“They’re scattered through Europe like fucking cockroaches,” Alexei grumbles.
“Which means a lot of traveling,” Demitri says as he puts a hitlist together.
I glance over the photos of the Albanians Demitri has gathered and recognize the two men from the club. Rudaj’s cousins.
I point at the one. “This guy. Admir. He’s trained.”
“You fought him?” Demitri asks.
I shake my head. “Hailey was there.” I glance between Alexei and Demitri. “But from the way he moved it’s clear he had training.”
“I’ll deal with him,” Demitri says.
Alexei’s eyes drop to the tag hanging from the chain around my neck. “Let’s do a check.”
Glancing down, I take hold of the tag and press the small button at the back. Instantly Alexei’s phone sounds an alarm.
I wait for him to turn it off, then say, ‘Yours.’
He checks his panic button, and the signal comes through to my phone, then I say, “I’m thinking of getting one made for Hailey.”
“That’s a good idea,” Demitri agrees. “I’ll put in the order.”
As Demitri goes to make the call, Alexei says, “You really care for this girl?”
There’s no use in denying it anymore. “Yes.”
“Bring her.” I freeze for a moment. “I want to meet her.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon?” I ask, not sure how Hailey will handle meeting my brother.
“We’ll eat together. I want to see if she’s worthy of my brother.”
I nod, knowing that once Alexei’s set his mind on something, there’s no changing it.
“Now,” he orders.
“If she’s home,” I mutter. Leaving the armory, I head out of the house.
During the walk to Hailey’s cabin, my thoughts turn to Wednesday night. I only left her place yesterday afternoon. We talked and kissed right through the night and morning, and it feels like a dream.
One I can wake up from at any moment.
As I near the cabin, everything looks quiet, and I start to doubt if she’s home. Checking the time, I see it’s just gone past ten in the morning. I walk up to the front door and knock. Glancing around the area, I wait a couple of seconds before I knock again.
“I’m coming,” Hailey calls.
I take a step back from the door and tuck my hands in the pockets of my coat. It takes another couple of seconds before she opens for me.
I’m met with Hailey peeking at me from behind the door. “Hey, can you give me a minute? I’m getting dressed.”
My one eyebrow lifts, and placing my hand on the door, I push against it until it’s no longer in my way. She’s only wearing a t-shirt and panties, and the sight instantly makes me go hard.
Stepping inside, I shut the door, and then my eyes take in every inch of her. “I like what you’re wearing now.”
“Yeah?” Hailey’s eyelashes flutter, and a seductive smile forms around her full lips.
I step closer until our bodies are only an inch from each other. Hailey tilts her head back, desire darkening her eyes into stormy pools.
I place a hand on her hip and slowly move it up beneath her shirt. When I reach the swell of her breast, my thumb skims over the lace covering it.
“You’re looking for trouble,” I murmur.
She nods as she lifts her arms, wrapping them around my neck. “Oh, definitely.”
Leaning down, I press a kiss to her mouth, then I say, “Get dressed. Alexei wants to meet you.”
The desire flees from her face, and her eyes widen. “Now?”
Sliding my hand back down her side, I give her hip a squeeze. “Now.”
If it were up to me, I’d strip the meager clothes she’s wearing off and spend the day tasting every inch of her.
“Go,” I grind the word out, my control faltering.
“Okay.”
When she turns away from me and walks toward the stairs, the sight of her ass draws a groan from me. “Faster!”
She lets out a chuckle as she darts up the stairs, and I reach down to adjust my cock.
I glance around the kitchen and living room, and seeing a framed photo on the coffee table, I walk toward it. It’s of an older couple and Hailey.
Her parents.
They have happy faces, just like their daughter.
My eyes lock on Hailey’s mother. She looks like a mother should, gentle and caring.
I’ve stopped wondering what it would’ve been like to have a mother, but I’m glad Hailey has this woman.
I hear movement, and then Hailey comes down the stairs. “I’m ready.”
Turning to her, I take in the jeans and sneakers. It’s only then I realize I’ve never seen Hailey wearing make-up or dressing up.
She’s just Hailey, and I love it.
Holding my hand out to her, I say, “Beautiful as always.”
She lays her palm against mine, and we link our fingers. Stepping out of the cabin, I take the keys from her and lock the door before dropping them in my pocket.
As we turn up the road, Hailey asks, “Why does Alexei want to meet me?”
I glance down at her. “Because you’re important to me.”
A wide smile stretches across her face. “I am?”
I nod, and her feet do a cute little skip before she darts in front of me. Keeping hold of my hand, she starts to walk backward.
Her eyes sparkle at me with mischief. “How important?”
I tug her against me, and lifting my other hand to the back of her head, I hold her in place as I claim her mouth. I devour her lips and tongue the same way I plan on eating her pussy until her breaths are nothing but quick puffs of air.
Pulling back and seeing desire clouding her eyes, a satisfied grin tugs at the corner of my mouth, and then I answer her question, “More than you’ll ever know.”
HAILEY
Happiness isn’t just a nine-letter word.
It’s standing in front of the only man who can set your body on fire with a mere look.
It’s staring into the eyes of the person who makes you feel more than you’ve ever felt.
It’s holding the hand of the one you’re falling hopelessly in love with.
And it’s an incredible feeling to fall for Carson.
I wasn’t looking for a relationship. The timing’s all wrong. We’re opposites. And none of it matters.
“You’re important to me too,” I whisper as I stare deep into his eyes. Then I pull my hand free from his. “Which reminds me. I don’t have your number.” I dig my phone out of my pocket and open the screen. “Give it to me.”
Carson slowly recites his number, and then he moves closer to see if I typed it in right. “Yeah, that’s it.”
When I save it under MM, Carson asks, “What does that stand for?
“My man,” I grin at him, and then he stuns the living hell out of me as an actual full-blown smile forms on his face. “Holy shit,” I breathe. “You really need to smile more.”
He lets out a chuckle as he pulls his own phone from the inner pocket of his coat. “Your number?”
I press dial, and when his phone rings, I say, “Just save it.”
I watch as he types in MW, and it makes my grin stretch impossible wide. Carson lifts a hand, and taking hold of a fist full of my hair, he yanks me to him, and then his mouth meets mine in a hotter than hell kiss.
I grab hold of the lapels of his coat and hang on for dear life. I could stand in the middle of the road all day kissing him.
Too soon, he frees my mouth, and his voice is low and hoarse as he whispers, “My woman.”
Dean Winchester, who?
My wildest fantasies have nothing on Carson. Especially when he looks at me as if it’s taking all his self-control to not fuck me right here.
Instead of me getting to cross public sex off my bucket list, Carson takes my hand again, and we continue walking.
When his house comes into sight, nerves begin to spin in my stomach.
God, I hope his brother likes me.
Reaching the front door, Carson keys in a code, and then the door just swings open. I’m pulled into a work of art, and my lips part.
Oh. My. God.
The mountainside forms the walls on the left, while glass walls give a clear view of the pine forest on the right side of the house. The furnishings are minimalist and a pine tree encased in glass stands rooted between the kitchen and living room.
“Carson,” I breathe in awe. “Your home is beautiful.”
Then a spitting image of Carson comes up from the stairs at the back of the house, and the moment our eyes meet, an eery feeling skitters down my spine.
When Alexei stops a couple of steps away from me, I begin to see slight differences between him and Carson. Alexei’s eyes are colder, his face impassive as if nothing on this planet can ruffle his feathers.
Reaching my hand to him, I say, “It’s nice to meet you.”
He stares at me until I start wondering whether I should just lower my hand. Then he smiles, and the eerie feeling is quickly replaced with all my alarm bells going off.
This man is dangerous.
My sixth sense screams at me to take a step back, to put distance between us, but somehow I remain rooted to the spot.
Slowly, as if every move he makes is calculated, he takes hold of my hand. His palm is ice cold.
His eyes never leave mine, and it becomes a struggle to keep eye contact. Then suddenly, as if I passed some test, Alexei’s features soften as he murmurs, “I see why you like her, brother.”
I let out a nervous chuckle as I pull my hand from his. Reverting to my default setting, I joke, “I see the intensity thing runs in the family.”
My comment makes Alexei chuckle.
Another man comes up the stairs, and instinctively, I inch closer to Carson’s side.
Unlike Alexei, he doesn’t stare me down and comes to shake my hand. “Demitri,” he gives me his name before he walks away again.
“Let’s sit,” Carson says, and when I feel his hand on my lower back, I move toward the living room.
Carson takes a seat next to me, and feeling his leg press against mine, I scoot as close to him as I can get. He reaches for my hand, and placing my palm on his thigh, he covers mine with his.
Alexei sits down across from us, and then his eyes lock on me. “You’re from Chicago?”
I nod, assuming Carson told his brother about me.
“Tell me about yourself,” Alexei says with a tone that sounds more like an order.
“I’m a people person, and usually, I can get along with anyone.”
I have my doubts about Alexei, though, seeing as he makes me feel more like prey than a human being.
Alexei leans forward, and resting his forearms on his thighs, he gives me a brooding look. Only when I feel thoroughly uncomfortable does he ask, “Why my brother?”
I turn my head to Carson, and all the awkwardness I’ve been feeling fades like mist before the sun. The corner of his mouth lifts, and he gives me a smile, and it makes me feel safe.
I turn my eyes back to Alexei and answer, “I haven’t dated much, and I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but the moment I saw Carson, I was hooked. He piques my interest like no other. Just seeing him makes me smile. It’s like…” I glance back to Carson, and our eyes meet, “the moment he walked into my life, there was only him.”
Carson lifts my hand and presses a kiss to the back before he settles my palm on his thigh again.
There are so many things I love about Carson, but I want to keep them buried in my heart. I want to treasure them and not share them with the world.
