“I’m not going any further until you say the words, Flower.” My words come out strangled and desperate.
She unwraps her legs from my body, her feet slipping to the floor.
“Thank you,” she whispers. She doesn’t say anything else about the matter though. She looks toward the window, biting her bottom lip.
See, she’s not ready and that’s okay.
“I’m going to call my brother, Kieran. He’ll know who in the crew I can trust. Why don’t you go get dressed and find us a movie to watch in the meantime?” I tell her.
Her eyes snap to mine, she nods and starts to walk toward the guest bedroom but stops. “Oh, can we get more of that Chinese stuff, especially those ragoony things?”
I bite back a grin. “Yeah, I’ll order us some.” I hope that when this is all over with, she still has the glow in her that she has today. This job is going to be dirty, and people are going to die. It’s a life not meant for everyone.
When she disappears around the corner, I go to my room in search of my cell phone. This is the first job I’m putting into motion without Kieran, but he knows the crew better than anyone. I text Kieran to come over. It’s better that I talk to him in person than over the phone about the matter. Besides, having my brother around will help get my head out of Luna’s ass.
Luna
Lying on the couch in some yoga pants and a tank, I bite into another ragoon as we watch Single White Female, I picked it. Romeo sits on the other couch in a pair of sweats, I catch him staring at me every once in a while and every time my heart quickens when our eyes meet. My body wants him, it does. When he touches me, my skin heats at first then a delicious tingle follows. I never wanted to be touched by another man after the last guy touched me wrongfully. Some fat political figure with blocky hands. The burn of that man’s hands scorched my skin in a different kind of way, but the more I’m around Romeo, the more my body overcomes my mind and I want him to get closer, to take me to a world I only fantasized about.
A knock on the door has me freeze mid-chew. I look to Romeo, and his lips curl up in that sexy way that he does.
“It’s my brother. He’s here to help us,” he explains. He grabs the remote and presses pause on the movie, stands, and leaves the room.
I swallow. I know Romeo trusts his brother, and that means I should, but I’m nervous. All it takes is one wrong person to make this blow up in our faces.
12
Romeo
Opening the front door, Kieran sighs, adjusting the tie of his suit. He slips both of his hands over his wet hair, slicking it back as he gets closer, his eyes looking right at me. I notice it’s just him this time, I thought Leona and him were inseparable.
“Your better half didn’t come with?” I ask, letting him inside.
“I had a feeling this was a one-on-one meeting,” he replies, glancing over his shoulder at me. “Plus, she’s not feeling well.”
I shut the door, and watch him make a beeline for the wet bar, pouring himself a hefty drink, he takes a small sip walking to my kitchen island, sitting on the stool.
“Talk to me, little brother,” he requests, the lights in the ceiling casting down a light on him shadowing his features.
I open my mouth to start but then notice Luna standing at the threshold of the living room, her outfit fit for running around Central Park. Those tight yoga pants were a good idea, they outline her figure beautifully. I tilt my head in a gesture telling her to come in.
Sensing someone else in the room, Kieran looks over his shoulder, he sits straighter.
“Oh!” he claims in surprise.
“Kieran, this is Luna,” I introduce. Luna shyly tucks a wild hair behind her ear. She gives a small wave, coming off as a scaredy cat, but that woman has the roar of a feral lion. I’ve seen it before.
“We’ve met before, but you weren’t really with it,” Kieran informs her his tone conveying just how uncomfortable their introduction is.
“I remember,” she says softly. But she doesn’t come any closer. She stays back, she’s still learning who she can trust.
Swallowing the lump suddenly in my throat, I press my hands to the island and prepare myself to tell Kieran about the suicidal job I’m putting into motion.
“Luna has been trafficked her whole life and we want to take down the ring she was in. I need a crew to do that,” I cut to the chase.
Kieran’s eyes widen, and he takes a sip of the McCallan.
“Who can I trust?” I continue.
“You know Dad is within that ring, right?” Kieran says matter-of-factly.
My face grim, eyes hooded, I lift my right eyebrow. “I know,” is all I say. For now.
He looks back at Luna then to me. “You’re not doing this just to get some ass, are you?” His voice bitter.
I push off the island, anger mounting inside my chest. Jesus Christ.
“I can get ass anytime I want. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do. Do you even know what that feels like, to do the right thing?” I sneer sharply, and Kieran stills. He doesn’t have a clue. He’s always played the bad guy, taking the path less traveled. Hurting anyone and anything without thinking about the impact.
“Right. Well, there’s only one guy I can think of. I recruited him and Dad put him in the bottom ranks as a soldier. His name is Gideon,” Kieran informs, polishing off the rest of his drink.
Gideon. Never heard of him.
“Where can I find him?”
He looks up at me through hooded eyes.
“I’ll contact him. If you guys are going to do this, you’re going to need
