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“I dunno. Maybe you and Dad want to kiss and stuff.” He makes a gagging noise, and Mildred and I laugh.
“Well, I’ll be home after dinner. Be good for Mildred.”
The bell rings, and I grab my clutch before walking to the door. When I pull it open, Carson’s blue eyes journey from my feet to my hair, and then he swallows hard, and all the work I just put in is totally worth it.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous.”
“He said the F-word!” Charlie announces from behind me, making us both laugh.
“I’ll see you later,” I tell him. “To the moon.”
“And back,” he replies, and I step out onto the porch with my husband.
“I want to rip that dress off you and fuck you right here on this porch.”
Well then.
“Our son is awake, and this is a family neighborhood.”
He leans in and skims his lips over my cheek to my ear. “Do you think I fucking care if strangers know that I’ve fucked you so hard that you’re screaming my name? No. Charlie’s another story, though, and I promised you dinner.”
Well, there went those panties, up in flames.
He takes my hand in his, links our fingers, and leads me down the walkway to the waiting SUV. When we get there, I stop cold because I recognize the new guy waiting for us.
“Spider?”
“Hello, missus,” he says, and it brings tears to my eyes. Spider was always part of Carson’s crew, and seeing him makes me more homesick than I’ve been in years.
“Spider is my number two now,” Carson says, and when I glance up, I see that his face has gone harder. Because he’s in front of his men?
“Can I hug him?”
I know that my husband is possessive, but he squeezes my hand and then lets go.
“This one time.”
I rush over and Spider opens his arms for me, and folds me into a big hug. He’s almost as large as Carson, and he’s a wall of muscle with scary tattoos and scars, but I remember a man that used to make me laugh and took me to get Taco Bell late at night when Carson was out working.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” I say softly.
“It’s so good to see you, Rina,” he replies. “Now, before you get me killed, you’d better let go.”
I laugh, even though I know he’s not kidding. I sense the harsher side in my husband. The edge that he doesn’t show Charlie, and I only see glimpses of.
Carson gestures for me to get into the car, and then he slides in behind me, fastens my belt for me, and we’re off. Four men stayed behind to guard the house, but everyone else is with us, one car ahead and one car behind.
We’re surrounded by security.
“Do you always travel like this?” I ask him as I reach out to take his hand. Now that he’s with me and I can touch him, I don’t ever want to stop.
“Like what?”
“With all of the guards.”
He shakes his head. “Not always. I usually have a few guys with me, unless I have to leave the country for work. That I do alone.”
His face is completely hard and stony, no emotion at all, but his hand grips mine tightly.
