The Protector (Fire's Edge #4) - Abigail Owen Page 0,24

like to receive her mate’s mark.

She slid a glance in Levi’s direction to find him leaning casually in the doorway, arms crossed, stretching out his Hawaiian shirt, with a small, knowing smirk aimed straight at her, his golden eyes glittering, even in the bright kitchen.

Holy hells, that look.

Tension rolled through her in the wake of awareness and he hadn’t even touched her, hadn’t come near her. Lyndi averted her gaze and cracked her neck, trying to ease the building pressure. Didn’t help at all.

Finn, meanwhile, had moved to sit beside Delaney, dropping a possessive kiss on her lips that made her give a hum of satisfaction.

I need to get out of here.

Lyndi jumped to her feet so fast her chair tipped over, clattering on the floor way more than was necessary. Levi passed a hand over his mouth that did nothing to hide his delighted grin, which she ignored, moving her glare to the offending piece of furniture as she righted it.

“I’m going to check on the boys,” she announced to no one in particular, horribly aware that they all stared at her with varying expressions of whatever.

Levi came off the doorframe, amusement gone. “That’s not a good—”

He choked off the words at her scowl. “I’ll be back before dark.”

Not waiting for commentary, because she damn well didn’t need anyone’s permission to visit her own home, she sailed past Levi and out of the room.

“Ready?” she called to her boys.

Mike perked up from his spot. “I thought you were waiting for us?”

Lyndi playfully batted his swinging leg off the arm of the couch. “I need to be back before dark.”

“Women. Always changing the rules.” Mike shook his head as he unfolded his tall, lanky length from where he lounged. “Am I right?”

“Only if you want to get hit,” Coahoma said, ever the sensible one, smoothing back a shock of white hair that tended to flop into his eyes.

Attor, almost as tall as Levi these days, also lumbered up.

“Oh, I have better ways of teaching lessons than physical violence.” Lyndi smiled sweetly and laughed when Mike made a show of gulping down fear and shaking in his vintage combat boots.

Two seconds before all three boys’ gazes shifted to over her shoulder, the fine hairs on the back of her neck shot up with electric tension, the sensation feathering down her spine.

“Got room for one more?” Levi asked from directly behind her, oh so casual and not fooling her a bit. Only now the overprotective babysitter thing was combined with the fucking her thing and twisting up inside her head.

“Yeah, man,” Attor answered, as eager as he ever got.

Lyndi hid a wince.

Outside the bedroom, the man still seemed determined to treat her like a precious jade figurine. Beautiful to look at, but breakable. Better to just stuff her up on a shelf where she’d be safe.

Lyndi would’ve said no, except Attor, as a gold dragon, practically worshipped the ground Levi stomped on. Her gentle, quiet boy was one of the youngest she’d found long ago, though he’d grown up and turned into a gibberish spouting puppy around Levi. No way would she deny Attor time with his hero.

“We’ll take two cars,” she said, doing her best to hide her resignation. Then waited for her self-designated bodyguard to announce that he’d drive her.

“I’ll follow you.” Not waiting for her to respond, he headed to the foyer, hitching his chin at Attor to join him.

Lyndi blinked after his retreating back. That was…different. Maybe sex had mellowed him out? Sure, he was butting in and coming with her, but not insisting on driving was at least a step in the right direction.

“You coming?” Mike paused at her side to ask, searching her face as though trying to determine if she was all right.

“Yeah.” She waved him ahead, happy to let all of the men get well ahead of her until she was alone with her thoughts.

As soon as she passed into the hotshot crew building on the surface, she turned the corner by the row of lockers painted with flames and each with the name of an enforcer. Levi stepped into view and she only had time to gasp as he snagged her by the hand and scooted her backward until he had her up against the lockers.

“What do you—”

He took one quick glance over his shoulder, then shut her up with a kiss that chased her breath and her reason far away. Large hands at her hips gripped and lifted so that she had