“I do know.”
“Sucks you in, huh?” He smirked at me and laughed. “Guess so, since he’s got you doing his dirty work.”
“And paying me a shit ton more than he’s paying you.”
“Fair enough.” Rolan pushed off the shelf. “Fact is, Owain’s got that something. Don’t know what it is, but some people are magnetic. They pull you into their orbit and don’t let you go spinning away even when you want to. It’s some cult leader shit, or maybe the shit politician’s have, I don’t know, but whatever it is, he’s got it out the asshole. Hard to ignore, even if you want to.”
“I noticed.”
“He’s fair though, Owain is. You follow the rules, you do what he asks, and he gives back in spades. He’d take a bullet for any one of us, and even though we don’t agree with everything he does—” He gave me a pointed look, eyebrow raised. “—we still respect him enough to go along with it.”
“Thanks for telling me all that.”
“Yeah, sure. You’d hear it all eventually. Might as well hear it from me.” He stretched and yawned. “Anyway I’ll be outside if you need me.” He walked toward the door then hesitated and looked back. “And hey, just a warning. The guys will accept what Owain says, but that doesn’t mean they like it. So be careful around them, especially Camillo, at least for a while.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
He shrugged and left. As the door shut, Owain appeared, said something to him, then stepped inside. I smiled at him, head cocked to the side as he approached.
“How’s my favorite girl doing?”
“I’m doing good. I was just talking about you.”
“Telling the world how much you’re obsessed with me?”
“Pretty much. Can’t keep you to myself.”
He laughed, deep and throaty, and came around toward me. He out his hands on my hips and lifted me up then set me back down on top of the counter. I wrapped my legs around him as he pressed himself closer, running his strong, big hands through my hair, his lips inches away from mine.
“I can keep you to myself, though,” he said. “Every inch of you, all mine.”
“How shocking. A mobster that doesn’t like to share.”
He chuckled again and kissed my lips gently. He lingered there like he wanted to breathe me in and taste me, and I loved when he did that—it always made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the room, like no matter how much he’s around me, he just can’t get enough.
“What can I say, I’m a cliché. And yet you love it.”
“I’m starting to get used to it at least.”
He kissed me again then gripped my ass. I grinned and kissed his neck, but before things could go any further, he pulled me back down from the counter and stepped a few feet away.
“I came here for a reason, and unfortunately fooling around with you isn’t it.”
“Maybe you could change your mind and come into the back with me? I can put up a closed sign.”
“Tempting.” He took a deep breath then met my eye. “I’m going on a hit tonight and I want you to come with me.”
I frowned, taken aback. “You want me on a hit?”
“I want you in the car, at least. Nowhere near danger.”
“Why?”
He paced across the room toward the door, looked outside, and paced back. I could tell something was bothering him, but I knew better than to push. He’d spill it eventually, all I had to do was be patient.
Which surprised me. I was learning about him, how he functioned, without realizing it.
“I’m afraid they’re coming after you. Clifton knows you’re important to me, and I think you’re going to become his primary target.”
“You don’t want to leave me alone.”
“Exactly. I’m bringing all my guys except Martin on this one, and I can’t leave only one old man behind to guard you. So I need you with me, as close as you can be.”
I pulled at my hair, tugging it straight then letting it go. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. Like I said, you’ll stay in the car, away from the danger. But I need you there. I need to know you’re safe.”
I nodded slowly. “If that’s what you need, then okay. I’ll come with you.”
“Good.” The relief on his face was surprising.
“What if I had said no?”
“Then I would’ve figured out some way to convince you.”
“And if you couldn’t?”
He tilted his head slightly. “I won’t force you into anything, my little diamond. We’re beyond that now. Partners, remember?”
“Right.” I released my hair and let a nervous laugh bubble up from my gut. “Partners. And you wouldn’t violate that.”
“You know me. There are rules, and I follow them, even when I don’t want to.”
“True, very true.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, blowing out my cheeks. “Do I need to do anything? Should I wear all black?”
“Just be ready. I promise, I’ll keep you out of harm’s way.”
“I trust you.”
He lingered for another moment then turned and stalked to the door. I watched him go with a strange feeling in my chest, caught halfway between terror and longing, and unsure of which way I wanted to lean.
It didn’t matter. I’d do what he asked and I knew it. After all this, Owain had somehow proven himself to me, and I knew that he would do anything to keep me safe. If he said bringing me along tonight was the only way to ensure nothing bad would happen to me, then I’d go, no questions asked.
It was strange, feeling this way for a man I knew was dangerous—and yet it also felt natural, like falling asleep in a warm afternoon. It was easy to get close to him, and the more I resisted it, the more I realized I couldn’t stop it.
And didn’t want to, not really, not if I was honest with myself.
21
Owain
Leigh sat in the back seat of my car pinned between Ivan
