Page 50 of Dangerous Men

I must still look skeptical because he smirks, his dark eyes sparkling. “I’m not expecting you to jump into bed with me, darling. I’d like to take you out on a date, that’s all. A proper date, with just me. Give me a chance to earn your trust and get to know you. That’s all I’m asking for.”

A real, proper date.

With Mason Alexander Sterling.

“I, uh…” My heart is beating too fast. I can’t seem to get my thoughts in order, can’t seem to remember why that would be such a bad idea. “Yeah. Okay. I would like that, I think.”

His fingers stroke my hand as he smiles. “And I’dlike to continue messaging you while I’m out of town. Would that be okay?”

Still stunned, I nod.

“Perfect.” The words come out in a purr. “Well, until then, darling.”

I can feel his touch on my skin well after he leaves. And I think, for just a second, that maybe moving fast isn’t such a bad thing after all.

21

SEBASTIAN

“Earl gray tea,”I tell the girl with faded purple hair behind the counter, my eyes fixed on the café’s board of specials. “With a quarter inch room for cream. And an egg white and cheese croissant sandwich.”

The nametag pinned to her apron this morning tells me her name is Jade—she/her pronouns—but even without the pin, I’m fully aware of who she is. A sizable portion of my work for our organization is research. My specialty is knowing exactly how to find out everything there is to know about a person. Including all the skeletons buried in their backyard.

Metaphorical and literal.

After the digging I did yesterday, I know more than I could ever need to know about Jade. Born to Korean immigrants, with only one sibling—a brother, currently studying computer sciences on the other side of the country—she’s an open book to me. After the dossier I compiled on her, I could tell you Jade’s credit score, past sexual history, and what she likely had for breakfast this morning.

(A single strawberry pop tart, straight from the package, if I were a betting man.)

I pay for my drink and wait until she’s turned away, focused on making it for me, before I slip a stack of twenties into the café’s tip jar. After combing through their store’s financial records and tax returns last night, I’m all too aware of the razor-thin profit margin they’re operating with. Even with Alec coming here and trying to buy out the bookstore practically every evening. And while I wouldloveto not be wasting my time in this godforsaken place, it won’t hurt my wallet to be a little generous.

“One earl gray,” Jade announces, turning and setting it on the counter in front of me, “for the big spender.”

Her eyes flick to the tip jar and back to me, an easy smile forming on her face.Fuck. I clench my jaw tight as I take my drink, not meeting her eyes. Of course she saw. It shouldn’t surprise me that a barista keeps an eagle eye on her tip jar in a city like this. The last thing I want today is attention.

No. Thesecondto last thing I want today is attention. Thelastthing I want is to be spending my time stuck here babysitting some inane woman my brothers are inexplicably obsessed with. Especially with the possibility that Dante is out there, somewhere.

Alive.

“Your sandwich will be ready in just a few minutes,” Jade tells me, and even though I’m not looking, I can tell from her voice she’s still smiling at me. “I’ll have it brought over to you, if you’d like?”

I give a small nod in answer and make my way over to one of the tables set up around the café. High-quality furniture at least, albeit a little small for someone of my height. I make myself as comfortable as I can—which isn’t very—before setting my laptop up and booting up my proxy software,settling in for another long workday in the most uncomfortable environment possible. Don’t get me wrong, this place is cozy.Cute. But I prefer my desk, chair, and multiple monitor set-up in my office with the air conditioning on high and the smiles on zero.

I work best without distractions. And this place is full of distractions.

Speaking of… I’ve barely finished setting up when my phone flashes with a message.

Sterling: I want updates. Anything that happens to her.

I roll my eyes and go to swipe the notification away. The screen flashes again almost immediately.

Ashton: How’s our girl today?

Our girl.Fucking idiots, both of them. I had hoped that after the charity banquet, they would have moved on to their next shiny new toy, but no. Apparently, this one is here to stay—at least for the next few days. I swipe Ashton’s message away and flip my phone over for good measure, happy to leave them both waiting.

No distractions.

Maybe once they actually fuck her, they can get over this new obsession of theirs. Sure, my brothers can get a little fixated from time to time—It’s what makes Alec a successful businessman, and what makes Ashton a great fighter—but fixating on a woman like this? That’s new. And irritating as all hell.