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“I wanted something different.” He shrugs. “I think we all need some change around here.”
I couldn’t agree more, but I’m still in shock. I look at my friend who’s been like a brother to me since we were children, and I feel like for the first time, I’m actually seeinghim. His shoulders are more relaxed than I’ve ever known, he has a weird half-smile on his face that I can’t fully decipher, and the black hair dye makes him look like a new person.
“Did you need something, Lev?” Alexi asks as I stare.
I shake my head, trying to banish the thoughts I’m having. “Yeah, I… Uh. Our accounts were hacked.”
The air in the room seems to go cold instantly. Alexi walks out of his room, slamming the door behind him, and no doubt waking up Evie. “Dude, Evie was sleeping.” Damien chastises, going into my room to check on her. He comes back after a minute, “She’s back asleep, let’s talk about this in the kitchen.”
Grabbing seats at the table, I update them on what happened. Alexi leaves to wash out the hair dye, coming back with jet-black hair. It’s longer than normal too, I notice, swooping in front of his face. We discuss every deal we have made in the last year, trying to figure out who’s attacking us or even why.
“No one that we know, or have had any dealings with, has enough power to send The Shades after us,” Alexi confirms, for the fiftieth time. “It all feels like it started when we arrived here. I think we need to look into the things that happened right before we got to the island in more detail.”
Damien doesn’t like that. “I’ve told you a thousand times, the small timers we took the cars from have no way of linking anything back to us. They also have no ties to any assassin organization. The boat was our own guy, a single person. We’re missing something.”
Soft footsteps sound behind me. “What are you guys doing?” Evie asks, sleep coating her voice. “And what is that smell?”
Before I can get to her, Damien pulls her to him. She curls into his lap while he kisses her cheek and neck. She lets out a faint giggle that makes my cock twitch in my pants.
“Don’t try to distract me with your sex cuddles,” she says, batting him away, although not very hard.
“My sex cuddles?” Damien asks, laughing into her neck. “These are not sex cuddles, but I’m more than happy to show you those.” He moves to pick her up, but she pushes out of his hold.
“I actually wanted to ask all of you something,” she says, putting a hand on his chest and using her serious voice. Damien lets her go, but she readjusts so she’s facing us while on his lap. “Wait, did you color your hair?” she asks Alexi.
That odd smile crosses his face again, “We made a bet, I lost. You didn’t say what color though, so I made that decision. Riding lessons start Monday, by the way.”
Ah, now this makes more sense.
She stares at him, probably like I just did. “I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it.” She walks over to him, running her hand through the still-damp strands, and I swear this man almost purrs. I’ve never seen him as calm and relaxed as he is at this moment.
“I never thought I would get you to admit what an amazing chef I am,” Alexi says with a cocksure grin.
“I never said amazing,” she corrects him, “I said decent.” They stare into each others eyes, and the sexual tension in the room grows even thicker.
“You gonna tell us what this little bet was?” Damien asks anxiously, watching the two of them together like he’s waiting for Santa to come through the fireplace.
“It was stupid. Kind of like a food-eating contest. I said if I won, then he had to dye his hair, and he said that wasn’t much of a punishment. So I raised the stakes and said he would also have to let me learn to ride on his special bike,” she explains, still running her fingers through his hair and pushing it off to the side. We sit there in silence for a moment, watching them. It’s so strange to see this man so calm and comfortable.
“You wanted to ask us something?” Alexi asks, pulling Evie out of her trance. She nods, walking back over to Damien and sitting on his lap again. They curl into each other like they were made for this. Instead of feeling jealous or bitter about her picking to sit with him, I marvel at how perfect they are for each other, and I can only find happiness in me when I look at them.
“I want to talk to you guys on Sunday. When I get back from staying with Laney, I want to tell you guys who my family is, and…” She takes a deep breath like she’s afraid of something. “I want to ask for your help.”
“Anything, Lucky Charm. Anything you need, we’re here.” I look over at Alexi as Damien whispers in her ear. He gives her a nod of agreement.
Damien turns her face to his and kisses her. She wraps her arms around him and turns in his lap. “Well now that that’s over with,” Damien says, “I think I need to show you what sex cuddles are.”
He picks her up and she lets out a giggle. They disappear into his room, and I can’t help but let a wave of anxiety crash into me.
“Who do you think her family is?” I ask Alexi.
“I have no idea.” He leans back in his chair, putting a hand under his chin. “I sent all of her info to my father four months ago, and he couldn’t find a single thing. I’m worried, though—for her life to be this big of a secret and all of the things that have happened to her. It can’t be anyone good.”
I look to Damien's door, hearing Evie’s hysterical laughter and soft moans. “I’m afraid of the same thing,” I confess. “Do you think she wants our help to get her out?”
Alexi thinks for a moment, his brows pinching in concentration as he bites his lower lip. His black hair is such a change, he looks like a completely different person. “I don’t know. I’m not sure why she thinks we can help, but whatever we can do we will.”
“What happened to her being your property?” I ask amused.
