Page 2 of His to Protect

I’m almost halfway down the hall when I abruptly stop short. My eyes land on my apartment door and it’s slightly ajar. Not all the way open, but just enough that I notice. Did someone break in? There’s no way I forgot to lock it. Although I’ve never had a problem, my neighborhood could definitely be better.

God. Just when my life can’t get any worse, it takes a plunge. Fate must really hate me.

Standing there, I chew on my lower lip and wonder what to do. Should I go inside and check things out? What if someone is still in there, though? Doubtful, but who knows? But, who’s going to break in and hang around? Unless they just got inside. My leery mind is spinning with possibilities.

I suppose I could always go to my neighbor’s place and call the police from there. That seems like the smartest thing to do. Besides, maybe Eliza saw or heard something. She’s such a busy body that I wouldn’t be surprised. She might even have something useful to tell me and the cops.

I’m turning toward her place when the door to my apartment suddenly opens all the way and a man steps out. My heart and feet freeze at the same time and I swallow hard. He’s big and burly with a mean look in his beady eyes. I’m holding my breath, not sure what the hell to do when he gives me an oily smile.

“Are you Hannah Everson?”

He possesses a gravelly voice that sends a shiver down my spine and I automatically take a step back.

“No.” The lie slips from my lips. C’mon, Eliza. This would be the perfect time to open your door and put that busy body of yours into action.

But, of course, her door remains firmly shut and it’s so quiet up here that I wonder if anyone is even home. There are four apartments total on my floor and I’m not hearing a sound from within any of them. Figures. Normally, I hear Eliza’s TV playing at top volume and the kids next door to me are screaming and the couple across the way are fighting with each other.

Right now, though? Not a peep. Crickets. You’d think I was in a cloistered monastery somewhere surrounded by nuns who took a vow of silence.

God help me, I think. Can I please just get a break?

The giant takes a threatening step closer. “You sure about that? Because you look an awful lot like her.”

He doesn’t believe me. I can see it in his dark eyes and panic consumes me when he starts stalking toward me. Too scared to think logically, I spin around and do the only thing I can do—I turn and bolt.

My achy feet are long forgotten as I race back to the stairs, fly down them and shove my way out the front door and back outside. I just need to find a group of people, some life, a crowd, anything.

Anything to deter the man who is now chasing me.

“Hannah!” he yells, stomping after me. “You owe my boss some money.”

My entire body breaks out in a clammy sweat when he growls those ominous words and I don’t bother turning around. Dexter Creed wants his money and I don’t have it. I knew this day was coming, but now what? I can’t spend the rest of my life running and hiding.

Shit. Maybe I don’t have a choice. All I know is I am absolutely terrified and I need to get as far away from Creed’s enforcer as possible. Because one thing is clear. That huge behemoth chasing me? He wouldn’t just break an arm or a leg.

He’d kill me.

I could see the violent storm brewing in his black eyes. I’m not stupid enough to stop and chat with him, either. All he wants is Creed’s money and when he finds out I’m broke, that I don’t even have twenty dollars in my bank account, he’s going to end me.

And, as much as I miss my mom, I’m not exactly ready to see her again just yet on the other side. Pushing myself harder, I spot a couple of kids hanging on the corner outside the small convenience store up ahead. A sliver of hope fills me. Maybe, just maybe, I can find someone to help me.

I sure hope so. If not, I’m in big trouble.

God, I hate my life. But that doesn’t mean I’m going down without a fight. My mom raised me tougher than that.

2

VIN

Ilisten closely to the proposal my older brother Miceli is offering me and it occurs to me that this might be the very distraction I need. He wants me to take over running the wine business branch we have here in the States. Of course, the original Rossi Vineyard and estate is located in southern Sicily and our parents still live there. The soil is extremely fertile and my dad oversees the growing of Nero d’Avola, the most important red wine grape in Sicily. Our wines are of the highest quality and in high demand all over the world. Taking on the role of President of Rossi Vineyard is huge and would keep me busy. Too busy to dwell on why I haven’t been happy lately. Hell, lately? Who am I kidding? I haven’t been truly happy in years.

Because something is missing. I can’t explain what or why I’ve been feeling this way, but there’s a hole and, no matter what I do, I can’t seem to fill it. Maybe being sucked into the winery business will help by giving me something to focus on. Hopefully, this restless, empty ache will finally go away.

While Miceli starts talking about the company’s most-recent profit report, I nod and pretend I’m all ears. But, really, my mind starts drifting. Truth be told, I was never a numbers man. That’s Enzo, all the way. My younger brother could explain profit margins, losses, gains and everything in between without blinking an eye or pausing to take a breath—absolutely anything that has to do with the stock market is in his blood. Plus, he’s a genius at picking stocks. We all have portfolios with him and he makes me more money in one year than some people make after working ten years. And I don’t have to lift a finger.

So, do I technically need to head up a company and add all that stress on my plate? No. Enzo makes this family money in his sleep and we have enough to last several lifetimes. But I need something to help fix this strange and overwhelming feeling inside me. This need for…something.

It’s almost like something is missing. Even though I don’t know what exactly, I can be certain it isn’t a serious relationship. I do not need a woman in my life. That much is for absolute certainty. Okay, so let me rephrase that. Maybe my body would like a warm, welcoming female companion to satisfy the urges of my very lonely dick. Because there’s no denying it—I’m a thirty-two year old man with sexual needs and wants. But, what I don’t want is to be burned again. I still have the scars and I’m not naive enough to go down that path again.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com