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He lifted her hand and pressed her soft palm to his lips.
“I won’t allow anyone to harm you. I protect what is mine and I treasure and value what is mine. You belong to me now, Angel. You are what is most important to me and what I cherish above all else.”
She looked stunned by his declaration. A shimmer of tears reflected in her eyes as she stared at him in shock.
“Oh, Drake,” she finally whispered. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say that we’re worth it. That the disruption to your normal routine and the irritation of always having someone shadowing your every move is worth the price of being with me.”
She threw her arms around his neck and went up on tiptoe to try to reach his height. “Oh, Drake, don’t you know? You’re worth everything. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to be with you. For as long as you want me. I’m yours.”
Her sweetness pierced his soul and spread sunlight wherever she touched. Pieces of him that hadn’t felt warmth in so long came to life under her touch and bloomed like a wildflower. He held her tightly to him, simply absorbing the feel of something so very precious in his arms and against his heart.
What would he do without her now? What had his barren existence been like before she’d barged into his life and turned everything on its head? God help him, but he couldn’t bear the thought of ever losing her. If she were to ever be hurt because of him, he’d never rest until every last bastard paid for it with their blood.
He eased her down onto the bed until she was perched on the edge, and then he took the shoes she was holding and slipped them over her feet. Then he brushed another kiss over her lips as he straightened back to his full height.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
He hurried to the closet and changed into one of his expensive evening suits. After sliding his feet into the Italian loafers arranged at the end of his closet, he returned to collect Evangeline.
“You ready, Angel?”
“Where are we eating? Or rather what are we eating tonight?” she asked as he escorted her to the elevator.
“Seafood,” he replied. “It’s an excellent restaurant in Midtown. One of my favorites. I have a standing reservation there and a table always available so we won’t have to wait.”
“I love shrimp,” she said with a smile.
“That’s because you are one,” he said, chucking her chin with his knuckles.
When they reached the lobby, Zander and Hartley were waiting to escort them to the car. Both men slid into the front seat, with Hartley driving. Drake helped Evangeline into the backseat and then slid in next to her.
“Good evening, Zander. Hartley,” Evangeline acknowledged sweetly.
“Evening, Evangeline,” Zander returned. “You have a good day, sweetheart?”
She smiled. “Yeah. You?”
“It would have been better if we’d gotten the invite to breakfast,” Hartley said dryly.
Evangeline blushed, but her eyes shone with pleasure. “How about I get y’all next time?”
“Deal.” Zander pounced.
“One would think you never feed your men,” Evangeline teased Drake as she settled back against his body.
He wrapped his arm around her, anchoring her against him, and settled in for the drive.
“They just know a good thing when they see it,” Drake said. “And they’re jealous as hell that I saw it first.”
“That ain’t no lie,” Hartley said.
They zipped through traffic in record time and several minutes later, Hartley pulled up to the restaurant and Zander hopped out to open the door for Drake. He got out and then reached back for Evangeline and helped her from the car.
She’d taken all of two steps when the entire world around her exploded in a myriad of flashing lights. Drake let out a savage curse that was echoed by Zander. Evangeline stumbled, but both Zander and Drake were there surrounding her.
“Get the goddamn camera out of her face,” Drake ordered. “Or I swear to God you’ll be eating it.”
There was the sound of a scuffle, but Drake urged Evangeline forward into the restaurant and off the sidewalk where they were exposed. The maître d’ looked appalled and immediately escorted Drake and Evangeline back to a waiting table, apologizing profusely the entire way.
“What happened?” Evangeline asked in bewilderment when she finally eased down into her chair.
“Photographers,” Drake spat.
“They bother you?” she asked in bewilderment.
He looked pained, but he nodded. “It will be worse now I’ve been seen with you.”
She sent him a stricken look. “I’m so sorry, Drake. I don’t want to be a problem for you.”
He reached across the table and picked up her hand, lifting it to his mouth. “Hush. You are not a problem. This will be a pain in your ass, Angel. They’re bloodsuckers and they’re relentless. Once they get their teeth into a bone, they refuse to let go. They’ll follow us everywhere.”
