Page 28 of Antonio Miles

“You’re beautiful, Tessa. And so fucking brave.”

I couldn’t even move. I just lay there, feeling what I thought might actually be happiness.

“You OK, baby?”

I thought about it, wanting to be as honest with Tonio as I could. “Yeah. I’m better than OK.” The truth surprised me. I felt more like myself than I had in months. Maybe years.

He smiled, slow and tired. “Good. You’re not scared of me?” Did he sound vulnerable? “I mean, you know who and what I am.”

I kissed his chest where I rested my head. “I do, Tonio. I know exactly who and what you are. All I can say is, you’re lucky you’re cute, but I still want to be with you because you’re a good man. Besides, reputations are rarely true to character.”

He laughed, low and soft. “Not my usual feedback.”

“Don’t get cocky,” I said. But I smiled against his skin.

He tipped my chin up so I had to look him in the eyes. “You can have anything I have. Anything you want. All you have to do is take it.”

He meant it. I saw that in the way he looked at me, the way he held me without trying to change or break me.

I swallowed. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

He tucked my hair behind my ear. “I’ve never broken one yet. I won’t start with you.” For some strange reason, I believed him. Antonio Miles, heir to the Miles Family throne. “Just give me a chance, Tessa. You try with me as hard as you want me to try with you. I promise everything will work out between us.”

I didn’t know if I truly believed everything would work out, but I knew I wanted to try. I sighed and closed my eyes, drifting to sleep in his arms as I listened to the steady beat of his heart.

The world would come for us soon enough. We had work to do tomorrow, but for now, I was his, and he was mine, and I would make sure we were both ready for whatever came next.

Chapter Nine

Antonio

I woke before Tessa. I’d gone to sleep with her in my arms, her soft little body curled against me like she belonged there. I was wired to never sleep more than a couple of hours at a time. So, I lay there, staring at the ceiling, the smell of sex and sweat thick in the sheets, and I let myself just… drift. For the first time in more years than I cared to dwell on.

The funny thing about this mess was that I’d spent my whole Goddamn life refusing to get attached to anything or anyone. Even my old man. I’d always kept my distance, even when I put my life on the line for them. I had all the power and none of the bullshit feelings. Even once I found Darby and Carrie. Though Darby eventually got through some of my defenses, the woman was a force of nature and could take care of herself. Carrie as well. Not to mention, both women had men of their own more than capable of protecting them.

But none of that bullshit applied with Tessa. She didn’t just get under my skin, she got into my fucking bones. Last night should have been a good time, stress relief. Instead, it was like I’d found something inside myself I had no idea existed, and now I wasn’t sure I could ever lose. I wasn’t even mad about it. That was the really twisted shit.

I gazed down at her now and knew I’d never find a woman more perfect for me. And she for Goddamned sure was the most beautiful, courageous, holy terror I’d ever met.

I left Tessa warm in our bed, still asleep. The sun had barely risen, staining the edge of the mountain with golden light. I needed my head clear before I took on the task ahead of me.

Even with the scarce amount of staff, the house was already alive when I arrived on the lower level. Kass had two men at the back door while Finch checked in with the guards on the perimeter. Hawk and Sully had arrived earlier, along with a few other men from Kiss of Death. The only activity in the kitchen, however, took place at the coffee pot where the rich, dark liquid happily brewed on the counter.

I poured a mug of coffee and stalked through the corridor to the west wing. Kass had set up a war room of sorts the night before. We needed a place to keep all our information where we could find it at a glance. This seemed to be the best way for everyone to have access. Also, we could meet where we could see the information in front of us.

Seth had already arrived inside, standing with his back to the windows, arms crossed. Griffin and Hawk flanked him. Sully sat at the end of the table, his laptop open, tapping notes. Darby perched on a stool in the corner, booted feet propped on a side chair. She grinned when I entered.

Kass and Finch followed soon after. Knight’s image was up on the wall screen in a video call with us. If Knight was tired after pulling so many hours straight through, he didn’t show it.

I took the seat at the head. The mug burned in my hand, but the pain grounded me. “Let’s get to it.”

Seth nodded, cool as always. “Knight. Tell us what you have.”

Knight wasted no time. “Enclave Éclipse runs two floors above the import business. Entry’s on the front, biometric lock plus key card. Rourke’s badge gets you past the first two doors, but for the vault room you need a valid biometric, and there are no workarounds. Denton uses his thumb or his iris, and he does not have a backup code.”

I nodded. “Physical access?”

“Loading bay in the back. The security camera is above the roll-up door. Unmarked delivery vans twice a week according to the schedule. I’m still confirming that, but so far everything’s checked out. No regular foot traffic. That’s where Denton keeps pay-to-play records. All his client lists and buyer info. Everything.”