Page 14 of The Mobster’s Present

I had so many questions, but he didn’t let me ask any, only carried over a new pair of flats and helped me slip them on. The move dazed me completely and I had looped my arm through the bag like it was actually mine and allowing him to lead me out of his penthouse.

“Of course it is,” Dove teases just as the front door opens.

“You really need to work on locking the door,” Oaklynn calls out in a tone that tells me it’s not the first time.

“You realize I control the locks on the security network, right?” Angelo’s voice is droll.

Oaklynn appears and waves a hand like he’s the one being ridiculous. She moves toward me immediately, wrapping me in a hug before I even know what’s happening.

“I’m so glad I caught you,” she gushes like she means it. “I wanted you to hear it from me directly that the plane is ready for you and once you have a discharge date, it’ll be waiting for you.”

“Really, I already have a ticket home,” I protest, but I know it falls on deaf ears which is only proven when she makes a raspberry noise and walks around the table to hug Dove and take a seat.

That’s when I notice the four men who have fanned out. Holy shit. I freeze for a moment, feeling the weight of their presence. There’s a danger about them and I don’t need the full story to know they’re formidable and deadly.

Salvatore’s hand lands on my thigh just as Oaklynn giggles. “Don’t mind them.”

“I don’t think that’s possible,” I mutter without meaning to.

“Right?” Dove crows, her head tipping back as she laughs. “She’s immune.”

One by one the men step forward and introduce themselves to me—Kirill and Maxim Volkov, brothers by blood, Huck Cardenas and Baker Dalton, brothers by choice. The normalcy of it is startling.

Then I notice what is strapped to Baker’s chest and my eyes widen. How did I miss that? I gasp, my head whipping around to Oaklynn, “You have a baby?” I eye her and try not to sound as jealous as I feel, “You look amazing.”

Oaklynn’s smile is radiant as she takes a seat. “Yes, our daughter, Reign, is six months old now.” She looks at her men with love that borders on obsession. “I’m lucky to have a lot of help. Probably too much.”

“Don’t start teasing,” Maxim’s voice is sly, “or I will tease you right back.”

“Not in front of our daughter,” she admonishes him with no real heat behind it.

When he sits next to her, she shifts to the other side of the chair, farther from him. He’s undeterred and winks.

“Once you’re back and settled, we’ll get everyone together, including Navy and her men,” Oaklynn promises. She smiles at the confusion written all over my face and leans forward to explain, “She’s the queen Old Lady of Seattle’s chapter of the Devil’s Saint’s Motorcycle Club,” Oaklynn promises.

“Men?”

Oaklynn wiggles her eyebrows before shooting Salvatore a look and answers my question, “She’s with the President, VP, and Enforcer for the club.”

My eyes widen and I mouth, “Three?”

Oaklynn holds up four fingers and winks like she’s the winner. It’s not even a competition.

“Teasing again,” Maxim singsongs.

Baker’s hand slides up and down the back of the baby sleeping in the carrier tucking her against his chest. “She’ll be hungry soon, Little Bee,” he keeps his voice low.

Her men’s focus shifts to the baby and it’s quite a sight to see three men who drip big dick energy melt for a six-month-old little girl. Everyone gets plates and the conversation turns lighter, including plans for the holiday season coming up.

There’s an ease in the room as they talk, no one pushing, no one expecting, no one performing. It gives me a chance to study Dove and Oaklynn. There’s nothing pretentious about either woman, and there easily could be.

Power corrupts, after all.

Taking them in, I’m starting to rethink what power means. And what love means. These men orbit around their woman with ease and care.

As the weight and warmth of Salvatore’s palm becomes something I can no longer ignore, I glance up at him. He’s not looking around the room; he’s looking at me. Assessing. Waiting.

I can’t imagine that a man like him is prone to being patient.