Chapter 33
Leo
Mode’s music is pumping hard and fast, as I step out of the back entrance. My heart rate is thundering at a hundred- miles an hour and won’t slow down. Ellie is like fuckingThis belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - ©.
cocaine. I’m hooked on her.
The way it feels when I tie her up and fuck her is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. It’s a primal and basal need with her. A need to claim her and make her mine.
I run a hand through my hair and breathe a deep breath. Anytime I shut my eyes, her face appears in my mind. It’s driving me mad. It’s only been twenty-four hours since I met her, but she’s burrowed her way under my skin like no one ever has been.
My Mercedes beeps as I press the unlock button, straightening my tie as I slip inside. The engine roars to life, and I try to focus on anything but her, shifting into reverse and pulling out of my space. I pull onto the main road, driving slowly along it. She left twenty minutes ago, but I’m not sure if she was walking. I’m hoping I’ll see her again.
It’s irrational. We’ve barely said two words to each other, but I need to see her. I drive down the road, keeping my eyes peeled for anyone walking.
Ellie has done something to me no other woman has achieved in my life before. I’m nearing the highway, as a bus pulls out in front of me suddenly. He didn’t even fucking indicate. I honk my horn, breaking in the nick of time.
The moment it pulls away, I see her. Ellie is standing there and two guys are towering over her, forcing her to keep stepping backward. For a moment, I watch what is happening, trying to gauge the situation. When I see Ellie punch the guy in the face, my heart swells with pride. My tough thief can put up a fight.
Then, the moment of pride is broken when the guy grabs hold of her arm forcefully. He slams her against the wall with such force, and it feels like someone has given me a shot of adrenaline.
I absolutely lose my shit. Something that has never happened to me before. It’s a foreign sensation, as rage filters through me, setting me on fire. I pull over onto to the curb, shifting the car into park. I don’t even turn off the damn engine, as I fling open the door and rush toward her.
My fists clenched and body tense. They don’t even see me coming, as I grab hold of the nearest guys collar. He yelps as I pummel him into the floor, before picking him back up and punching him in the face. A sickening crack fills the air and blood rushes from his nose. He holds a hand up to it, yelping like the wuss he is.
“What the fuck?” the other guy says, letting go of Ellie and turning toward me. The moment he sets eyes on me, he turns as white as a sheet.
I crack my knuckles, barely noticing the pain from punching that guy.
This coward who touched Ellie and threw her against a wall, holds his hands up. “Please, I don’t want any trouble.”
I shake my head. “Too bad, the moment you set your hands on her, that’s exactly what you found.”
His eyes go wide, as I move quickly, punching him in the gut first. He doubles over, clutching his stomach. I grab hold of his shoulder and push him against the wall, forcefully. My fist connects with his jaw first and then his nose, breaking both of them swiftly. I don’t even feel any pain in my knuckles, despite knowing they’ll swell up by the morning.
I bring my arm back to punch him again, but a hand tightens around my forearm, forcing me to stop. In my rage, I twist around ready to pummel the other guy who has clearly come back for more.
I stop in the nick of time, as I register Ellie staring at me, fear in her eyes at the look on my face. I snap out of my rage and drop my fist, searching her eyes.
“Stop,” she whispers, so quietly I can barely hear it.
I nod and step away from the men, closer to her. Blood coats my knuckles and I pull out a handkerchief from my pocket, wiping it away. Ellie watches me with a look of curiosity in her eyes. Once I’ve cleaned them off, I wrap my hand around hers and pull her toward the car without a word.
I’ve never been one to break the family rules, but in two nights since I’ve met Ellie, I’ve broken two. The first was allowing Ellie to live when she tried to steal from us. The second was showing someone in public that I care about another person, other than my family.
Ellie has got to me in a way I can’t understand. I beat up two drug dealers, men who push our drugs, in the street. There will be talk about this once they recover and come out of hospital.
I open the passenger’s door. “Get in,” I command. She looks at me hesitantly. “Where are we going?”
It’s the first time she has ever questioned me. My jaw clenches. “I said, get in.”
Fear floods her eyes, and she slides into the seat without another word. I slam the door shut behind her, and rest my head on my hand against the top of the car. My eyes shut. What the fuck have I done?
The two guys are still groaning, rolling about on the pavement. I fire off a text to one of my men, telling them to get over here as fast as possible and get them off to hospital.
I need to keep them quiet and guys like them can be bought easily. We’ll offer them two grand to keep their mouths shut about what happened, and it will be fine.
My phone buzzes.
Joe: Right away, boss.
Once I get the confirmation, I slide into the driver’s side and turn over the engine. Ellie is sitting with her feet up on the chair, hugging her knees to her chest.
“Seat belt on,” I say, unsure how to act toward her.
A part of me wants to hold her close and tell her everything will be okay. I mean, she just witnessed me beating those men to a pulp with little effort. I know doing that to save her goes against everything we stand for.
I shift the car into drive and pull away, leaving my mess behind me. In the rearview mirror, I can see the guys rolling about on the floor, trying to get up and failing drastically. Ellie remains silent as I pull onto the highway, pressing my foot hard to the floor.
I’m conflicted, and I hate it. On the one hand, I want to touch her so bad my finger tips are itching. On the other hand, I know once I show her kindness there is no going back.
After what feels like too long of painful, tense silence, the need to touch her wins out. I slide my hand onto her thigh, gripping it possessively.
She gasps, lips parting as she meets my gaze.
“Don’t worry, everything will be okay,” I say, clenching my jaw the moment the words escape me. This isn’t me. I don’t comfort people, ever- it’s not my style. “Where are you staying?” I ask, keeping my eyes fixed on the road.
There’s a moment pause, before she sighs. “A friend’s place, but those guys know I’m staying there.”
I grip the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turn white. A flood of anger hits me, learning that those guys targeted her and are searching for her. The need to protect this woman rises inside of me so strong it obliterates any other thoughts. She’s mine, and no one touches what is mine. “Don’t you have a place of your own?”
“No,” she mumbles, gazing out of the window.
My jaw clenches and I wonder what shit this girl is in. “Why not?” “It’s a long story.”
The fact she doesn’t want to tell me that story irritates me more than I can put into words. Silence falls between us, other than the roar of the engine as I push on closer to home. There’s no use asking her anymore questions, not now anyway. She doesn’t want to talk. All I know is there is no way in hell I’m letting her out of my sight again.
Those drug dealers are the lowest of the low-the bottom of the hierarchy-but it doesn’t make them any less dangerous. In fact, it makes them more dangerous. They’re barbaric and disgusting.
Ellie needs protecting from them, and I know I will be the one protecting her-no matter what.