Alarm bells ring in my ears. Who the hell is this girl, and where did she come from? I wouldn’t put it past the Russians to use women to do their dirty work, and I’m immediately suspicious. I take a couple of steps back from her. “Who are you?” I ask in a sharper tone.
She twirls a lock of her hair as she fixes me with a smug smile. “Didn’t Bennett tell you?”
All the tiny hairs lift on the back of my neck. “Tell me what?”
She closes the space between us, lifting her chin and pinning me with a haughty expression. “I’m Anais. I’m Bennett’s fiancée.”
41
BEN
Something is wrong with Sierra, and I can’t figure out what it is or how it happened. We only spoke this morning on the phone, and everything seemed fine. Maybe I’ve gotten greedy, but I’d expected a much warmer welcome than the frosty one I received. Scrubbing a hand down my face, I sigh. Honestly, I could do without this shit. It’s been the week from hell, and I don’t need the additional stress. I’m reminded of one of the reasons why I’ve avoided relationships for most of my adult life.
Women are complex creatures, and I rarely have the patience to deal with them.
But this is Firefly.
I love her.
Iadoreher.
If she’s upset,I’mupset.
If something is wrong, I want to know what it is so I can fix it.
I long to pull her aside and demand to know what the issue is, but I don’t want to put a damper on Rowan’s little Halloween party. Sierra has gone to a huge amount of effort to make it special for him so he doesn’t miss trick or treating. She has transformed his playroom with long painted sheets of ghosts, skeletons, witches, and goblins. Fake cobwebs hang in streams across the ceilings, and she covered all the lights in the room with sheer red sheets, casting a bloody haze over the room. The side table holds bowls of candy, chips, and drinks.
Sierra is dressed like an angel, in a costume she made for herself, complete with white and silver wings stuck to her back. She’s a vision of innocence. One I wouldn’t mind corrupting. Rowan is wearing a store-bought Batman costume, and funnily enough, I picked up a devil costume from a place in the city on my way home today.
The angel and the devil. It really couldn’t be more apt. It wouldn’t be as funny if we had planned it, but we didn’t. My decision was a spur-of-the-moment thing.
Leo scowls at me, and I smirk at the sight of him in the too tight Thor costume. It was the only size they had left in the store, and I couldn’t resist. Every so often he adjusts the suit in the crotch area, muttering under his breath, and I can’t help laughing. Alessandro is some kind of ancient gladiator, resplendent with a fake sword and plastic headpiece, and he’s taking it in stride. Even Angelo entered into the spirit of things, dressing as Charlie Chaplin. Ruthie is a USO nurse. Most everyone is in good spirits, feeding off Rowan’s excitement.
Sierra is an amazing mother. Rowan is so blessed to have her as his mom, and I can’t wait to make her my wife. Whatever has happened, I won’t let it come between us. I’ll cut her some slack, even if I want to put her over my lap and spank her bare ass every time she glowers in my direction. I asked Alessandro what is going on when I first arrived and noticed her attitude, but he’s as in the dark as I am. That didn’t give me the warm fuzzies.
What the hell is going on with my most trusted solider? He seems distracted, and that concerns me. He should know if something happened. Perhaps I should have left Frank here and sent Alessandro to Philly instead.
There is no point pondering it now. I can’t do anything about this until I talk to Sierra. So, I do what she does. I plaster a happy smile on my face as we bob for apples, share candy, and watchCasperin our home theater.
After tucking a sleepy Rowan into bed, I strip out of my costume, changing into jeans and a long-sleeved Henley, before hunting down my woman. I don’t have to search far. She is pacing in front of the fire in our living room, looking like she’s ready to shred the world to pieces.
Or maybe just me.
She has removed the angel wings, but she’s still wearing the white and silver dress, and I long to tear it from her body and do all manner of devilish things to her. Her head whips up when I close the door to the hallway, giving us complete privacy. Alessandro has already retreated to his room, wanting to stay out of the line of fire, I’m sure. Though there will be no avoiding it if I find out he is at fault in any way.
Her eyes narrow, and her hands ball into fists at her side, and I’m pretty sure sexy times are off the table right now.
“What is going on, Firefly?” I ask, approaching hesitantly. I love Sierra’s feisty momma-bear side, but the look she is currently giving me is on a whole other level, and honestly, I’m a little afraid.
“You tell me,” she snarls, shoving at my shoulders when I stop in front of her.
“I have no clue what the issue is, but if you tell me what’s troubling you, I will fix it.”
She harrumphs, and I can almost see the steam billowing from her ears. “Why is there another woman, agirl, living in this house, and why does she claim to be your fiancée?” she spits, looking like she wants to rip my throat out.
Oh. Fuck.
“Calm down, Firefly. It’s not whatever you are thinking.”
