Page 56 of Ruthless Protector

His gaze moved over me, over my face, and his jaw tightened. “It was no problem. She’s a great kid.”

There was a distance between us, an invisible wall. I’d built it, brick by brick, and I didn’t know how to fix it. How to bring him close—but not too close. How to give us what we both wanted without breaking my promise to Rebecca, without earning myself another permanent scar.

“Where did you get the helmet? Did you borrow it?” I asked, to break the silence.

He glanced at it and his expression went blank. “No. I got it for my nephew. He used to love my bike.”

I didn’t know Jude had a nephew, but it wasn’t a surprise he had a family; a brother or sister, or both. The way he was, I imagined they were pretty great too. They’d have to be. And really, there was no reason I would know. I’d never asked, and he’d never volunteered the information.

“How old is…”

“I need to go,” he said, voice grittier than I’d ever heard it.

Yeah, he was still pissed with me. But I didn’t want him to go, not yet. The least I could do was offer him a drink, a paltry offering after what he’d done for Tilly, but I couldn’t just let him go with a measly thanks. “Do you want to…”

“I need to head out,” he said, cutting me off again. “I’ve got stuff to do, paperwork from the case to tie up after being away.”

Yep. He’d given up on me. I’d blown it. I guess that saved me from my dilemma. I should be happy; he saved us both possible future drama. There was no risk of falling for him now. Still, I crossed my arms because I was afraid I’d reach for him, that I’d wrap myself around him and beg him to stay. “Of course,” I said instead.

“Say goodbye to Tils for me,” he said, then shoved the small helmet in one of the saddle bags. He swung his leg over the seat, started the bike, and without another glance my way, roared out.

13

Jude

I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing here. I tried to tell myself it was just because I wanted to make sure Willa was safe after all the disappearances, and that was true, but I also knew Raul had the security locked down, because I’d been the person he’d consulted with. That wasn’t the only reason I was here, though. The truth was, I was a damn glutton for punishment.

The music throbbed through Stilettos, the crowd heavy. My gaze skimmed over bodies; blonde hair, black, brunette, not really seeing any of them.

Finally, I found what I was looking for. Willa’s pink hair seemed brighter under the muted lighting. It was down and the way it framed her face, those delicate features…

Christ, my breath was knocked from my lungs, just from a glimpse of her on the other side of the club. And goddammit, that pissed me off. She’d made it clear she wasn’t interested in pursuing this thing between us, this fucking heat that felt like it was burning me alive.

After the texts, I thought…I stupidly thought she’d changed her mind. Lord knew I wasn’t relationship material. I was messed up in a whole lot of ways, had issues I hadn’t resolved, hadn’t even tried to resolve. But Willa drew me like no one else ever had. And yeah, fool that I was, I couldn’t stay the hell away from her.

I wanted her. I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anyone, which was why I was here, torturing myself, when I should be home, or hell, at a bar, looking for a way to firmly put her out of my mind. I’d even fooled myself into thinking that’s what I was going to do, had gone as far as arranging to meet Van for a drink at one of the clubs we frequented, but I’d ended up here instead.

Idiot.

What the hell am I doing here? I needed to leave, before she saw me, before I made even more of a fool of myself. Seeing her yesterday when I dropped off Tilly, having her talk to me like we hadn’t been on the verge of something, like we hadn’t been heading somewhere that I knew would be fucking amazing, had frustrated the hell out of me. Then she’d asked about the helmet. My nephew Louis’ helmet, and I’d retreated. I’d gotten the hell out of there.

I needed to do that now.

Still, I found myself moving closer, needing to get a good look at her before I left. Yep, total glutton for punishment.

I got a little closer, and that’s when I saw what she was doing over at one of the tables off to the side of the stage. There were a group of guys sitting around it, clean-cut business types, table covered in drinks. Looked like a Bachelor party. The guy who I assumed was the groom, sat back a little from the table, and Willa had her ass in his lap, grinding on the fucker. Every muscle in my body bunched hard as I forced myself to stay put, to not go over there and knock the asshole out. All I could do was stand there while she did her thing, dancing for him, rubbing up on him, playfully slapping his hands away when he tried to touch what he shouldn’t.

I wanted to tear his hands from his wrists and shove them down his fucking throat.

Moving around the edge of the room, I ended up behind them, at one of the tables in the corner against the wall, shrouded in shadow. There were bouncers there, good guys; some of them I knew well, but I couldn’t leave, I couldn’t leave her safety to anyone else. There was no fighting or ignoring the roaring creature inside me, a part of me I knew all too well, telling me to protect her. To keep her safe. What was new, was the almost violent need to claim her, to make her mine, in front of every asshole in here.

I had to shut that down though, for obvious reasons. Instead, I embraced my protective side, listened to my gut. I never ignored my instincts, not anymore. And mine were telling me to stay right the fuck where I was.

I watched, damn near half off my seat as they shoved bills down the sides of her g-string, couldn’t look away from the false smile on her face, the fucking dead look in her eyes as she finished the dance. And somehow managed to stay where I was when she walked away, heading backstage.

I ordered a drink while I waited for her to come back out because I was there for the night, I knew that much. I couldn’t leave until I knew she’d finished her shift, until I made sure no one touched her in a way she didn’t like, until I knew she was home safe.

My drink was delivered and I was taking my first sip when the music changed and Willa walked out on the stage, her hair, her skin, glowing under the spotlight. I ate up every inch of her. She was wearing a bright pink corset and a pale pink tutu that barely covered her ass. Her hair was up in a tight bun, like she was a real ballet dancer, and I watched, mesmerized, as she moved to the pole and started gracefully dancing around it.