Page 12 of Possessive Mechanic

She raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Since you clearly see things as I do then there’s no reason to explain what happened or revisit it again. Now, if you’ll remove your hand,” she continues, looking at my offending body part like it’s infested with the plague, “I’ll be on my way.”

This was not the reception I was expecting. Not at all. And I’m not about to give up this easily.

“So. You’re just going to leave a Lamborghini, from next year’s lineup that hasn’t even been shown to the public, in my garage for me to keep? You’re not going to come pick it up.”

“You can fix it and…donate it to charity. Or keep it yourself. It doesn’t matter.”

“Listen here,” I say, trying to shake some sense into her. “Boys your age or these rich dorks might fall for this charade but I’m not buying it. Tell me what the fuck is going on and why you’re acting like a rich asshole or I swear I’ll bend you over my knee again, and you don’t want a second spanking. Trust me.”

“And you don’t want me to scream or else the armed guards will be over here in seconds and the only one getting spanked will not be me, but you, in the shower of the prison you crawled out of by a man who’s much bigger than you. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Ain’t nobody bigger than me in there. Believe me. I know. I’ve been there, as you know as well. Why?”

“You’re hurting me,” she grits, and although I am squeezing her hard enough to detain her I know she can take a lot more, a whole lot more…but apparently only if there’s pleasure involved, only if it serves her needs, not mine.

Releasing her I pull my arms back, letting her know if she doesn’t want me touching her then I want no part of her either. It’s a lie, and we both know it. And she should also know that this is not at all the end of this.

She might think her acting job is Academy Award worthy, but I can see right through it. And as a millisecond of a sad look comes over her face, I catch it and store it in my memory bank.

“This isn’t your decision, not what you really want. Someone’s putting you up to this. I told you that the only people who ever have to be scared of are the men who threaten to harm you, never have to fear me. And I mean that. I will find out whoever is making you act this way and I will end them. Permanently. Period. And then my angel will be back.” I take a step forward and put my face right in front of hers. “You can trust me on that.”

Her eyes flicker with a slight bit of hopelessness, only confirming what I already know. Normally I wouldn’t make someone else’s problems my own. I’ve got enough to deal with. But she’s not someone. She’s everyone and her problems are much more important than mine, because by definition if she’s not happy then no way in hell can I be happy.

It all starts and ends with her. And I will not let her slip through my fingers.

“And now the man of the hour, Mr. Axel Ferrari. What a name for an engineer, huh?” Mike says, turning to the shadows, squinting before his eyes grow bigger to take in the sight of the two of us in the poorly lit area just off the stage. His clapping slows as he clears his throat.

“This isn’t over,” I announce. “Not by a long shot.”

Straightening out my suit I march up to the stage, but keep my eye over my shoulder as Astrid just stands there, waiting for me to go.

But I will see her again. Soon. She can count on that.

If someone is trying to stand between us then I’ll be seeing that person soon too. To eliminate them.

Because nothing stands in between me and what’s mine. Her.

Nothing.

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