Page 44 of Heir

His laugh was nervous. “This doesn’t concern you.”

Kai moved further out of the shadow, his lips set in a thin line.

He saw Gary’s hands around my hips.

“Let. Go,” he said.

Gary stumbled back and let me go. He said something I didn’t hear. All the blood was rushing through my ears at the mere sight of Kai, who had his eyes focused intently on me.

Briefly, I thought I heard the back door open and close. Kai looked like he wanted to go after Gary, and I didn’t know if it was the disappointment I was feeling in the depth of my belly that he didn’t.

He was still standing in front of me, his eyes focused intently on me as if this was the first time he had ever seen me.

I shifted on my feet.

“Thank you,” I said quietly. This was the second time he’d stepped in when someone was harassing me.

He didn’t say anything for a moment, but when he spoke, his voice shook. “What the hell are you doing here?”

I met his eyes in surprise, then anger swiftly took over. I frowned. “That is none of your business.”

He took a step closer to me. I took one back and stopped when my lower back touched the wooden handrail of the deck.

He loomed over me like the Grim Reaper coming after my soul.

Somehow, I didn’t thinkthiswas any different.

Perhaps it was my soul Kai was after.

I swallowed, and he followed the way my throat bobbed up and down before meeting my eyes.

“Why is it that every time I see you, you’re in trouble?”

I narrowed my gaze on him. “It’s not like I asked for it, you bastard.”

His eyes widened in surprise before he closed them. I had the urge to touch his cheek. Then he opened them, blue fire roaring in the bottomless depths.

“I know you didn’t fucking ask for it. You just attract them. Blue should have known better than to bring you here and not watch you. It’s like bringing a fucking lamb to the wolf’s den.”

What the fuck?

“What the fuck?” I whisper-screamed. He seemed surprised at my outburst before his face relaxed, and God fucking help him, but it looked like his lips twitched a little, as if he was trying hard not to laugh at me. “I am not a child,” I said. “Blue does not need to watch me wherever I go, and you should probably leave, too.”

He shook his head. “Jesus, you need a keeper.”

“I do not need a keeper. Blue has his own life, and what is more, I am a grown woman.”

Hell, I was older than Kai by four years.

He took another step toward me. Mereinchesseparated us. If I breathed the wrong way, I’d likely touch him. I tried not to breathe so hard. He leaned down, his hot breath fanning across my face. I shivered.

“I’m not talking about Blue,” he said softly, dangerously.

My heart went crazy. I laughed with a hint of humor and a whole lot of nervousness in the sound. “And I suppose you’re talking about yourself?”

“Why not me?”

I shook my head. He was confusing me. “You don’t even like me.”

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