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“Lia Goldin,” I said and held out my hand.
“Ah, Lou’s kid,” Hendrix crowed and suddenly, he yanked me into an embrace. I had to fight the urge to shove him away. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’ve done business with your old man for years.”
I suddenly felt a brush against my waist, and my purse strap pulled heavy against my neck. My eyes were wide as Hendrix stepped back and settled his hands on my shoulders, giving me a little shake.
“You know, I’ve heard you looked like your dad…” Hendrix’s hands tightened around me. “But God, you do so remind me of your mother, Marina.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Lia
Agasp escaped me, and then suddenly, Ty loomed up. Hendrix let me go and slid his hands in his pockets, tilting his head to the side and still smiling.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Ty snarled in a low tone and my stomach thrilled to it. His arm went around me, and I couldn’t help but relish his comfort, tension easing out of my body as he drew me back from Hendrix. “You don’t touch her. And you sure as shit don’t bring up personal stuff.”
“Aw, no hard feelings,” Hendrix said. “It’s just, we have so much in common. People, I mean.” His green eyes lingered on Ty’s hand, and something flickered at the corner of his mouth. “For instance, I know her cousin, Ricky. Seen him lately?”
Before I could answer, Ty let go of me and got in Hendrix’s face. “Get lost. Now.” Nerves climbed higher into my throat, and outof the corner of my eye, I saw several men coming toward us. Some were Ty’s guys, but others had to be Hendrix’s.
“What’s the problem, Tyler?” Hendrix asked, still casual, but his posture had changed. I sensed that he longed to snap, to rain violence down on Ty — so much violence that I wanted to pull Ty away.
“My problem is that you don’t seem to understand that Lia ismywoman,” Ty snarled, not bothering with politeness now. “She’s under my protection. And I don’t appreciate you trying to fuck around with her. So, stay the hell away.”
“Or else what?” Hendrix added, and Ty’s fists clenched. Holding up his hands, Hendrix took a step back and waved at his men. “Alright. I’m going.” His eyes slid over to me. “Nice meeting you.”
Swallowing my revulsion, I looked away and hugged myself, at ease once I’d sensed Hendrix had left. Several of Ty’s men clustered around us, and I heard them speaking Italian, with Ty answering in curt, short commands.
“Come on,” Ty finally said. “Let’s eat, dance, and do all that shit we actually came here for.”
I knew it didn’t make a difference. When I sat at the table and finally mustered the courage to open my purse, I saw the glint of metal.
I knew then that our beautiful night had turned to ash.
Ty
Something was wrong.
I sure as hell didn’t want to admit it while we’d been at the gala but the car ride home was too fucking quiet. Lia seemed to be on another planet. She’d barely touched our five-star meal, had been limp as a ghost in my arms as we danced, and had kept her hands clenched in her lap the whole way back from Boston.
Now, she stood barefoot in front of the big window in our bedroom, her heels kicked off to the side and coat discarded. She had a death grip on her purse and, if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear she wanted to run.
Anxiety and dread clawed at my insides and dug deep into my heart. I pretended to be absorbed in shrugging off my jacket and checking my phone, but I watched Lia out of the corner of my eye and felt a rising sense of helplessness.
I knew she deserved patience and kindness, that maybe tonight had been too much, but I couldn’t help but fall back on old habits and instincts. My temper, which had struggled to stay put since Hendrix had dared to put his hands on her, began to yank at its leash.
“Lia,” I bit out, and she turned. “What the fuck is your problem?” She recoiled and her hands tightened on the straps of her purse, her hazel eyes filling with wariness. “Don’t you dare lie. I let it lie last night, but I don’t do bullshit. Talk.”
“I don’t know,” she said with a shrug and I prowled toward her. “I didn’t sleep well.”
“When, last night?” I asked and wondered why her nod sent a bolt of unease through me. “Because I said I loved you?” I grabbed her hand. “What, you don’t believe me?”
“No,” Lia said, and her lip wobbled. “I believe you.”
A hollow laugh escaped me. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear that was the problem right there.”
Lia didn’t say anything, and I tightened my grip. My other hand caught her around the neck, my thumb pressing into her pulse. “I love you.I fucking love you.” My voice was rising. “You are mine.”
With that, I kissed her, a kiss full of savagery and hunger and an edge of desperation that I couldn’t talk myself down from. It felt like I was losing her even though she was in my arms.
