FIFTEEN
JULIAN
“Don’t scream,” I roughlywhispered in Becca’s ear and dragged her down the block. After pulling her in between two cars and down to the asphalt, I used our old honor code. “Semper Amici. It’s me, Julian.”
She whipped around and landed on her knees. “What are you doing here?”
“Saving you. What are you doing in the Bronx?”
With eyes red and narrowed, she said, “None of your business.”
“Where’s Vale?” I looked around.
“Were you following me?”
“Didn’t have to.” I thrust my hand into her jacket ignoring the soft feel of her breasts.
“Excuse me.” She jerked back, grabbing my arm.
“Call me a stalker, but I logged all the signals coming from your house. Your phone, laptops, computers, printer, smart televisions, and this...”
Her breath hitched. “My fitness tracker.”
“Turn it off, right now.”
“I can’t.” She tapped on the screen, the activity sending signals into space, reigniting the satellites like fresh meat for the hitman to find her. “Not without my phone.”
I groaned. “Then we’ll toss it before someone else knows you’re carrying it. Come on.”
“You know? About...”
“We monitor those hitman sites for counterintelligence. I don’t know how we missed the original contract to...” I swallowed. “Kill you. But we saw the new one.”
“I saw the second contract being awarded too.” She rubbed her forehead. “Vale is now at the end of the subway line no doubt rushing back this way to get me. We got separated.”
“You don’t need Vale. I’m here. I’m not going to let someone murder you.” I gripped her hand. If the new hitman had been looking for her cell phone, he’d come up empty and have to figure something else out. I also assumed he hadn’t honed in on the tracker signal, either.
“I feel so stupid. I panicked. I had another jacket on with hundreds of dollars. Then like an idiot, I changed my jacket because I thought I’d be hot in the subway.”
I’d been right about where she’d gone. Tamryn monitored all the stations for signs of Becca after seeing her run from her townhouse. Nothing. That meant they must have been using abandoned tunnels. My gorgeous Becca wasn’t afraid to get dirty.
No, she wasn’t mine.
“I’m on this now.” I pushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “They won’t—”
“He’s on his way to get me.” She stood up.
“Vale will—”
“No. Giancarlo.”
“Giancarlo Byrne is picking you up? The Byrne Group’s reclusive crown prince hacker is leaving his ivory tower? For you?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “You know I assumed my father’s role as head of this city. The Byrnes are under my control. If I need him, or... Anthony Messina Jr. or Sebastien Daria to give me a lift out of the city to save my life, they’ll drop whatever they’re doing.” She took an angry step toward me, and the look on her face hardened my cock. Christ, what did that say about me? “If I need any of those three, they will do what I say.”
I exhaled sharply and told her, “They’re at the Warwick, Becca. In tuxes.”
“What?” Her tone sounded shockingly surprised given the strength she just displayed declaring how she had three mob princes under her thumb.
“My assistant forwarded me media coverage of them walking a damn red carpet. Sebastien and Anthony, anyway. Gian’s in his penthouse according to all the signals his network is pinging. They’re not coming for you.”
She shook her head. “No. That’s got to be some kind of distraction to throw off who’s after me.”
“Or they put the hit on you.” I wanted to say more, but she slapped my face. An erotic thrill rushed through me. What the fuck did that say about me? I took a breath to collect myself.
“Do you have any idea how much of an insult that is?” Becca said with a trembling jaw. “That I could be fooled by not one, but three men.”
“You call it an insult. I call it a compliment. You’re not like them. You were never...” I stopped, remembering the sweet girl from high school. From the profile I’d done on her when I started watching her father’s activity, I saw a smart Yale graduate working hard to get her father’s approval.
Somewhere in the last couple months, presented with a challenge, she stepped up. Grew ruthless like the men she had to become allies with. “What is going on between the four of you? I know you had something going on with them a month or so ago. That was all a game, right? To make them want to help you?”
Her blue eyes found mine and her quivering lips looked so kissable. Fuck. “It’s not a game anymore. We’re in love.”
“Who? You and Sebastien?” My heart felt heavy in my chest. She’d always love Daria, wouldn’t she?
“And Anthony, and Giancarlo.”
“What do you mean? You’re dating each of them?” My throat tightened, feeling like I lost something I never really had. A chance with her. “Are you eventually gonna choose—”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m not choosing. I’m not dating each of them. I’m dating all of them. Do you understand the difference?”
“No.”
“It’s the four of us in this relationship.” She touched her lips, and I wasn’t sure she realized it. “They take turns with me. Together. Watching. Waiting...” She went breathless.
Her words shocked the shit out of me. Sent icy shivers up and down my spine. What the hell? She’s dating all of them? Together? They take turns with her...
In a blinding flash, I pictured myself standing in a circle with Sebastien, Anthony, and Giancarlo. Rebecca undressing before us. Getting on her knees. One by one, sucking us off. Then spreading her legs, wanting someone to fuck her.
Stars popped out behind my eyes and an old memory came at me... Sebastien and her in his car during high school. Of course, he’d take her first. But I’d wait... Wait my turn to fuck her. Sink my cock into her warm wet pussy filled with another man’s cum. My cock hardened so fast, it made me dizzy.
What. The. Fuck.