Page 77 of Savage Hearts

Maverick wrapped an arm protectively around me, bringing me close to his side. I glanced up in time to catch the dark cloud crossing his expression as he directed his gaze at the group of men who seemed to be the worst offenders.

They noticeably paled and smartly moved at least a foot away from us while we waited for the elevator to descend.

My heart was racing.

How ironic was it that I was being protected by one of the worst men on this planet?

A villain playing the hero.

When he felt my eyes on him, he peered down at me. Gone was the dark look, and what was left was an expression I didn’t want to read too much into.

I turned away, bringing my eyes down to our shoes.

I didn’t have any shoes that would have paired well with this dress, and what was more, I don’t think I could have walked had I been in the kinds of shoes I saw most of the women here wearing.

I was in my own pair of black-and-white Converse.

They were a little worse for wear, and they looked completely out of place compared to the expensive Italian black oxfords Maverick had paired with his black suit.

He was always impeccably dressed.

Better dressed than his brothers, since Killian seemed too wild, even when he wore a suit similar to Maverick’s, and Silas was too laid back.

All three were powerful in their own right, but it was Maverick at the head of the Tiernan crime family.

The elevator dinging brought me out of my reverie and I startled in his arms as the doors opened.

Maverick led me inside.

No one else dared to follow.

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from calling for anyone to join us so I didn’t have to be trapped in the elevator with him.

But it was too late.

The doors quickly closed, and our reflection in the doors looked back at us.

I quickly averted my eyes.

I didn’t want to see the girl I had become since they’d taken me.

I could feel his stare on the side of my face, and I tried to ignore it as best I could.

I didn’t know why he brought me here in the first place, but I hoped it couldn’t be that bad if we were at his morelegitimatebusiness… right?

The ride up was quick.

We emerged on the top floor, and the first thing I saw was a black marble receptionist desk with three women.

They all glanced up when they heard us, their smiles wide and their eyes flirtatious.

I might not have had a lot of experience, but even I could tell when a woman wanted a man.

I had seen it countless times with the club hang-arounds who’d tried to get close to Dad. They all craved the excitement and power of being the one fucking the president of the Heartless Saints.

They all wanted to be the one to change Dad, but Daniel Hayes wasn’t the kind of man to change, not for anyone. Not even his daughter.

It was stupid on their part for even allowing themselves that fantasy.

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