Page 6

Levi spluttered and looked back at the hospital bed. “What the fuck? How long was I unconscious?"

Austin rolled his eyes. “You’ve only been in the hospital bed for five minutes. Calm down. Dom and Ben organized most of this in the car when we were following the ambulance.”

“There was an ambulance?”

“Yes, dumbass, it came with the cops when you told the dispatcher you were attacked!”

Levi aggressively kneaded the bridge of his nose. Partly because his brother hadn’t brought any of this up earlier, and partly because he liked the drama of the motion. Then he stopped because a trend was sweeping the beauty industry that discouraged any face-touching to lessen the effect of wrinkles. Except for facial smoothing tools, obviously. Levi didn’t own very many, which earned him strange looks from his colleagues. Levi refused to let this make him feel self-conscious. Most of his model friends kept their morning and nighttime skin routines under ten minutes each. Not counting specific treatments. Levi’s skin was naturally amazing, and when it stopped being amazing, he had more than enough money for expensive surgery.

“Okay,” Levi said. “Fine. Where’s the cabin?”

“Alaska.”

“Alaska?” Levi repeated, his voice rising so high it cracked. “In the winter?”

A gruff voice appeared in the doorway. “I’m not happy about it either, kid.”

Levi turned. Ben and Dominic were standing in the doorway, which Levi hadn’t heard open while Austin was telling him shit he should’ve said earlier. Dominic was speaking quietly into his phone, wearing the serious expression he always wore when he was on the job, even though he wasn’t. Ben stood beside him, his arms crossed. Apart from some light swelling, his nose looked fine. His tank top was dotted with dried blood, and flecks remained in his stubble.

Levi barely shuddered. Dried blood was better than wet blood, any day. He let his posture fall into something coquettish. “You can only call me kid if I can call you Daddy.”

Austin snorted. To Levi’s immense delight, the usually stoic Dominic laughed into his phone, then turned it into a cough and turned away, assuring the person on the other end that he was fine.

Levi kept his teasing gaze on Ben. But other than the briefest clench of his fists, which had gone so fast Levi thought he was making it up, Ben didn’t react at all.

“That’s the last time you’ll call me that,” Ben said.

“Why? Afraid you’ll like it?”

“We have a working relationship,” Ben spat. “It’s unprofessional.”

Levi shot an amused glance at Dominic, who pretended not to notice. Beside Levi, Austin scratched his mouth to hide a smile, watching the interaction like he wasn’t sure whether to tell Levi to back down or to jump in to help him make fun of Ben. Levi couldn’t help it. There was something so satisfying about teasing Ben, who insisted he wouldn’t take Levi’s shit while obviously being affected by it. He was so closed-off and controlled. One might say repressed. Levi wanted to tease Ben until Ben snapped and took Levi over the nearest flat surface of his stupid cabin.

Levi bit his full lower lip and looked at Ben under his lashes, shooting him the look that had skyrocketed him to international stardom in his late teens. But those model shoots were missing one of his best attributes: his voice.

“Whatever you say, Daddy,” he said, low and sultry.

Dominic smothered another cough and stepped further into the hall. Austin muttered, “Jesus,” and turned away so Ben couldn’t see him grinning. Not that Ben would have noticed. He only had eyes for Levi, which was just how Levi wanted it. He looked at Levi like he was stopping himself from punching him or kissing him. Possibly both.

“Oooh,” Levi said, shockingly intoxicated by the way Ben’s jaw flexed. “He’s mad. Is Daddy going to spank me?”

“Dude,” Austin sighed, but he was already laughing.

Ben sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in a way that implied he didn’t know what facial smoothing tools were, and he would be appalled if you tried to explain them.

“This is going to be a long few weeks,” he muttered.

CHAPTER 4

Ben glowered up at the private jet as he waited for the last bag to get stowed away.

His own luggage had been a single duffel packed with personal essentials, plus another duffel with necessary security equipment. He’d never taken a bodyguard role before, but Dominic had briefed him after they left the hospital the day earlier.

Ben turned to Dominic, who was scanning the hangar like he was waiting for some jackass to come barreling at them screaming about air quality.

“What the hell is he bringing? Did he pack his entire wardrobe in there?”

“His wardrobe would take more than this plane could carry,” Dominic replied. “How is everything with Amber?”