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“Why not?” I challenge. “It’s true. I’d kill every motherfucker that looks in your direction if I thought it wouldn’t upset you.”
Her bloodshot eyes dart up to meet mine, searching them for signs I’m exaggerating, but I’m not. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe.
“Get some rest, spitfire,” I say softly, repositioning her in my arms so I can wrap a blanket around us both.
Taking care of people doesn’t come naturally to me, but taking care of Isla? It’s become my favorite thing to do.
I watch her sleep, her tears drying against her cheeks, and her body finally relaxes into my arms as unconsciousness takes her under.
More than anything, I need to figure out which of Spade’s assholes are following my woman and take him out. But I can’t leave Isla alone right now, and there’s no one I trust with her safety apart from the Saint James family.
But am I really ready for Isla to know about that side of my life? The side that’s highly illegal and surrounded with death and destruction?
I may not have a choice.
I reach for my phone, being careful not to wake her before typing out a text to Storm.
Doc: Someone followed Isla home today. She said she recognized him as one of Spade’s men.
Storm: Is she okay?
Doc: She’s freaked out, but she’s okay.
Storm: I’ll have Everett pull the tapes around your building and see what we can find. Should I have Rayne organize security for her?
Doc: I think it would be for the best.
Storm: I’ll sort it. Take care of your girl.
It’s still crazy to me how much the great Storm Saint James has changed since his fiancée came into his life. But then again, I’m not the man I was before Isla either.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
ISLA
If I thought Doc was overbearing before, I had no idea how bad it could get.
Ever since Spade’s goon followed me home earlier in the week, he’s been watching me like a hawk. Even going as far as driving me to and from school every day. Which is ridiculous because I know for a fact it’s out of his way.
And don’t even get me started on the six-foot-three wall of muscle that now follows me around anytime I’m outside the house. Antonio is almost as huge as Doc and even more intimidating. He doesn’t speak much, in fact, I think he’s said all of three words to me in the last few days, all of them a warning about my own safety.
I sigh and fall against the back of the couch. I took today off because I’m too overwhelmed. I can’t take another day of being followed around and told where I can and can’t go. But even then, I know Antonio is outside the door, waiting for me if I choose to leave the apartment.
Doc’s only trying to protect me, and I’m grateful for it, but he doesn’t seem to understand that the longer I’m here, the more freedom I seem to be losing.
The door swings open, and my husband strolls through with his brows pulled together and his phone pressed to his ear.
“I’m not coming in tonight. You’ll just have to let them die if they beat each other to death,” he snaps.
Whoever is on the other end of the phone must argue with him because his frustration only seems to grow with each word they say.
“Rayne, I don’t give a fuck. Those assholes go to The Circle knowing full well there’s a possibility of death. They sign a damn waiver, for God’s sake. It won’t hurt for me to not be there tonight.”
I give him a small wave but stay on the couch with my Kindle. I haven’t been able to read as much as I would have liked today. I was really hoping a few hours curled up with a work of fiction could distract me from the disaster my life seems to have descended into, but not even an unhinged morally gray fictional character can distract me at this point.
He hangs up the phone and prowls toward me. He never walks into the apartment without finding me straight away, but there’s something terrifying about him right now that almost makes me retreat. I probably would do just that if I weren’t tangled with throw rugs with a cup of peppermint tea in my hand.
My stomach has been a little unsettled today because it’s the first day of my period. I’m pretty lucky compared to a lot of women, but I wouldn’t say my time of the month is a walk in the park. This one is worse than the ones I’ve had over the last few years since I went on the pill to regulate them, but I put it down to stress.
