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“But you married and had kids.”
“That we did. And I couldn’t be happier. Take a piece of advice from an old married man. It changes you. The relationship provides a level of stability I didn’t know I was missing. When Jade came into my life like a firestorm, I was at a point of destroying the last of my goodness and humanity. The little firecracker refused to be shoved aside or told what to do. My life is much richer with her in it.”
I threw him a look, chuckling at his words, ones he would never have said a couple of years before. “She has every right to hate me after I deceived her.”
“But did you really? Other than not telling her the full truth about who you are? Didn’t you share a part of yourself that was as honest as you’ve been in a long time?” His grin was the same one I’d wanted to wipe off his face the first time I’d met him.
I thought about his words of advice and shook my head. Who would ever have thought that seven merciless syndicate leaders would feel free to discuss personal relationships? “Maybe so, but she holds a key that she doesn’t know she has.”
“Where is this key?”
“Likely Miami.”
He grinned again. “Why don’t you ask Maxim to see what he can find out?”
Maxim Nikitin, the brutal Russian who ran Miami and New Orleans with an iron fist. He was the wildcard, a man with more rage than the rest of us combined. He had his reasons, although he too had found someone to soothe the savage beast inside.
“Not a bad idea. I’ll consider it. I’ll have my hands full with sending a single warning to the Armenian pigs.”
The driver pulled to a stop in front of the jet, and I peered over at Whitney, surprised she was still sleeping peacefully.
“Like I mentioned, the jet is stocked. You’ll find some dry clothes and fresh linens as well.”
“I appreciate the help and the use of the plane,” I told him.
“Just do me a favor and don’t get it shot down. I just had the interior refurbished.” He laughed and exited the vehicle, his weapon in hand. His other soldiers did the same, sweeping the area in case marauders had followed.
I stepped from the vehicle, checking my weapon was still in place before walking to the other side of the SUV. I carefully opened the door, gathering Whitney into my arms. As I cradled her against my chest, her eyelids fluttered open. For a few precious seconds, I allowed myself to gaze into her eyes, wishing I could be another man.
If only for a little while.
But that wasn’t possible, the hand dealt to me at an early age incapable of changing. Even if the hatred she felt wasn’t gripping, pulling her away from me, I’d ruin her life before she had a chance to live it.
Doing so would steal the joy she exuded, filling her with hatred and rage that would never leave, scars that would never heal. If I were a better man, I’d take the plane straight to Miami, ensuring her safety then disappearing from her life.
But I wasn’t that man.
I was much worse.
“Don’t forget the meeting is at your house this time,” Constantine said as he flanked my side.
My house. The quarterly meetings of the Brotherhood were switched from one host city to another, the brilliant idea of keeping our anonymity Constantine’s alone.
“I’m certain you’ll remind me,” I told him as I pulled her tightly against me. The way her hand was resting on my chest above my heart left a strange ache I wasn’t used to feeling. The woman had ceremoniously ripped a hole in my universe.
“I am a stickler for rules,” he told me. “One week. Maybe I’ll hitch a ride and bring my jet back then. Do you need cleanup where you took temporary residence? The area is under my protection, so you got lucky, my friend.”
“Then it would seem I don’t need to worry. I won’t take the jet out for too many joy rides.” I laughed as I carried her up the stairs. Another surprise hit me hard. I said a prayer of thanks that the bastards hadn’t hurt her or worse.
Then there wouldn’t have been a single hole on God’s green earth where Zakaryan could hide.
I eased her onto a seat, heading toward the cockpit for a short discussion with the pilot. After making certain of where we were headed, I returned to the main body of the aircraft, half laughing from the sight of what Constantine had done with the interior. I thought my plane had panache. His reeked of opulence. As I moved closer, I enjoyed taking a few seconds to bask in her beauty. She still hadn’t stirred but I needed to get her out of the wet clothes.
As the engines began to whir, I moved toward the back, finding a closet inside the bedroom. After shucking my things, I grabbed a sweater and a pair of trousers, grateful Constantine was close to my size. Then I decided to run a bath. Goosebumps still covered her arms, her hair plastered to her face.
As the plane soared into the air, I felt a familiar clench around my heart. It was something I hadn’t felt for a long time, the divisive emotion creating a rush of weakness that I couldn’t afford. Yet all I could think about was ripping off Whitney’s clothes, sinking my cock inside her tight pussy, fucking her like the savage she already knew me to be. Giving testimony to the fact, my shaft was hard as a rock, my balls tight to the point of being painful.
The way she’d stood up to me and to Constantine shouldn’t amuse me. I would never have allowed a single one of my men or my brothers to get away with disparaging me in front of anyone. Only my two sisters had managed to slide past my usual gruff demeanor and harsh rules, enjoying taunting me from time to time.
