And I wanted them aimed at me.
I looked up and quickly stopped in my tracks when someone stepped out of the alley. I vaguely remembered him from prison, but I didn’t remember much else about him. He’d been quiet while he was there; didn’t say much to anyone.
“We need to have a talk,” he sneered at me.
I tightened my arm around Juliana when I felt her tremble against my side. Silently, keeping my eyes on the man in front of me, I stepped into the alley, gently pulling Juliana with me. She was safer with me than she was if I left her out on that sidewalk by herself.
As soon as we were far enough away from the road, I let go of Juliana and swung my foot out, knocking the man on his ass. I snatched my gun out of the small of my back and pointed it down at him while I kicked his gun out of his hand, sending it sliding across the ground away from him.
“You remember me?” I quietly asked him. He nodded, not saying a word. “Then you know what the fuck I’m capable of, yes?”
“I-it was a job,” he stuttered out.
I kicked his temple, knocking him unconscious. I then grabbed a terrified, shaking, crying Juliana and pulled her close to me, holding the back of her head as I shoved my gun back into my waistband. Then, I called James.
“Yes, brother?”
“Got a problem,” I growled.
“Talk,” he ordered.
“Someone just tried to kill me,” I told him. “A job. Someone wants to fucking eliminate me.”
“Jesus Christ,” he swore. “He alive or dead?”
“Alive – for now. Need you to send someone down here to get him – find out what the fuck is going on.”
“On it. Adrian will be there shortly.”
He hung up. I dropped my phone back into my pocket and looked down at Juliana. Her eyes were already locked on me, fear in the depths of her eyes. I swallowed thickly, praying she wasn’t afraid of me. I wasn’t sure if I could handle that.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” I assured her. She swallowed thickly. I grasped her face in my hands. “Little girl, I would never fucking hurt you,” I swore. “In this little bit of time, you’ve become the center of my entire fucking universe.” She swallowed thickly. “I will do everything in my power to protect you and keep you safe.”
Her lips parted like she wanted to speak, but she hesitated. “Talk to me,” I pleaded. I needed to know how she was feeling, what she was thinking.
“Who are you?” she managed to get out.
“My brother is the don to the American mafia,” I told her softly. Her eyes widened in horror. I gently shook her, trying to keep her focused on me and my promises – promises I would never break to her. “Baby girl, I’m never going to hurt you,” I promised her. “I’m trained to be a cold-blooded killer, baby, but all of this shit,” I said, waving my hand towards the fucker on the ground, “will never be aimed at you,” I swore. “You’re mine to protect and to care for, and that is all I will do.”
She bit her bottom lip. I groaned as my cock swelled in my jeans. I gently pulled her bottom lip from between her teeth. “I can’t claim you if you don’t trust me, little girl. I can’t put that anklet on your ankle if you don’t trust me to protect you and to take care of you.”
The next words she uttered almost brought me to my fucking knees.
“I trust you,” she whispered.
I dragged her mouth up to mine, kissing her hard and fast, dominating her lips, my tongue tangling with hers.
I heard Adrian clear his throat from behind us. I slowly released her and turned to face him. He waved his hand at the guy on the ground, his eyes flickering to Juliana for a moment.
“You know something,” I said.
He nodded. “Not in front of the lady,” he said quietly. “Let me confirm my suspicions, and then, I’ll get James to bring together a small family meeting.”
“Got it,” I told him. I clapped a hand to his shoulder. “Thanks, brother.”
He nodded once. I led Juliana from the alley, her body tucked beneath my arm. But after that shit, I was hyper-aware of my surroundings.
And I didn’t like having Juliana out in the open like this – not with there being a fucking target on the back of my head now.
I quickly typed out a message to James.
Protection needed. -Darren
It didn’t even take him a full minute to respond.
Already in place. You’re covered. -James
I pressed my lips to Juliana’s temple when I caught her eyes nervously darting to every alley we passed. “Breathe,” I soothed. “You’re safe with me, baby.”
Her eyes flickered up to my face. Drawing in a deep breath, she nodded. “That’s my good girl,” I quietly praised.
Another one of those beautiful smiles tilted her lips.