Page 116 of Brutal Reign

“Listen, I get it. I would feel the same, but as long as Simon walks the earth, Hope and Kin will never be safe.” Maxim ashes his cigar, his gaze trained on me. “Simon won’t rest until he gets his prize back.”

“I don’t like this,” I say, because I’d be letting her walk into a trap. Even with full protection and backup, things can go wrong. But I also know they have a valid point. And this is our best chance of getting to Simon and ending this war once and for all.

I run my hands over my face. “There’s only one way this happens,” I say to my brothers. “If Hope is in on it. I tell her everything and let it be her decision.”

The table goes quiet, everyone considering my terms.

When I look up, Niko is staring at me intensely. “How sure are you about her loyalties?”

My spine goes rigid. I don’t like this line of questioning. I know Sofiya’s abduction is still fresh. He’s still torn up aboutwhat could have happened to the woman he loves, and I get that more than he knows.

Because I won’t take a chance with the woman I love either.

And fuck, I do love Hope. I haven’t told her yet, but there’s no doubt that what I feel for her is all-consuming, soul-deep love. The real thing.

“Completely sure.”

He nods slowly and sits back in his seat. “Then you have my support.”

My eyes travel around the table, meeting the gaze of each and every one of my brothers. When all of them nod, my shoulders drop a few inches.

From the far side of the terrace, I watch Hope throw her head back and laugh. She looks relaxed and happy. Her guard is dropping, and I can feel her starting to trust me. I just hope the revelation about the tablet and monitoring her communications doesn’t destroy everything we’ve built.

“Element opens in a little over a week,” Vadim notes, referring to one of our new downtown clubs. “If she agrees, a club’s the perfect place to arrange a meeting like that. It’s dark, crowded, and open to the public.”

Roman chuckles darkly when he catches my grim expression. Like he can read my mind, he says, “She’ll understand you did what was necessary.”

“Would Liza understand if you’d been monitoring her communications?”

“Maybe, maybe not. But she’d be alive to hate me, which is what matters.”

Niko slaps my back. “Welcome to marriage. Sometimes love equals nearly losing your balls.”

“Thanks for the pep talk,” I mutter darkly.

Maxim stands and squeezes my shoulder. “If she hates Simon as much as you say, she’ll want to do this. You’ll see.”

But will she want to stay and make a life with me? Or will this be the final straw that sends her running for good?

The path back to our house is lit by small lanterns every few feet, casting everything in a warm golden glow. Hope’s arm is threaded through mine, and she hums softly under her breath despite the late hour. Kin’s weight is solid against my chest; he’s completely knocked out from his big day.

We walk in comfortable silence. There’s a lightness to Hope that I haven’t seen before, like some invisible weight has been lifted from her shoulders.

When we reach the house, I carry Kin straight to his room. Hope follows, taking off his jacket while I work on untying his shoes. He’s so tired he doesn’t even stir.

She leans down and kisses his forehead. “Sweet dreams, baby.”

I do the same, ruffling his hair gently. “Sleep tight, buddy.”

The moment we step into the hallway, Hope’s hands are on my chest, pushing me backward until I hit the wall. Her face is flushed, eyes dark with want.

“Do you know what it does to me, watching you with Kin?” She pulls me down to her level, her mouth crushing against mine with desperate hunger.

The taste of tequila and something uniquely Hope floods my senses. Blood rushes to my cock, swelling against the zipper of my pants.

“The way you are with him,” she whispers against my lips. “Patient and caring. It’s the biggest turn-on I can think of.”

I grip her waist and lift her against the wall. Her legs instinctively wrap around my hips, and I line up our cores, grinding us together for the friction we both crave.