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    ALINA’S POV.

    “Hi, bab-”

    I froze mid-word.

    My breath caught in my throat, my smile vanishing instantly.

    Standing in the doorway of Talia’s apartment was a shirtless, heavily tattooed man, with a cold expression and a gun pointed directly at my face.

    The world around me seemed to narrow to the glint of that weapon, my heart colliding aggressively against my

    What the hell had I just walked into?

    ribs.

    /* ![CDATA[ */

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    ?

    Jordan was quick to pull me behind him, drawing his gun and pointing it straight back at the man.

    I let out an audible gasp.

    Since when did he move around with a gun?

    “Who is at the door, Kn-”

    I heard Talia’s voice from behind the man, followed by a sharp intake of breath.

    This time, the gasp wasn’t from me.

    “What the fuck, Knox?! Get that gun off my best friend’s face!” Talia snapped furiously.

    The tattooed man, now known as Knox, scrunched his face in confusion, ncing over his shoulder toward her.

    Talia rushed forward, eyes wide in rm, and pulled me into a tight hug. Only then did I realize she was wearing nothing but a flimsy robe.

    “Are you okay, baby?” She asked, gently cupping my cheeks and turning my face toward hers, trying to draw my attention away from the gun.

    “Hey, look at me.” She said more firmly as she noticed how my eyes kept flickering nervously toward the weapon still pointed in my direction.

    “Knox, fucking put the gun away. Are you trying to get me killed by her fiancé?” Taliashed out at him, clearly annoyed

    now.

    “Oh.” Knox muttered in a deep voice, finally lowering the weapon.

    Jordan, however, was still on guard, his gun still pointed at Knox as he watched him like a hawk.

    “Jordan, it’s fine.”I said softly, finally finding my voice. I ced a calming hand on his arm, gently lowering his gun.

    “I am so sorry about this, baby. Can you please not tell Mr. ckwood about this?” Talia begged, her voice shaking slightly.

    “Wait, Lucian ckwood’s fiancée is your best friend?” Knox asked, stunned as he looked at me with widened eyes.

    Talia gave him a deadly re as she led me to the couch.

    “Make yourself useful and go get her a ss of water, Knox.” She snapped.

    The huge man obeyed without question, disappearing into the kitchen.

    “Can this stay between us, baby?” Talia’s voice was softer now, edged with real fear. “Your fiancé would kill me if he got wind

    of this.”

    “You’re fine, Talia. Lucian won’t find out,” I assured her with a smallugh. “Right, Jordan?” I asked, turning to my bodyguard with a knowing look.

    “But ma’am, your life was just-”

    “Right, Jordan?” I repeated, this time more firmly.

    “Right, ma’am.” He replied with a stiff nod, clearly reluctant.

    I knew he hated keeping things from Lucian, especially when it involved my safety, but I wasn’t going to risk getting my friend in trouble.

    “It’s settled then,” I said with a smile. “Oh, one more thing, give me your phone.” I stretched my hand toward Jordan.

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    He hesitated only a moment before pulling his phone from his suit jacket and handing it over without a word.

    “Thank you.” I grinned, turning it off and slipping it into my purse.

    “Ma’am?” Jordan looked at me, confused.

    “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll give it back when we’re leaving. I just don’t want Lucian to know where we are.” I shot him a look full of yful mistrust.

    Knowing Jordan, he’d tell Lucian in a heartbeat the second he asked.

    “But ma’am, Boss won’t be happy.” He said with a frown.

    Well, that’s the point. He made me unhappy, so I’m going to do the same.

    “Let me handle Lucian.” I told him. “Now don’t just stand there, make yourselffortable. We’ll be here for a while.” I waved him off.

    “And back to you.” I turned back to Talia, who was watching the interaction with amusement.

    “I take it Lucian has done something again?” She asked knowingly.

    “No, we are not going to do that. You tell me, who was that hunk? When did you get yourself a boyfriend?” I asked, shocked, ncing toward the hallway where Knox had disappeared.

    “Ew,” she said in disgust. “Knox is not my boyfriend.”

    “So, fuck buddy then, I take it?”

    “Don’t make me throw up my breakfast, Ally. That’s my cousin, Knox!” She looked absolutely appalleat my insinuation.

    Well, she couldn’t really me me for thinking that. He’d been shirtless, and she was barely covered in a robe.

    “Your favorite cousin in the Marines?” I asked.

    “That very one.” She confirmed with a sigh.

    That exins the gun.

    Just then, Knox returned, now wearing a shirt, and handed me a ss of water.

    “Sorry about earlier. He said, scratching the back of his neck, with a sheepish look on his face.

    “It’s water under the bridge.” I replied with a wave of my hand.

    “Why did you do that?” Talia smacked his arm.

    “When I looked through the peephole, I didn’t see anybody. I thought it might be an intruder.” He exined.

    “Oh, that might be because I was squatting at the time.” I added.

    “An intruder?” Talia scoffed. “Are you forgetting this ce is guarded like a fortress?”

    “You can never be too sure.” He shrugged. “Nice to finally meet the infamous fiancée of Lucian ckwood.” He added, nodding toward me.

    “The pleasure is all mine?” I said, a little confused by his choice of words.

    “Buzz off, Knox,” Talia scolded. “Don’t pay him any mind, baby.” She told me, rolling her eyes.

    “Alright,” Knox said, raising his hands in surrender. “I’ll leave you women to it. Want a beer, man?” He asked, turning to Jordan.

    Jordan looked to me for confirmation.

    “Go and rx, Jordan.” I said, with a small nod.

    He was always so stiff, he needed to rx.

    The two men disappeared around the corner, no doubt headed to the home bar.

    “Now tell me,” Talia said as soon as I turned back to her, “to what do I owe this visit?”

    “Can’t I just decide toe see my friend?” I asked, my tone innocent, though the look on Talia’s face said she wasn’t buying olli/li/ol

    “Yeah, right.” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Now spill.”

    t

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