The elevator doors opened.
“I don’t get you. I know you care about her. We all fucking do. You couldn’t resist kissing her, tasting her, and then you turn around and act like it was a fucking game and basically slap her across the face. She’s in danger. We get that clearly. So we can’t have her. We can’t involve her in the life paths we chose or she could get hurt or even killed. I get it. But leaving her unguarded is just asking for something to happen to her. Why are you being such an asshole?” York raised his voice and walked ahead to the SUV. That was when he saw one of their well-trained security guys talking into his wrist mike.
York glanced back at Storm. Storm got into the SUV and Winter into the driver’s side. The others joined and then York got in.
So his commander wasn’t such an asshole after all. He had placed a team of security at Aspen’s penthouse. She was going to be safe. They would protect her no matter what. But that kiss, the way Storm poured so much emotion into it and how receiving Aspen was to it just further clarified the mutual desire. If she was in danger anyway, then why couldn’t they claim her as their woman? Wouldn’t that in itself make Andrei Renoke have second thoughts about fucking with her and with them?
If they made that move, yes, Aspen would be protected under them as their woman, but she would also become an even greater target to more men like Andrei who wanted to take over their ties with the head of the Russian organization. They were fucked.
* * * *
Aspen heard the door slam and knew they all left. She walked out of her room and made sure to check the penthouse. She couldn’t help but to be shocked at the disappointed feeling she had to find they had all left. Not even one of them were assigned, ordered to stay as a guard? More than likely it would be a stranger if Storm even gave the order for someone to stand around and watch over her. They couldn’t be bothered with the task themselves. No, Storm proved how little she meant to him by kissing her like he did. By using his body, his lips, tongue and mouth to bring out the inner desire she had locked away and tried unsuccessfully tonight, to hide from him and the team. He was right she was weak. Weak when it came to one of them kissing her, showing any sign even miniscule that they wanted her in a sexual way. God, he was a fantastic fucking kisser. Add in Winter standing behind her, his thick, hard body, the holster hidden on his waist wedged up against her back and fuck yeah she would have spread her thighs for them. For one night of pleasure. But Storm showed her how little she meant to them. How degrading he made her feel and like just another woman they could fuck if they wanted to. She hadn’t even tried to resist, to play a hint of denial to his game. A fucking game? He played her. How could she have been so stupid?
She was smarter than this. No man broke down her defenses. None. Goddamn it, Storm and his team could. She could never let anything like that happen again. They proved she meant nothing to them but a commitment of protection because of Porter.
Damn, they would call Porter and he would freak out. He was out of the country on business so avoiding his calls would be her saving grace.
She looked around the room as she locked the bolt on the front door. How could they leave her after Andrei threatened her like he did tonight?
Why was she disappointed? She knew they didn’t care for her. In fact Zin kept his distance. When she caught him watching her, he glared and turned away. His kiss meant nothing. It was probably a way to control her just like Storm used kissing her to prove his point.
She heard her cell phone ringing and reached for her purse. She pulled it out and saw the missed calls. As it rang she realized it was Dmitri. She answered the call as she headed back to her room.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“They were pissed off. I wasn’t expecting that show of aggression from Storm and Zin.”
“Neither was I. But, they do take watching over me for Porter and being my big brothers, very seriously.”
“You saved their company and you revealed the rat who is working with Andrei behind their backs.”
“I did? I thought you said you weren’t sure.”
“Oh, I was almost positive Sotoro was in on this scam all along, but not Gary Sparks.”
“What? Dmitri you can’t be serious. Gary is getting ready to sell Sparks Industries and I’ve been talking up Storm and the team. You think he’s been going behind Storm’s back and working out a deal with Andrei?”
“It seems that way. If Andrei gets that company, he’ll go after Pro-Tech next and try stealing the other businesses out from under your bodyguards. My sources say that Andrei has already been moving in on the illegal street businesses Winter and Weston are in charge of. They’ve been spending a lot of time in Chicago instead of monitoring things in Texas. You know, they have untrained employees and someone needed to strengthen that.”
“Nice, Dmitri. Now you’re trying to get me out of Chicago?”
“It’s as good a time as any. Andrei isn’t stupid. After tonight’s display by Storm and Zin, I’d say Andrei’s interest in owning you has just become priority. You will not be able to defy his orders and threats, Aspen. He can use you to control Storm, and his team.”
“I don’t plan on doing that. I don’t want Storm, Winter, Zin, Weston, and York to get hurt because of me. But I can ensure that they keep their businesses and their livelihood striving. After all, we knew this was a possibility when we started planning this takedown. It will all work out. Worst scenario, I’ll leave Chicago and head to Texas. I’ve got friends there, too.”
“What are you going to do about Andrei? He wants you. Will want you even more knowing that Storm and Zin have feelings for you.”
“They don’t have feelings for me. They were proving a point. Showing me how weak I am and how incapable I am of dealing with men like Andrei. I was planning on staying in Chicago for another week or two. Then I’ll be heading back to Texas.”
“Good. You’re safer there, and maybe even working for Storm and them. It seems they may have some deep exterminating to do in Pro-Tech Industries.”
Aspen couldn’t believe that Andrei had people working within the company to sabotage the business.
“Sounds like the only way to help them now is to take on the job and eliminate the threats.”
“If anyone can do that, it’s you. Then maybe if you resolve all this, you can seriously think about living a little? Maybe take me up on that trip around the world on my yacht?” Dmitri teased.