Read Online Protected by Shadows by Aliyah Burke - Free Book Online Page B

house?” I am not, not, not , thinking of his offer and how much I want to take him up on it.
    “I’m visiting my wife. Where else would I be?”
    She sucked her teeth and moved to where she could see his face. Leaning against the counter next to the sink, she crossed her ankles and stared at him, her gaze boring into him. At first he didn’t seem that concerned, but the longer she stood and continued to do so, the more uneasy he began to appear.
    “Very well, Val. This is the game you want to play”—her smile was feral—“let’s play it. So you’re now my husband.”

Chapter Five
    That look on a woman’s face never ended well for a man. Valentino could admit it—he was concerned now. Lexy didn’t just give in and agree like she was doing. Every survival instinct he’d counted on to stay alive as he’d traveled the world doing what he did was screaming at him to get out.
    Gripping the spoon a bit tighter, he checked the marinara and adjusted the heat. He cast a discerning look over the items on the glass stovetop. It would all be ready by the time the table was set. After he set the spoon in its painted holder, he turned to where she kept her dishes then quickly put down the items they’d need to enjoy his meal.
    He kept an eye on Lexy, who continued to lean against the sink and watch him. Her face was blank—the feral smile had vanished—but there was a glint in her gaze that worried him. He opened the wine, poured them each a glass then lit the candles he’d found. It didn’t take him long to drain the spaghetti and place the pasta in a nice dish.
    “Dinner’s ready,” he said as he put the meatballs on the table.
    Lexy walked to her chair and he pulled it out for her, deliberately ignoring the sideways glance she shot him. He also had to ignore the desire he had to kiss her shoulder as he pushed her in to the table. Once seated, he served her then himself.
    She ate silently as he tried to figure out what to say to get her talking to him. Swallowing his bite of garlic bread, he gestured to her with his knife. “Everything okay?”
    “Delicious.”
    He gave a small grin. It had been years since he’d cooked for someone else. The last time he’d done so had been for— Nope, not going there. He slammed the door shut on that memory, keeping it where it belonged. In the past.
    “You really think this is the best way to keep me safe? Or are you using me as bait to try and bring down this Trevor guy?”
    “A bit of both,” he admitted truthfully. “More that I want you safe.”
    “I don’t even know why they contacted me. Doesn’t make any sense, I’d never heard of them until this whole thing began.” She used her bread to wipe up the remnants of her sauce. “I’m not changing my life during this. I continue to go to work and live my life.”
    Alarm bells were still going off in his head, but he nodded. “Sounds fair.” He coughed. “No dating anyone else though.”
    The smile which curved up her lips had every hair standing on end. “I’m apparently married now, why would I be out dating anyone else?”
    He didn’t know how to respond without sounding like a jealous bastard. The thought of another touching her was enough to send fury pulsing through his veins, and on its heels was the urge to rip and maim someone.
    “That brings us to another issue,” she said, prior to drinking the rest of her wine.
    “Issue?”
    She wriggled the fingers of her left hand in his direction. “Wedded bliss and all that usually comes with a ring.”
    “I’ll go buy you a ring.” He could handle that.
    “Oh no, it’s not that simple, Val.” Her smile was pure evil calculation. “I’m not letting it be that simple.”
    He narrowed his eyes at her. “If separate rooms are such a big thing to you, Lexy, fine. I’ll stay in the guest room. I’m not living on your couch though.”
    “Right, rooms. Yeah, fine, whatever. No, this has nothing to do with that.”
    He swirled the wine around in