Page 16 of Gunnar

“I’m all alone out here.”

“Not alone,” he says in a low growl.

I blink. He is right. I currently have three feral men for company. One of whom is looking at me with the unwavering stare of a predator.

“Why did the cops bring me here?” I blurt out.

“Guess they were desperate.” He sits on the edge of a motheaten old chair and gives me a long look. “But it’s worked out.”

“Has it?”

He shuffles forward, until our knees are inches apart. “Who wants you dead, Alexandria?”

The words hit me with a jolt and a sob bubbles up in me. I put my hand over my mouth to hide it, but his eyes narrow. He notices things.

“He told me he’d find me.”

His eyes blaze. “Who is he?”

“Russian.” I sigh. “Russian Mafia, I guess.”

His face darkens. “He’s your boyfriend?”

“No.” I give a mirthless laugh. “I saw him kill someone, that’s all. Purely by chance, when I was leaving work this morning.”

His features soften. “You were an innocent bystander.”

“Yeah.”

“Not part of that world.”

There’s a tenderness in his voice, and it touches something in me—something I protect at all costs.

“I’m just a regular person,” I say. “Who until today had a job and a cat and a mom who’s a pain in my ass, and a mountain of student debt…” I break off as my voice gets loud. I dig my nails into my palms. When I take a deep breath, it shudders in my throat.

“He won’t get to you, Alexandria,” he says.

“No?”

“I’ll keep you safe.” His gaze is intense, irises glowing gold. It’s an animal stare, I think, and the longer he stares, the faster my heart beats.

“W-why are you looking at me like that?” I stutter.

“I’ll tear them apart,” he growls. “Anyone who even thinks about hurting you.”

The bones in his face seem to be widening, and I sense that his animal is coming.

I should be afraid, but all I feel is an intense energy leaping between us⁠—

Bang—

A hand smacks the doorframe. Followed by a deliberate, exaggerated clearing of a throat.

Gunnar’s gaze doesn’t leave mine.

“What?” he says flatly.

Torin leans around the doorway. “Orson’s fixed the boiler. Says it’s good and hot,” he announces. “Although…” A knowing look sweeps his face. “It feels pretty hot in here.” He grins like he’s been waiting his whole life for this moment.