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“Yes. I looked on the Internet and it says there’s a meeting tomorrow at nine.”
“There is. We actually meet every day of the week over in my office at O’Leary Tower. We would love to have you. Coffee and donuts are served, too.”
“I’ll be there,” she said.
“Excellent. Now, I better get back to my post before Dylan and Jason dock my pay for this stakeout,” Sam said, smiling, and went back to his booth.
Sawyer sat back down. “How much longer before we move to the next locale?”
Nicole looked back at the iPad’s screen. “Fifteen more minutes. What can we do to fill this time?”
“Fifteen minutes isn’t long enough, but I have an idea what you might enjoy, Chicago.” He touched the back of her hand, wishing again they were alone and back at the cabin.
“Hold your horses, cowboy. You know how I feel about our situation already, Reed.”
“You’re right, baby. It is our situation, and you know how I feel, too.”
“Have I missed something?” Sawyer asked.
“Chicago thinks she’s not good enough for us. Can you believe that shit, bro?”
Sawyer shook his head. “I wish you could see yourself like we do, sweetheart. It doesn’t matter if you were an addict or not. The past is the past. This is the here and now.”
“And the future,” Reed added, hoping to get Nicole to warm up to them.
“There’s also another issue,” she said in a very firm tone. “What about your lifestyle, guys?”
“We’ve already gone over that, Nicole.” Sawyer brushed the hair out of her eyes. “Whatever you need us to be, we’ll be that for you. BDSM or vanilla. All that matters is for us to be together. We’ve got something here. Something special. Can you deny that?”
She shook her head, and then fixed her gaze on Reed. “But is that enough for both of you?”
Reed wanted to tell her what Sawyer had just said. Whatever she needed him to be, he would be. But could he? Being a great Dom was something he’d always prided himself in. But could he be that with Nicole? He wasn’t sure. Detachment from emotions helped him in the life. Hell, helped his life, helped him live. Feelings had nearly crushed him after his parents’ death. Now, he was open to letting them in for her. For Nicole. For the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But BDSM? He couldn’t see how that would fit with her, but even more how it would fit with him being a slave to his feelings for her. He couldn’t be good at dominance, not really. Vanilla wasn’t ideal for Reed, but for her, he would embrace generic with both hands. Time to convince her.
“Chicago, do you know what went through my head when the floor collapsed at the fire?”
She shook her head, and he saw her eyes water.
“You. Only you. I’ve never felt like this before, baby. I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you.”
Nicole closed her eyes. “Me either.”
“Forget your old life. Let it go. You, me, and Sawyer can embrace our new life. Together.”
“I want to, Reed.” She turned to Sawyer. “I do. You both are amazing and wonderful. So different in many ways but in the ones that matter the most—like kindness, honesty, warmth—the same. You keep talking about a future with me. Maybe there is a way to get there, but this is all so fast. Too fast, really. And I can’t even think about that right now until I find Henry. Can you understand that?”
He and Sawyer each grabbed one of her hands. “Yes, Chicago. I understand and I know Sawyer does, too.”
“I do,” Sawyer said. “This is fast, sweetheart. You have a heavy load. We’ll be patient with you. I promise.”
“W
e also promise that when this is all over, me and my brother are going to win you. Trust me.”
“I want to,” she said, smiling weakly. She looked down at the iPad. “Time to go. Back to Alexei’s schedule.”
The bell on the entry door to Lucy’s chimed. A man walked in. A man in a Chicago police officer’s uniform. He and Sawyer leapt from the booth, placing themselves between Nicole and the intruder. Like everyone else in Lucy’s, their guns were out and pointed at the man.
Was he the dirty cop that Alexei’s elaborate trap had been set for?
