“Oh my God, fuck off. I don’t really care. Just that’s Reid’s brother, so don’t be a total asshole, okay, or I’ll have to do something very serious…. to you.”
Parker snorts. “I’m not afraid of you. Big baddie with a heart of gold.”
“I have a higher kill count than you.”
“That you know of.”
Parker slams the car into park the moment we pull into the garage, jumping out to head inside before I can even think of how to parse apart his answer. The house is quiet when I step inside. Darkness falls over the kitchen from the heavy snow falling past the windows. A plate of brownies sits in the middle of the dining table, and I grab two as I head off to locate Reid.
Finding Reid is easy these days. He’s sitting by the fire in the living room, curled up in the chair that Hayden bought for him since the couch is usually taken up by the four of us. He looks so small in the chair, smaller than normal, his small feet tucked up under his thighs. He’s got his sketchbook balanced on his thighs, lip caught between his teeth in thought. How this man is mine will always amaze me. I drop to my knees in front of him, handing him a brownie with a smile only ever meant for him.
“I’ve had one already,” Reid murmurs, nose wrinkled in disdain.
“You can have another.”
Reid sniffs, but doesn’t argue. He lets me feed him bites of the brownie as he continues to draw. Feeding him is something we’ve found that we both like, even when it’s not my cock. Something about taking care of Reid lights up all those fun receptors in my brain, the same ones that find joy in making him cry, in making him hurt. I don’t want to think too much about it.
“What are you drawing?” I ask, leaning over to try to sneak a peek.
Reid tilts his sketchpad up with a scowl. “Excuse you.”
I wiggle my eyebrows. “I can make you show me.”
“Likely story.”
I rise to my knees and loom over him, tucking my head into the crook of his neck to kiss the rapid beat of his pulse. His breath catches in his chest, sketchbook falling to his lap as his fingers come up to tangle in my hair. Moving his shirt out of the way, I bite the tender, meaty part of his shoulder, and he hisses in pleasure at the feeling of my teeth against his skin. When I pull away, his eyes are blown and I can’t help but lean down to kiss his plush lips. He opens up for me like always, eager and wanting.
“Excuse me,” Hayden calls out from behind us.
Reid drops his hands from my hair like he was burned. Clearing his throat, Reid’s eyes dip down to the sketchbook in his lap, tugging it against his chest before I can sneak a look.
Hayden comes to stand beside us, hand held out with a thin letter dangling between his fingers. “This came for you.”
Reid takes the envelope with a confused look, eyes tracking Hayden as he disappears up the stairs, Jacob hot on his heels. Reid spins the envelope in his fingers a few times, then gazes up at me with a million questions in his eyes. I shrug because I have no idea what it is either. I stand quickly,picking Reid up despite his squawk of annoyance, then toss myself back to settle him in my lap.
Reid raises one eyebrow. “I assume the doctor went well?”
“Yes, all clear.” I squeeze his hip hard. “We can talk about that later though. What’s in the envelope?”
I will never be able to explain why it turns me on when Reid delicately uses his finger to open the flap of the envelope. He peers inside for a moment, hair falling into his eyes, then shakes his hair away as he tugs the piece of paper out. His eyes scan over the paper, squinting in confusion, then crimson dots across his cheeks. Whatever is in the letter made him happy.
“Did you do this?” Reid asks, voice tinged with awe.
“Do what?” I lean closer to read the letter hanging precariously in his hand.
Reid
Thankyou for keeping my secrets. In exchange for your helpfulness, I’ve had the CEO of FlyNow killed. By the time you read this letter, he’ll be lying in a pile of his own vomit, appearing to have died from an overdose. Nasty things those painkillers are.
I’d alsolike you to consider becoming one of my boys. Hayden reports that you’re very savvy with hacking and coding, which can be useful so that I can utilize Hayden in other ways. Your parents’ killer being put down should not sway you, make the decision with your heart so that you can have a clean conscience like the other boys.
Please give Hayden your answer.
Keep Dante safe,he’s very important to me.
What.
I stare down at the letter a few times before lifting my gaze to look at Reid. His eyes are already firmly on me, flicking over my face as if trying to memorize the moment.
