Page 131 of A Dangerous Proposal

The tether of his patience snapped.

“My wife is more than capable of taking care of herself,” Alex drawled. “She just doesn’t have to. I’m happy to be her weapon.”

“Kovalyov,” Armstrong said in a placating voice, as he turned to face Alex, clearly recognizing the more dangerous threat in the hallway. “No need to overreact. I was just reminding Madison about the realities of things.”

Alex strode forward and stepped in front of Madison, forcing Armstrong to take a few steps back. With one hand, he pushed her gently behind him.

“Realities?” Alex’s lips lifted in a deadly smile. He fought to suppress the black rage threatening to overtake him, but his control was slipping alarmingly fast.

“Whatrealityis that? The reality that if you ever invade her personal space, or speak to my wife in that tone again, I’ll destroy everything and everyone you’ve ever cared about.”

“Therealitythat we all have our place in life, and that crossing certain lines comes with repercussions.” Armstrong sneered, but Alex saw a moment of uncertainty in his eyes.

“Things change, new information is revealed…”

Fear flashed across the Senator’s face. Madison was right. Armstrong had a secret.

“My memory is long when it comes to my wife, and I can be a patient man when I want to be.”

Armstrong’s expression turned thunderous, but he stalked away without a backward glance. Alex watched him go before turning back to Madison. She looked angry, but also underneath… shaken.

“Can we go home now?” Madison wrapped her shawl snugly around her, clasping her hands at her waist. She didn’t say a word as they waited for their driver to pull around.

Something else had happened. Heknewit. But he also knew he couldn’t push the issue in a public setting.

Opening the back door, Alex waited until Madison slid inside and he had reached across to fasten her seatbelt so that her face was only inches away. He studied her eyes and used his knuckle to lift her chin before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

Before he could ask her what happened, Liev appeared at his shoulder.

“Mikhail wants to talk to you.”

Armstrong must have run straight to him.

“Not now,” Alex bit out. He needed to take Madison home and find out what had upset her.

“Now.” Liev’s expression was grim.

Fuck.

Madison’s eyes widened, fearful and concerned, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

“Nothing to worry about, Angel. I’ll see you at home.”

“I’ll wait.”

Alex covered her hand with his when she reached to unfasten her seat belt. “No. Go home. Everything is fine. This won’t take long.”

He could feel her tension through her lips when he kissed her and closed the door.

But when Liev clapped a hand on his shoulder and muttered, “Don’t let him provoke you,” Alex could only hope he hadn’t lied to Madison.

By the time Alex returned home, it was well past midnight, and he was fuming. He angrily yanked the tie out of his tux shirt, dropping it and his jacket on the table in the foyer.

He had kept his expression neutral in the back of Mikhail’s SUV, as Mikhail droned on aboutthe bigger pictureandArmstrong’sthe lynchpin for this plan.

Armstrong may have gone straight to Mikhail, hoping to get his version out first. But Alex knew his brother better than the Senator did. Mikhail might see Armstrong as useful at the moment, but the second that changed, Alex could do whatever he wanted.

The sooner the better.

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