* * * *
Marco pulled the cruiser up in front of his house thirty minutes later. There was Anthony, standing on the front driveway, talking with some other men. They weren’t familiar looking at all.
Marco gave a nod in their direction as he rounded the front of the car to open Millie’s door.
He placed an arm around her waist and led her toward the men.
Anthony immediately pulled her into his arms and hugged her to him.
“You doing okay, darling?” he asked in a husky voice, and she squeezed him back then tried to pull away a little. She wasn’t sure who these other men were.
As if reading her mind, Anthony introduced them.
“These are friends of ours. Kevin and Mathew Lawkins.”
“Howdy, ma’am.” Both men reached their hands out for her to shake. She did. They were very tall. Almost as tall as Marco.
“This is Jimmy and his brother, Taylor Morris,” Anthony introduced the other two men.
“Nice to meet you, Millie,” Jimmy stated.
“Nice to meet you all as well,” she replied, but she still wondered who they were.
> “Dalton called them so we could go over some security measures.” Marco offered the information. Anthony didn’t seem to want to tell her what was going on.
“Security measures?” she inquired then thought about Dalton. He had wanted to leave the dojo with Hank, but she had insisted that they remain working. She appreciated their concern and desire to be with her, but they had work, businesses, and lives, too. This threat from Frank shouldn’t make them have to change their routines.
“Yes, ma’am. We were in the service with Hank, Dalton, and Marco. We’re back home on some R & R and stopped by to talk with Dalton when he told us about the situation. We’re offering our time and services for when your men can’t be present,” Jimmy stated and he looked her over, as did the other three men. Then they smiled.
“I really don’t think that will be necessary,” Millie replied, feeling that she would need to discuss a few things with Marco and Anthony as well as Dalton, Hank, and Jeremy.
Then she felt Anthony squeeze her waist. He began to turn her toward the house.
“I appreciate you coming by. We’ll talk more later.”
Anthony reached to shake the men’s hands, and as Marco escorted them to their trucks, Anthony walked her into the house.
She was feeling a bit on edge. She didn’t like being told what to do or patronized. She thought she was handling the situation pretty damn well. As a matter of fact, she hadn’t had any time alone to think about what Frank had done and the fact that he could very well be headed here. If she thought on that too much, she would begin to panic.
The moment Anthony had her inside the house, he pulled her into his arms again and hugged her to him. She was surprised.
“Damn, Millie, I was so concerned. I couldn’t wait to hold you in my arms, too…”
He spoke against her neck then chin before covering her mouth, unable to finish his sentence. He ravaged her as he lifted her by her thighs and pressed her against the wall. She kissed him back, wrapping her legs around his waist, running her fingers through his hair, and absorbing his take-charge attitude.
In some distant part of her mind, she thought she heard the door open then close. Then Anthony slowly pulled his lips from her mouth while he cupped her right breast with one hand, while his other hand held her under her left ass cheek and against the wall.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight,” he told her, his brown eyes looking so damn dark they almost appeared black. He clenched his teeth. She could tell as his facial expression hardened. Millie caressed his shoulders and then his chest.
“You need to calm down,” she whispered.
He looked to the right, to where Marco stood with a similar expression.
“Calm down? How the hell could you ask me to calm down? I was worried sick about you. I can’t get the thoughts out of my head, Millie. He’s out there. He’s brutally murdered multiple people.”
“Put me down, Anthony,” she whispered to him. He grabbed her tighter, his hands on her hips, the bulge between his legs snug against her mound.
“No, I’m not letting you down. You look at me, woman, when I’m speaking to you.”