FEITO POR: MAY.

CORRUPT
Valentine’s Day Scene
This scene takes place a few months after the end of
CORRUPT. The first 3 parts are from Rika’s point
of view, and the fourth is from Kai’s. Kai’s point of
view is a teaser for his book, HIDEAWAY. If you
have not read CORRUPT, this entire bonus scene is
a spoiler.

Rika
Swimming pools creeped me out.

It never used to be like that—and if I weren’t

alone, it wouldn’t be so nerve-wracking—but I
hated being by myself in a pool now. Or
probably in any body of water.
Which is exactly why I forced myself to use
Delcour’s indoor pool at least twice a week.
Ever since Pithom and Trevor and the
cinderblock tied to my ankle, I…

I ground my teeth together, blowing out a hard

breath as I slammed my hand across the
water, sending a small wave crashing against
the side of the pool.
Damon could go fuck himself.

And wherever he was I hoped he was in a lot

of pain.

I was constantly walking around with one eye

trained over my shoulder, and all the
happiness I’d felt the past several months was
only ever overshadowed by a tinge of black
cloud that would pop up here and there to
remind me that I wasn’t safe. Not completely.

He was still out there, and I hated it.

And…I didn’t.

While I tried to deny the fact that he rented a

space in my head, there was a part of me that
understood more and more that the threat of
him might be a good thing. He kept me on my
toes, and I was grateful for that.

Damon or no Damon, I shouldn’t get too

comfortable. I shouldn’t relax. I should always
keep in mind that the rug could be swiped out
from under me at any time, and while I could
lean on Michael, Kai, and Will…my survival,
my success, and my life were ultimately in my
own hands. I had to know how to take care of
myself.
I hadn’t realized that last October when
Michael and the guys came after me, and I
hadn’t been prepared, but now I understood.

Don’t be lazy. Don’t be quiet. I’m in charge. I

set the pace.

Thank you, Damon.

Walking through the water, I climbed the steps

out of the pool, ringing out my hair as I dripped
all the way to my towel.

Grabbing my cell phone, I checked the time,

seeing that it was after six. Michael would be
home soon.

I dried off quickly and slipped on some shorts

before swinging the towel over my shoulder.
Grabbing my phone and water bottle, I jetted
out of the pool room in my bare feet and into
the elevator, holding up my card key to scan
for the penthouse.

As the elevator ascended, my stomach

dropped a little, and I couldn’t help but smile as
the butterflies took off. Michael had left town
for a game, and I hadn’t seen him in three
days. I didn’t care that today was Valentine’s
Day or about the opera tickets he got for
tonight, or even if we went out at all. I just
wanted him.
I hated him being gone, but I loved him coming
home. It was a conundrum.

The doors opened, and I stepped inside our

apartment, immediately hearing music cranked
up to an ear-splitting level. It echoed down the
hallway from the apartment, and I stopped,
every hair on my arms standing up in sudden
awareness.

Music? I hadn’t left music on.

But then I noticed the song. Bodies by

Drowning Pool.

I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes. Of course.

Will.

Michael never took his key away, so he’d show

up at any time and raid the refrigerator or we’d
find him in the middle of the night using the
court.

Walking into the apartment, I spotted him

sitting on the couch, slouched back in his crisp
black suit and holding a sandwich in one hand
and spinning a basketball on the finger of the
other.
The music screamed. “Let the bodies hit the
floor! Let the bodies hit the floor! Let the bodies
hit the floor!”

Yeah, yeah.

Dropping my stuff on the counter, I grabbed

the remote and turned off the music. How
could he listen to that song ALL the time?

He dropped his basketball, finally noticing me.

“Oh, hey,” he greeted and then took a bite of
sandwich.

His green eyes were always so big and puppy

dog-looking that I couldn’t help but melt a little.
Despite his behavior. It aggravated me that he
always just showed up—I could just be getting
out of the shower, after all—but he always
gave the impression of a child who just drew
you the worst picture but did it with the biggest
heart.

See, mom? Did I do good?

I gave him a half-smile and made my over to

him, nudging his feet off the coffee table.
“Michael’s not here.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“So why are you?”

He took another bite of sandwich and set the
rest down on the sofa before sitting up and
grabbing the towel off my shoulder to wipe off
his mouth.

I scowled, about to scold him if he didn’t get his

food off our furniture.

But he stood up, swallowed his bite, and

smiled down at me, only a couple of inches
from my face. “I’m picking you up,” he
announced. “I’m under strict orders to bring
you to Michael and Kai, so go get ready.”

I stayed rooted, staring up at him, confused.

Picking me up?

Michael AND Kai? What?

It was Valentine’s Day. Michael and I had

plans.

“I don’t understand,” I argued.

But he just smirked and swung the towel

around my neck and pulled me in, playing.
“Didn’t Michael warn you?” he taunted in his
smooth voice. “You’re everyone’s valentine
tonight, baby.”

I cocked an eyebrow and swatted his hands

away.
He walked off, chuckling. “Get cleaned up,
Little Monster.”

***

“So should I be scared?” I asked, sitting in the

back of Michael’s G-Class, slipping on my
stockings as Will drove.

Shower, hair, make-up, and squeezing into my

evening gown took nearly an hour, so Will had
rushed me out the door before I was even fully
dressed.

“You don’t get scared,” he retorted. “You get

excited.”

I smiled to myself. “Touche.”

He wouldn’t tell me where we were going, but

from what I could see out the window, we were
off to the other side of town. To Kai’s side of
town.

Maybe we were finally going to be able to see

inside his house? Probably not, but the
prospect had me intrigued.

I slipped on my heels and fluffed the long black

gown down over my legs as I inched up and
double checked my hair and make-up in his
rearview mirror.
I’d put in some loose curls and pinned back the
top half, leaving my shoulders exposed in the
halter-style bodice. The opera was much
fancier than our usual outings, and I’d really
enjoyed shopping for the dress, with its array
of beads, jewels, and the sexy cut and the way
it moved when I walked.

Will met my eyes in the mirror. “You look great,

by the way.”

“Thanks. So do you.”

He turned his eyes away, breathing out a small

laugh as if that was the farthest thing from the
truth.

And I knew. While Will always looks healthy

and happy, I knew how he looked on the
outside wasn’t even close to what he felt on
the inside.

“How are you?” I looked down, trying to avoid

his eyes and not be too invasive as I went
through my small clutch purse to make sure I
had everything.

He grabbed a cigarette and stuck it in his

mouth, lighting it as he spoke. “Fuckin’
awesome. Did you see my pictures from Mardi
Gras on Facebook? I could be that drunk every
day.”
He inhaled and blew out a cloud of smoke. I
leaned forward and plucked the cigarette out of
his fingers, flinging it out the window. “You are
that drunk every day,” I shot back.

He caught me in the rear view mirror, shooting

me a winning smile like it was all fun and
games.

But the people who smile the most are also

covering up the most. And I knew…

All the times he sneaked into Michael’s and my

apartment to hang out, all the partying, all the
nights with girls he didn’t even know, trying to
avoid ever being alone, Will was not okay.

I leaned forward again and hooked my arms

over his seat, sitting my chin down on the
leather as I peered at him through the mirror.

He sighed, continuing down the street. “Stop

looking at me like that,” he quietly scolded. “I’m
only twenty-three. I’m fine, and I’ll find
something to do with my life. Don’t worry.”

I grinned, sliding my hands around his neck

and locking them in front of him.

He glanced at me through the mirror and

pinched his eyebrows together, looking
confused. “What?”
“Well, I have an idea,” I teased.

“Oh, you do, do ya?” He challenged. “Well,

stand back everyone. The blonde’s brain is
working.”

I scowled playfully. “Ass.”

His chest shook under my hands, and I

watched as he turned on the windshield
wipers, the sprinkles of rain when we got in the
car turning heavier now.

“So what’s this idea?” he mused. “You want

me to go to college? Or maybe put myself in
my dad’s and my grandfather’s hands and see
what office they can hide me in for the next ten
years? Or maybe…” He grabbed another
cigarette, sticking it into his mouth, “I should
strap on a backpack and go off to explore the
world. I always wanted to be Indiana Jones.”

I snatched the cigarette again, snapping it in

half, and dumping it in the cup holder. “Yeah, I
can see that.” I indulged him. “You’d work that
whip like a champ.

He shook his head, laughing it off.

Wrapping my arms around his neck again, I

snuggled in close, peering at him through the
mirror. “But actually, I was thinking something
different.” I dropped my voice, staring at him as
he
stared at the road. “I was thinking…you could
rebuild the gazebo.”

I watched him closely, seeing his face still and

his smile slowly fall away. He didn’t say a word
as he continued to stare at the road in front of
him.

Okay, maybe that was going too far, bringing

up the past.

Maybe I’d finally found Will’s trigger, and

pushed the wrong button.

But no.

No.

I flexed my jaw, narrowing my eyes on him.

He needed to be pushed. Michael and Kai

covered for him, never making him stand up
and deal, figuring he’d handle his shit when he
was ready, but I refused to enable him. I’d
done it for my mother, and I wasn’t following
their lead on this one.

“Well, what do you think?” I pressed.

But he remained silent.

All I could hear was the rain kicking up under
the tires outside as the bustle of the city fell
away and we entered what I liked to call “the
dark zone.” It was the East District, an area of
Meridian City that was once vibrant and busy,
but now it was just…well, dark.

And abandoned. Kai had purchased a huge

turn-of-the-century house over here, and while
I knew he had his work cut out for him
renovating it after years of neglect, I was
suspicious as to why that was a good enough
reason to keep us away. Were we going there
now?

“She wouldn’t see it anyway, Rika,” Will finally

spoke up. “I hear she hasn’t been home since
high school.”

I looked back up, seeing him in the mirror.

The gazebo. She. Emery Scott.

“So it’s only worth doing something good if

people are around to see it?” I prodded.

I looked at his face, the lost, forlorn look he

seemed to always have when he didn’t think
anyone was watching, and I let out a sigh,
dropping a trail of cookies for him.
“And she doesn’t need to see it,” I teased,
leaning in to whisper in his ear. “She just
needs to hear about it.”

He broke out in a huge grin, turning down a

dark alley as the rain made the street shimmer
under the streetlights.

“You’re almost as good a talker as me.”

I leaned back and peered out my window as he

shut off the car. “Almost,” I mumbled, suddenly
forgetting our conversation.

Chills spread down my arms as I gazed up at

the old black building. There were no lights on,
no cars around, no sign of life…where the hell
were we? Where were Michael and Kai?

Will opened his door, the sound of rain rushing

in and making me immediately rub my hands
up and down my arms to warm myself.

“Hang on, I’ve got an umbrella,” he said,

reaching over to the passenger’s seat.

Popping it open, he dived out into the rain, the

drops pummeling the umbrella as he hurriedly
closed his door and swung mine open. I
stepped out, hunching over as he closed my
door and we both hustled to the small awning
hanging over a narrow black door on the side
of the building.

“What is this place?” I asked as Will opened

the door.

I went in first, while he closed the umbrella and

shook it out.

“It used to be apartments,” he shouted over the

rain before dropping the umbrella on the floor
and closing the door, “around the turn of the
century, I think. Then someone bought it,
knocked down all of the walls, and turned it
into an art gallery in the 60’s.” He gazed
around the dark space lazily. “Now it’s
abandoned.”

I couldn’t see much with the lights off, but there

was a small amount of light coming in through
the windows, and I spotted a stove, a make-
shift island, and some counters. I guess,
whenever they renovated it from apartments,
they decided to keep one of the kitchens.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on now?

Where’s Michael?”

I was starting to grow aggravated that

Michael’s first stop back in the city wasn’t me.
But Will simply turned to me, held out his arm,
and gestured for me to go ahead. Looking to
where he was directing, I stared down a long,
black hallway and straightened, hesitating a
moment.

I couldn’t tell where the dark abyss ended, but I

straightened my back despite the flutters hitting
my stomach.

Michael, Michael, Michael. And here I was,

thinking the games would get boring after a
while.

Shaking my head, slightly amused, I went first,

slowly walking down the long hallway and
passing a few doors on both sides with a
narrow staircase on my right. The air was
chilled, and I wished I’d worn a coat or a cover-
up.

Coming to the end, I stepped over a threshold

and into a larger room. I immediately spun
around, taking in the rafters crisscrossing
through the air high above and the windows
lining the walls all the way up to the ceiling,
proving that, yes, at one time there must have
been apartments here.

Everything was dark and old. The wooden floor

creaked under my steps, and the steel beams
around the room were the only things breaking
up the massive space.

This would be perfect was a dance studio.

Off to the sides of the room sat more

doorways, and I also spotted a few hallways
with more staircases.

“I love places like this,” I mused to Will. “Lots of

nooks and crannies to explore.”

I turned to look at him but then my smile fell.

He wasn’t there.

Where the hell…?

“Will?” I twisted around, trying to search the

room in the near-darkness.

My breathing picked up pace. Goddammit…

The rain tapped against the windows, the

sound surrounding me like I was in a tunnel,
and I shot my head up, hearing the wind howl
in the rafters above.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Will?” I

shouted.

“So do you like it?” a smooth voice asked.

I whipped around, searching the space behind
me. No one was there.

But a flash of movement caught my eye above,

and I looked up, seeing a dark figure standing
still on the second level as he leaned against
the railing.

“Kai?”

“It’s important that you like it,” he went on.

“You’ll be here a lot.”

His hand—the only part of him to catch the

light—moved across the railing, and I knew he
was walking.

“Turn on the lights,” I demanded.

“Can’t,” he replied. “Power went out. So what

do you think?”

I squinted, trying to see him, but even more,

trying to understand what the hell was going
on.

“What do I think about the space?” I asked.

“Well, I guess it depends on what it’s used for.”

“A lot of good things could go down in a place

like this,” a husky whisper hit my ear, and I
jumped as long arms wrapped around me,
pulling me in.

“Michael,” I gasped out, smiling in relief as his

warmth and smell fell over me. “What are you
guys doing? Someone turn on a flashlight. This
isn’t funny.”

“Feeling a little déjà vu?” he teased against my

neck. “I know you like it.”

I turned my face to him, brushing my lips

against his. “Turn on a lights and tell me what
all this is about,” I whispered, “or I’m going to
go pick up Alex and she can be my valentine
tonight.
Now what are you all up to?”

“We’re saying we love you,” he replied, turning

me around in his arms and holding me close.
“And we have something for you.”

“Oh?”

“You promised me forever,” he reminded me.

“Are you still sure about that? You’re in this for
the long-haul?”

I narrowed my eyes on him, wondering what

this was about. “You don’t have to ask that any
more than I need to answer it,” I maintained.
“There is no choice. Now what is going on?
What is this place?”

“It’s ours,” Will answered, strolling up to us and

handing me a flashlight.

I took it and looked at Michael, confused.

Ours?

But it was Kai’s voice that came next. “You

were looking for a fencing club when you first
came to the city,” he explained, coming down
the stairs and strolling over to us, “so we
thought, why not start your own?”

I just let the flashlight sit in my hand as Kai,

Will, and Michael surrounded me.

“A fencing club?”

“You don’t like it?” Michael asked.

“No, I do…” I looked up again, now seeing

more than just a big, empty space. “But…”

“But?” Michael pressed.

“But I have school,” I continued. “And I have

FANE and my mother’s house to manage, and
we’re overseeing the reconstruction of St.
Killian’s, and I don’t have any experience
teaching fencing—”
“Have you ever heard of Kendo?” Kai spoke
up, stepping closer.

I finally caught him in the light and took in his

black suit, the way the crisp white shirt and
black tie sat against the smooth, olive skin of
his neck. His hair was perfectly styled, not that
it wasn’t always. Kai rarely had a wrinkle on his
clothes or a hair out of place.

I called him anal to his face. Alex called him a

serial killer behind his back.

“Kendo,” I repeated. “Japanese fencing?”

He nodded. “My father taught it to me. As well

as Jujutsu and Aikido. I could teach you.”

Teach me? But what did that have to do with—

And then realization hit, and I froze.

Why were they all here? Why would Kai offer

to teach me martial arts, and why would he
offer now?

I held out my hand to Michael. “Let me see the

deed.”

“Why?”

But I snapped my fingers, losing patience.

He reached into his breast pocket and took out
a fold of papers, placing them in my hand.

I quickly opened them up and turned on my

flashlight, scanning the papers. I spotted all the
guys names…and then I spotted mine.

This wasn’t a present just for me.

I looked up at them. “We all own this building.”

Michael hooded his sexy eyes. “Of course. ‘We

all go. That’s the rules.’”

And then he smirked, knowing I would

remember the words he’d said on Devil’s Night
more than three years ago.

“So it’s not just me starting a business, it’s all

of us.”

They all watched me, and I turned in a circle,

full understanding dawning of what the plan
was. “A dojo—with fencing,” I said to myself,
trying to see how all this was going to work.

Michael had no interest in fencing. Or martial

arts. He got plenty of exercise with basketball.

But Kai would be here a lot, taking a vested

interest in the business, and Will would be
here, the other guys probably trying to keep
him busy.

But I still didn’t get it. Michael and Kai were

already overloaded with projects, so why would
they take on this as well?

And then I realized something else.

I turned back around, cocked my head as I

handed the papers back to Michael. “So…”I
started. “This place, the dilapidated office
building you bought a few weeks ago…” I ran
down the list and
then looked to Kai. “Your little hideaway a few
blocks away that you’re renovating, and then
the lots on Darcy Street Will was scoping out
yesterday…” I looked around, meeting all of
their eyes. “Why are you buying up the East
District?

This wasn’t just about giving me a place to

fence. This was something else.

Michael quirked a smile, while Kai stood next

to him, his arms crossed over his chest. “The
Horsemen are building their empire, Rika,” he
answered. “Will you join us?”

“We have an opening,” Will teased as he

walked passed me, nudging me with his
shoulder.
I hooded my eyes, trying not to laugh. Oh, for
crying out loud.

“I was going to save this for tomorrow when we

had more time to discuss it,” Michael said,
taking out another set of papers, “but you may
as well see it now.”

I took the papers and opened them up,

scanning the documents. Again, all of our
names were on it, and while the legal jargon
was difficult to understand, my heart started to
pound harder anyway.

“Graymor Cristane?” I questioned, looking up

at them.

Michael just stared at me, waiting.

These documents were the establishment of a

partnership between Kai, Will, Michael…and
me. Everything was here. Who would manage
what. The division of any profits. How
decisions would be made, and even the details
of the bank accounts that had already been set
up to keep everything separate from our
personal accounts.

Jesus. They were really doing this? Graymor

Cristane was us. Parts of our last names to
name the partnership.
I drew in a long breath, not realizing I’d
stopped breathing as I continued to study the
papers. “Your fathers won’t like this,” I warned.

Michael’s father, especially. They had built

their own legacies and would expect their sons
to continue their work.

“We’re counting on it,” Michael replied. “So

what do you think, Little Monster? You wanna
have some fun?”

I heard Will laugh and I glanced up, seeing the

three of them looking amused like they just
couldn’t wait to jump from one fire to the next.

***

The limo sped through the city streets, the view

outside getting brighter and busier as all four of
us travelled to the opera house. I sat staring
out at the rain with Michael next to me and
Kai and Will across from me, working on their
phones.

But the next thing I knew arms were scooping

me up, and I gasped as Michael hauled me
into his lap.

“Michael!” I whisper-yelled.

“Come here,” he whispered, pulling me close.

But I tried to pry myself out of his grasp. “Stop
it.”

“I can’t.”

I ignored Will and Kai behind me, not caring to

look and see any wise-ass grins as I spoke low
right in Michael’s face. “If you want a
partnership with me included, you can’t
manhandle me in front of them. I won’t be seen
as a pliable little girl who bends whenever you
touch her.”

“They don’t see you that way,” he soothed,

staring at my lips. “They see me that way.”

His fingers at my back slipped into the side of

my dress while the other hand caressed a trail
up my leg and disappeared under my dress.

“What are you doing?” I charged, trying to

ignore the way my skin instantly tingled.

“You didn’t like your present,” he said.

His fingers brushed under my knee, and I

ignored the shiver shooting up my spine. I was
at least grateful that the dress was long with
lots of layers to hide what he was doing.

“Yes, I liked it,” I replied.

“Well maybe you’ll like this one more.” He dug
into a compartment on the door and pulled out
a small box, handing it to me.

I forced myself not to smile, but I think a little

one escaped. I was mad at him. Not only had
he sprung the dojo and partnership on me,
putting me on the spot in front of the guys, but I
worried about his reasons for doing it, too.

I took the box and opened it up, seeing a

beautiful silver case with designs carved into it.
I picked it out and opened the lid to find
matches. I laughed in surprise.

It was an antique match safe. An 1800’s

version of a match box to join my collection.
Only Michael knew me well enough to know
how much I’d appreciate this.

Lifting it to my nose, I inhaled, smelling the

phosphorous and sulfur.

“Christmas and fireworks,” Michael mused as

he watched me.

“It’s beautiful.” I closed the lid and held it tight

in my hand. “Thank you.”

“You’re nervous about the partnership, aren’t

you?” He kept his voice low, keeping our
conversation private.
“No, not really.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

I stared down at my hands and then took a

deep breath, raising my eyes to his. “I’m
worried you bought the dojo—and established
the partnership—to keep me close.”

“Why would I not want to keep you close?”

“You know what I mean,” I retorted, glancing

over to see Will still buried in his phone and
Kai staring at his. I had a feeling he was
listening, though. Turning back to Michael, I
whispered,

“I mentioned finding a part-time job, and oh

look, you suddenly have something for me to
do when I’m not in school. You’ll always know
where I am now, and if you’re not there, your
friends will be to keep an eye on me.”

He sat back, regarding me. “You think I don’t

trust you?”

I remained silent, not sure what to think. A few

weeks ago I’d told him I was thinking of getting
a part-time job for experience, and he seemed
to get nervous. I don’t know if he was just
aggravated my schedule wouldn’t revolve
around his anymore or if he was afraid of me
having a life that didn’t involve him, but I
suspected it was the latter.

He heaved a sigh, eyeing me. “If I didn’t trust

you, would I put you in the same space as Kai
day in a day out and tolerate him offering to
give you private Kendo lessons?”

I frowned, knowing he had a point. We rarely

talked about what happened between the three
of us, but Michael knew where my heart was,
and I was glad he hadn’t doubted it.

“There’s no one I trust more than you,” he

whispered.

And then I saw his eyes flash over my shoulder

to Will and Kai before coming back to me. “No
one,” he repeated.

Warmth flooded chest, and I felt relieved. I

knew he cared about his friends, but it was
important to know that I came first.

“But you’re right,” he continued, his hazel eyes

hard on me. “I want you close. I’m gone a lot,
you’re alone a lot, and if I can’t be there, I feel
a lot better knowing they are. Damon is still out
there, after all.”

I let out a breath and nodded. “I know that, and

I understand, but you don’t micro-manage their
safety.” I jerked my chin to the guys behind
me. “And if you want Graymor Cristane to
work, I can’t be coddled.”

“Okay,” he allowed. “I’ll lay off.” And then he

leaned in to kiss me, whispering over my lips,
“Just as soon as Kai teaches you some Jujutsu
moves.”

I snorted, pulling away, but he wrapped his

arm around me tighter, his hot breath growing
heavier.

“Stop,” I scolded quietly.

His other hand trailed up the inside of my leg

again, disappearing under my gown as he
caught my bottom lip between his teeth. “Just a
taste,” he breathed. “Please?”

His hand snaked up my thigh as his lips and

tongue took over my mouth.

“Michael, no,” I whisper-yelled, trying to push

his hand down through my dress.

But his fingers suddenly met skin and a

stunned look crossed his face. He continued to
trail his hand up, up, up, near the now very wet
heat between my legs, and I whimpered, his
fingers caressing my bare skin.
Heat filled his eyes as he glared at me. “Lace
stockings and nothing else?” he charged. “That
isn’t very nice, Rika.”

Shit. I felt his bulge underneath me thicken and

harden, and he pulled me in, our lips grazing
each other as his fingers curled around the
inside of my thigh, so very close to where they
shouldn’t be right now.

I thought it would sexy to tease him a little

tonight by not wearing anything except the
stockings underneath the dress, and while I
was surprised that we were meeting up with
Will and Kai, I didn’t think he’d try to finger me
five feet from them.

“Goddamn,” he gasped, baring his teeth as I

tasted his breath. “This is a problem.”

He closed his eyes, grazing the tip of his nose

over my cheek and down my neck as he
inhaled deep. He left a trail of small, soft kisses
over my skin, and heat pooled in my belly as
my
breathing turned shallow.

I quickly glanced over my shoulder, seeing Will

still clueless about what was going on as he
poured himself another drink and Kai still
staring at his phone. But the curl to his lips told
me he wasn’t at all clueless as he respectfully
averted his eyes.

But just then Michael’s fingers brushed against

my pussy, and I sucked in a breath as I turned
my eyes back on him. “Stop,” I mouthed, my
heart racing.

“Look at me, baby,” he whispered, taking my

lips in short, quick kisses. “God, I love you.”

“Michael, please,” I begged, closing my eyes

and groaning when his fingers, hidden in the
layers of my gown, started rubbing my clit in
taunting circles.

“Please what?” he teased, nipping at my lips

again. “Your mouth says ‘no’, but your body is
saying something else. I’m confused.”

Asshole.

The pulse between my legs throbbed harder

and harder, and I wanted to spread my legs so
fucking bad.

“We’re. Not. Alone,” I growled.

“I know.” He grinned, loving my distress. “And I

can feel how much that’s turning you on right
now. Cut me some slack. It’s been days since
I’ve had my tongue and cock buried in you.”
I winced, trying to hold back the moan wanting
out. The memory of waking up four mornings
ago with my legs spread wide and his tongue
going at me like a he was starved was still so
damn vivid I could feel it.

“Keep whimpering like that,” he taunted. “It’s so

fucking hot.”

His fingers swirled around and around, and I

was so wet and frustrated.

I licked my dry lips and fisted the lapels of his

jacket. And then I shouted, “Pull over, please!”

Michael’s chest shook with a laugh, and I

glared over my shoulder at the driver. “Now!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Kai and Will’s eyes were on us, Will looking

confused. Michael buried his lips under my ear
as the driver pulled over to the curb, and I
looked to the guys. “The opera house is only a
few blocks away. Walk.”

Michael’s breath was in my ear as Kai

chuckled to himself before shaking his head
and sitting up.

“Hurry up,” he urged and opened the door,

both he and Will climbing out. They slammed
the door and Michael pushed the button,
drawing the privacy glass between us and the
driver.

“Drive around until I tell you to stop,” he

ordered before the window closed.

“Yes, sir.”

As soon as the glass was up, Michael’s lips

crashed down on mine, and his hands were
already out of my dress and around my back,
working the zipper.

“Fuck, I missed you,” he growled, pulling the

zipper down and opening the back wide.

I pulled away and stood up, leaning over him

as I squirmed out of the gown. It fell to the floor
of the limo, and Michael pulled me in, kissing
and nibbling my stomach before taking one of
my breasts in his mouth.

I groaned, not bothering to keep my voice

down this time. “I missed you, too.”

He ate me up, biting my nipple and making it

hard as he drew it out with his teeth. I shivered,
feeling a cyclone swirl in my stomach as he ran
his hands up and down my thighs.
“These stockings are killing me,” he said,
squeezing my ass and yanking me in. “Lay
down.”

“No, I want to ride you,” I told him, climbing on

and straddling him.

“Are you sure?” he asked, unfastening his belt

and opened his suits pants.

I nodded quickly. The windows were tinted, but

he knew I’d still feel exposed. I was too excited
to care, though.

He pulled out his cock, and I sucked in a

breath as he took the head in his hand and
rubbed it around my clit, teasing me.

“Real fuckin’ romantic, huh?” he chastised

himself. “I’m sorry, babe.”

“Don’t apologize.” I stilled, easing myself down

on him and loving every fucking second of him
sliding inside of me. “That’s not the guy I fell
for. I don’t need sweet. I just need this.” I rolled
my hips back and came in again, feeling his
groan vibrate though my hand on his chest.

And then I kissed his lips, tasting the first time

he ever touched me down in the catacombs
and the first time he kissed me in the
warehouse. The first time he held me in the
cemetery when I was thirteen, and the first
time he was inside of me. “Don’t ever stop.”

I moved faster and faster, rolling my hips into

him and both of us groaning and grunting until
we’d worked each other up into such a frenzy
that I felt a drop of sweat glide down my back.

“Come on, baby,” he growled, gripping my ass

so hard I thought I’d have bruises.

His mouth caught one of my breasts, and I

rode harder, feeling him hit that spot so deep I
just wanted it to go on forever. Nothing felt
better than him.

“Don’t ever stop,” I gasped, feeling the

pressure and heat and need building up that I
couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.

“Never,” he said through bared teeth, pulling

my hips in harder. “I want your pussy more
than I want to fucking breathe.”

I smiled, unable to keep myself from laughing.

“Now THAT was romantic.”

He broke out into a laugh, too, his whole body

shaking and breaking our rhythm. “Screw you,
Little Monster. I tried.”
I shook my head, wrapping my arms around
his neck and looking at him. “Don’t,” I
instructed. “You know what I like. Just slap me
on the ass and wrap a hand around my neck in
my morning shower.”

He grinned, leaning his head back and closing

his eyes I picked up pace. “That’s my girl.”

***

KAI

Where the hell were they? The show was

going to start soon.

I brought he glass to my lips and let my eyes

slowly drift around the room, far from
interested in who was here and more
interested in noting the people I wanted to
avoid.

Women held on to the arms of their husbands,

while the men’s laughter and burly voices filled
the lobby of the opera house—which was
really just a poor imitation of one of the old
Paris theatres. Much smaller, much cheaper,
and a whole lot tackier.

I sipped the vodka and soda, but my lips

touched something soft, and I stopped, pulling
the glass away. Looking down, I spotted a
wedge of lemon in the drink, and I immediately
picked it out, flinging it into the garbage on the
side of the bar.

That’s not a twist.

I sighed, checked my watch again and

wondering if they had just decided to blow us
off. Will was chatting up some young college
girl off in the corner, and while I didn’t mind
being alone, I’d rather be alone at home.

The more time I spent trying to rejoin the rest

of the world, the more time I spent wondering
why. I was growing more and more impatient
with their eyes and their questions. I was sick
of playing of nice to people who really didn’t
want to have anything to do with me but only
tolerated me for my father.

But no…Michael wanted us to come tonight, so

we came.

“Where’s Will?”

I turned my head and looked down to see Rika

at my side, flushed and glowing as her bright
eyes smiled up at me.

My heart skipped a beat, but I ignored it,

jerking my chin over to the far corner.
She followed my gaze, spotting Will
exchanging numbers with the girl.

“You’re blushing,” I teased, taking another sip.

But she just laughed, sounding beside herself.

“I’m shameless.”

I peered back down at her, seeing only a few

hairs out of place as she bowed her head and
smiled like she couldn’t help it.

“Don’t change.”

She took my arm, holding it with both of her

hands as she blew out an exasperated breath
and flushed with embarrassment. “I won’t. I’m
too happy,” she said sweetly.

Yeah.

If I ever considered trying to steal her away, I

couldn’t. She was head over heels for him.

“We were over there waiting for you to come

over,” a woman’s voice, all too familiar, said,
“but the show is starting soon, so…”

I looked over, seeing my mother approach and

holding onto the arm of my father. She leaned
in, and I kissed her on the cheek.
“I was working up to it,” I said under my breath.

She pulled back, offering me a kind smile, and

I quickly glanced at my father, seeing him
regard me in his usual manner. Silent,
observing, and as if he were trying to figure out
a puzzle.

“Good evening.” My mother held out her hand

to Rika when I didn’t make introductions.

“Hello,” Rika greeted back and then held out

her hand to my father.

“Rika, this is my father, Katsu Mori,” I said as

they shook hands. “And my mother, Vittoria.”

“Oh,” she replied, sounding surprised. “It’s nice

to finally meet you.”

“You’re Schrader Fane’s daughter.” My father’s

eyes studied her under a stern brow.

“Yes. You knew my father?”

He nodded. “Very well. He was a good man.”

“Thank you.” Rika’s hand returned to my arm,

and I saw my father notice.

But then she glanced behind my parents, saw

Michael talking to Will, and politely excused
herself, squeezing my arm one last time before
walking off.

My father leaned in, kissing my mother’s

forehead. “Would you give us a moment,
please?”

My mother looked between us, her deep brown

eyes hesitant as I braced myself. My father
and my relationship hadn’t even come close to
returning to what it was three years ago, and I
knew she was worried. Every time we talked, it
didn’t end well.

But she trusted my father, because he was

almost always right. So she nodded and shot
me a quick smile before walking up the stairs,
probably to their private box.

As soon as she was gone, he moved to my

side, standing level with me. “So Erika Fane?”

“Don’t.” I shook my head, hooding my eyes

and knowing exactly where this was going.
“She’s not for me. She’s taken.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, shrugging.

“So was your mother when I met her. That
didn’t stop me from getting what I wanted.”

Yes, I’d heard this story many times. How he

had nothing, not even a ring to put on her
finger, and how he still stole the Italian girl
away from the wealthy fiance her family had
chosen for her. And how together they built
everything from nothing.

Yeah, my father was an amazing man, and I

was nothing. I’d dishonored him when I’d been
arrested.

I’d dishonored my whole family, and they didn’t

even know the half of it. Not even Michael
knew the half of it.

I was the worst of us. Not Damon. I was the

worst, and I hid it the best.

“She’s Michael’s,” I clarified, sipping my drink.

“Yes, of course she is.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I heard him draw in a long breath before

turning his head to look at me. “It means
Michael always takes the prime cuts of meat
first, doesn’t he?”

I tightened my fist around my glass, feeling the

muscles in my hand ache as my father walked
off, following my mother up the stairs.
He always stayed just long enough to remind
me how much I didn’t measure up and then
left.

Yeah, Michael always takes the prime cuts of

meat first. That’s what my father said, but it
wasn’t what he meant. No, what he meant was
Michael always “gets” the prime cuts of mean
first, because he doesn’t waste time hesitating,
Kai. He knows his mind.

And that, above anything else, was what my

father tried to always teach me. The one thing I
never seemed to grasp. “Where there’s clarity,
there’s no choice, and where there’s choice
there’s misery.”

It’s written on the wall of the dojo at my

parent’s house. Making choices meant always
being slightly disappointed that you had to give
up one thing to have another, but if you know
yourself well enough, there’s never any choice
to make. You already know what you’re going
to do.

Michael chose Rika over us in that kitchen that

night, and when the choice was forced on him,
it wasn’t hard. He knew what he wanted.

Everything for me was difficult.

The lights dimmed, and I caught sight of Will,
Michael, and Rika making their way up the
stairs, Michael looking down and finding me,
motioning for me to follow.

Reluctantly setting down my drink, I moved

across the lobby and climbed the stairs,
ignoring the eyes following us as we made our
way upstairs.

My parents had a box on the other side, but

Michael had reserved a lower one to give Rika
a better view. She had never been to the
opera.

Walking quickly down the hallway, I followed

them onto the small balcony, alight with the
soft light coming from the wall sconces. We all
neared the balcony, looking down at the crowd
and taking in the view.

It didn’t take long for curious eyes to find us

and whispers start to spread from one clique to
then other. Most of these people probably
knew Michael, given his status, but they’d only
heard of Will and me and what they knew had
been whispered into their ears.

And then all attention eventually fell on Rika.

They looked at her, whispered about her…
Who was the beauty with three men in tow? I
smirked, looking over at her and seeing her
amused expression as she looked down at
them, unafraid.

I took my seat, placing Rika between Michael

and me, while Will sat down on my other side.
After several minutes, the lights lowered,
shrouding the theater in black, and the
performance began.

I didn’t really enjoy opera as much as I enjoyed

symphonies and concerts, watching the skill of
dozens of instruments working in sync to
create something beautiful, but I couldn’t help
but watch the look of wonder on Rika’s face
out of the corner of my eye. The way her lips
parted and she sucked in a tiny breath when
the music hit her, and the way she watched so
intently through her theater glasses.

She was mesmerized, and I had to admit, I

liked living vicariously. It was better than
nothing.

But then something hit my foot, and I looked

down, seeing that she’d dropped the glasses.
She let out a small gasp, and when Michael
and I turned to her, her eyes weren’t on the
performance.

“There’s someone watching us,” she said.

I followed her gaze, seeing boxes across from
us filled with people, but I had no idea what
she was seeing.

“Who?” I asked, swiping the theater glasses

back off the floor.

“I don’t know,” she answered, standing up.

“They were in that empty box up there.”

I raised the glasses to my eyes and found the

empty box she was talking about. But it was
empty.

“There’s no one there.” I handed the glasses to

Michael who quickly took them.

“I think it was a woman,” Rika told us. “And she

was wearing a mask.”

She spun around and left the box, all of us

quickly jumping to our feet and following her.

“Rika, where are you going?” Michael

demanded as all of us chased after her.

She lifted her dress off the ground and

powered down the hallway, calling over her
shoulder in a stern voice, “She was slender.
Dressed in black with a ski cap covering her
hair. Will, scope out the Mezzanine. Kai, check
the lobby.”
Will breathed out a laugh. “Yes, ma’am.” And
he took off to the right, heading up a flight of
stairs.

“Rika, are you sure?” I prodded. What this

really necessary?

“They were wearing a mask,” she pointed out

again as if that meant something. She
continued down the hall with Michael to the
elevators while I stopped at another flight of
stairs.

A mask? Half the cast in the opera were

wearing a mask. It could’ve been anyone.

Nevertheless I trailed downstairs, heading

back down to the lobby as she and Michael
disappeared into the elevator, probably
heading up to the empty box where she’s seen
the mysterious person.

But after searching the entire lobby, watching

the front doors, and waiting to see if anyone
came out of the restrooms, I eventually just
shook my head and climbed the stairs to
search them out.

Rika was on edge. That’s all this was, and it

was our fault after we’d fucked with her head
so much. She was diligent about not letting it
hold her back, but she was paranoid, seeing
things that weren’t there.

Making my way up to the top floor, I noticed

that the entire level was closed off for
renovation. Every box was vacant, and I finally
found Rika, Michael, and Will in a large room
which sat off to the back of the balcony where
she’d seen the masked person. The room was
filled with crates and boxes, and a massive
circular window covered the far wall with only
the moonlight pouring in.

“Did you find anything?” I asked them.

But no one answered me.

I looked around at all of them, confused, and

finally noticed Michael, holding a mask in his
hands. Rika and Will stared at it like it was a
bomb that would go off at any moment.

“Where’d you get that?” I questioned.

“The chair.” Michael tipped his head toward the

balcony where two chairs sat.

“Well, that’s not one of ours.”

“It’s mine,” Rika piped up.

Michael narrowed his eyes on her. “What?”

A thoughtful look crossed her face, and she
reached over, taking it from him. “I made my
mom buy it at the sporting goods store in
Thunder Bay when I was fourteen.” And then
she smiled small, looking up at him. “I wanted
to be like you.”

She turned the mask over in her hand,

thinking. “But no one knew about it, and I kept
it stashed away in my closet at home. I’ve
never used it.”

“Well they mass produce those things,” I

explained. “It might not be yours.”

But she raised her eyes and flashed me the

inside of the mask, showing me her name
written inside.

Her name that she must’ve written.

“When’s the last time you saw it?” Will asked,

moving in.

She shook her head. “Not since…before the

fire, I guess.”

And she looked up, all of us probably drawing

the same conclusion.

The fire. My body tensed, and every muscle

felt on fire.
“You’re sure it wasn’t Damon you saw?” I
gritted out.

Damon, Will, and I had all been in her house

that night. Maybe he found it?

“I’m positive,” she said, still looking worried.

“She was petite. It was a girl.”

I took the mask from her hands, inspecting it.

“Well, who the hell was she?” I said more to
myself. “And why was she in your house?”

But she didn’t answer, simply turning for the

door. “I need to call my mother.”

Will and Michael hesitated only a moment

before following her out of the room. “Let’s go,”
Michael urged.

I stared down at the mask, nearly identical to

ours, only white with a small red heart on the
forehead. A million ideas ran through my head
as I searched my brain for an explanation.

There were plenty of people we’d pissed off

over the years, but I couldn’t think of a woman
that had issue with us.

Or maybe…she was working for someone

else. Someone that wanted us fucked with.
Damon immediately popped in my head, but I
quickly dismissed the idea. No, he wouldn’t
work with a woman or hire one.

But his father might.

Gabriel Torrance was ruthless but clever. I’d

already had a run-in with him where he made it
clear, in no uncertain terms, that he wanted his
son back.

And I told him that his son was as safe as

could be.

Unless he stepped a fucking foot in Meridian

City or Thunder Bay.

And I almost hoped he would. Life was getting

a little sedate for my taste.

I made my way for the door, bringing the mask

with me, but just then I heard a shuffle from
somewhere behind me, and I halted.

The floor creaked, and the corners of my lips

curled in a smile.

She was still here.

I inhaled a deep breath, smelling a hint of her.

The adrenaline heated my blood, and I
debated going after her, but for some
reason…I remained still.

Maybe I wanted to draw her out. See who was

behind her.

Or maybe I wanted something to look forward

to.

But I didn’t want to move. Not yet.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing,

Little One?” I called out, not turning around.
“Whoever hired you should’ve warned you.
Once this starts we won’t stop until we say it’s
over.”

The music from the opera drifted in, but the

room was eerily silent as I felt her watching
me.

“Well, if you’re sure…” I taunted, loving the

rush of fucking power coursing through my
chest.

If she was in this, so were we. But I wasn’t

going to act. Not yet. Showing up at the opera,
the mask…she was playing with us. Let her
surprise me.

No one knew how bad I could be, but she’d

find out.
I stepped forward, continuing for the door. “I
would stop wearing that perfume,” I advised,
“I’ll be able to smell you coming next time.”

THE END
 Hideaway
Deleted Scene 1
This scene originally took place after Kai and
Bank’s inspected the hotel for the first time with
Michael and Will.

This scene originally took place after Kai and

Bank’s inspected the hotel for the first time with
Michael and Will.

Walking into Sensou that evening, I

immediately stopped and pinned myself to the
wall next to the door, letting the group of
people leaving squeeze through the walkway
first. People in black karate uniforms, or
whatever they were called, and some in just
plain workout clothes carried their duffels out,
laughing and chatting, not one of them sparing
a look in my direction. Granted, that wasn’t
unusual. I was good at not being seen.

When they left, I started again, making my way

for the front desk.
“Yes, hello,” a man in a blue cap with a
clipboard spoke to the desk clerk ahead of me.
“I have a delivery for Kai Mori.”

The young woman reached for the clipboard.

“He’s in a private lesson. May I sign for it?”

“Uhhh,” he mumbled, sounding uncertain. “It’s

a large delivery. He usually wants to check the
merchandise before I take off.”

Merchandise? I peered around the guy, trying

to be discreet, to see his clipboard, but his
hand kept moving, and I couldn’t make out
what was on the invoice.

I cleared my throat. “I have something for him,

too.” I gripped the handle of the steel case I
held in my left land and grabbed the clipboard
with my right. “I’ll take these back to him.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” the delivery guy burst out,

pointing at me.

But I bolted down the hallway, turning my head

and jerking to the chairs in the lobby. “Park it.
I’ll be back.”

I didn’t wait around to see if he or the clerk

would follow me as I charged down the dim
corridor. The two main rooms, for large
classes, sat on the other side of the lobby and
featured several visible floors above with
mezzanines to look down on the great rooms,
as well as smaller rooms off to the sides on the
second, third, and fourth levels. Most of which,
I gathered from my research, were used for
storage and extra office space.

Slowing my steps, I raised the clipboard and

studied the paper on it.

Marchella Dining Set $29,

900

Villarosa Buffet Table $ 5,

700

Sanctuary King Bed $ 8,

400

What the hell? I scanned the sheet, my eyes

falling on other pieces of furniture—side tables,
chairs, dressers, appliances. The address at
the top was for Sensou. Why was he having
these things delivered here?

Using my spare thumb, I flipped the page.

Another invoice, dated about six weeks ago,
for the delivery of other furniture. Two more
beds, a dozen chairs, a kitchen table, a desk,
and some artwork. All delivered here as well.
But unless these things were hiding in a room
upstairs, they weren’t here. What was he doing
with all this furniture?

I dropped the clipboard to my side and started

walking again, not sure why any of this
mattered. It probably didn’t, but then again, any
information people deemed to hide was
valuable.

Who was the furniture for? Was he keeping a

mistress? Maybe that’s why he didn’t invest a
stitch of time or money into his house? He
must sleep elsewhere.

I shook my head, a knot twisting in my

stomach. I didn’t want to know. But I did, too.

I walked down the hallway, passing the office,

the men’s and women’s locker rooms, and a
couple of smaller classrooms without doors.
Coming up on the third one, I could hear the
sound of sticks slapping against each other in
quick time.

“What are you doing?” I heard Kai snip.

Stopping and hanging back, I peered into the

room, instantly spotting him, his body tight and
rigid, as he circled his student. His glare looked
pissy, and I felt more amused than I wanted to.
He was so uptight.
Of course, so was I.

And then his “student” came into view, and the

amusement left. Rika walked in a slow circle,
matching his predatory stride but keeping the
same safe distance from each other.

He was with her more than her fucking fiancé.

“Oji waza,” she answered him, but I had no

idea what that meant. She held out her arms,
the shanai in her right hand as she challenged
him. “What did I do wrong now?”

“Counterattack and then initiate,” he

commanded, wiping the sweat on his face with
forearm. “Don’t stop. Let’s see it.”

He positioned his sword, and she did the

same, the tips touching before he stomped his
foot and let out a loud growl and advanced.

She snapped up her sword, stopping him

before she whipped her nearly four-foot
bamboo stick at him instead, taking large
strides as she gripped the handle of the
weapon with both hands.

Why weren’t they wearing their gear? Kendo

had special robes, armor, and helmets to
protect the fighters.
Too fast, she bolted to his side and smacked
the stick to the back of his neck. I watched as
he hunched forward, absorbing the hit, giving
her just enough time to sweep his legs, push
him backward, and send him crashing to the
mat on his back.

“Ah!” he growled, squeezing his eyes shut as

he landed.

Rika’s mouth fell open, and she dropped the

sword, shooting her arms up into the air and
smiling.

“Ugh,” Kai groaned as he rubbed the back of

his head.

“Oh, yeah,” she boasted, dancing around and

smiling. “Uh-huh. I told you we needed our
gear on, but oh no. You said I’d learn better if I
got hurt.” And then she darted out her head,
putting her hands on her hips. “So did you
learn?”

Snarling, Kai pushed himself to his feet and

bent over, swinging his staff off the floor as she
danced around, doing fist pumps.

“Don’t laugh,” he chided. “Humility, Rika,

remember?”
Which made her laugh more, completely
pleased with herself.

I watched as his face softened and he rolled

his eyes, a small smile playing at the corners
of his lips. He hooked an arm around her neck
and kissed her forehead.

Not like a lover—more like a brother—but I still

clenched my jaw and dug in my eyebrows at
the sight. There was an intimacy there. A
connection between them.

Did he love her?

Damon was right. They were all under her

spell. I knew she wasn’t responsible for getting
them all sent to prison, like we all thought last
year, but when my brother couldn’t abide her
presence, they chose her over him. I saw his
side.

“Good job,” Kai said. “And don’t forget the

screaming. It’s important for intimidation.”

“Ugh.”

He walked with her toward the doorway, and I

straightened, backing up against the wall of the
hallway.
Rika stepped out first, stopping when she saw
me. She only paused a moment, though,
before casting him a glance and continuing
down the hall, pushing through the women’s
locker room door.

Kai approached me, his eyes heavy on me. I

handed him the case.

“The tools you requested,” I said. “And the

rope is in your trunk. Lev, Ilia, and David will be
here in the morning for training, and you have
an instructor set up, correct?”

He took the clipboard out of my hands,

shooting me a look like I shouldn’t have had it.

He started walking, looking at the invoice as he

spoke to me. “And for you, as well.”

“No thanks,” I answered flatly. “I’m a self-

starter.”

I could hear his quiet laugh as I walked behind

him.

After the hotel this morning, he’d kept me busy

all day, getting supplies to get onto the twelfth
floor, going over the contracts with Gabriel,
and hunting down old employees of the Pope
for him to talk to. I didn’t even try, though. Did
he really think I would make this any easier for
him? He could send me back to Thunder Bay.
By all means…

“I also set up an appointment tomorrow for a

landscaper,” I continued, “and a few
contractors to come out to your hovel to give
an estimate on what it’s going to take to get the
place ready for Vanessa.” I shoved my hands
in my pocket, stealing looks at the taut muscles
in his bare back that moved as he walked. “But
really, it would be much easier if you just
moved.”

The comment was snide, but it was true. It

would be cutting it close as it was, getting the
furniture moved in and the wedding planned,
much less having to contend with renovations,
too.

“Cancel the appointments,” he said without

looking back.

“Fine.” You can deal with her when she gets

here then.

Or maybe he wasn’t planning on his new wife

living with him at all. How about that? Hm.

“I’ll text you the dimensions of her bedroom,

and you buy the décor you want,” he
instructed. “When I say so, you can start
setting up her room. The rest of the house is
off limits to you. Got it?”

“Her room?” I inquired, unable to hide the

amusement from my voice. “Don’t you mean
your room?”

He stopped at the front desk and set down the

case, but I didn’t miss the arched brow he shot
me before turning to the delivery guy.

“Let me know when you need anything else,

sir,” the guy said, handing him keys.

Kai signed the invoice and swapped with him,

handing him the clipboard while he took the
keys.

Keys. So that’s what was happening. Kai

wasn’t having furniture delivered here. He was
having a truck of furniture delivered here. He
didn’t even want a driver seeing where it was
going.

Now I was intrigued.

 Hideaway
Deleted Scene 2
This deleted scene was originally set before Kai
takes Banks to his house for dinner. He’s in
Thunder Bay, searching for Will, but Banks has
found Will first.

Kai
“Damn him,” I ground out under my breath,
glaring at all the cars around the old church.

St. Killian’s sat ahead, surrounded by

darkness, late as it was, but the newly
refurbished windows glowed brightly from the
lights on inside. I could just make out the thin
puffs of chimney smoke spilling into the sky
above.

What was he thinking? Michael would kill him.

Stepping on the gas, I jerked the wheel and

pulled over to the side of the recently-paved
driveway, knowing Michael and Rika hadn’t
laid sod or planted flowers yet that I could
possibly ruin. Not until the renovations for their
Thunder Bay home were completed anyway.

I climbed out of the car and walked for the rear

entrance, the front still surrounded by
scaffolding as the workers repaired the
outside.

As teenagers we came here often. The old

cathedral had been abandoned since the
1930s, and with the catacombs below, it
became a nice, big place to get lost with a
hundred or so other people. The cops never
came out this far, and the nearest neighbor
was a mile away.

I treaded through the dirt, turned up with all the

construction going on the past year, and
looked up, seeing light spilling from the back
door.

Banks stood at the bottom of the small flight of

stairs, leaning on the railing with her hands in
her pockets.

She stood up straight as I approached.

“Can I leave now?” she asked.

I stared at her eyes, green and gold and

piercing under dark eyebrows. A warm color
she was very skilled at making look cold.
I kind of wanted to laugh at her attitude.

I also kind of wanted to wrap my hands around

her fucking neck, too.

Maybe she was temperamental all the time or

maybe it was just with me. She definitely didn’t
skip to do anything I asked her to do, that was
for sure.

I’d been unable to get a hold of Will for two

days now, and when I couldn’t track him down
in the city, I’d told her to see if he was in
Thunder Bay since she had to run an errand
back here earlier tonight anyway. Small town
and all, it didn’t take long for me to get the text.

And if he was at St. Killian’s, Michael and

Rika’s nearly-renovated home that they hadn’t
even moved into yet, then it was best I came
alone to get him out of the way before they
showed up. I asked—or told—Banks to stay
and wait in case he took off before I got here.

“Go,” I told her.

She pushed off the railing and walked around

me, the hair on the back of my neck standing
up as she passed.

Raising my eyes, I looked at the light spilling

out of the back door, finally noticing all the
laughter and chatter coming from inside.
Shaking my head, I charged up the stairs.

I entered the back of the old church and

stepped inside to what-was-now the kitchen,
taking in the people standing around. A few
girls, a couple of guys, all looking young
enough to still celebrate spring break.

Food littered the large cutting board island—

pizza, liquor, two-liter bottles, and drinks spilled
over the sides onto Rika’s new black slate tiles
she’d picked out last month.

I dragged in a hard breath, smelling the stench

of smoke filtering into my nostrils.

Fuck.

I bolted through the kitchen and walked into

the great room, seeing at least twenty more
people, none of whom I knew, loitering on the
new furniture or lounging on the carpets. I
scanned the small crowd, looking for Will, but
then the echo of a basketball bouncing through
the cathedral hit me, and I followed the sound
with my eyes. Looking up, I spotted the carved
stone railing of the second floor.

I headed for the stairs.

What the hell was his problem? Inviting himself
in to have a party in a house that wasn’t his
and being an asshole about it to boot? This
place was a fucking mess, and Rika was going
to be heartbroken. The house was about ready
for them to move in, the kitchen and bathrooms
were nearly done, and other than some
painting to be finished, some lighting to be
installed, and the appliances to be delivered, it
was nearly complete. They’d already started
having furniture delivered, their hunt for the
perfect pieces having begun months ago.

It was going to be a perfect house. And while I

hated that it had lost some of its mystery now
and the catacombs under the church weren’t
accessible to just anybody anymore, the place
would’ve been sold off or torn down eventually.
At least now it was staying in the “family” so to
speak, and it was preserved.

I swung around the bannister, heading into the

open area upstairs where I knew Michael
would eventually have a pool table, couches,
TVs, and all the fixings for a man cave. He’d
already installed the basketball hoop.

Will strolled around the floor, dribbling, his legs

looking heavy and his expression a glower. I
slowed, watching him shoot a basket as I
headed for him.
Strangely, he was alone. That was hardly ever
the case.

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” I

called out to him.

He kept his head down, refusing to look at me.

“Why are you such a dick?”

Huh?

“What the hell does that mean?” I snapped.

“What did I do?”

I’d barely interacted with him in days, and the

last time I saw him—at the Pope—he certainly
wasn’t mad at me.

“Just…” He tightened his lips, pounding the

ball harder and looking like he wanted to say
something more. But he finally just mumbled,
“Just fuck off.”

I pinched my eyebrows together, shaking my

head. You know what? Fine. I was fucking tired
and worn out, and I didn’t need this tonight. He
was alive, he was safe, and he could go self-
soothe with whatever fucking vice made him
happiest.

I turned to leave.
“What were you and Michael meeting about
today?” he asked behind me.

I turned around, seeing him sway just slightly,

the ball tucked under one arm, and the neck of
a Budweiser in the other hand.

“At the Cove?” he said, pointing out, “It’s a

small town, Kai.”

Yeah, okay. So what? Michael and I had a

meeting. “Since when do you need to be
present for every conversation I have with
Michael?”

Guilt pricked at me. I knew why Michael

wanted to meet with me alone, but I also knew
Will had a right to feel slighted.

“You know, I’m not stupid,” he said, his eyes

looking heavy as he dropped the ball to the
floor.

“I never said you were.”

“You don’t have to.” His eyes narrowed, angry.

“I’m the tag-along. The extra muscle. Good for
a laugh, right? Just don’t use big words around
me or involve me in the business or let me
participate in the adult discussions, because I
won’t understand.”
“That’s not true.” But I dropped my eyes,
seething nonetheless. “You know what?” I
raised my gaze and approached him. “It is. It is
true. Get yourself together. I’m tired of you
being so numb with booze and whatever else
you’re snorting, swallowing, or smoking that
you’re barely around anymore.”

I walked away, starting to pace. We’d spent

nearly three years paying for our mistakes.
Three years! We were humiliated and
bastardized in front of this whole damn town.
We lost our friends, the respect of our families,
and we lived in a seven-by-seven-foot shithole,
while everyone else our age was finishing
college. At least I completed my degree
inside—I had to do something to get through
every goddamn day—but we’d committed
felonies. And they were on our records forever.
I just wanted to redeem myself, while Will
thought he could come home and everything
would be the same as it was before we left.

“You think you’re the only one hurting?” I

lowered my voice, but the bite was still
there. “You think you’re the only one trying to
forget? You think I don’t need you, too?
Michael doesn’t know what we went through.
He wasn’t there, so maybe I might need you a
little bit, too. But no, I’m too busy babysitting,” I
growled. “You think I need this shit every after
everything that’s happened? Get a grip. Start
acting like an adult, and maybe you’ll be
treated like one.”

He stared down, and I could see his tight lips,

trying to hold back anger or tears—I wasn’t
sure which. My stomach twisted.

I wasn’t Will. We all handled our demons in

different ways, I got that, but his choices since
he’d gotten out weren’t making his life better. It
was a constant cycle of the numb wearing off
and chasing it down again. Eventually, though,
the girls and booze and drugs wouldn’t be
enough.

I clenched my fists, staring him down. “Michael

wants to buy the Cove,” I told him. That’s why
we’d met today out at the abandoned theme
park on Old Pointe Road that Will must’ve
heard about. “He wants to get some investors,
tear it down, and build a resort.”

Will shot his head up, his eyes suddenly

worried or maybe….frightened.

“You better get your head straight,” I warned

him, “because if you don’t, I’m going to let him
do it.”

The Cove had been sitting deserted for years.

It was prime real estate, right on the coast, and
unlike the rest of the area, there was a deep
harbor and a solid sea floor. Perfect for a
marina. Michael wanted us to buy it, with help,
of course, and put in a golf course, a hotel,
restaurants, hiking trails, private bungalows,
and anything else customary for a five-star
resort. And having a marina would be a huge
perk for yachters to frequent the place,
bringing in lots of wealthy business.

And bringing it away from Gabriel’s Meridian

City Hotels, as luck would have it.

Unfortunately, Michael knew Will would never

agree to it. The Cove was special to Will for
reasons I didn’t completely know.

And Rika would take Will’s side, just because

she wouldn’t agree to do anything that would
unnecessarily hurt one of us. Michael wanted
to run the plan by me today to have at least
one person on his side before bringing it to
them.

But I was still undecided. It was a big venture,

and I wasn’t sure we were ready.

Will’s chest heaved, taking in shallow breaths

as he turned around and drifted toward the
couch against the rock wall. Dropping his ass
down in this seat, his head immediately fell into
his hands. I could hear his heavy breaths from
here as he fisted his fingers in his light brown
hair.

I made my way over to him, accidentally

kicking an empty bottle of Jack. I spun across
the floor, clanging against a chair leg.

I stopped in front of him.

“I’m really sorry, you know?” He shook his

head, still buried in his hands. “I don’t mean to
be like this, but I…I don’t want to think about
everything. I don’t want to remember anything.
I’ll do better tomorrow.” He looked up, his
green eyes pooling and making my stomach
churn. “It’ll be better tomorrow.”

God, he looked lost. The pain etched across

his face, the misery in his eyes…

“I just feel…” he said, searching for words, “so

alone.”

I leaned down and grabbed him, pulling him up

to his feet and quickly swinging one of his arms
around my neck. He let me lead him toward
one of the bedrooms down the hall. Most were
still empty, but I knew there was a bed and
mattress in the master suite already,
because…
Well, because Michael and his Rika, that’s
why.

Walking him into the room, I took in the new

paint, the chandelier, and the king sized bed,
which luckily had sheets and blankets already.
The master bathroom sat off to the right.

“Even in high school, I was never your equal,”

he mumbled. “You were smarter, never did
stupid shit, you had respect…just like Michael.”

I unloaded him on the chair and turned around

to peel back the covers.

“But I didn’t feel inferior, even though I knew I

was,” he went on. “Damon was around. It was
balanced. Two positives, two negatives, you
know?”

Yeah.

I know.

“The four of us, we were so fucking perfect.” I

could hear the smile in his voice as he
remembered. “Michael’s leadership, your
control, Damon’s lack of control, and my…
search of the ultimate good time. We gave
each other something we all needed. It’s not
the same anymore. It’s not balanced anymore.”
I nodded, finally seeing what the problem was.
Just like I had told Michael. Will was lost
without Damon. He was right. We were perfect.
The perfect storm. An ideal fusion of four
deviant hearts who weren’t dangerous alone,
but put us together and it was fucking fire.

How in the hell did we find each other?

“I don’t fit in with you guys anymore,” Will said

quietly.

I frowned. How could he think he wasn’t

important?

But before I could turn around, he grabbed me

and wrapped his arms around my waist,
hugging me. “Hold me,” he whimpered like a
girl.

And then started laughing.

“Come on, man,” I whined, tearing out of his

hold. I turned around to see him hunched over,
still laughing.

Idiot. Reaching over, I yanked him up and

threw his ass on the bed, making sure he
swung his legs up before I covered him up. He
was only in his jeans anyway, so he could
sleep like that.
I left the room and trekked back downstairs,
kicking everyone out and then grabbing a
couple of waters out of one of the coolers
before heading back upstairs. I doubted there
would be any aspirin in the bathroom yet, so
tough luck for him.

I set the waters down on the pillow next to him.

“There’s water here,” I told him, seeing his
eyes closed. He groaned once, telling me he
heard me.

I leaned down, my voice stern. “If you wake up

and have to piss, get to the bathroom.
Michael’s already going to kill you for partying
here, and you don’t want Rika on your ass
because you leaked on her new floors. You
hear me?”

He gave me another sleepy groan, and I stood

up straight, turning off the lamp.

I wasn’t sure if he’d get himself straight on his

own. One thing you could guarantee about any
of us was that we didn’t want to look weak,
especially in front of each other. The shit he
was doing to himself were symptoms of
another problem, but I had yet to determine
how big or small that problem was. Or what it
was, exactly.
I turned and headed out of the room, hearing
his voice behind me.

“Kai?”

I stopped and turned my head, seeing him still

lying on the bed.

“I shouldn’t have burned down that gazebo,” he

said. “Why didn’t you stop me, man?”
 Hideaway
Deleted Scene 3
This scene originally took place after the flashback
scene of how Damon and Banks first met. She’s in
his bedroom and gets called downstairs

Banks
Within days of arriving, moving into my cubby
in the tower and spending hours upon hours of
being his shadow, I loved him. We were our
family.

Nik and Damon.

I looked over at the tanks, seeing Volos and

Kore II basking under their heat lamps.
Standing up, I walked over and removed the
lid, gingerly picking up Volos and helping him
curl around my hand. He should be dead
already. Kore passed years ago, but Volos was
hanging on. Perhaps for his master.

He rested peacefully, not moving, and I ran my

fingers down his scaly skin.
After the first meeting with Damon, I’d
researched his snakes on the Internet at the
library and found out Volos was a milk snake
and Kore was a corn snake. Both completely
harmless.

Although what Damon said was true. Any

animal bites when it’s provoked. Their bites,
though, weren’t venomous.

“Banks!” A pounding hit the door downstairs,

and I recognized Lev’s voice.

I put Volos back, careful to be gentle, and

replaced the lid. He’d held out this long, and I
was worried he wouldn’t last, especially with
Damon this close to coming home.

Hopefully.

“Banks!” Lev called again, and I walked for the

door and jogged down the stairs.

Opening up the door at the bottom, I saw Lev

standing there, his eyes bloodshot and cheeks
flushed, probably from drinking. It was late,
and the guys were winding down.

“Marina’s husband is back with his bullshit.” He

jerked his chin, indicating the direction of the
kitchen.
“So?” I shot back. “Handle it.”

“Come on,” he whined. “A man can’t tell

another man what to do with his own wife. You
need to handle this.”

I arched a brow and stepped out of the

stairwell, slamming the door behind me.

“You good-for-nothing coward,” I spat out,

barreling around him and walking for the stairs.

Bunch of lazy sons of bitches. Goddammit.

I charge down the steps, feeling him right

behind me as I swung around the bannister
and headed straight for the kitchen, where we
could almost always find Marina. Her fucking
husband tended the grounds here, both of
them living on the property, but once in a while
he liked to show up and remind her who was
really in charge of her.

Not Gabriel Torrance, not all the men on the

staff here she served and spent more time with
than him, and certainly not her.

He was a man without a castle and a serious

chip on his shoulder about that fact.

I entered the kitchen, passing David and Ilia in

the hall, standing close but not getting too
close, as Marina’s quiet sobs broke the
silence.

Bill Rutledge stood in front of her with his back

to me, holding a belt in his hand as he faced
his wife.

I didn’t know what provoked him this time, and

I didn’t give a shit.

Glancing around him, I looked at Marina, her

eyes flashing to me for a moment. Tears
covered her cheeks, half of her blonde hair tied
back but much of it had come loose, and her
shirt and apron were mussed. Her face was
red, but I didn’t see any blood.

She wasn’t usually here this late, but I could

see a pot on the stove and the burner lit. My
father probably ordered her back to make him
something.

“Hi,” I said, breaking the silence.

Bill turned his head, scowling at me. “Out,” he

ordered. “This isn’t your business.”

And then his eyes flashed behind me,

indicating the guys trailing in behind me now.

I stepped forward, instantly smelling sweat on

him. I held out my hand. “Give me the belt.”
He scoffed and shook his head, taking another
swig of the beer in his hand.

He wasn’t going to make this easy.

And I nearly closed my eyes with the pleasure

of anticipation. I could feel the swirling in my
stomach, the heat flowing down my arms, the
hard beat in my chest…

I liked this part. Cocking my head, I took a step

closer. “She’s had enough. Give me the belt.”

He turned around, facing me, and I stared up

into his blue eyes that were wrinkling at the
corners from years of working in the sun, and
his blond hair, wet with the sweat of exertion.

He narrowed his eyes on me, stepping up into

my space. He swung the belt off to his side
and got in my face.

I couldn’t hold in the little smile that escaped.

Years ago, no one would dare touch me out of
fear of dealing with Damon.

Now, every day, I fought to make sure no one

challenged me out of fear of dealing with me.

“Do it,” I told him. “Hit me.”

And I turned and planted my palms on the
table, leaning over just slightly. “Come on.”

Marina stopped sobbing, and not one of the

men in the room spoke.

I turned my head over my shoulder, speaking

to him. “You’re delaying Mr. Torrance’s dinner.
I’ll take her place, so do it.”

I felt him shift behind me, and every muscle in

my legs wanted to tremble. I breathed shallow,
digging my nails into the wooden table as he
moved behind me.

Come on! Come on. You can hurt me. You’re

going to put me in my place, aren’t you?

“Do it,” I whispered, breathing harder and

dropping my head back as I closed my
eyes. “Do it, do it, do it, do it…Make me
scream. Make me cry.” My skin crawled and
every hair stood on end.

Every animal bites when it’s provoked. Let’s do

this, you son of a bitch.

“Do it. Scare me. Come on! Make me scream.

You can do it. I want it!”

I slammed my palm down on the table, and I

heard Marina suck in a breath.
But everything remained silent. It was like no
one was breathing.

I waited for the first lash—if he fucking dared—

but nothing happened. Turning my eyes on him
behind me, I found him just standing there,
staring at me.

He’d backed up. He knew he wouldn’t be

getting any tears or screams out of me.

But he didn’t want to lose face in front of the

men, either, so he sniffled and shrugged,
suddenly acting like this was all no big deal.

“It’s fine,” he replied, laughing at himself. “I just

had two too many, I guess.”

Standing upright, I turned around and

approached him. I took his beer and kept my
eyes on him as I tossed it into the garbage.

He hesitated only a moment but took the cue

to get his fucking belt back on.

“You have a problem with Mr. Torrance’s cook,

you talk to me,” I told him. “You hurt her and
she can’t work, then you’ll be dealing with him.
If any of this is confusing, David will explain it
on the drive back to your house.” And then I
looked to the men, prompting them to get his
ass out of here. “Guys?”
David stared at me, looking lost in thought for a
moment, but then he blinked, coming to. He
wrangled the guys and led the way out the
back door. Bill didn’t even look at his wife as
he grudgingly followed them.

I heard more sniffling and saw Marina out of

the corner of my eye approach.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” she said, her voice

trembling.

She reached out and touched my face, but I

pulled away.

This wasn’t for her. It wasn’t, I told myself.

What she allowed to happen to her in their

house was her problem. When her husband
messed with the flow of this house, it became
my problem. Nothing more.

“Gabriel’s waiting for his dinner,” I told her,

walking out of the kitchen. “Fix your face.”
 Hideaway
Deleted Scene 4
This scene originally took place after David, Lev,
and Ilia took Banks home from the cemetery,
before she goes to her room and climbs in bed.

Banks
“Those fuckin’ guys,” David cursed from the
drivers’ seat, lighting a cigarette. “Little shits,
all of ‘em.”

“Connected little shits,” Ilia added.

I sat behind him on the passenger’s side,

staring out the window as they went on talking
about people they didn’t know. In was common
to have that animosity for the people they
worked for. And I felt the same about the girls
at the party, even though I shouldn’t have
made assumptions.

But it was easy to be bitter when you knew

you’d never have a chance to own the types of
cars you were paid to wash every day. Or hate
people who were simply winners of the birth
lottery, lucky enough to be born into money
and never knowing what it was like to work for
anything.

But Kai was different. He was nice.

Part of me wanted to explain what actually

happened when I was dropped into the grave,
and hey, I could even turn it around and blame
it on them, but…no. I didn’t feel like
apologizing for something that wasn’t my fault
and something I wasn’t sorry happened.

I had my first kiss at the bottom of an empty

grave. I’d always remember that, wouldn’t I?

“Hey,” I heard David say.

I turned my head and looked up, seeing his

eyes on me through the rearview mirror.

“Don’t think I don’t see that little smile on you

like you think he’s gonna give you something
good.” He shook his head once. “Not
happening. Ever. Chances are, Damon will
either bolts your knees together for the rest of
your life, or you’ll be marrying one of us. That’s
as good as you got to look forward to, Little
Girl.”
The smile I didn’t realize I had fell, and I turned
my eyes out the window again, somber as we
passed the gates and left the cemetery.

There was no way I’d stay here and live this

life forever.

“Lots of people come from nothing and make

something of themselves,” I replied more to
myself.

But Lev laughed next to me as he leaned back

in the seat. “Yeah, like me. Look at me.”

“And totally, me, too,” Ilia chimed in.

“Yeah, we all came from nothing and made

something of ourselves,” David mocked me in
the rear view mirror. “I hold down three fucking
jobs, including delivering pizza part-time at
night to scratch together enough to get myself
a fucking teacher education and change the
world, right? I do my homework on the bus to
city college every day. That’s me.”

I shook my head, averting his eyes.

“Yeah,” Lev joined in with a French accent. “I’m

going to go to culinary school and make ze
best dishes for all ze starving children in Ah-
frica.”
He kissed his fingers. “Muah!”

“And me, I’ll just get a factory job,” Ilia played

along, “a good, honest living to support my
church-going wife and my kids, Betty Sue,
Tommy, and Vlad.”

“Vlad?” Lev asked, perking up.

Ilia shrugged. “Should have at least one good

Russian name in there.”

They all laughed as if I was so naïve. Like the

idea of hope was a ridiculous waste of time.
But they had to want more at one point, didn’t
they? How did they become so jaded?

“Thing is, baby,” David said, and I met his eyes

in the mirror, “when you got no money, life can
just get too damn hard. Some people make it
out. Most don’t.”

Lev sighed next to me. “Shit just gets too damn

hard, and Gabriel pays.”

“And a month turns into two years really fast,”

Ilia added.

I frowned, staring out into the night and the

trees blowing past my window. The car was
becoming suffocating, the air thicker and
thicker.
No wonder they drank all the time.

No wonder they fought and did everything and

anything they could to numb themselves. As
far as they were concerned, it was all over
already. Nothing would ever be better than it
was right now.

And no wonder I’d been so smitten with Kai

Mori. He was different.

And he was the only one, aside from Marina,

who made me feel like the world could be
bigger.

David pulled up to our gate, and it immediately

opened, allowing him to pull through. Everyone
remained quiet as he continued down the long
driveway, and I peered up front to see the
digital clock read just after ten p.m.

My brother wouldn’t be home until at least

dawn. Was Kai still planning to go to the Pope
tonight? He must’ve gotten that key after our
conversation this morning, before he knew that
he’d run into me again.

I didn’t like the idea of him there without me.

David parked around the back of the house

and shut off the headlights, killing the car.
He looked at me over his shoulder. “Get to
your room and stay there.”

Yeah, yeah…I pushed open my door, and we

all got out, David, Lev, and Ilia heading toward
the shop and their bunks, while I opened the
back door, leading into the kitchen.
 Kill Switch
Bonus Scene
*This scene takes place after Kill Switch and is a
spoiler for the Devil's Night series. Please feel free
to come back to it after you've finished Kill Switch.

Damon
“You’re insane!” Bryce screamed, walking
away but then turning back around and
charging up to me again. “I’m going, and I’m
not coming back this time!”

‘K, Bye.

I slid the notch of the hammer onto the nail

head, pulling out the nail and removing his full
morning of fuck-ups. The muscles in my arms
were charged and hot, and if he didn’t fucking
leave, I’d remove him myself.

“I mean it, Damon!” he barked again, calling

my bluff.

I shot him a middle finger, not looking at him.

I heard cans crash to the floor and guessed
he’d probably kicked something as he stormed
to the door.

“Hey, what the hell?” I heard Kai burst in, the

two-way door flapping as he charged in from
the front office and into the warehouse where
we were working. “What’s going on?”

“He’s crazy,” Bryce said. “He can’t work with

people!”

I laughed under my breath.

I heard Kai sigh, because he was as much at

his wits’ end as I was.

Like, seriously. No one here could think for

themselves. You had to tell them every little
goddamn thing, and God help you if you had to
give them more than one instruction at a time,
because their brains would fucking short out,
because they couldn’t remember all that AND
remember to breathe at the same time.

I finished removing the last two nails and

pulled the two-by-four off and tossed it off to
the side, getting rid of any evidence he did any
work here today.
“He’s temperamental, but he’ll compromise,”
Kai explained to Bryce. “We’ve been through
this before.”

“Compromise?” Bryce whined. “He threw an ax

at my head!”

“If I’d thrown it at your head, I would’ve hit your

head,” I growled low.

There was silence, and then I heard Bryce’s

voice. “I’m outta here, man.”

I knelt down, pulling up the nails on the next

board he’d fucked up.

“Bryce, come on.”

“Let him go,” I told Kai.

The door swung open again, hitting the wall,

and the rest of the crew around me cleared
their throats, getting back to work as Kai
loomed. Why was he even fucking here? If I
couldn’t have Will handling shit out there, then
I wanted one of the girls. Michael and Kai
stressed me out more.

“How are you going to get anything done?” Kai

demanded, and I noticed a stack of papers
crunched in his fist.
“A lot better without that idiot around.”

“Damon…”

But I shook my head. Just fucking stop. I

needed to get the framing done on three more
treehouses before the baby came in like nine
days, not to mention finalize the design on the
fountain in front of Meridian City’s new
library and figure out what the fuck a she-shed
was, because Catherine O’Reilly just loved her
son’s new treehouse and thought I could build
her something of her own. She was paying
double to rush it before the snow started in a
few months, so I couldn’t say no.

Photographers were coming by all week to get

shots of “work-in-progress” for the new website
that Alex was handling and thankfully doing
everything to get us set up online. I just wanted
people to leave me alone in the warehouse. I
moved faster without help here.

But part of me knew I was part of my own

problem, too. The Langston kid wanted a
treehouse, but once I found out he was
obsessed with pirates I chucked everything
that was already done and started a design for
a tallship instead. What the fuck was I
thinking?
I looked over at the bow and masts already
constructed, feeling a smile tug at my lips. It
was going to look fucking fantastic when it was
done, though. It was worth it if he loved it.

“You are running on fumes,” Kai told me. “You

just got back from Washington, and then
California before that, you have a baby on the
way, projects are piling up…” He trailed off,
and I felt him inch closer. “I can’t believe I’m
saying this, but I think you should start
smoking again.”

I arched an eyebrow. I hadn’t entirely quit,

actually. I probably never would.

Lifting up the first frame, I leaned it against the

wall and then moved to the next one.

“You don’t need employees, you need a team,”

Kai said, following me. “I’m not taking any
more orders until we get this place in shape.
With a regular staff. I’ve already put word out
at the university that you’re recruiting.”

I shot him a scowl. He wasn’t wrong. I just

didn’t have time to deal with it.

But Kai went on, “You need an office manager,

you need a design team, and you need a
receptionist, and that’s not me. I have enough
on my plate.” He rubbed his neck. “Everyone is
scrambling to keep you covered, but you’ll be a
lot less stressed if your home base is running
smoothly.”

“Fine, whatever,” I snapped. “Just take care of

it. I need to stay ahead of schedule.”

Just do what you want, and don’t bug me with

it. I knew they were all doing me a shitload of
favors, and I was grateful they were here,
because I wasn’t cut out for a lot of this. I just
wanted someone else to be the face of the
business and for me to stay in the background,
designing and building and being left alone. If
Will was here, he could do it. He’d be happy to
do it.

But he wasn’t here a lot lately. He’d come

home for a couple months and then fly off
again, itching for space he never seemed to
need before. He, Alex, and a few others were
backpacking around Scandinavia over the
summer, but when they came home, he stayed
there, and I hadn’t seen him in weeks.

Although, he checked in regularly.

I think he was feeling left out. He saw Michael

with Rika, Kai with Banks, and me with Winter,
and struggled to feel like he belonged. He had
Alex, but she wasn’t what he needed, and he
just kept running away again and again, so he
wouldn’t think or…feel. Or deal.

Kai turned and headed back for the lobby but

then stopped, pulling his phone out of his
pocket.

“Ah, shit,” he said. “Where’s your phone?”

“Why?” I grumbled.

“Because it’s time.”

“Time for what?”

He stared at his phone, smiling to himself. “I

guess you’re girlfriend likes to stay ahead of
schedule, too.” And he looked up at me. “She
went into labor two hours ago. Where’s your
fucking phone?”

My heart leapt into my throat. What?! I patted

my jeans, looking around me.

Shit!

I spotted it lying on a pile of boards and darted

over, swiping it up. Pressing the power button,
it didn’t light up.

“Fuck, it’s dead. Where is she?” I barked.

Two hours. She’d been in labor for two hours?!

But he just laughed. “At the hospital. Let’s go.”

Why was he laughing? Maybe he forgot how

frantic he was when his kid came a few months
ago.

I charged out of the room, hearing Kai tell the

guys to lock the place up at five, and we
hurried out of the building and into my car.

***

We rushed into the hospital, knowing Labor

and Delivery was on the third floor from when
Banks had her kid in May. I didn’t even know
Winter was in the city today. What the hell’s
the matter with me? She probably texted, but
I’d forgotten to charge my phone last night, and
I didn’t know how long it had been dead.

We went up the elevator and bolted out as

soon as the doors opened, heading for the
nurse’s station, but I immediately spotted
Banks sitting on some chairs, holding her and
Kai’s son.

Madden.

Mads, for short. Mads Mori. Poor kid sounded

like an assassin.
I brushed her face as I walked by, and she
smiled big, excited for me. Mads gnawed with
his toothless mouth on her jaw, making cute
sounds and shit.

But then a scream pierced the air and a gasp,

and I heard a man’s voice and Alex’s coaching.
“I’ve got you!”

Without waiting, I burst into the room, my heart

jumping into my throat. I’d never heard Winter
sound like that before. Jesus. Was it supposed
to sound like that?

She laid on the bed, and I rushed up to her,

helping Alex hold her up as she pushed for the
doctor.

“Six, seven, eight…” the nurse continued

counting.

“Baby,” I breathed out, kissing her.

“Damon,” she gasped, realizing I was here.

“Nine, ten,” they finished.

And Winter let out a breath, sucking in air.

“I was so scared you weren’t going to be here,”

she said. “My water broke while we were
shopping, and he’s coming so fast.”
“I was with her,” Alex told me.

I steeled my arms around Winter and kissed

her forehead, cheeks, and lips, making sure
she felt me close.

“Thanks,” I told Alex.

Winter shook, and I studied her face, seeing

her biting her bottom lip and tears hanging at
the corner of her eyes.

And just like that she was eight again, our

fingers hanging on by a thread in the
treehouse, and I couldn’t stop what was
happening to her.

“Why is she crying?” I barked at the doctor.

“Because it fucking hurts!” she yelped,

answering for him.

“Well, give her something!”

“It’s too late for that now,” he mumbled through

his mask and then peered over Winter’s legs.
“Plus, you wanted natural childbirth, right?”

“What the fuck for?” I burst out, looking down

at her like she had three heads. “We didn’t talk
about that.”
She growled and pushed back up on her
elbows.

“Alright, deep breath and push!” the doctor

said. “One, two, three, four…”

“Ahhh!” she gritted through her teeth, her

whole fucking body tense and rigid, and I
wanted to look, but I didn’t want to leave her.

“Five, six, seven…” they called.

Winter looked flushed and sweat beaded her

brow.

“Eight, nine…”

Her face twisted up, and she let out a small

scream, and a tear fell, and I tightened my
fists, unable to take my eyes off her. Jesus,
fuck. Why the hell would she turn down
perfectly legal drugs?

“Ok, the head is out!” the doctor told us.

My lungs emptied, and my stomach

somersaulted. I moved to look, but she pulled
me back. “Don’t leave me.”

I leaned back down and kissed her, but I

started to laugh, and I couldn’t help it.
I didn’t know why I was feeling what I was
feeling, but it was incredible. Whatever it was.

“I’ll bet it’s a boy,” she said, sucking in deep

breaths.

“If you’re wrong, you have to do that bathtub

thing for me,” I remined her of our bet.

We hadn’t found out the sex of the kid, wanting

to be surprised.

But she just laughed despite herself. “I do it for

you anyway. You know that?” she shot back.

“Ok, one more push,” the doctor told her.

Alex and I lifted her up again, and she took a

few deep breaths, and then inhaled one more
and held it, squeezing her eyes shut and
pushing as the count began.

“One, two, three…”

I stared at her face, so much shit washing over

me as I watched her, but most of all I just
wanted to hold her close. I couldn’t believe this
was happening.

“Four, five…”
I was going to be such a screw up. I’d do some
many things wrong with her and this kid.

“Six, seven, eight…”

But fuck, I was going to love them. I didn’t care

about being perfect. I just wanted to be
everything my father wasn’t. I wanted this with
her a million more times, and no matter all the
shit that still lived inside me, I already knew I
was better than him.

“Nine, ten…”

The doctor pulled back, Winter collapsed, and I

heard a shrill cry fill the room.

“It’s a boy!” the doctor said.

I looked over, seeing red, little arms and legs

as they cleared out his mouth and checked
him, and then I watched as they brought him
over and put him on Winter’s chest with a little
blanket.

She smiled but started crying, wrapping her

arms around him, and I just stood there,
unable to breathe for a minute.

“A boy,” she said. “Told you.”

“Jesus Christ.” I smiled, lightly touching his
head, almost afraid to touch him. “Holy shit.”

I checked his fingers and counted his toes,

holding one of his long legs as he kicked.

“Twenty-two and three-fourths inches long,

eight pounds and eleven ounces,” the nurse
said somewhere behind us.

“That’s big,” the doctor commented. “He’s

going to play basketball, Damon.”

I smiled but didn’t take my eyes off my girl and

my kid.

I kind of wished we were fucking married now,

but with the business, Winter’s dancing, and
the pregnancy, we decided to take our time
and do it right. I wanted to have it our way.

Alex left, probably to tell everyone waiting that

he was here and healthy, and then I
remembered that Will wasn’t here.

I faltered. He should be here for this. Out of all

my friends, he should be here.

“What does he look like?” Winter whispered up

at me, her voice raspy.
I smoothed my hand over both their heads.
“Like next year he’ll be running around in the
fountains with us,” I told her. “He’s perfect,
baby. Black hair, a little pissed off…”

She snorted, and I thought about what he’d

look like in a year when he was walking and
running and laughing and playing. I wanted the
noise. I wanted it all over the house. I wanted it
filling our lives from here on out.

“Congratulations,” the doctor said as the

nurses cleared up.

I kept my eyes on my kid. “How soon can she

get pregnant again?” I asked the doctor.

“Damon…” Winter laughed under her breath.

I heard the doctor chuckle. “I think he likes

being a father,” he said to Winter.

But I just turned my head and locked eyes with

the doctor, and his face fell.

“Oh, you’re serious,” he said, realizing I wasn’t

laughing.

He opened his mouth to speak, but it took him

a few moments to find his words. “Um, within a
few months, I’d say,” he finally answered. “It
was a healthy pregnancy. But she needs time
to heal.”

And then he said it again, slower and firmer,

sounding like a warning. “You should give her
time to heal.”

The corner of my mouth tipped up, amused.

Did he think I was a monster?

***

The night passed as they transferred Winter

into another room and took the baby to get
washed. When they returned him, we all held
him for a while, and Banks, Kai, Michael, and
Rika finally left, but I asked Alex to stay in case
Winter needed something, and we didn’t want
to leave her alone. I stayed by his bassinet,
watching him breathe as mother and son both
slept, but after not being able to get any
myself, I needed to stretch my legs.

I walked over to Winter, pulling my phone off

the charger as I whispered in her ear. “Going
to get some air,” I told her. “Be right back.”

She moaned softly and nodded, and I left,

closing the door behind me.
I went down the elevator and made my way
outside, the balmy August air thick and heavy
on my skin as I stretched my arms over my
head and yawned. I breathed in the smell of
hot asphalt and fresh bread from the bakery
down the street and dialed Will, but it went
straight to voicemail.

I shook my head.

I almost hung up, but then a rush of sudden

anger made me lash out. “You knew my kid
was coming this month,” I snapped. “Why
aren’t you here? You missed it. You know,
you’re just really fucking…”

But I stopped and hung up, grinding my teeth

together, because I didn’t know what to say.

Asshole.

But after a moment, I felt bad. I had no right to

lose my temper with him.

I dialed him back, waiting for voicemail to pick

up again. “I miss you,” I said. “We all miss you.
We need you, okay? My son needs you.
You’re his favorite. I know it already. Just…”

I shook my head again and hung up.

I shouldn’t be angry. I’d done my fair share of
shit I thought I needed to do.

This was just important. I wanted him part of

this memory.

I turned to go back inside, but a twinge of

something else hit my nostrils, and I paused.
Realization hit, and I smiled to myself,
forgetting Will for a moment.

Turning my head, I saw a cloud of smoke drift

from behind a corner and walked toward it,
spotting Rika sitting on a parking stump with
her legs outstretched and ankles crossed as
she smoked a Davidoff.

I walked up next to her, staying standing, and

without looking, she handed me the pack and
lighter as if expecting me.

What was she up to? She’d been awkward as

fuck the past several months, and I was half-
tempted to kidnap her again, steal Michael’s
yacht, and take her to sea until she had it out
with me. We hadn’t gotten a chance to speak
earlier, but she was clearly back for a reason.

I took the cigarettes and dug one out, lighting

the tip and reveling in the welcome, familiar
taste. I took another puff and blew out the
smoke, handing the cigarettes and lighter back
to her.

“I’m going to tell her she has a grandchild,” she

stated, still staring ahead.

So that was why she was sitting out here at

four in the morning? Trying to figure out how to
handle a situation that was none of her damn
business?

“Tell her whatever you want.”

In the months since I’d found out that Rika’s

mother was also mine, I’d neither spoken to or
reached out to Christiane Fane. She saw to my
freedom after my father was killed, but as far
as I was concerned, she owed me that much,
so no, I wasn’t grateful. Screw her.

Winning wasn’t important, but the fight was,

and she didn’t fight for me at all. Having her
around would bring absolutely nothing to the
table.

But Rika continued to protest. “Damon, you

can’t do this to her. She deserves to be in his
life.”

“Do you really believe that?” I asked her even

though she still wouldn’t look at me. “What if
my father had never told me the truth? Would
she have? It didn’t look like that was her plan.”

“Maybe once she learned he was dead, that

was exactly her plan,” she shot back. And then
she stood up and looked up at me. “The truth
is, she wanted you. She didn’t abort you or
give you away. And she wasn’t the best mother
she could be, but she never hurt me. She
never raised a hand to me, and she loved me.”

I shook my head, not caring.

Or trying not to care.

An image of Christiane played in my head,

though. Young, crying, holding me in her arms
before my father snatches me away. I couldn’t
imagine the pain.

But I blinked and shook my head. No. I was a

parent now, and I knew, without a doubt,
nothing would stand between him and me. She
was weak for far too long. My kid didn’t need
someone like that.

“She’s not the only family you have, either,”

Rika pointed out. “She comes with an army of
relatives in Africa and Europe. Don’t you want
that for your children?”
“No,” I retorted without hesitation. “My children
will have Winter and me.” And then I looked
over at her. “And you.”

She narrowed her eyes on me.

“And Banks, Alex, and the guys,” I

added. “And they’ll have your children. This is
their family. It’s exactly the family I want for
them.”

And before she could argue any more, I flicked

the cigarette off and walked away, back toward
the entrance.

“I will win this,” she called out, threatening me.

And I turned around, unable to hide the smile

from my face. “I look forward to seeing your
next move,” I taunted.

And I spun back around, heading into the

hospital.

Honestly, I wasn’t concerned. She might win,

but it wouldn’t be tonight, and it wouldn’t
happen if I didn’t ultimately want it to. The
prospect of having Rika back in play was just
too much fun, though, so let her try.

I hated my father for everything he’d done, but

even though I hated to admit it, I loved this
part. Part of me always wondered why I was
drawn to Rika just a little more than other
women besides Winter and Banks. I wondered
why whatever was between us felt natural and
inevitable. How I could’ve hurt her or killed her
a thousand times, but something always held
me back.

Of course she was one of my own. Of course

she was. It all made sense last Devil’s Night.
Everything seemed to align, and I had no fear.

Like Banks—like Winter and me—Rika was

unique. She was built for the wilds, and I
wanted her in my family.

Walking back down the hall and heading up it

the elevator, I made my way for Winter’s room
and lightly closed the door behind me. Her
phone sat on the bedside table, an app playing
some rain sounds as she slept, and I stepped
over, looking in the bassinet at the sleeping
baby, who was still swaddled up tight and
warm. But now he wore a black beanie with
white lettering “New to the Crew”.

I laughed quietly and looked over at Alex

passed out on the chair next to his little bed. I
didn’t remember that among any of the things
Winter bought. I’d have to thank Alex. That
was pretty funny. She must’ve woken up and
changed it while I was outside.
I cocked my head, looking down at him. I
expected him to be crying 24/7, but he was
pretty quiet. Maybe he knew he was safe.

Or maybe he was tired, and shit would get real

tomorrow.

“How is he?” I heard Winter whisper.

I popped up, looking over and seeing her sit

up, her blonde hair in beautiful disarray around
her.

“Asleep,” I told her.

I leaned down and held her face, noticing how

exhausted she looked. We were both running
on little fuel with everything going on these
days, and it was time to slow down. I’d wanted
to get so much more done before the kid
came, but there was no time for that now.
She’d need me a lot the next couple of weeks
at least. But eventually, I’d need to hire
someone to help with the baby. We knew that
was a reality.

For now, though, I’d enjoy it just being he three

of us.

I kissed her, and she put her hand on mine. “I

need a shower.”
I stood up and took her hands. “I’ll help.”

I guided her out of the bed and carefully across

the suite to the bathroom, leaning down to
nudge Alex on the way. “Alex?” I said, seeing
her jostle. “Keep an ear out for the kid, okay?
We’re gonna take a shower.”

She nodded and yawned, and we headed into

the bathroom, but I left the door open a crack,
just in case.

Winter wasted no time shedding her hospital

gown as I started the shower, getting the water
warm enough, and she wrapped her arms
around my waist, hanging onto me like she
was going to fall over.

“You smell like high school,” she mused.

“I had a cigarette,” I admitted, even though I

was pretty sure she knew I was still smoking
here and there. “I was just feeling too good.”

“I like it.”

I didn’t want it all over my clothes when I held

the kid, but the prospect of looking forward to a
smoke once in a while made “quitting” easier.

I stripped off my clothes and lifted her into the

shower with me, closing the door behind us.
As soon as I put her under the water, I saw the
blood start to rinse from her body and turn the
floor pink.

My stomach turned a little. I wanted more kids,

but I didn’t like putting her body through this at
all. I knew she’d be fine once she healed, but it
almost seemed unfair that some women did
this five or six times. Sometimes more. It
looked brutal.

And I didn’t want to see her cry like that again.

We washed our hair and rinsed, and then I

soaped up a cloth and washed her body,
knowing she must be fucking sore to let me do
it without protest.

“What will you do?” she asked as I knelt in

front of her and washed her legs. “About
Christiane?”

I paused, thinking. With Rika, I had too much

pride to give myself away, but with Winter, I
was freer.

“Do you think I should let her in?” I asked, not

looking at her.

She put her hands on my shoulders to steady

herself as I lifted her leg and washed her foot.
“I don’t think we have to be in a hurry to make
any decisions now,” she said.

I smiled to myself. I loved how she was. She

made me better, because I loved seeing her
happy, but she didn’t push me, either.

“Our family comes first,” she added.

“Our family…” I repeated. My family. Mine.

I continued washing her, finishing her legs and

cleaning the blood off her thighs.

“Do you ever stand at the edge of a cliff or a

balcony,” she asked, “and have this moment
where you wonder what it would feel like to
jump?”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Kind of thrilled at the idea that you’re one step

from death?” She squeezed my shoulders.
“One step…” she said. “And everything
changes?”

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “It symbolizes a need to

engage in self-destructive behavior. It’s not
that uncommon.”

While driving, we think, even for just a

moment, about jerking the steering wheel into
oncoming traffic or leaping off the balcony of a
ship and into the abyss of the black water
below. They’re passing thoughts and little
dares we allow our psyche, because we’re
tired of not living and we want the fear. We
want to remember why we want to live.

And some of us were more tempted than

others at the thrill of how, in the moment,
everything could change. Of how it’s not about
who we are but what we are, and animals don’t
apologize for whatever they need to do to
survive.

“There’s a French phrase for it,” she said.

“L’appel du vide.”

I looked up at her, her pink lips misty with hot

water.

“That’s what binds us,” she told me.

“Who?”

“Our family.”

Our family?

“Kai, Banks, Michael, Rika, Will, Alex…” she

went on. “You and me. We all hear it. L’appel
du vide. The call of the void.”
I stopped, gazing at her.

“The call of the void,” I murmured.

Was she right? Was that what bound us

together? Like recognizes like, after all, and we
lived in that need to go a step further and feel
everything we were capable of. The fear was
terrifying, but coming out the other side
redefined our reality.

“I like it,” I told her.

She paused and then said, “I love you.”

A pang hit my heart like it always did when she

said that. Like I was falling for her all over
again.

I stood up and wrapped my arms around her,

smoothing her hair back under the water.

“You’re so beautiful,” I said. “Even though you

gave me a son when I explicitly asked for a
daughter.”

She broke out in a laugh. “I didn’t give you

anything!” she argued. “It’s the chromosome
the male contributes that decides the child’s
sex. This is all your fault.”
We both smiled, and I nudged her with my
nose. I wasn’t sure why I thought the kid was
going to be a girl. Maybe I just hoped. I
seemed to be better with girls. Banks, Winter,
Rika… I was afraid, I guess.

“We’ll just have to keep trying,” I teased.

She nuzzled into my neck, leaving little kisses

and making chills break out all over my body.

“I love you,” she whispered. “I love you.”

My dick started to harden, and I shook my

head. “Don’t…” I begged. “You’re going to
make these next few weeks torture.”

We couldn’t have sex for I-didn’t-know how

long.

“He’s perfect, you know?” I scaled my hands

down her back. “You did an amazing job. I just
hope he has more you than me in him.”

She nodded, agreeing, and I gave her a swat

on the ass.

She laughed. “So what are we naming him

then?” she asked.

“We didn’t decide?”

“Not that I remember.”

I closed my eyes, shaking my head. God, I had

no idea. Nothing old, please. And nothing
biblical.

Oh, and nothing unisex. Like Peyton, Leighton,

or Drayton.

“Any ideas?” she asked.

But I just leaned her back into the wall and

held her close. “Tomorrow,” I said.

Right now I was more interested in climbing

into bed with her and sleeping for as long as
we could.

The name wasn’t important. He had my hair,

and tomorrow, maybe I’d get to see if he had
her eyes.

If he had mine, then I guess nothing skipped

generations, after all, and Christiane was full of
it.

Couldn’t wait to find out.