Excerpt of Her Forbidden Hero by Laura Kaye

"Any chance you're going to explain the silent treatment?"

He glared her way, then set the empty dishwasher racks off to the side on the floor.

"Marco, I don't understand—"

"You got that right."

"Got what right? I don't even know what we're talking about. All I know is you're kinda being an asshole and I haven't the foggiest idea what I..."

The words died in her throat as Marco abruptly turned, stalked across the space behind the bar, and flipped up the counter in front of her. She retreated as he stepped through the gap, and then he grabbed her by the arms—firm enough that she knew he had her, but not enough to hurt.

"How many times did you get grabbed out there tonight? Huh?" He pushed her back one step, then another, until her spine came flush against something unyielding. He braced his hands on the wall above her shoulders and towered over her, six—foot—three—inches of pissed—off versus five—foot—four—inches of turned—on. "How many guys laid their fucking paws on you?"

Alyssa could barely breathe, let alone respond. Her heart was a speeding train in her chest. How had he even known what had happened on the floor, anyway? Besides, she'd handled it. Kim had prepared her for the rowdy ones, plus you didn't grow up in a violent household without knowing how to dodge some unwanted contact. The self—defense classes she'd taken in college taught her the rest. So what if one guy kept putting his arm around her shoulders when she leaned in to take his orders and another grabbed her ass? No blood, no foul, and all that.

"I can tell you this goddamn much. There is at least one man in this town who is lucky to be alive tonight."

"Marco," she whispered.

He pounded his fist on the wall. "I can't...you c—can't..." He shook his head.

"Marco," she said again. "I'm okay."

He stared at her a long moment, blue eyes blazing and his breathing hard. Slowly, he leaned in, his tongue flicking his bottom lip.

Alyssa's mouth dropped open. Oh, God, how many times had she dreamed of this? She tilted her head and held his gaze, her whole body alive with anticipation. Her hand fisted in his shirt, pulling him in or pulling herself up—she wasn't sure which.