Page 123 of Tracking Luxe

Seeing Luxe standing next to Grigori was murdering his soul.

Get away from her. She’s mine. I’ll get you out of here, baby.

His eyes swept over her, trying to index if she was hurt in any way. The rigidness of her spine and the way her chin was high in the air, lines across her forehead and the tightness in her fist told him she wasn’t hurt. She was pissed.

Oh, his girl was angry and she never thought rationally when she was in a temper.

He had to bring the attention back to him. Maybe he could bleed out, the Russian’s wouldn’t want a dead member of the RS on their hands, no matter their blustered threats, this wasn’t about murdering him, but about getting the RS in line like obedient dogs.

Fuck that. And fuck them.He didn’t bark for no fucker.

"Touch her and I'll kill you." Grinder spat out between hissing teeth, he didn't care about the blood dripping into his eyes or the flow that didn't feel like it was stopping at all. He wouldn't pull his gaze from Luxe.Stay strong, baby, I'll get you out of here soon, I swear it.Grigori glided forward, laughing with all his teeth on show. "If you know anything about me and my club you know this is a fucking promise."

"This is what I like about you Americans, steel balls like monkey,da? what will you do if I touch her, my friend?" he asked slimy, deliberately yanking Luxe forward to stand inches from Grinder, giving him front row seats to watch his girl being touched, the arm going around her waist to cage her to his side and Grigori’s hand slid across her belly and down to cup between her legs. The frayed white jean shorts were no protection at all.

She yanked herself away but it was already too late. Grinder’s brain went fucking nuclear with rage. He didn’t even hear his roar.

“You were smart,kotik, but not too smart.” The Russian expressed to Luxe. Smiling at her like he wanted to lick her from top to toe and shower her in flowers.

Grinder didn’t see red, his whole damn vision blinked out with fury, pain blooming the whole of his skull, half of his eyesight had already checked out leaving behind patchy black spots.

"Get off her,you commie fuck."An unleashed animal clawing at the inside of his chest, he couldn’t stand it, every injury was forgotten like it hadn't happened, pain drifted away, his only thought was getting those Russian's hands off his old lady. He breathed through the dizziness inflicted on seeing her manhandled.

“What is it about men kidnapping me,dios.” Irritation stained Luxe’s tone and it was what checked his brain back online, and if not for his mouth split to hell he would have laughed for her bravado.That’s my girl.“Detained, love.” he husked, her eyes glued to his, he tried to smile at her. And she tried to smile back at him.

The chains were going nowhere, no matter how he tried to yank them almost to the point his shoulder sockets were ready to pop out, veins standing out on his throat, he would kill that motherfucker twice.

"Such displeasure for asukayou claimed no allegiance to."

“Suka? I’m assuming that’s an insult. And you didn’tclaimme, Nathan?” she plucked at the leg of one short. Her scowl was for every male there.

Goddamn, now was not the time for his girl to get on her high horse and gallop around the stables. He filled his lungs, garnering his will, the chains yanking the ball sockets out of his arms were heavy as shit and everything on his body hurt, his goddamn knees were unfeeling now. And his woman was taking a huff over the fact he tried to distance her from him so they wouldn’t harm her.Fuck him now.“Luxe.” He warned as if to tell her to shut her gorgeous mouth.

“Well don’t you listen to him----” she addressed Grigori directly, her little stubborn chin high in the air. Christ alive, was it a wonder he loved her. His crazy spitfire woman was amazing. But he wished she’d shut the fuck up.

“Don’t listen to her.”

“----he belongs to me----”

“She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”

“----and I belong to him, so if you’re impeding him from leaving then you’re keeping me, too. I already told you I stole from you. I can give you minute by minute specifics of what I did and when and where I sold them. Just get him down from there, it’s fucking barbaric, I thought you were a corporate man?”

“LUXE!” Heart in his goddamn throat, his emotions were like a torrential rain, he’d never been so terrified of losing anyone before, he roared overriding everything she’d just told the mobster who only looked slyly bemused at their exchange. “Get her out of here, Grigori, and I’ll tell you what you want to know. I took your shit, only I know where it is.”

At last he spoke. “Oh,comrade, you presume this is about a few measly art items that are not even pocket change to me?Nyet. I forget them already. We have, how you say? Bigger fishes to grill.”

Was that a good sign the mobster wasn’t about to cut off his fingers because of the robbery? Nah. He’d known already Grigori had the greater deal in mind. The robbery, fuck him, was just the catalyst they’d needed to open the door to having Grinder’s club bow down and accept the Russian’s on their turf.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He’d have to show signs of cooperation, no other choice.

When the only woman he’d ever loved was in imminent danger Grinder would have offered up his stained soul in exchange for her safety. His life meant nothing without Luxe and seeing her stubborn chin upturned yet her face pale and worried was a kick to the gut he couldn’t stand. He knew without a shadow of a doubt or a firearm close to hand that he was using the only way necessarily, by fair or foul means, to keep his girl safe.

“Choices, Mister. Frazier.” The murky tone in Russian came from the left and grated on Grinder’s nerves. Asshole was so enjoying having the upper-hand. “It’s quite simple, da? She can walk free this instance, the matter of stealing from me ancient history, and -----”

“Do it. You let her go.”