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My blood ran cold at his calm tone. Everything about the man was wrong. I swiveled on my heel to face him. He had a serene air about him, and a small, secret smile graced his face, transforming him into something worse than ever.
He extended a hand with a sharp long enough to do permanent damage to my girl. “Why don’t you do the next one?”
“You’re mad,” I snarled. Talons already in place, I swiped at him, knocking the needle from his hand and tearing his shirt to ribbons. “Killian!” The room might be soundproofed, but a wrecked door fixed that.
Bootsteps thundered toward us. Killian burst in much as I had a moment ago. His giant, log-sized arms wrapped around Martin’s chest, squeezing the breath out of him.
Lansdown smiled politely as I glowered in his direction, then turned back to my work.
Killian knew to wait. We’d been through enough shit together over the years with clientele that I wanted thepsychopath he held close by until I’d finished my work.
After that, the man was fair game.
I checked each spot, pressing my fingers over them with infinite care. Once Willow was freed of the remaining points around her tiny body, I tugged the last out.
Her tiny body shivered. I scooped her into my arms as her weight increased, gripping her legs in a gentle hold until she stared back at me with wide eyes. Mascara and makeup streaked her face.
“Jesus, Willow. Let’s get you upstairs.” I nodded to my two bouncers. The doormen towed Martin away, his face still glazed with some sort of insane glee. “Killian, secure him in your office. I’ll deal with him in a bit.”
Killian passed Lansdown to the security ’roos who frog marched him up the stairs ahead of us.
I shrugged out of my jacket one-armed, wrapping it around Willow’s shivering body. “Sweetheart?”
She looked up at me and opened her mouth. For a moment, nothing came out. She tried again. “I wanted to find you.”
“I’m here.” I held her too tight, needing her close.
“I know.”
“Come on. I’ll get you medical attention.”
“I’m sorry, Rafe. I forgot.” Her eyes widened, beseeching.
I frowned. “About what?”
“Not to come down here. I was so excited to see you that I got here early. And I forgot what you said and—” Tears streamed unchecked down her face.
I kissed her tenderly. She’d been down there with Lansdown for an hour? We were both lucky to have anything left to claim. “It’s fine. I should have banned the asshole the first time he broke my rules. Please, please be all right.”
Her eyelids fluttered shut, and my heart rate increased. Itapped her cheek, cupping it, and she opened her eyes.
“I love you.” Her soft words made it to my ears, but not my brain.
“I’m so sorry this happened on my— What?” I stared down at her and stopped walking.
“I love you, Rafe Astor. You’re perfect.”
“I— This isn’t how I meant for tonight to go.” I cleared my throat, but her face crumpled. I replayed the conversation in my head and cursed myself.Shit. “No, I mean I wanted to ask you to be my sub. Not that it matters now— oh, hell.” I made certain my kiss was gentle and tried to push every emotion I felt for her into it. “Be my girlfriend. Please.”
I clung to her, let her tears wash at my panic, and felt like a kid asking his first crush out.
“You want me to be your sub?”
“Not after tonight.” I closed my mouth and my eyes. “I’m an idiot.”
“A bit,” she agreed. I opened my eyes to find her smiling up at me through her tears. “A pretty one, though. I love your talons.”
“You love me for my talons?”
