“Jayme!” I captured her wrist. I couldn’t allow my friend to go storming after a dangerous criminal to give him a piece of her formidable mind. “We need to stick together right now. Marco is on his way. He’ll sort everything out.”
Reluctantly, she nodded and eased back into her seat. “How long until he gets here?”
“I’m not sure.” I reached for my phone with shaking hands. “I’ll text him.”
My trembling fingers hovered over the screen, hesitating. I didn’t know what to say. If I mentioned Ciro, Marco might go tearing after him. I didn’t want the man I loved to run straight into a trap. Because that’s obviously why Ciro came here to taunt me. He wanted Marco and Joseph to hunt him down. He wanted them to come to him.
This part of our lives was supposed to be over. Men like Ciro weren’t in the picture anymore.
I squeezed my eyes shut, rubbing at the phantom burn where his breath had heated my neck as he whispered in my ear.
“Oh, thank god,” Jayme exclaimed. “The cavalry has arrived.”
My eyes snapped open, and a soft sob hitched in my throat when I caught sight of Marco and Joseph. One look at their faces told me that they were aware of the threat. Marco’s eyes were black with fury, his massive body swelling with the need to tear someone apart. Joseph’s square jaw was set, his tanned cheeks unnaturally pale.
“Some creepy pervert just kissed Ashlyn,” Jayme burst out as soon as they reached our table.
Marco’s nostrils flared, an enraged beast; Joseph’s fists clenched at his sides.
I cringed. “It wasn’t that bad,” I tried to reassure everyone, desperate to keep them all within my sight. “I’m fine. See?” I fixed my men with a firm stare. “I’m fine.”
“I have to tell the manager,” Jayme continued on, irate on my behalf. “I want that asshole banned. This is our favorite bar. He can’t come back here.” She started scooting out of her seat again.
Joseph shifted his body to the side, blocking her. “I’ll talk to the manager,” he promised. “What did the guy look like?”
Jayme’s lip curled, and she crossed her arms over her chest with a little shudder. “Old and gross. They probably caught his face on a security camera. He paid for this Champagne, so they probably have his credit card info. He said his name was Ciro.”
A rough, inhuman noise slipped between Marco’s bared teeth, and his onyx eyes searched the bar, looking for the man who’d dared to touch me.
Jayme blinked at him and shrank back into her seat. “Whoa,” she breathed.
My stomach twisted into knots. Clearly, Marco knew the man’s name. And it made him go almost feral. I hadn’t seen him like this since we’d moved to Boston. The sight of his pain and fear for me made my heart ache.
“Can we go home, please?” My voice came out softer than I would’ve liked. I took a breath and tried again. “He’s gone. He left a few minutes ago. I just want to go home now.” I reached for Marco, brushing his fist with my fingertips. His gaze snapped to mine, hungry and fearful and enraged. I wrapped my hand around his. “Please?”
“Marco, we should go,” Joseph agreed, his tone deep and steady. Out of the three of us, he always functioned best in high-stress situations. He looked at Jayme, who was still watching Marco with something between awe and wariness. “I’ll email the bar owners about what happened tonight. I’m sure they’ll make it right. Can we drive you home, Jayme?”
She tore her gaze from Marco to focus on me. “Is that what you want? I’m good to go if that’s how you’d like to handle this. I totally understand if you just want to get out of here.”
“Yes, please. Sorry girls’ night got ruined.”
She waved off my apology. “You’re not the one who ruined it. Besides, I really shouldn’t have any more wine. I do have that early flight. I’d love a ride home, Joseph. Thanks.”
“We’ll all go together,” I interjected firmly. I wasn’t letting anyone out of my sight. Marco looked like he could murder Ciro if the man appeared before us right now. I didn’t want Marco to have to take on any more darkness. He deserved to be happy. All I wanted was for him to be happy; him and Joseph.
Finally, his hard eyes softened, and he focused on me. “Whatever you want, princess. All four of us can ride in Joseph’s car.”
I went up onto my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. Before I pulled away, I whispered the words that I knew would calm him more than anything else, “Thank you, Daddy.”
Chapter Nine
Ashlyn
“Did he touch you?” Marco’s voice was gravel, and white-hot flames flickered across his dark eyes. His big hands cupped my cheeks, shockingly gentle in contrast to the fierce rage that tensed his massive body.