Vicious Protector (Paperback)

Demons so deep they destroy us...

Every part of Adrian Ivanov is pure, unable to ignore, male virility. He’s arrogant. Protective. Sweet and intensely attentive. On rare occasions, outright vicious.If only his soul wasn't tortured over who he is and what he has become. He hides it all from me, proclaiming the truth will ruin us.No matter how much I insist anything he confesses won’t deter my heart, his ghosts won’t allow him.But they aren’t apparitions.The present collides with the past in a dangerous and twisted game he doesn’t even know he’s a pawn in. It causes everything in our future to remain in jeopardy.There’s a choice, yet nothing hard in life comes without consequences.He’s my vicious protector…”Vicious Protector” is the jaw-dropping fourth installment of the “Mafia Wars” series. It’s an interconnecting, stand-alone Dark Mafia Romance, guaranteed to have an HEA.

Skylar Scott

Fairy tales aren't real. I learned this lesson the hard way. Looking back, I curse myself for ever wanting to find true love. Everything I assumed about it is wrong. It's not the amazing feeling I expected.

It's one hundred percent soul-crushing, delicious at times, painful in ways you never imagined, addicting beyond measure, all-consuming torment. Love grips and holds on to you, stabbing you any chance it gets. 

Or maybe it's only like that if you love Adrian Ivanov.

Why didn't I bring a date?

Did he?

I didn't see anyone with him.

She could have been in the bathroom or talking to someone else.

Why was I even looking? We're finished.

"It's time. Everyone, please take your places," the wedding planner tells us. It's Kora and Sergey's wedding. She's been my best friend for longer than I can remember. She's so happy, she's glowing. It gives me joy and creates a jealous flare in my bones. I hate feeling envious of her happiness. Kora deserves every morsel of delight. She and Sergey have been through so much. They are perfect for each other, and you can feel their love.

I hug her again. "You look stunning."

Her beaming smile only grows. "Thank you."

I take my place behind Aspen and Hailee. I'm Kora's maid of honor. When I walk down the aisle, I try to avoid Adrian's cocky stare, eating me up, as if I'm going to be his dinner. I take controlled breaths to attempt not to blush. I can feel him checking me out with his piercing, icy-blue orbs, even though I'm avoiding him.

My insides shake. Before last night, I hadn't seen him in several months. Our last encounter was at the hospital. Kora and Sergey got abducted, and something went down. I still don't have all the details. I'm tired of asking for them. Kora and Aspen hide issues concerning the Ivanovs in a secret vault. I've fought with them so many times to tell me things, but they won't. I finally decided I needed to let it go. I already lost Adrian. I don't need to lose my friends, too.

Last night, I stayed on the opposite side of the room from Adrian. We were at a restaurant for the rehearsal dinner. My heart raced similar to what it's doing now. Somehow, I got through the night without talking to him. Earlier today, I saw him across the room when I went to the bathroom. I ignored him, and when I came out, he was gone. Disappointment and relief swirled through me.

Focus on the ceremony, not him.

The peek I allow myself only makes my pain expand. Adrian Ivanov is the epitome of sex on an average day. In a tux, he's a demigod. Adonis himself would be jealous. Fabric stretches over Adrian's hard, chiseled body, with just enough tautness to tease any female who glances his way. Assumptions about his body will make your panties melt, but firsthand knowledge is what makes everything even more unfair. Until you see and feel Adrian's naked body against yours, you assume he's ripped, no different from other fit guys.

All hypotheses of Adrian and what an experience with him is like are wrong. Other men may have good bodies, but they don't know how to use them. Adrian can dominate you in the bedroom in the smallest of ways. His eyes alone can bring you to your knees. I'm convinced no other man on the planet knows how to use his tongue or fingers, and I'm not even referring to the most intimate acts.

Sex with Adrian is filthy ecstasy. There's no boundary of how he'll please you. His smug arrogance drew me to him. Each cocky expression is well-earned. Everything he does with his hands, mouth, or eyes turns my insides to hot lava. There's masculinity about him other men don't possess, along with a thick Russian accent growling in your ear.

Focus on Kora. Focus on Kora. Focus on Kora.

He's staring at me.

Don't look at him.

My eyes dart to his sculpted features and verify my feeling was correct. He's got his hardened, cocky expression pinned on me. Heat rushes to my cheeks. I quickly refocus on Kora.

No one is next to him.

Is his date hiding somewhere?

Why am I even thinking about this?

A pulse of paranoia creeps from my toes and crawls up my body, torturing me. When I was with Adrian, I loved how his mere presence sent my loins into overdrive. Right now, I detest how much he still affects me.

If he could only trust me enough to tell me the truth about what he does and where he goes at night, or what happened to Kora and Sergey, we could be together.

He chooses not to let me in.

I can't help myself. I gaze away from Kora and catch Adrian's eyes again. The heat on my face intensifies.

Someone should tell him it's rude to stare.

The ceremony continues. I miss what's going on. All I can think about is Adrian and how much I miss him. His ongoing arrogant poker face gives me the impression he wants to do naughty things with me. It's not helping my current predicament.

I've missed that look.

Not helping!

The officiant announces Sergey may kiss the bride. I snap out of my thoughts when the room erupts in cheers. My reaction is a mix of tears and a smile. I'm happy for Kora, but having Adrian this close, keeping his intense eyes on my body, only reminds me how I fooled myself I could have the happily ever after.

No man is ever going to match up to Adrian in any department. Not the looks, sex, or way he made me feel when I was with him. Besides all the fights about where he was and who he was with, everything about us seemed to sync. He made me laugh. I felt safe with him. We just got each other.

Most days, I feel like I can't breathe. I keep trying to convince myself it'll get better. Somehow, I'll get past Adrian.

It's a lie. How do you go from a five-star resort with luxurious amenities you never knew existed to a cheap, dingy motel?

You can't. It's impossible not to remember what you once had. 

Over the last few months, I've had good-looking men from every walk of life hit on me. I attempted to date to move on. I keep thinking if I find someone else, I'll forget Adrian. It's another lie.

I couldn't get past dinner, coffee, or whatever else we were doing to get to know each other. I hoped enough time passed that I could move on. Each date only reaffirmed my suspicion. There is no getting over Adrian Ivanov.

I follow the happy couple down the aisle and go through the motions. When the photographer tells us we can all go and for Kora and Sergey to stay, I hightail it to the bathroom.

No one is inside, except me. I wash my hands with cold water and refrain from putting it on my face so I don't mess up my makeup. I give myself another pep talk to stay away from Adrian.

Straightening my shoulders, I step out of the bathroom. My gut flips. Adrian is standing against the brick wall, as if waiting for me.

Blood pounds between my ears. My heart hurts, looking at the man I love whom I can't get over. I think the pain can't get any worse, but I overestimated the ache that keeps growing. It's nothing compared to what lies ahead.

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