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I got what I wanted—I think.
I blush, thinking about the fantasies that have constantly been flowing through my head since Lennox fucked me. I wanted to protect Kit. I wanted to protect them all, and I knew the only way to do it was to let Kit go.
I still love Kit; I’ll probably always love him. But I have to accept my future is with Lennox, whether I like it or not. And I might as well enjoy the sex if I can’t enjoy the rest of it.
“Stop trying to stir up trouble, Hayes,” I say.
“Trouble? I’d never stir up trouble. But I heard you and your boyfriend broke it off, so I thought there might be an opening?” He wiggles his eyebrows at me.
I roll my eyes. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend.”
“Because you already have a husband that can fulfill your needs?”
“I think Gage has been giving you too many pain meds if you think I’m going to answer that question.”
There’s a soft knock on the door, and then River pokes her head in. Her eyes drop when she sees Hayes laid up in the bed.
“Cheer up, Ri. I’ll be good as new in a week or so,” Hayes says gleefully, hiding any ounce of pain. Even with the pain meds, I’m sure he’s in pain. He has to be.
River walks over to the other side of the bed and squeezes his hand in hers, relieved to see him alive and well. Beckett enters the room next and makes some joke I don’t hear because all I can focus on is River’s growing bump.
She’s going to be a mother in a matter of months. And if Lennox gets his way, I’ll be pregnant soon after.
I swallow hard at the lump in my throat.
So many lives are hindering on me. On Lennox. On Vincent Corsi and his men keeping us safe.
I have an enemy that wants me and the Corsi line dead. And now the Retribution Kings have been added to the list of enemies.
And River’s baby doesn’t deserve to be in danger. None of them do because of me.
There’s another knock on the door, and Lennox steps in. “We should get going soon.”
I nod, getting up. But then I hear River and Beckett saying their goodbyes to Hayes as well, even though they just got here.
“What are you doing?” I ask River.
“We’re going with you. We need to keep you safe, and it’s clear now that the Retribution Kings are after you that you need all the protection you can get until we convince Vincent to offer more,” River says.
“No, you’re not coming. It’s not safe,” I say.
River frowns. “I can take care of myself better than anyone here. And if you die, and I wasn’t there to protect you, I couldn’t live with myself.”
“You’re pregnant. I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you or the baby.”
“Nothing’s going to happen. I won’t let it,” River says.
I look to Beckett, knowing if I can’t convince River, then I can convince him. But he’s tight-lipped, and when he meets my gaze, it’s clear that he’s letting River make the decision. He can’t change anything.
It means we have to convince my father to give us more men for security. We have to convince him and the men to follow Lennox as my father’s successor. We have to find men in Vincent’s ranks that we can actually trust.
Hayes being down for a week and longer before he can actually protect or fight. Gage spending his time tending to Hayes. River pregnant. Beckett needing to protect River. And more enemies coming after us—this plan has to work, or we’ll all end up dead.
Gage enters the room. “I’m sorry I can’t come with you.”
“Of course, you’re going with them,” Hayes says.
Everyone turns and looks at him.
