Page 77 of Erik's Salvation
“I need a favor.”
She tried to pull her arm away, but he tightened his fingers.
Trickles of unease ran down her spine. Becausethiswas the Marco Erik had always warned her about. She was finally seeing the threat. Feeling it in the strength of his hold. Hearing it in the deep, dangerous tone of his voice.
Her spine straightened and she lowered her voice, anger competing with the fear inside her. “Marco. Let go.”
With his spare hand, he ran a finger down her cheek. She tried to shift away, but it was futile. There was no getting out of his hold.
“I need you to convince Erik to take a job.”
She swallowed. “What job?”
His finger kept trailing down, and she gasped when he ran it along the outside of her breast. She tried to shove him away, but he didn’t budge.
“He knows which one.”
Her jaw clenched. She was a fraction of a second away from nailing this asshole in the balls. “And if he doesn’t?”
His smile was slow—and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “You really want to know?”
She opened her mouth to say yes, absolutely yes, but before she could utter a sound, the man was torn off her and thrown against the opposite wall.
* * *
The second Erik saw Marco,blood roared between his ears.
He crossed the distance in seconds and grabbed the guy off Hannah before shoving him into the wall.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Erik growled, making sure to position himself between him and Hannah.
Marco tilted his head, almost looking pleased with himself. “I am here to talk to your beautiful woman, of course.”
Erik’s fist twitched to hit the guy. “I told you I’d tear you apart if you touched her again.”
“A threat you knew was empty, because you know what I can do.”
He dipped his head and lowered his voice. “And you know whatIcan do.”
“Careful. People are watching. If you end up in jail, how will you protect the women in your life?”
The fucking scumbag.
He shot his gaze to the side. The few people with a view of the hallway were all watching. Even a waiter had stopped and was staring at them. Probably a second away from calling the police.
“Take the job and I disappear, Hunter.”
Erik’s hands fisted so tight—all he wanted to do was throw a punch and make sure the asshole never got back up. “I do the job and you leave?”
“Yes.”
He hated it. But the fucker had made it clear he was going nowhere until he got what he wanted.
“Fine,” Erik bit out through gritted teeth. “I’ll do it. But you don’t show your goddamn face in Redwood again. Got it?”
Marco’s smug smile made Erik’s blood boil. “Deal.”
Erik turned and grabbed Hannah’s arm. They didn’t say anything as he tugged her through the restaurant.
