“I can turn the file over to you now then.” Chase shrugs.
He hands me a manilla envelope and I make sure everything’s there, but I’m not stupid enough to believe that Chase hasn’t memorized what’s important. I slip it in my coat and Chase follows me to my office where I put it in a safe.
Of course, my office has no camera either.
I glance at the time. 4:50. Hunter will be busy for another hour. I don’t have a single doubt. Valerie may be making him work for her, but she wants him as much as she craved me when we were together.
“Our pet is worried about us,” Chase informs me. “Thinks we’re going to get jealous and take it out on her or fight each other.”
I consider that a moment. I do care for the girl. More than just sex, she’s intelligent, can hold interesting conversations, and seems to be able to mold herself to whatever a situation requires to be helpful while never hiding exactly what she thinks. That last add on to her personality makes it impossible for her to work in a place like this … but I don’t feel the urge to demand answers from Chase or go and stop her from being with Hunter.
It’s not the first time we’ve shared a woman. We’re not inept when it comes to balancing our emotions. I think it would take all three of us to satisfy her constantly anyway.
“I have no issue,” I say simply.
“Good. I wanted to prepare you since you’re going to ensure Hunter is a good boy and comes home.” Chase rolls his eyes. “When he does come home, I have news.”
“And I have … a hunch,” I simplify.
Sven has been at every meeting. He’s changed in the last few months. He’s gotten more leeway from Mr. Volkov and yet he’s still everywhere. He pushed for Mr. Smith to be killed. He’s been suspicious of the three of us.
I have a feeling he knows who the leak is and is covering.
Chase watches me carefully and nods. “I think we need to share something with Hunter. The three of us need to talk once he’s able to focus on something other than … her.”
“Impossible, but understood.”
Chase nods and that leaves me free to go. I head out to the garage again, pick up my motorcycle since I know Hunter drove himself, and see the office location on my phone. There are two texts from Mr. Volkov asking why I haven’t left to get his son. One threatening that if he leaves the office with anyone, it is me who will pay the price for insubordination.
He hasn’t punished me since I first joined and let something slip to Hunter. Even then it was Sven who did the job. Back when Sven was larger, more muscular, more everything. Perhaps that’s a fight I’d like to rehash.
I peel out of the mansion and get caught in five o’clock traffic. I don’t bother weaving around the cars or rushing there. Instead, I text Hunter. I don’t get a response by the second bout of traffic and I’m sure he’s very busy and very focused on something much more important than his phone.
Valerie.
We should have never let things get this far with her. We shouldn’t be protecting her. Per our jobs and our lives, we’re only dragging her deeper into darkness without a flashlight. She doesn’t know anything about what we do, who we are.
It’s not fair to her.
I get to the office at nearly six p.m. and still see a light on inside, see Valerie’s car and Hunter’s. Of course, they’re not close to done yet. Hunter has wanted her constantly and she’s been denying him, teasing him, playing with him in her own way.
Now he’s going to capitalize. I smirk and sit comfortably in the stretching shadows. I’ll give them thirty minutes before I break-in.
Then we can see exactly how she’d handle two of us. See if she can hold her own in a relationship with multiple men before we even consider bringing her into our world of organized crime.
My phone dings again, Mr. Volkov asking what his son is doing.
I let him know that I have things taken care of and will be bringing him back tonight after a few words with him about his place in the company.
Or his place in bed, along with mine, sharing Valerie like he told her we would. That will count as words. My lips curl up at the thought and I park my bike before going to take a look at how strong the lock on the back door is.
VALERIE
Hunter still has me against the wall, holding me in place like he has been for a full minute. And a minute has never felt this long. His lips skim my jaw and across my throat before his tongue flicks across the skin just above my raging pulse.
I squirm on his leg, building the friction further. “I think you’re impatient, sweetheart.”
“Hunter,” I moan.