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Each of the men surrounding me glared in my direction, waiting for an explanation, wondering if I hadn’t just led them on into an altercation with a man who had almost become my husband. But one look at my horrified expression should have told them all they needed to know. Unfortunately, kicking Owen out when his ego and his testosterone were threatened would be an ordeal.
Chapter fourteen
DMITRI
Even as much as I told the other two that I hated mundane jobs, I needed it. We all did. The last one had hit a little too close to home and I was still having trouble breathing. There wasn’t anything the doctors could do without me having to spend weeks in rehab and we didn’t have that kind of time. Our reputation thrived on our ability to pick up a job at the drop of a hat. It wasn’t even about the money. We could have retired years ago with what we had in our bank accounts.
Not to mention that Paval didn’t need any more loss in his life. He never got to know his parents and losing any of us would crush him or at least I believed it would. The kid was stronger than most adults I knew. Paval had taken my injury pretty well, accepting that ‘Papa was sick’, although he had elected to sleep next to me for the past few days instead of his own bed.
If things kept going the way they were, we’d have to quit this lifestyle. For Paval’s safety and his future.
I rubbed at my chest, taking a deep breath as I gritted my teeth, Valentyn’s gaze boring into mine when I looked over. He fucking knew everything about us, when we hurt, when we were happy, when we wanted things… He was our protector in every sense of the word and I loved him for it, however, his insistence that I stay at home went unheard.
Fuck if I was going to lie up on the couch. After a week in bed, I needed something to do. Somethingsimpleto do.
This job seemed different than most, though. I had been pretty sure that it was another under-the-radar request but Rhys was fucking innocent, adorable even. There was pain hidden in his eyes but there was no fucking way he needed anything other than a kitchen remodel.
And when Gianni had told me just where he and Valentyn had ended up last night, not to mention that Rhys Knight was Gianni’s mystery lover boy? I knew this wasn’t going to be an ordinary job after—mostly because guys like Rhys were the extra bit of excitement we enjoyed in our relationship. But it was more than that, Paval looked at him in a way I hadn’t seen him do since he had lost his dad three years ago. The first time Valentyn had ever dropped to his knees and hugged the kid after his dad had passed, Paval had looked up to him like he could save him from this big bad world.
Paval wasn’t looking at Rhys like that, but it was pretty damn close.
In a few hours, Rhys had somehow wedged himself into our lives and I didn’t want to let him go, job be damned.
It sealed the deal for me when whoever the fuck wandered in had Rhys picking up the kid and shielding him from the intruder. Something inside of me wanted to rip the newcomer apart for putting that wild look in Rhys’ eyes but Valentyn was already on it.
Valentyn stepped around Rhys, drawing him against his chest, a gentle reminder that there were men ready to stand behind him. Too soon? Probably. But Paval’s acceptance of Rhys was gold in my eyes. Rhys’ back arched slightly, eyes darkening with submission as he tucked Paval just a little bit tighter against his chest.
“Owen, you shouldn’t be here. I told you that yesterday.” Rhys’ voice shook, his body trembling against our protector. Gianni moved to my side, his jaw pulled tight as if this wasn’t the first time he’d seen Owen. I wondered if it had anything to do with why he had disappeared around lunchtime yesterday. I mouthed ‘ex-fiance’ to Gianni and he gave me a quick nod. Ah, so this was the piece of shit.
Owen was a terrible sight for sore eyes, crazy brown hair that clung to his pudgy cheeks with a slim build that didn’t boast anything spectacular. However, the aura that surrounded him was anything but safe—twisted, devious, maybe even a little obsessive. I wouldn’t have pegged him for someone that Rhys had dated but we had all made bad choices at one time or another.
Owen sighed, eyes darting between the three of us and then back at Rhys before responding. “You were drinking. You didn’t even know what you were doing. I’ll take care of this guys, alright? Why don’t you go back to bed, Rhys and I’ll come-”
Rhys stepped back, even though he couldn’t go anywhere, Valentyn’s hold tightening against the guy’s waist. This wasn’t going to end well, what with the Belarusian’s savior complex and what seemed like a poor excuse for an inflated ego with regard to Owen.
It also made sense now why we had thought this was a different kind of job. Rhys hadn’t put it in, had he? It had been Owen and the seedy feeling I was getting from the guy told me why the name on the request had been Rhys’ and not his own.
Owen followed Valentyn’s movement as our protector drew Rhys closer, cementing the possessive touch. Owen’s brows furrowed, eyes flashing with annoyance. “What the fuck? Could you take your hands off my fiancé?”
“Language,” Rhys whispered, his words barely audible. He placed a protective hand on the back of Paval’s head, covering one ear with the tip of his fingers. A smile slid onto my face that even amid the tension, he was thinking about Paval in his arms.
Finally, I spoke up, knowing we weren’t going to get anywhere if we waited for Owen to get to the point. “Came to visit our boy here,” Lies came easy to me and this one made the most sense as I nodded toward Valentyn. “He wanted us to meet his boyfriend.”
Owen hawked out a laugh. “You have tools here.”
Gianni squeezed my shoulder, a silly grin plastered on his face. We could always count on him to lighten a situation if need be. “V told us to bring everything to look at the kitchen. Said Rhys here was fixing up the place and we couldn’t stay away from a puzzle.”
Rhys was visibly vibrating but I wasn’t sure if it was from fear or embarrassment as he shrunk impossibly further against Valentyn’s chest. God, I wishedIwas behind him, holding him and protecting him from the world. It hadn’t even been an hour and I had itbad.
Owen stared at Valentyn and Rhys a little longer, Paval just hanging in Rhys’ arms like there wasn’t this battle of testosterone erupting in the room. “Bullshit. You aren’t dating.”
Rhys whimpered, “Justgo.” Owen didn’t budge though, ready to start some petty fight in a house that I assumed he didn’t own.
Valentyn twisted Rhys around slightly, both me and Gianni at the edge of our seats, waiting for his next move. Our Belarusian was nothing if not unpredictable. “Do you trust me?” Rhys thought for a moment and then shook his head. Valentyn snorted. “Good boy. Now kiss me.” The words were so quiet I almost missed them. Rhys hesitated before tilting his head up just enough to give him permission.
I swear it was like watching fireworks go off as Valentyn lowered his lips to Rhys’, Owen turning bright red at the unexpected public display of affection. I knew how Valentyn kissed—slow and sensual in stark contrast to his nearly overbearing personality. And it was only a matter of time before…
Valentyn swallowed one of Rhys’ delicious little moans, making my cheeks hurt with how wide my smile was.
