She runs her thumb over the top of my hand and nods. “I know. You don’t have to tell me. I can see it in the way you are with them. I think it’s one of the things I love best about you.”
I take a deep breath in. It’s the sweetest thing she’s ever said to me and betrays the fact that she’s actually falling for me.
Does she know how I feel about her?
How could she?
But as soon as she speaks, she flushes pink and looks away, even pulling her hand off mine. “I didn’t mean to say that,” she whispers, shaking her head.
“What?” I ask. “It’s wrong to show feelings for the man you’re wedded to?”
She shakes her head. “It’s wrong to show feelings for a man you just met.”
“According to whom?”
She shrugs and flushes, shaking her head and opening her mouth to speak, then closing it at once. “I—I’m not sure. Oh, hell.”
She gets up out of her chair and comes to me, all curves and grace and beauty, then slides on my lap facing me. I’m so shocked by what she’s doing that I let her, my hands falling helplessly to the side as she cups my face in her hands and kisses me. She tastes like the cake we just ate, sweet and rich, and I could kiss her all night long. I wrap my hands around her lower back and pull her closer, letting her kiss me as if she owns me, because she fucking does.
She does.
I intended on owning Caroline, but it goes both ways. I’m her husband, her protector, the one who will defend her to the death.
But we belong to each other.
When she finally pulls her lips off mine, she looks at me in surprise. “I didn’t mean to do that,” she whispers. “I don’t know what came over me. I just—”
I stand with her in my arms in reply and she stops speaking. Her legs encircle me, her naked pussy pressed up against my torso as I walk her to the bed. I lay her down and kneel beside her. Her eyes meet mine, flirtatious and sexy.
She bites her lip before she asks, “Do you have it in you for round three, old—”
“I dare you to say it. Do it. See what happens.”
But she shakes her head.
“Smart girl. Don’t need another spanking?”
Her eyes twinkle. “Not yet.”
I join her on the bed and show her that I’m fully capable of round three.Three nights later, my phone rings in the middle of the night.
“Boss?”
I’m half asleep, my eyes still half-closed when I answer. It’s Ilya.
“What is it?”
“I’m so sorry to call you this late,” he says. “But I was doing watch by the gate, and there’s something wrong.” I’ve given Ilya nighttime shift this week, and his explicit directions are to call Yakov if anything is amiss.
I sit up in bed. Caroline wakes, her eyes fluttering open. She holds my gaze in quiet confidence but doesn’t speak. It’s like balm to my soul when she looks at me like that. I never knew how alone I was until I wasn’t anymore. It empowers me to have her by my side, knowing that no matter what happens I come home to her soft voice and gentle touch.
“What is it?”
“My replacement was supposed to check in an hour ago for the shift change. His phone is ringing, and ringing and I can’t get him.”
I grit my teeth together. “There are many in our brotherhood you could’ve called before me. Just because one of our men is missing doesn’t mean a damn thing.” I will ring this boy’s neck if he doesn’t settle down and learn his place.
“But that’s just it, sir. I tried all of them. Yakov. Nicolai. Lev. No one answered.”
I scowl into the darkness. Caroline places her arm on mine and gently squeezes. I take in a deep breath.
“All of them?”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t know who else to call.”
I exhale. “No, you did the right thing. I’ll be right there.”
I hang up the phone and push Caroline’s arm off mine, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I need to find out what the hell is going on.
“Is everything okay, Tomas?”
I nod. “Go back to sleep,” I tell her. “It’s fine.”
She watches me quietly as I step into a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and boots. I don’t look at her when I open the drawer beside the bed and remove several handguns. Though she knows exactly who I am and what I do, taking my weapons is a stark reminder of what could go wrong at any minute.
“Tomas,” she whispers, her voice shaky.
“Go to sleep.” My tone is harsher than I mean, but the thought of any of my men being at risk has me on edge. I try to ignore the reproachful look she gives me, and finally turn away. “Now.”