page13 (1/2)

But I won’ton me to protect her And I will, just as I always have No matter the cost

If everything goes as it should, that cost will only be a million dollars

And I really need to stop sreement

A quick glance at Ivan tells me he didn’t notice this time His focus is directed across the clubhouse, where it sounds as if a herd of buffalo is tro down the stairs

I look over h the small-toaitress I really am burns with curiosity

Not a herd of buffalo Just a dozen bikers They were having aupstairs but apparently that’s over Earlier I was briefly introduced to a bunch of the this way now One’s a bearded giant who appears htily ary, ave h not as ular jaw is clean-shaven, and his dark blond hair is cut short And he’s not looking at rily, either

Instead he looks as if he wants a sinkhole to open beneath th of my body, his expression set like stone, his rim line

A shiver races over my skin Instinctively I shift closer to Ivan, which is crazy, because I don’t exactly feel safe with him But no matter how much disdain Ivan sometimes aims toward ht not like me but I’m necessary So Ivan doesn’t look atto a state of not-existing

The biker’s jaw clenches as aze slices over to meet my fake husband’s

“You’re Tataurov?” His voice is like a glacier, all slow-oosebu hand shoots out to shake Ivan’s “Duke I’ll be in charge of looking after your wife”

He says the last word like he’s chewing a bite of so that he’d rather spit out

Ivan doesn’t notice or he doesn’t care Instead he frowns “Your club’s president is not in charge of her security?”

“He’s in charge of deciding atch I’e of hoatch the at all bothered that Ivan didn’t take it “And the prez is a busy man Whereas me, this is all I do But if you want someone with a thousand other demands on his tio see how he feels about spending the next few days babysitting”

I’ve met the Hellfire Riders’ president, who seemed steely cold and uniimented deference Ivan’s own security shows hi obeisance shown by the bevy of stylists and aestheticians who’ve spent the past three days transfor me into Keri Bishop Indeed, all of these bikers have seele damn about him or his wealth With me—with Keri—some of their badass attitudes have cracked a little, but still their responses are nothing like the overwhelers who mistook me for her before

Yet this biker, Duke—his attitude goes beyond uniht into wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire Because Duke basically just told Ivan that if his being in charge is a probleo screw himself with it

I’m not sure if the best person to protectflip about uy’s response satisfies Ivan

“No distractions, yes?” he says

Duke nods “None”

“That is very good” Ivan’s fingers lace through ently squeeze, which probably appears affectionate, but his voice is stiff and his faint Russian accent deepens as he adds, “My beautiful Keri must be kept safe”

A noncorunt is Duke’s response to that His attention shifts to the bearded giant—Bull

I really appreciate how all of these guys wear their names on their vests

“Will you see her settled in?” Duke asks hi in on this”

The giant nods easily “I’ll do that”

Duke’s gaze skips over ain “Bull will take care of her Anything else I ought to know before you hand her off and head out?”

“Only that I do not tolerate failure” Although it sounds like a line fro