Guarding His Obsession (9 page)

I
rest
my hands on top of Zoey’s. I don’t take my eyes off Orlando for a second while the cops come in and get things sorted out.

They wanted to question us separately, but Zoey wouldn’t let me go, and I wasn’t about to take my hands off her while things were still getting settled.

Pink and I were at my office when his sisters came in and got to work. I don’t know how but one of them was able to find the deleted security footage from Zoey’s apartment. At the same time, we found a name we’d come across before. Orlando Davies popped up as working with Green Shore before coming to work in Zoey’s building, and that’s when it all clicked into place.

My phone buzzed just as this all happened, and I checked it to see Zoey’s messages. There was no reason security shouldn’t have been at her door, so I called some of my old partners at the station and had them come to the building for back up.

When I got downstairs and I saw Orlando’s hands on Zoey, red flooded my vision, and I just went into attack mode. It’s all still a little fuzzy from the rage and adrenaline. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before, and I’ve been in a lot of crazy situations when I worked SWAT. But all I remember was needing to get him off of her. I also remember Pink running over to help Elle, and that made me angrier. The thought that someone would hurt her sister, someone Zoey loves, infuriated me.

Thankfully, Pink was able to get between us, and Zoey’s touch calmed me down. I would have very likely killed him for coming near my woman. The cops arrived and arrested Orlando. Now they’re just taking statements.

“We still need to deliver the files,” Elle says, walking over to where we are. She looked at little shaken at first, but now she’s leaning on Pink, and I can see that she’s getting it back together. She’s a tough one, but seeing her holding on to him is definitely a sign in the right direction.

The elevator opens behind us, and a group of cops help out Matt, the security guy we had planted outside my home.

We talk with him and the cops for a bit and find out that Orlando admitted to having slipped something into the guard’s coffee. It took just long enough for Elle to get inside before he was out cold, and Orlando stashed his body in a hall closet.

With that confession, he’s going to be in jail for quite some time. Matt is a decorated veteran, and I know my boys will make sure he’s taken care of. Orlando may have started out as a petty criminal, but money makes people do crazy shit. It was enough to convince Orlando that coming after my woman was a good idea. God knows what he would have done to my Zoey.

The shiver snaking down my spine is stopped when Zoey’s warm hand rubs my back. I squeeze her closer to me, needing the reassurance that she’s still alive and still with me.

“I love you. You’re right. I love you.”

Zoey and I turn around to see Elle standing in front of Pink, admitting what we all knew.

“So you gonna wear my ring now?” he asks, looking into her eyes.

She puts her hands on her hips and glares at him. After a second, she lets out a huff and pushes a strand of hair out of her face. “Yes.”

Pink gets down on one knee and pulls out a box. It’s the one he bought the same day I got Zoey’s. I squeeze her hand a little, feeling the cool band on her finger, and it makes me smile.

Elle puts her hands over her mouth, looking down at the simple gold band with little pink diamonds all around it. Pink could have gotten her a 50-carat diamond, but he knew Elle, and he knew this would mean more to her.

“One diamond for every baby I’m gonna give you,
Prinzessin
,” Pink says, waiting for Elle to answer.

I wrap my arms around Zoey as we watch the tears stream down Elle’s face and she launches herself at Pink. They’re kind of adorable, those two.

“Double wedding!” Zoey shouts and fist pumps the air.

“Whatever you want, cupcake,” I say, kissing her forehead. “Let’s get this shit delivered so I can take you upstairs and we can talk about your punishment.”

“Punishment?” She looks up at me with big eyes, then smiles.

I have a feeling she won’t take this lesson seriously.

B
efore the door
even shuts fully, Drake’s big hands are cupping my face, his mouth coming down on mine. His tongue pushes into my mouth, commanding me to open for him. I can taste the sweet desperation he pours into it. I can feel his pain and worry. All the emotions he’s been holding back while we finished everything come through the kiss. That this man loves me makes my heart squeeze.

He pulls away, resting his forehead against mine.

“I can’t lose you, cupcake. Fuck, I swear I’ve never been so scared in my life than when I saw his hands on you.”

He closes his eyes like he’s in pain and seeing it all over again. I rub my hands against his chest, trying to calm him.

“Like the Hulk would ever let something happen to me,” I tease, making a half-smile pull at his lips.

“I love you so damn much. You’re my family now. I need you. I need this. I haven’t been so fucking happy in my life, and to think it could have been taken from me today… It makes me want to—”

“I’m here, Drake. No one is taking me from you,” I reassure him, rubbing my hands up and down his chest, trying to calm him.

“Tell me you’ll never leave me.”

“Never,” I say instantly. I can feel his body relax at my words. Then he starts peppering kisses all over my face. It makes me giggle. I can’t even imagine what we look like together. This big, scarred, and tattooed man leaning down over me, cupping my face, placing kisses everywhere he can. It makes me melt.

My phone starts to ring, and Drake grunts in annoyance.

I swing my bag around from my shoulder and start digging through it. It’s probably my sister. I just left her minutes ago. What she could need already, I have no idea. I’m shocked Pink has let her up for air to even use the phone.

“Front left pocket,” Drake mutters, and I can tell he’s not happy about being interrupted. I reach into the pocket and pull it out. The name
Brett – Ensore
shows across the screen. Elle must have programed the number into my phone in the event I had any questions I needed to ask when I was working on the project, and I actually hear Drake growl. A god’s honest growl coming from deep in his chest.

“That was sexy,” I say, looking up at him, but his eyes are still narrowed on my phone.

He grabs it from my hand and answers it.

“Zoey’s husband. How can I help you?”

I look at him in confusion. We aren’t married yet. I see his jaw visibly clench.

“Yes, she’s married. Did you not see the ring on her finger?” He does the growl thing again. I look down at the ring and smile. I did have it on when we dropped off the laptop. It is kind of big and hard to miss.

“No, she won’t be working with your company again. Call her phone again and I’ll come down there.” He pulls the phone away from his ear and hits the
end
button. Elle would be so mad if she heard that. I usually don’t talk to clients much. That’s her job. I’m actually surprised the guy has my number. All calls usually go straight to Elle.

“Fuck. For a smart guy, he can’t take a fucking clue.” He slips my phone into his own pocket like he doesn’t want to give it back to me.

I look at him in bewilderment.

“First time I take you out of the house and someone is hitting on you. A fucking billionaire at that.” He shakes his head before running his hands through his short hair, looking a little stressed again.

“What are you talking about?”

“The man was hitting on you when we dropped off the laptop, and he just called to try to get you to go out with him.”

“No, he called to offer me another job, which isn’t surprising. I’m quite good at what I do.”

He shakes his head like he can’t believe what I’m saying. “Elle is right,” he states, confusing me further.

“Yes, she usually is,” I agree, because, well, she is.

“You don’t even see it.”

I look around the room to try to understand what he’s talking about. “See what?”

A half-laugh leaves him, pulling my eyes back to him. “Elle said men hit on you all the time and you just don’t see it. Never give them the time of day.”

“What? That’s not true. No one hits on me.”

He grabs me by the hips, lifting me up. I drop my bag, and all its contents loudly clatter to the floor. My legs go around his waist, my arms around his neck.

“It’s alright that you don’t see it, cupcake. You keep not seeing it, because you’re about to marry a bodyguard, and I’ll make sure those fuckers don’t get anywhere near what’s mine.”

I smile, wiggling against him.

“You were jealous?” I question, liking the idea of him getting jealous over me. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure I’d like some woman calling his phone, either.

“Cupcake, I’m jealous of everything when it comes to you. The food you eat, that computer that you can stare at for hours, anything that takes your attention from me.” His mouth comes to mine, and he kisses me deeply. “Jealous of these fucking clothes that get to be wrapped around your sweet, lush body all day,” he says against my lips.

“Then you should probably rip them off me,” I say, taking his mouth in an even deeper kiss.

I feel my back hit the bed, and he starts to rip my clothes from me, Hulk-style.

“I don’t want women calling your phone, either.” I feel him laugh against my neck as he places open-mouthed kisses there.

I give him a smack on his giant bicep.

“Cupcake, I don’t talk to many women except Pink’s sisters,” he informs me before taking my earlobe into his mouth and sucking it, making me moan his name.

“Would never even think about another woman now that I’ve tasted you. Fuck, who am I kidding? I knew no one else would ever do when your picture landed on my desk. Lit up my world. I was going through the motions and didn’t even realize how lonely I was until you came into my life. Made me want something I didn’t know I needed. Even if you left me, I’d spend every moment of my life trying to get you back. But I won’t let that happen. I’d never let you come close to thinking about leaving me.” I hear a click, then feel metal around my wrist, then hear another click. “No one could ever give me what you have. I wouldn’t even try to replace you. I’d just spend my days and nights trying to get you back.”

He leans up, looking down at me, his eyes all soft. I can feel tears pool in my eyes. No one has ever made me feel so normal and so extraordinary at the same time.

“You’ll never be rid of me.”

I go to wrap my arms around his, and it’s then I notice I’m cuffed to the bed. My eyes widen.

“I’m going to show you just how much you do for me. Only you. You’ll never question what you mean to me.” His mouth comes down on mine, and like every day of the rest of our lives, he shows me just how much I mean to him.