared his gaze would give himself away. “You brought in entertainment for me? How nice. But I gotta decline, I’m busy right now.”

Don’t react, love. Please.His eyes penetrating his anger. If he could disassociate Luxe to him then he had a slim chance of getting her out of here unscathed. The Russian’s wouldn’t use something against him if they thought she meant nothing.

Or that was his last fucking hope.

Sweat broke out on his back, Grinder forgot every one of his injuries, this was so much bigger than the hurt he was feeling. Standing between them she looked so goddamn small, even with her beautiful scowl.

So tiny.

His brain was screaming to get his girl safe.

Lacking on many details, and what he had gleaned in the last however long was Grigori wanted his pound of flesh. Grinder preferred it to be his at all costs.

“Why don’t you just spit it out what you want. ‘Cause I hate to break it to you, fellas, but you’re all boring the shit out of me.” He goaded and earned a punch in his already sore kidneys. He coughed and spat out blood.

That one would die twice, he decided. Real slow. He’d call and ask Hawk for tips.

Baring his teeth, he saw the wince on Luxe’s face. “Stop okay!” she screamed. “Just stop. It was m----”

“Grigori!” he cut her off. Steel gray eyes cut a vicious slash towards the man in charge. “You can stop playing your games now. You got my attention. Here I am, trussed like a thanksgiving turkey, fucker,” he needed the elder man angry and paying attention to only him. “How about you say what you have to say, huh?”

If the man was pissed he didn’t show it when he laughed. The noise was eerie. Grinder supposed it made other grown men piss themselves with fear when they heard it.

He sighed and tried to drop his shoulders, they were burning deep in the socket, the chain kept him in place and now his knees were starting to go numb.

Not daring to look at Luxe, his body unconsciously turned her way, trying with the will of his mind to let her know everything would be alright.

For the millionth time Grinder wondered what it was about Luxe that made him willing to risk it all, even as the case stood, his own life. He'd thought himself incapable of deep emotional connections, having always chosen pleasure over supposed happiness, thinking that elusive and a damn myth. Not that he didn't love his pop and uncles and even their families, Cameron and Stacie, the brat twin cousins, though he was glad he only saw them every other year for the holidays. But the real deep downI will kill for this person no questionsaskedemotions he was sure had bypassed him since he'd never experienced them before with anyone, least of all a chick.

But there it was.

Drilling a hole in his battered chest.

The thump was loud enough to deafen him.

He felt so fucking violently ill that she was here in the middle.

His lack of finesse was more than apparent, no one can kidnap a woman and claim their reasons are sane ones. He'd fucked up from day one but he'd been trying to fix it. Thought he had gone some way.

Until tonight.

This wasn't how it ended between them. It couldn't be. but if there was a chance he could get his girl to walk out of here untouched he'd grab that like a lifeline no hesitation.

She was worth every risk he could take.

Swampy, thick guilt trapped inside his ribcage. If he’d been more careful, if his club had planned that robbery better, she wouldn’t be here now being manhandled by people who could only wish to lay hands on something so fucking precious.

Mine. She’s mine.

He might have tracked Luxe up and down the country in his spare time this past year. But it was his girl who had finally found him.

Settled him.

Fucking owned him.