“Come home with me.”
She took a deep breath. Shook her head. Startled by how direct I was.
“What?”
“Please.” My voice cracked enough that I hated myself for it. “Just, come home with me, Madeline. You don’t even have to talk to me. You can sleep, scream at me, you can do whatever you want. Just come with me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I’m begging you to.”
My thumb brushed her pulse.
She studied me for a long moment. “You’re impossible.”
“Yeah. I know.”
Her shoulders dropped a little.
“Fine. I’ll come with you.”
For a heartbeat, I didn’t move. I just stared at her, making sure I’d heard right. When it sank in, my breath broke on a half-laugh, half-exhale.
“Thank fuck,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “I really didn’t want to get on my knees.”
That earned me the smallest smile, barely there, but real.
“And you called me dramatic,” she murmured.
I reached for her coat, brushing her arm as I helped her into it. She didn’t flinch this time. We walked back toward the main hall, her heels clicking softly, my men falling back into formation without a word.
I didn’t say another thing. I didn’t have to. Every step she took beside me was enough.
And as we stepped out into the cold night air, all I could think was that I needed to get her out of here.
10
Vince
By some miracle I got her home. We ate. I failed at flirting. She called it out. And by some grace of a higher power. She stayed the night.
When I woke up warm. My instinct was to tense. Then I heard her breathe. Her head shifted slightly on my chest. Her hand tightened at my waist, fingers tracing my ribs.
Fuck.
It almost broke me, how sweet it was. Like some part of her already thought I was home.
I moved slowly, careful not to wake her. I reached for my phone from the nightstand, unlocking it with one hand. I opened the family group thread.
CROWS // BUSINESS + BLOOD.
Vince
If no one is dying or about to die, don’t contact me today. That includes business.
I mean it.
It took exactly eight seconds.
