The Queens: Scarred Queen, Alejandro's Prey
Chapter 60

She watched him through lowered lashes as he circled her slowly and then stopped in front of her not touching physically but holding her enthralled with the warmth of his gaze, his domination, his determination and his love. The music started, and she immediately recognized Goten Project's popular Santa Maria from La Revancha del Tango. She stepped around Alejandro and gave him her hand indicating she was allowing the dance to proceed. He whirled her into his arms and proved to her quickly that he knew exactly what he was doing. That hands soaked in blood were equally capable of caressing and dominating a woman in dance.

Within moments, exhilaration replaced trepidation as they flew across the floor together. Gina had no time to worry about counting steps as she followed Alejandro's every step, snapping into place beside and in front of him as he led their dance. She kicked her leg over his and then back over, twirling away from him and then gasping when he gripped her hard and turned her back against him, pressing their chests intimately together. As the music neared the final notes, she felt the tension in his body increase. She knew exactly why - he would have to allow her to fall. The symbolic death.

As she whirled against his strong arm preparing to sink to the floor, he caught her instead, pressing her close. Rather than allowing her to drop to the floor at his feet he tipped her far back against his arm until she was nearly prone against his chest. Her legs were draped over top of his strong thigh and the tips of her hair brushed the dance floor at her back. He leaned forward, the muscles of his arms bulging against his shirt. He was so close to her that when he spoke his lips touched hers, "I will never allow you to fall, Gina, mi amor."

The breath caught in her throat and tears threatened to spill as the final notes of music died away. Applause sounded around them. She knew they were good, very good for an amateur couple that had never before danced together. What they might have lacked in skill they more than made up for in passion. She flexed her fingers against him and smiled happily.

"I will do my best to never let you fall either, Alejandro," she replied shyly.

He looked surprised for a moment, as though the thought of a woman, especially one like Gina, protecting him never occurred to him before. Then he grinned down at her, pleased, and kissed her quick and hard before setting her on her feet once more. They took a quick bow and left the dance floor. Without another word they exited the club. Gina guessed they had made enough of an impression.

She was glad. She was exhausted from a long day of dates with multiple men and trying to stand up for her rights so as not to get dragged to the alter by the hair caveman-style. "What next?" she asked, smothering a yawn as Alejandro escorted her onto the sidewalk toward the waiting vehicle. Fredo had the back door open and waiting for them.

When Alejandro didn't answer, Gina opened her mouth to ask again. He held his hand up and stopped walking, drawing her tight against his side. Then, without warning he flung her forward into the arms of one of their bodyguard's. The man caught her and shoved her into the side of the vehicle, covering her with his body. She felt him shift to pull his weapon from the holster when loud pops erupted all around them.

Gina let out a cry when she was shoved roughly down, a hand on her shoulder, guiding her to the pavement. She reached out, halting a nasty scape to her knees by gripping the edge of the open door. She flinched when she felt something slam into the vehicle next to her and looked up to see Alejandro throw himself against the metal panel to use it for cover as he squeezed off a few shots over the roof of the SUV. Someone was driving by and shooting at them.

She heard the screech of tires and slamming metal. He must've hit the other car when he fired at it. She wasn't surprised. She knew how accurate Alejandro was. She'd seen him on the range before.

"You take left, I'll go right. Don't let them pin us down," he snapped at Fredo. "Try to take one of them alive if you can." He glanced down at Gina where she was crouched on the sidewalk, terror clear on her face. His own gaze was dispassionate. This was Alejandro at work. His eyes moved to the man who still had a hand on top of Gina's shoulder, holding her in place. "Put her in the back, cover her with your life."

"Yes, boss," he answered immediately.

Gina didn't have a chance to say anything. Alejandro disappeared around the side of the darkly tinted SUV as she was dragged to her feet and pushed inside. She crawled

to the opposite door and peeked through the window. A bullet slammed into the glass next to her face and ricocheted off. She screamed and lunged back.

Trying to steady her breathing and heartrate she sat up again and stared out the window looking around frantically for Alejandro. He was around the back of the SUV, his dark head bobbing in and out of her line of sight as he shot at the men emerging from the crashed Lexus across the street.

"You okay, Ms. Giancarro?" her bodyguard asked, shoving his head back through the door.

"Yes!" she yelled back. "Just startled."

"Keep your head down, ma'am," he shouted. "It'll be over soon."

She nodded and ducked against the leather seat, clutching the seatbelt against her, as though it could keep her safe. After a moment, when she heard nothing she glanced back up. She couldn't see anything so she crawled closer to the window and took a good look. She gasped and covered her mouth. Alejandro was standing in the road, his tall form hulking over top of a prone body in the road. Rage suffused his features, an emotion unlike anything she'd seen on his face before. It filled Gina with awe. She knew it was because of her, because these men attacked him in public while she was with him.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that her bodyguard had stepped away from the SUV. She clutched her purse tight and reached for the door handle, cracking it open. She could hear Alejandro's low voice growling in fury. "... dare to attack me and my woman, you weak fuck. You will die slowly for this, pendejo. There will be no coming back from the hell I send you, puto motherfucker." She peeked around the side of the door in time to see him spit on the man for emphasis.

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Gina saw the other attacker a split second before Alejandro could spot him. She knew he was good at his job, knew that she should leave him alone to work. But she couldn't. Every instinct in her body screamed at her to save the man she loved. She jammed her hand into her purse, pulled out the switchblade Casey insisted she carry everywhere and opened the door of the SUV. She screamed a warning as she ran at the man who was making his way stealthily toward Alejandro, his gun hand extended. Alejandro twisted to the side, ducking the shot as it went wide while Gina jumped on the man's back, sinking her tiny blade into his side. He screamed in pain, dropped his gun and flung her away from him. She flew sideways and hit the street hard, rolling before landing on her back. She came up on her elbows and looked around to replace the man lunging toward her. Apparently, he knew his best bet at staying alive was to get his hands on the prize. She tried to scramble backwards but he was quickly on top of her, reaching down to grab her.

It didn't matter, Alejandro came up behind him, yanked Gina's blade from his side, pulled him against his chest and slammed the knife home in guy's neck once, twice, three times. The attacker fell to his knees between Gina's spread legs, blood pouring down his throat and chest. He flailed, one hand reaching for the wounds, trying to put pressure on them while the other continued to reach for Gina.

She watched in frozen horror as Alejandro gripped the man by the hair and held him upright, away from Gina but still close enough that she could watch every moment of his life drain from him. Alejandro watched her face as she stared at the scene before her, sobs spilling from her lips. He leaned forward until his lips were next to the dying man's ear and he spoke clearly, his words travelling to Gina, "No one puts my woman in danger."

His terrible, cold eyes held hers and she knew he was speaking directly to her. Another lesson. No one put Gina in danger, not even her. A shudder ripped through her and she forced herself to swallow a gag as he threw the now dead body away from them. Gina pulled her legs back so the man wouldn't touch her as he fell to the pavement. Alejandro crouched next to Gina and gave her a quick once over.

"Are you hurt?" he asked coldly.

She shook her head sitting up and hugging herself against the chill of the night. She refused to look at him now, instead focusing dully on Fredo and his man as they collected the guy Alejandro had captured.

Alejandro stood and held a hand out for her. This time she felt none of the happiness or elation she'd felt earlier when she took it. As he helped her to her feet and escorted her to the car she knew she was truly in the hands of the mob. As though his prediction had come true much sooner than either of them could have thought; he'd made her unhappy. The man she loved was a monster. A monster that loved her back and would never let her go.