Page 16 of Miles
“Yes, well, it’s been a rough day.”
“With business, or Elsa?”
“Work has been easy in comparison. I hadn’t realized how agitated I’d be worrying about her safety all day.”
“Her safety, or all the guys her age full of testosterone looking at her?” he says. He’s so damn lucky that I respect him. “I’m just pointing out the truth. As a man obsessed with his wife for the past twenty-five years, I assure you I understand. Give it some time, and don’t deviate from your plan. You’re not a man who buckles under pressure.”
“You’re right. Thanks for the reminder.”
“Are there problems other than my defiant daughter who wants to catch criminals?” he asks.
“There are just so many more risks with all those people on campus. I’m not sure if the other families can get to her if she’s not careful. Now we’ve decided to give her a little space, and I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“I’m sure she’s fine. Have you had any whispers about them over the summer?”
“No, but she’s hardly left the house and now she’s back into the world. They are waiting for a moment of weakness, and we’ve just opened her up to an attack,” I remind him. I’m not going to let a soul touch her. Not after her sweet lips grazed mine and if I’d been in my right mind, I would have crushed her mouth that day, but it was smart that I backed off.
I run my hands through my hair, thinking about my woman and my need to hold her. “What are we going to do about Elsa?”
“I’m not sure. She’s not…”
I raise my hand, stopping the conversation between us. Seeing that it’s the man I had on Elsa today, I know it’s extremely important. She thought it was her security that was farther back, but I had a guy that looked like a student much closer. “I have to take this call.”
Taking a deep breath, I answer as calmly as possible. After all, she was in the other room, looking rather annoyed with me, but still unharmed. “What is it?”
“Boss, there was this little fucker who was talking to your girl just as she was getting ready to leave campus.”
“What do you mean he was talking to my girl?” The words slip past my lips as if they were deadly shards. I don’t care if her father hears me because I’m about to lose it.
“He was getting a little fresh outside her last class.”
“Did you see what happened?”
“Yeah, but you told us to stay back and not do anything unless something happens. She looked really upset, but she pushed his hand away from her face.”
“He fucking touched her?” My voice bellows through the room.
“Yeah, but he didn’t hurt her.”
Another man putting his hands on Elsa sends violent thoughts straight to the forefront of my mind. All the ways I wanted to destroy this bastard danced in my head. “I didn’t ask that. He put his hands on my fucking woman.”
“Yeah, it looked like he was trying to flirt hard. They seem to have known each other.”
“Do you know who this fucker was?” He had better have the right answer for me or he was going to face my wrath first.
“At first I didn’t, but I pulled his plates. They belong to Antonio Santos.”
I cut him off because I’m sure that it couldn’t have been that old bastard. “I know that old fucker wasn’t trying to hit on my girl.”
“No. He has a son that’s about her age, so I pulled up his driver’s license and it’s him, Johnny Santos. What do you want us to do?”
“I need to have a word with that little shit. Find out where he is.” I end the call and turn to my future father-in-law. He understood the entire conversation without having to hear the other half.
“So who is this guy?”
“Johnny Santos. I got to go.” We both knew the ramifications of a negative encounter. Santos crossed a line whether he knew it or not.
“Do you need my help?” my godfather asks.
