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He just shoots me a look. “We’ll see,” is all he says.
A shower has never felt so good, and as I let the water run over me, I allow myself to hope.
Downstairs, I can hear the muffled sounds of Craig pacing back and forth, his voice drifting up from the kitchen. It's a shot in the dark, but he's laundered more money for the London families than anyone else in the city. If there's someone out there who can get me in touch with Theo, it's Craig.
I finish my shower and reluctantly step out, drying myself off with a fluffy towel before pulling my grubby clothes back on. By the time I get downstairs, Craig is off the phone, standing with his arms crossed where I left him in the kitchen.
"He's on his way," is all he says.
A surge of adrenaline floods me. "Theo's coming here? Now?”
Craig nods. "Said he'd be bringing a couple friends with him.”
My heart soars.The guys. It has to be.
I knew they'd come for me.
Somehow, despite it having only been days since I last saw them, the longing to see them again is overwhelming.
Craig sees my expression and snorts. "You look like a kid who just found out Christmas is coming early.”
"Believe me," I reply, "if you'd been through what I've just been through, you'd be giddy too.”
Craig actually chuckles at that and walks over to the counter to fish out a bottle of whiskey. His tea is sitting by the sink, now cold, but the look on his face tells me he's much more interested in the bottle. He pours himself a generous glass and takes a long swallow. "I don't doubt it," he says at last. Whatever brief humor had crept into his eyes melts away. "But you still need to be careful, Emmerico—and I'm saying this not as your boss, but as someone who knows the lay of the land around here. This is the only favor I can do for you. I have business interests to protect, and they're in enough danger as it is. I can't guarantee your safety. If your husband turns up and sees you've been here…”
"I know," I cut him off. "But I don't have any other options, do I?”
Craig takes another swig from the bottle, screws the cap back on, and tosses it to me. "You really don’t."
"I guess I'll drink to that," I quip without humor, taking a swig of the booze. I never had “standing in my abrasive boss's kitchen and sharing a bottle of rotgut” on my crazy bingo card of crazy shit for this week, but I guess I'm in the thick of it now.
We stand there in silence for what feels like forever, my mind swimming, and when the knock at the door finally comes, I jolt and nearly spill my drink. Craig sighs, taking the bottle from me as we head for the door. "Don't look so bloody happy about this, Emmerico," he warns. "Things are going to get worse around here before they get better.”
"They already have," I reply.
Then Craig is pushing the door open, and there they are: Liam Walker, Tristan Archer, and Theo Emmerico. The men I love, who have put themselves in more danger for me than I can even comprehend.
The men who will probably get killed for their association with me, if I'm not careful.
There's a long moment of silence as I look from one to the next, shock and infatuation colliding within me and taking away my ability to speak.Finally I manage a weak, "Long time no see.”
"Vivian," Tristan says. He's battered and bruised, his injuries from the car accident a painful reminder of what I've done to fuck things up for him. But even through the pain, his voice is smooth and strong. "You're okay.”
"Yeah," I say quietly, hardly daring to believe it myself. "I'm okay.”
"You gave us a good scare back there, Vivi," Liam adds, giving me an uncharacteristically cautious crooked smile.
"That's me," I reply weakly, spreading out my arms. "Getting into shit since 2001.”
Theo is the last to speak, his silver eyes smoldering in the evening light. "It's good to see you alive, kid," he says. Then he pulls me into his arms, pressing a kiss to my lips in full view of Craig, and I all but melt into his embrace. Before I know what's happening, Liam and Tristan are following suit, one on either side of me, kissing me with the same fierce possessiveness as Theo. Their arms encircle me, scrambling for purchase as if they can't believe I'm here in front of them, and I feel the same. I'm overwhelmed by the reality of them standing here, by my own attraction to them despite my better judgment. These men make no apologies for who they are, what they want, or what they need, and I'll never be able to let them go.
Those three little words are on my lips, but before I can say them, Craig clears his throat behind us, still standing in the doorway. Just like that, the moment of euphoria is gone. Reluctantly, Theo, Liam, and Tristan back up and let me slip free of their embrace. "Sorry to break up... whatever this is," Craig says, gesturing at the four of us, "but if you don't mind, I've got some other things to attend to.”
Now it's Tristan's turn to clear his throat. It's hard to tell in the darkness, but I could almost swear there's color creeping into his cheeks. "Apologies, Mr. Sterling. We were—"
Craig raises a hand. "I don't want to know," he says. "I'm just glad someone's arrived to collect Mrs. Emmerico here before she brings all of the families straight to my doorstep.”
"That's not going to happen, Craig, I can assure you," Theo says. “I—we—tell you how much this means to us.”
