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I tower over her, my knees pinning her to the couch, trying my damnedest to intimidate the obstinate woman. “I’ll pay you whatever they would for the class.”
“No!” she squeaks. “You can’t just buy me off like one of your lowlife informants.”
“Why not?”
“Because I need this job, Dante. Not just for a week or a month, or however long you have it in your head that you need to protect me.”
I fold my body over hers, planting a hand on either side of the couch cushion. “Listen to me, sweetheart, I thought I’d already made this clear.”
“No, you made up stupid rules you expect me to follow, but this is one I can’t. I need that job, Dante. More than that, I like it.” She pauses and sucks in her lower lip. “Please don’t take that away from me.”
A flare of guilt unfurls, a toxic mixture of pity and regret. If I hadn’t failed her, like I did everyone else, if I’d been more proactive from the beginning with this stalker she wouldn’t be in this shitty situation. “Fine,” I grit out. “I guess I’m going to yoga then.”
“What?”
“I’m not letting you walk out of this apartment by yourself. Not only is your crazy ass ex after you, but now there’s Feng. I have no idea what he thinks you heard or saw, and I can’t risk him retaliating. He saw us together. It won’t take him long to figure out who you are to me.”
I bite down on my tongue. I hadn’t meant that last part to come out.To me. What was she to me anyway? A job, a responsibility, redemption? In a few short weeks she’d become too many things to wrap my fucked-up head around.
Fear races across those brilliant green eyes, and I want to shove my foot in my mouth for being so callous. In only a matter of days living with me, I’ve managed to expose her to even more trouble.Cazzo.
She nods slowly, tearing her eyes from mine, and focuses on her tangled fingers. “Can’t you send one of your guys to follow me like before?”
“I don’t have anyone I trust enough to spare.” It’s the godsdamned truth. There are few men I would trust with her life right now. Which leaves me on babysitting duty, again. At least I can get a workout in. Something I’m in great need of right now to let off some steam as a result of the permanent blue balls this woman has gifted me for the holidays.
Rose glances up at me, and her nose nearly brushes mine. A tiny sigh escapes, and she drags her tongue across her bottom lip.Dio, I want to claim that mouth along with every inch of her. That one little taste yesterday wasn’t enough, nowhere near enough.
“Okay,” she murmurs. “But I’m warning you, Dante, if you think I’m going to take it easy on you, you’ve got another thing coming.”
I scoff. “Nothing is easy with you, sweetheart. And that’s what makes it interesting.” I shoot her a wink and force myself to back off. Being with this woman is testing me in more ways than I ever thought possible.
* * *
I’m going to rip out pretty boy’s man bun if he doesn’t take his eyes off Rose’s ass. I glare at the punk in the front row, rage flooding my veins. He’s done nothing but stare at her for the entire hour-long yoga class.
And fuck, a part of me can’t blame him with Rose wearing those curve-hugging skintight yoga pants. I can make out the exact shape of her pussy, and it has my dick raging against my sweatpants. She’s in downward dog, her fine ass up in the air and breasts spilling over the top of her sports bra. I must have a word with her about her wardrobe choices, or I’m going to have a fucking coronary. And here I thought yoga was supposed to be relaxing.
All I want to do is gouge out the eyes of every man in this room.
Rose pushes off the floor and walks between the students, adjusting their positions. When she reaches man-bun and glides her hand across his lower back, I nearly lose my shit. A growl vibrates my chest, the sound so loud, the blonde beside me startles.
“Sorry,” I mutter. “Indigestion.”
I try to focus on the pose, on my breathing, but only deep red consumes my vision as man-bun whispers something that has Rose giggling like a fucking schoolgirl. Are you shitting me right now?
That guy cannot be that funny. He’s a twenty-something-year-old with hair like a girl.
Rose finally straightens and claps her hands. “Well done, everyone. Great job today. Looks like those two days off for the holidays has everyone nice and limber and relaxed.”
Except for me. My fingers are twitching to strangle every male in this room.
I straighten and stretch out my arms over my head. Man-bun rolls up his mat and saunters toward Rose, who’s chatting with some other tool in front of the studio. Why are so many men surrounding her?
Bunching my mat into a terrible roll, I slip it under my arm and stalk toward Rose.
“It’s really a shame you don’t do private in-home visits,” says man-bun. He leans in and squeezes her shoulder. “I’m really tight in my quads, and I could use the special one-on-one attention.”
Fury surges through my veins, loosening my jaw from the stiff set. “Get your fucking hand off her before I break it off,” I snarl.
