Ruthless King

What. The. Hell.

She stumbled as she moved along the footpath. Jose stepped away from him and toward her, holding a hand out.

“Do not touch her,” Regent barked at him.

His bodyguard immediately stepped back, his hands up in the air to placate Regent.

Yeah, he was acting like that possessive asshole he’d accused himself of being. But he couldn’t stand to have another person touch his girl.

Moving closer, he reached out for her as she took another step and nearly tripped . . . over nothing.

How much had she had to drink?

And what the fuck was she wearing? She had an oversized hoodie on, which reached to mid-thigh, and a pair of flip-flops.

“Where have you been?” he asked in a harsher voice than he’d intended.

She let out a scream, jumping away from him. Had she seriously just noticed that he was standing there?

How could she be so reckless as to get so drunk that she wasn’t even aware of her surroundings?

Not to mention getting into a car with someone he assumed was an Uber driver and, therefore, a stranger whom he hadn’t vetted.

From now on, he wasn’t allowing anyone near her who he hadn’t personally approved of.

And if she didn’t like that . . . well, she’d just have to suck up her protests because that was what was happening.

“Reggie. Veggie. Bobeggie.”

What the fuck was a bobeggie? She was practically slurring her words.

“How much have you had to drink?” he barked. “This is completely unacceptable. What were you thinking? Anything could have happened to you while you were this drunk!”

She wiggled her finger in the air as she attempted to stand still. But she kept swaying.

“You can’t talk to me like that. I’m a . . . a grown woman . . . I don’t need to put up with this.”

She moved toward the house and slid sideways. Leaping to her, he grabbed her and lifted her into his arms.

Something was wrong.

He needed to get her inside.

“Jose, here, take the key and go unlock the door and turn the lights on.” He shifted her weight so he could grab the key to her place from his pocket.

“You got it, boss,” Jose replied, taking the key.

“Hey, Jose! S-sorry I wouldn’t let you give m-me a ride all those other times. I wanted to. But you can’t give in to Dracula or he sucks your blood. My blood doesn’t taste very nice, you evil, soulless bastard.”

Dear Lord.

“Your high opinion of me is astounding,” he said dryly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dracula. Of course I don’t have a high opinion of you. You’re a meanie. A meanie-bo-beanie. Wait, have you been smoking?”

She glared up at him accusingly.

“Yes.”