Page 35
I catch her hand and pull her closer. She melts into my kiss, fiery, resisting for a split second before grabbing me and kissing me even harder. She leads it, then pulls away. I hold her in my arms so she can only get so far.
“It’s my club,” I say. “It’s my pipeline.”
“You told Iris you were doing the right thing for Owen. What is that?” When I avert my gaze, she grabs my chin and turns me right back to face her. “You can’t pull a stunt like this and then hold out on me.”
I can do any damn thing I want. But I don’t want to hurt her.
“He has an encrypted hard drive that proves Rafael is worse than we thought. Or he’s lying to buy himself time. Either way, we’ll know soon.”
“Then what?”
“Then I decide how to use it.”
“You won’t hand Owen over for money,” she says.
“This job isn’t about the cash,” I tell her. “My… brother. He has a stake in this too.”
“Your brother? I don’t understand.”
She massages my arm gently.
“I owe him, and Rafael has been making noise where he shouldn’t be. So, I’m going to handle it.”
“If it wasn’t for your brother, what would you do? Would you get a payout from Rafael?”
“Are you trying to make yourself believe I’m this big bad wolf?” I say. “I’m doing the goddamn right thing, and don’t worry about my motives.”
“Don’t talk to me like that.” She pushes away, turning.
I grab her hand. “I’m sorry,” I say, voice getting husky, real.
She shudders, but doesn’t look at me.
“I am sorry, Serena, for all of it. But I had to know. And now that I do, I’m worried.”
She finally looks at me. “I know you come from a different world. I’m not naïve. I know, maybe where you’re from, you own your women or whatever.”
“Some do,” I admit. “But we’re a different kind of Bratva.”
“Then you should know you can’t do that with me. If I’m in danger, it’s because I choose to be. It’s because I need the money like every other woman doing this.”
I massage my forehead. “I could just about handle Iris and Serena on their own, but together, in one beautiful package? I’m screwed.”
She laughs reluctantly as I pull her closer. “We can still get coffee. I know things aren’t simple, but two broken people still have a chance…”
She squeezes me tightly when I reference what she asked me over text after we had sex. “I was drunk on… you know, when I sent that.”
Drunk on sex. Drunk on us.
“We don’t need to move fast,” I say. “And I get it. You know I’m not going to bar you from Vanta. But don’t think I won’t be watching you every single second.”
“Just don’t do anything rash. What if he figures out that I’m… somebody to you?”
She’s not just somebody. She’s important already. I try to caution myself. That could be the familiar savior complex kicking in. But it’s never been like this before. I can’t avoid that one inescapable fact. Everything is new with her.
“It wouldn’t be good,” I admit. “Which is why I’m suggesting you take that night off.”
“We’re going in circles. It’s always extra for private parties. And besides, I might hear something useful.”
