“We’ve got so much to talk about and figure out. I need to put a pin in this now. What I told you, I have never told anyone, but it’s all I can deal with at the moment. I need normal. Honestly, Iwant to sit in front of the fire and eat this food, and later, I want to watch the fire and fall asleep on someone’s lap. Can we do that? Can we just be us for a night?”
And much like before, the three of them flip on me. The aggression disappears, the buildup of tension goes with it, and the same, occasionally confusing, sense of warmth and homecoming returns.
Aleksei chuckles up against my ear. “Easy done,maya. Tonight is about us. Tomorrow is probably more about us, and then after, we will talk about our future plans.”
“Why are you laughing?” I ask, more confused than wary.
He hums, and he’s so close to me, his stubble rubs against my face. “Before, you say you’re powerless or a little weak around us, but look at what you wield. We’re ready to spill blood as quickly as we are to fight for who gets to hold you first. That is true power. And you, my wife, hold it all.”
I turn so fast, my lips brush over his. His eyes are open, and he’s smiling. “You knew I’d turn around.”
“I hoped.” He closes the very small fraction of space between us, his kiss gentle and soft. “Santiago needs to dote on you, fall asleep on Kade’s lap, and I’ll be the one to wake you up. Sounds fair?”
“Aleksei, the whole wife thing…”
He reaches over andshhsme with a finger to my lips. “It’s true. Even not knowing who you were, the terms of our arrangement with Victor meant if anything happened to my brother, I would take his place. My father made Sergey set up his will so, in death, he leaves everything to me—his position with the Bratva, all his possessions, and his wife. So, you are not Dr. Quinn Garcia. You are Dr. Quinn Petrov, married to Aleksei Petrov. It makes my dick so hard, even saying it.”
I laugh, and he does too. Behind me, Santiago makes a strangled sound that only makes Aleksei laugh louder. Kade isquiet, but I turn and see him smiling. He’s still distracted, but with each blink, he’s relaxing, well, as much as Kade relaxes.
Santiago tugs on my hand, and Aleksei sits back, letting it happen. “Come, bebe. I said outside, I need to see you eating. That needs to happen now more than ever. Please let me care for you like an Alpha needs to dote on his sweet Omega.”
The three of them work together to make what I asked for happen. Within moments, the fire is roaring, and the dogs are sprawled out near it. We each have a plate full of food, with drinks poured too. They take what I said about Victor in stride, but they also help shoulder the burden. I feel unbelievably lighter now I’ve said the words I never thought I would say to anyone else.
Kade is watching me closely while Santiago decides he needs to add more food to my plate
“Thank you for sharing, Quinny. You are a hundred percent right. This is who we are, and doing this is more important than who’s who in the zoo.”
“You realize you’re part of the zoo, right?” Aleksei points his fork at Kade, the hint of a teasing smile on his face. “I think you the hippo. So slow. Santiago even said stay fast on your feet at the restaurant because we’re using real bullets, and what happened? Or maybe that was your plan to get mymayaall to yourself? Hmmm… a bullet to the leg is a small price to pay if you get her alone. Maybe you the smartest of all of us, despite your big mouth?”
Chapter Forty-Five
SANTIAGO
Sunlight is still an hour or so away, but Aleksei is already pacing outside, his dogs out there with him. Every now and then, I hear him speaking quietly on the phone.
Quinn’s eyes are still closed, her breathing deep.
Of course she’s right; everything is blurring with how fast things are moving, us included. But as long as we’re together, I know we can handle all the phases of how we become a pack. I’ve got no doubt we will clash and argue, but passion is a part of our pack because it’s in each of us.
I roll out of the makeshift bed we set up. It threw me last night when Quinn asked coyly if we could all sleep out here, the dogs included, with the fire keeping us warm and providing the only light.
She was adorably nervous, taking a long time to come out of the bathroom, but when she did, wearing the shirt I’d worn yesterday, matched with a pair of Aleksei’s gym shorts and a pair of Kade’s socks, I saw her fear firsthand—before I got so fuckinghard, I had to run into the bathroom and stand under a shower, beating my cock hard, grunting her name barely seconds later.
Quinn might be struggling, but by god, she was made for us. I wish I could give her the ability not to doubt herself or us, but the only thing I can give her is my time and patience while showing her over and over how incredible she is.
Victor is a fucking problem. More concerning is her throwaway line of no one believing her. There’s a story there, one that makes my blood boil already. I’m not the only one compartmentalizing. Kade is, and so is Aleksei.
He had to get up once he was sure she was asleep. His silent communication by way of a finger in my face, and a sign for me to take his place closer to her, confirmed how we all deal differently.
He and Roshka reappeared an hour or so later. He was covered in sweat, despite the fucking cold night, and Roshka was panting heavily. As soon as his head hit the pillow on Kade’s other side, he was out after finally outrunning his demons.
When he woke, he slipped outside. He returns, finding me restacking the fire.
“All okay?” I ask.
“Victor needed an update. It seems we have an issue because he can’t get a hold of Olga. He won’t speak to Catalina.”
And he won’t find or speak to either because Aleksei told me where Olga is and who Catalina works for. The former won’t find Olga, no matter how hard he looks. We have Olga, and she’ll be judged not by the law but by the Trinity Alliance.
