Under His Protection, Page 2

  “Don’t touch it.” Julieta’s heart plummeted. She knew Ivan was still behind her but she couldn’t do anything about his presence. “Have you called the police?”

  “Yeah, they’re on their way and I wasn’t going to touch it. And I’ve also put up the closed sign. Nothing was damaged and no one was injured, but there’s glass everywhere and… I didn’t know what to do.”

  The dull throb of a headache started at the base of her skull. She closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck. “You did exactly the right thing. I’m on my way. If the police arrive before me tell them I’m coming.” After they disconnected she took a deep breath and turned around.

  Yep, Ivan was still there. And he looked furious.

  “Police? What’s going on?” he demanded, as if he had every right in the world to ask.

  “Nothing I can’t handle. It’s just work stuff.” And she’d ask Lizzy for help before she asked a virtual stranger. She went to step around him but he moved with her.

  Frowning, she looked up at him and glared. Even when she was in heels the man still towered over her. At five feet one inch tall she tended to wear four or five inch heels most of the time, but considering he was a little over six feet in height, her shoes didn’t give her much of an advantage. She placed her hands on her hips. “Is there a reason you’re still in my way?”

  “Julieta, I just want to help.” The concern in his voice nearly did her in.

  She dropped her arms from their defensive pose. “Ivan, I…I need to get to my shop. I can’t handle…” Your concern. But she didn’t say that. “For two months you’ve either ignored me or glared at me so don’t be all concerned about me now,” she finally snapped before sidestepping him and hurrying from the bathroom. She hated to leave early, but she had no choice so she went in search of Mina and Lizzy.

  Owning her own business meant she had to take care of certain things. She just hoped the vandalism and the weird texts weren’t related. Hopefully the vandalism was just a stupid teenage prank. Unfortunately her instinct told her the two things were very related and she had a big mess to deal with.

  * * *

  Taken completely off guard by her dismissal, something that was rare for Ivan, he stared at the luscious backside of Julieta Mederos as she fled the bathroom. What the hell had she been talking about? Ignored or glared at her?

  For the past two months he’d barely been able to keep his eyes off her. Whenever she was around he forgot how to think and sometimes breathe. She was the reason he’d come out to the party today. Not for the damn food. He’d known she’d be there and he’d needed to see her like a fucking addict needed his next fix.

  And she’d actually said his name for the first time. Ivan. God, he’d be replaying that in his head later. Hearing Ivan on her lips—fuck. He scrubbed a hand over his face. He’d fantasized too many times about what it would be like to hear her say his name but under much different circumstances.

  He shouldn’t be thinking about that. Not when Julieta was clearly facing a threat. Grabbing his radio, he called the other two guys on Mina’s security detail and told them to take over. The high rise condo was locked down tight and the building itself had great security protocols, but with the bridal shower today they’d taken extra precautions. Ever since Mina’s father had died and her wealth had increased substantially through her inheritance, Mina’s soon-to-be-husband had insisted on an increase in security whenever he went out of town. Which hadn’t been often the past couple months.

  Mina didn’t like it, but she loved Alex and she was smart enough to know there were real dangers out there so she lived with it. Especially after what had happened a few months ago. Plus she spent most of her time painting or sculpting in her studio so she was barely aware of her guards for at least eight hours out of the day anyway.

  Once the other two guards answered in the affirmative that everything was under control he headed out of the bathroom. At the end of the hallway he waited, watching as Julieta stood talking to Mina, her expression apologetic.

  She looked so petite and almost fragile compared to the tall Mina. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from Julieta if he tried. He wasn’t sure what the style of dress she had on was called, but it was insanely hot. She was petite and curvy and the way the dress flared showed off her toned calves and sexy high heels. He couldn’t count how many times he’d fantasized about her draping her legs over his shoulders with her wearing nothing but those heels. Hell, he could actually imagine her digging those things into his back as he tasted her… And, he shut that thought down as his pants started to get uncomfortable.

  When Julieta made her way to Lizzy near the chocolate fountain Ivan maneuvered his way through the women and politely interrupted Mina as she spoke to one of her friends from back home.

  Mimosa in hand, she raised her eyebrows. As usual, paint stained her fingernails. Red today. “Everything okay?” she asked.

  He didn’t have time for small talk. “What did Julieta say to you?”

  Mina blinked in surprise. “Oh, ah, just that a work issue came up and she has to leave.”

  He frowned at that. Over the past couple months he’d noticed that Julieta seemed to downplay things and didn’t like to talk about herself much. Which was frustrating because he wanted to know everything about her. “I heard her on the phone with one of her employees. Whatever happened at work it’s bad enough that the police were called.”

  Mina gasped but he continued. “If you don’t mind, she seemed shaken up so I want to head over there with her.” Even if the gorgeous woman didn’t want him to go with her, it was happening. “Your place is locked down and—”

  “Go. The security here is great and you and Alex worry way more than me anyway. I’ll be fine. Just make sure Jules is okay. And make sure you update me, okay?”

  He nodded and started to leave when Mina lightly touched his forearm. He didn’t like to be touched much, but he made an exception for some people. She was one of them. Pausing, he looked back at her.

  “Jules is so sweet and she’s my friend. And I don’t have many so…” Trailing off, she bit her bottom lip. “I’ve seen the way you look at her,” she finally finished.

  It took him a moment to realize what she was trying to say. “I would never hurt her.” He’d been watching Julieta enough the past couple months to realize that she had the ability to break his heart. Something he’d never imagined possible. He never made it past one date with women. Julieta was different though. He knew that one date, one time with her, would never be enough. On a level he didn’t understand, that scared the hell out of him.

  She was worth the risk though.

  Looking wary, Mina just nodded, as if she wasn’t sure she believed him. He didn’t bother responding as he turned and zeroed in on Julieta who was still talking to Lizzy. As he approached, he could see her visibly stiffen. She was aware of his presence and didn’t like it.

  The thought made him frown. Yeah, he didn’t like that at all.

  Both women turned to look at him, but he kept his focus on Julieta, even if staring at her made him lose his train of thought. “Are you ready?”

  She blinked at him in confusion.

  “I’m taking you.” When she started to protest, he tilted his head in the direction of the display of champagne glasses. “I’m guessing you had at least one drink.”

  “Oh.” Her pretty, full mouth pulled into a frown. She glanced at Lizzy then back at him. “I had one drink more than an hour ago. I didn’t even think of that.”

  If she’d only had one, then an hour was long enough for the effect to be out of her system, but he didn’t care. “Then I’ll take you. It’ll put my mind at ease.”

  Julieta bit her bottom lip indecisively and he had to bite back a groan as he imagined nibbling on it himself. A protective urge swelled inside him as he watched her. He was going to find out exactly what the asshole texting her was up to and how long it had been going on. He was going to make the fucker regret making Ju
lieta so afraid.

  “I caught a ride with Charlotte so if you want I can drop your car off at your place. I know she’ll follow me then just take me home from there. It’s not like you live far,” Lizzy said.

  Ivan wanted to hug Lizzy as Julieta started to nod. “Well, if you really don’t mind…”

  Lizzy shook her head. “I don’t. It’s a couple extra minutes out of my way. And I’ll just leave your keys under the floor mat on the driver’s side.”

  “Thank you for doing this,” she said as she pulled her keys from her small purse and handed them to her friend. “And I’m going to call you later about that…issue. Okay?”

  Lizzy nodded, frowning and Ivan wondered if Julieta had even told her what was going on yet. After saying goodbye, she shot Ivan a wary look, but headed out with him.

  Once they stepped out into the tiled area where the private elevators were, he tried to find the right words as he slid his security key across the security pad. “I’ve never meant to glare at you.”

  Her head snapped up in surprise. “What?”

  “In the bathroom you said I’ve either ignored or glared at you the past couple months.” As the elevator dinged he held out his arm, motioning to let her step inside first. Her heels clicked as she moved and it took all his restraint not to glance down at her incredible legs.

  “When you first came into my store with Mina you certainly did glare at me. And you’ve been doing it ever since.” There wasn’t exactly hostility in her voice, but definite caution.

  He didn’t like it. “Yes, when I first met you I probably did. I view everyone as a threat where Mina is concerned, at least initially. It’s part of my job. Since then…staring at you is a more accurate description.” But he’d definitely been aware of her that first day. And he’d fantasized about her later that night.

  She turned to look at him again, her dark eyes wide. “Stare?”

  “Yes. As in…I can’t take my fucking eyes off you. And I never ignore you.” No sane male could ignore this beautiful woman so full of life. It was difficult to even get the words out. “Sometimes it’s all I can do to not look at you.” His voice was guttural and he had no doubt the lust he’d been hiding the past couple months was visible in his eyes now.

  She shook her head, her confusion clear. “But you don’t like me.”

  Ivan snorted and forced himself to face forward and stare at the custom-made interior wood paneled elevator doors. “That’s not true either.”

  “Oh. Oh,” she said again as if she finally understood what he was saying. Instead of continuing, however, she clammed up and stared straight ahead too, her posture stiff.

  He resisted the urge to scrub a hand over his face. Hell, maybe he shouldn’t have said anything at all.

  Chapter 3

  Standing across the street from Julieta’s store, he watched as one of her employees swept up the few shards of glass outside. Most had fallen inside, hopefully ruining some of Julieta’s retail. The employee stopped as one of the uniformed policeman approached her. She held the broom loosely in her hand and nodded at something the man said. That woman was a knockout too, just like Julieta was. But in a different way. The blonde was flashier and looked like a whore. Someone like that wasn’t worth his time.

  Julieta was.

  Two police cars were parked in front of the store along with an Explorer he knew was also government issued because of the license plate. He hadn’t seen who’d driven it, but he guessed it was the man in the suit talking to the owner of the high end jewelry store next door. He was probably a detective since he wasn’t wearing a uniform.

  It was easy to blend into the crowd of about twenty onlookers. This street was all commercial shops or restaurants, but it was located in an older, established residential area that saw a lot of foot traffic. All the stores and eateries had good security which was why he’d never try to breach her place during or after hours.

  Instead he’d opted to shake her up with a little vandalism. He’d stolen the motorcycle and helmet so neither of them could be traced back to him if the police even bothered to investigate. And he’d already ditched both. After the text he’d sent not too long ago he figured this would really rattle her cage.

  Just like she deserved.

  It was all her fault that he didn’t have a job anymore. And he hadn’t been able to find a new one since he’d been fired. Which meant he hadn’t been able to cover his rent so he was stuck living with his parents again.

  Fucking pathetic.

  All thanks to Julieta.

  He gritted his teeth as he watched the scene, wondering where the hell she was. He’d followed her after she left her house this morning but had lost her in the downtown area. He’d come by her shop in his own vehicle before he’d stolen the motorcycle so he knew she wasn’t working.

  He just hoped his little rock throwing ruined whatever her plans had been today. She’d ruined his job so he wanted to cause her as much stress as possible. A flash of colorful movement caught his eye and he turned to see Julieta striding down the sidewalk with a tall, blond man in a suit. She must have parked a block or so over.

  His entire body tightened as he watched her move. She was beautiful and successful, the type of woman who never looked twice at him. He resisted the urge to rub his hand over himself. Even in this crowd, he couldn’t afford to get caught doing something stupid or for anyone to remember him as a pervert.

  But he’d think about her later as he stroked himself off. Just like he always did.

  His jaw tightened as he looked at the man walking with her. He looked vaguely familiar but he didn’t think Julieta had a boyfriend. He’d been watching her for a couple weeks, learning her schedule, and she hadn’t even been on a date.

  Which made his plans easier. He wouldn’t have to worry about contending with anyone when he broke into her home. Not yet though. He wanted her not just scared, but terrified before he took what he wanted.

  She’d fucked him over and now he was going to fuck her before he killed her.

  If he hadn’t lost his job, his girlfriend never would have broken up with him. She’d called him worthless, pathetic, and so caught up in drugs he couldn’t even hold a menial job. Drugs had nothing to do with it. Besides, he only smoked pot. He wasn’t some loser addict.

  No, it was all that bitch’s fault.

  “I don’t think it was a robbery, just vandalism it looks like,” a woman in jogging shorts and a tank top said to a woman wearing the same attire.

  What kind of woman wore such skimpy clothes in the fall? She probably liked to show off her body, to taunt men like him. He turned away from the women in disgust.

  “Yeah, let’s get out of here,” her friend said.

  As they broke away from the crowd a few other onlookers did the same, taking away some of his camouflage. That was his cue to leave. He didn’t want Julieta to see him, to know he was the one behind the damage to her store.

  Not yet.

  Moving casually, he headed the same way as the two female joggers even though he’d parked in the exact opposite direction. Just to be safe he would double back and grab his car later. Before he turned down a side street he pulled out the burner phone he’d used to text Julieta earlier and sent off another one.

  Don’t think that blond friend of yours can protect you from me. You’re mine.

  Laughing to himself as he hit send, he tossed the phone into the nearest garbage can after the message went through. He’d used it for two previous texts to her and he wasn’t going to use any of his burners more than three times. Just to be safe.

  When targeting a victim, he always used caution. It was why he hadn’t gotten caught.

  He was too good and the cops were too fucking stupid. Soon Julieta would be all his until he decided he was tired of her.

  * * *

  Ivan stilled when Julieta grabbed his forearm, nearly stumbling on the sidewalk. He looked down at her to see her face pale and dark eyes widen. They were one shop down f
rom her store but he stopped completely when she wordlessly held out her cell phone to him, the fear on her face like a dagger against his flesh.

  Don’t think that blond friend of yours can protect you from me. You’re mine.

  That raw surge of protectiveness slammed through him again like a gunshot. Fuck. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and blocked her as much as he could from anyone across the street with his body as he directed her to her place. “Let’s get you to your store,” he murmured, thankful she didn’t pull away, but wrapped her arm around his waist instead. He had a ton of questions and planned to look into this situation himself, but for now his main goal was getting her inside, away from whoever was watching her.

  Using his sunglasses to cover what he was doing, he scanned the crowd across the street looking for anyone who appeared out of place.

  As they walked he slid Julieta’s phone into his jacket pocket and pulled out his own. He quickly swiped in the code then turned on the camera function. Pressing record, he started videoing the scene across the street as best he could without being obvious. He knew criminals oftentimes liked to see their handiwork, but that was for more violent acts, like arson. Still…that latest text had all his instincts moving into high gear. This guy was here and he would want to see Julieta’s fear.

  When Ivan got a chance he was sending the video to Lizzy in the hopes she could run it through one of her many facial recognition programs. Or at least know someone who could. He was also sending her the phone numbers the texts had been sent from, and he and Lizzy were going to help Julieta figure out who was harassing her.

  As they approached the scene, a man Ivan recognized looked up. Detective Carlito Duarte. Surprise crossed his face as he nodded at Ivan. He turned back to the older man with white hair he was talking to, but Ivan knew he’d be making his way to them soon.

  “You know him?” Julieta asked as they waited next to the curb.