“Pialto and Sophie are coming to the Christmas event. They know it’s meant to be a surprise for Molly. I’m assuming Lassiter will attend with them in some form or fashion. Jess’s mother and brother are also attending. The center is a good foundation for all of us to come together and move forward. With Lassiter and Pialto, your volunteering here, I’d like to invite everyone to the party. Your housemates. You.” His mouth dipped down as he added, curtly, “Lane.”
I almost laughed at the contempt he couldn’t contain, but the rest, it did feel like he was sincere. Or he was trying.
Lassiter.
I missed him.
I also missed Creighton.
I swallowed a knot. “If Last is attending, we’ll be there.”
“Excellent. I’ll let the board know. You can look for the invitations in the mail.” He was getting ready to leave.
Nerves suddenly hit me. “In the warehouse, you mentioned that I was also a player on the board. What did you mean by that?”
He stopped short, surprised. “Because you are. I wasn’t talking about just the power you hold over Lane. Though you do. That power can’t be ignored. Your boyfriend is like an assault rifle, and you’re the pin that either turns him into a killing machine or you can keep him as just a pile of metal. But no, that’s not all I was referring to. I meant you as a player. In a similar kidnapping situation, my wife wouldn’t have reacted as you did. She would’ve gotten free, but she might not have done it as fast. She would’ve raged. She would’ve yelled. She would’ve stolen someone’s gun and shot her way out of that building. Molly would’ve been sweet until she flipped a switch she has. After that, I don’t know the destruction she would’ve left in her path, but I know there would’ve been a trail. You, though. You shut down. You quieted. You just did the work, like a professional. No fuss, no ripple. You were there, and then you weren’t. It’s your natural default setting. And knowing that, I feel reassured letting the war stop where it has, letting Lane remain operating in my city.”
I was dazed at all of that.
“Creighton once told me that I’m bad at what I do.”
I almost laughed. “That sounds like something he’d say.”
“He was right, in a way. This business is dirty. It’s cruel and cold and ugly. I am not a bad man, but what I doisbad. I get that. There might be a time in the future where Ashton and I decide to go legit, and there will no longer be any West or Walden Mafia business, but that’s not today. Or tomorrow. And until that day happens, I’m okay knowing that your boyfriend is another threat in this city. It’s like we had a wolverine trying to break into our house. Ashton and I decided to open the door. The wolverine is nowinour house, but you know what else? If anyone tries to get in, they have to get past that same psychopathic wolverine because it turns out, he is lethally protective of the ones he loves. I can work with that.”
Psychopathic wolverine. How appropriate.
Chapter Fifty
Blake
It was dark by the time I got back to the house.
I stopped short in my bedroom, seeing Creighton on my bed. He’d stopped having me followed, so either I was still being followed or ... “West messaged you? A heads-up that he invited us to the center’s Christmas party?”
He moved to sit against the headboard. “A heads-up call. I think he’d rather work with you than remain civil with me. Is that what you two talked about? Are you and West going into business together? You want to off me and take over my network?”
I moved to my closet and pulled my shirt off over my head. Dropping the rest of my clothes, I tugged on his hoodie. No matter this recent time apart, I still slept in it. This one or the other five hoodies I’d liberated from him.
Padding barefoot to the bed, I crawled on top of it before hesitating, and then I just went for it.
I’d missed him.
I settled over his lap, straddling him.
His hands went to my hips, holding me in place, but he continued just to watch me. “This is a surprise. The meeting must’ve beenveryinformative or veryboring. Which was it, Blake?”
Oh yeah. I heard the bite again. He was pissed. “You’re trying to start a fight with me.”
“I’ve stayed away. I pulled my men from following you.Istopped from following you. I helped that girl and her sister for you. Now this? Now I’m getting a call from Tristian West that he had a conversation with you?” His hands tightened on my thighs for a moment. “If you’re upset that I’ve come to see you and you’re about to stick a knife in me, give a guy a little warning. I’ll try and keep my body relaxed so you can stick it all the way through.”
I closed my eyes, rested my forehead against his chest, and breathed him in.
God. I loved his scent. Pine trees and just him. I said there, “You’re not funny.”
“Not trying to be.” His hands smoothed out over my legs again. “What is this, Blake? I need the full rundown on what West talked to you about and if you want me to leave, I’ll go after that.”
Shaking my head, I lifted it to better see him. I didn’t want that.
