Page 8 of Protecting His Queen

“Please don’t hurt me. I just want—”

A low growl cut off her words and left her cringing and whimpering.

“I will never harm you, Julietta. You have no need to ever fear me.”

Yeah, that’s easier said than done.

He prowled into the room toward her and suddenly, all those sexy muscles took on new meaning. He could hurt her easily if he wanted to.

“Then why can’t I go home?”

“Because I still have plans for you.”

Throughout his life, Daniil had strived to strike fear into many people. However, Julietta was not one of them. He hated that she was cowering in his bathroom, naked and afraid of what he was planning to do with her. He moved to stand in front of her, pausing before he reached for her. Her breath hitched and her body stiffened as he cupped her cheek in his palm.

“Solnyshka moto, I vow to you that you need not fear me. Anyone who does hurt you is a different matter. But for you, I will always be a protector.”

He sighed as emotions flitted over her face. He could tell she didn’t believe him.

She cleared her throat. “I need to get to work.”

He doubted that, but he nodded anyway. “It’s still early. What time do you need to be there?”

While she now knew he’d looked through her bag to find her name, she didn’t need to know he’d also searched her planner and had seen she was spending her afternoon at the hairdresser today. Closing her eyes, she leaned into his hand for a moment before, with a deep breath, she pulled away from his touch.

“Thank you for saving me last night, and for everything else. I had fun with you, but I need to go now.”

A strange tightness filled his chest. Julietta was blowing him off after the night they’d shared. Was she insane? Although, she had been attacked last night. Honestly, he’d been surprised at how calm she was at waking to find herself in his bed. Maybe this was simply some kind of delayed reaction to her nearly being assaulted.

He couldn’t believe what he was about to say. For the first time in his life, he didn’t want to stick with his “only fuck them once” rule.

“I want to see you again.”

Her eyes filled with moisture, but she didn’t let any tears fall, just shook her head.

“I’m not looking for a boyfriend, Daniil. I just got free, and I don’t want to get trapped again.”

He couldn’t hold back the wince. Would she feel trapped under his protection? It wouldn’t be his intention, but he wasn’t sure how she’d see it. She wasn’t from his world, and didn’t understand she’d need to be guarded like the jewel she was. Of course, after what he’d done for her last night, she’d find herself with protection now regardless of what she thought. Daniil would just have to make sure they knew to be careful not to let her see them as they kept her safe.

“This chemistry we have? I’ve never felt anything like it before, Julietta. I don’t want to throw it away without seeing where it could go. What did your ex do to you that has you trying so hard to remain an island?”

She shuddered and sucked in a breath.

“I really wish you wouldn’t ask so many questions. My ex hurt me. I trusted him, and he hurt me. He wasn’t the first person in my life to do that, but I think it’s time I try to limit who I let close enough to me to be able to cause me more pain.”

What had his poor Julietta suffered through in her life to give her such an outlook? He didn’t think she was simply scared of letting him close and him breaking her heart. At least she wasn’t only afraid for her heart. She didn’t need to be, as that’s not how men in his family worked. Some might say they barely knew each other, but the way they fit together, the off-the-charts chemistry? That all told Daniil that she was his special one, and he had no intention of letting her get away from him. He could hardly believe how much his mindset had changed since he’d first met this little purple-haired surfing photographer. Despite never wanting to settle down in the past, he now couldn’t wait to do just that. But only with her.

“Okay, how about you take a shower while I get us some breakfast sorted out? Then I’ll drive you home.”

She gave him a sad smile and nodded. Yeah, she didn’t really want him to walk away any more than he wanted to leave. He cupped her face in his palms and kissed her deeply, letting her feel his desire for her.

“I’ll grab one of my shirts for you to wear with your shorts before I head downstairs. Come find me when you’re ready.”

Despite it being the last thing he wanted to do, he forced himself to leave her. He grabbed one of his plain black T-shirts and brought it to her, along with her panties and shorts.

“Thank you.”

With a smile he didn’t feel, he left her alone in his bathroom. What he really wanted to do was to help wash her sexy little body and take her again in the shower. She’d been sexy as fuck last night, all wet and slippery against him. He sighed as he quickly dressed and headed downstairs. Not only did he need to put together breakfast, but he also needed to arrange a bodyguard for her before she finished in the shower.