Page 26

Taylor

Aries’ arms hold me close against his chest as we sway to the music.

I should be focusing on the group of men in the corner of the room, gathering any intel that I can, but the man whose hands that have been rubbing a circle on my back is distracting the hell out of me. And judging by the devious look on his face, he knows exactly what he is doing.

He may be wearing a black and gray mask, but I can see the heat shining brightly in his chocolate eyes.

Ari leans down, his mouth next to my ear. “Stop looking at me like that or I will drag your sweet ass into the closest bathroom.”

My mouth drops open. “We are supposed to be focused. You cannot be saying shit like that!”

He shrugs and hugs me closer. “Whoever said you shouldn’t mix pleasure with work clearly didn’t have a girl that looked as sexy as you.”

I can’t help but roll my eyes. “You already got me, Ace. You don’t need to try to woo me.”

“Who said I was wooing you? I am simply stating facts. And the facts are that my girl is hot as sin and shouldn’t be allowed to dress like this in public, where I have to hide my rock hard cock while other guys stare at her.”

I feel my face heat behind the mask and I bury my face in Ari’s chest.

Suddenly, Ari’s chest hardens and his arms go rigid around me. Knowing better, my head moves slowly to look up at him, his black and grey mask not the only mask in place now.

“Ace. What’s wrong?” I ask quietly, moving our bodies to sway to the music so as not to draw attention to ourselves.

Not taking his eyes off somewhere behind me, he lowers his voice so only I can hear. “Marcus and his partners just escorted in a group of women. They look very uncomfortable and if my gut is right, I suspect they are not willing participants in this charade they are playing tonight.”

My spine goes rigid and I try to turn around to get a look, but Ari holds me in place. “Don’t. We cannot draw any attention to ourselves. We will blow our cover.”

Anger rises in my chest. “Aries. Do not for a second think that I am going to stand here while innocent women become a part of some sick and twisted scheme. Think of what they did to you and imagine adding in rape and unwanted sex?”

Ari’s hand comes up to cup my face, his eyes meeting mine. “I know, Hellhound. If I let you look, promise me you will not react. We cannot have our cover blown. I will not risk your life anymore than I already am by bringing you here tonight.”

I nod rapidly and allow Ari to turn us, so I can glance around Ari’s arm, this new view giving me a good look at the men and women.

Bile rises in my throat as soon as I catch sight of one of the girls.

Melody. I’d recognize her almost white blonde hair and tall frame anywhere. She was a victim at the same place I was back in New York, five or six years ago. One day she was there and the next day when we all woke up, she was gone. We had all assumed she had been sold to the next bidder, or worse.

It happened quite often and I still think of the girls I will never see again because the systems put in place to protect us failed them.

Melody glances around the room and when her eyes meet mine, they go wide, and she starts to panic. The older man next to her quickly corrects her with a slap on the ass.

My blood boils, my promise to Ari immediately forgotten.

Catching him off guard, I pull away from him and make my way towards the group of women and Melody.

My rapid approach catches the attention of Marcus and the group of men, and just when I’m a few feet away, I feel myself being dragged in the opposite direction.

Spinning on my heels, I turn to look up at Aries, my chest heaving. “Let me go, Aries. I will not let them stand there and be abused by those assholes. I know we are here to gather intel, but I know one of the girls. She recognized me, Ari and it would kill me if I just let her stand there, knowing her only ally in the room left her to go back into the system of abuse.”

Ari’s hold on me doesn’t loosen, and he stares down at me, his head lifting every few seconds to check our surroundings. “I know, Hellhound, and I’m very sorry, but you can’t help her if we are killed in the process.”

His head snaps up as movement catches our eye from the side. Marcus and his minions are rapidly walking toward us, and my stomach sinks.

Oh fuck.

Aries doesn’t waste a second before dragging us out the door and down the stairs. As soon as our feet hit the sidewalk, he lifts me into his arms and takes off down the city streets, tucking into the first alleyway we see.

We stand there in silence for a moment, both of our chests heaving.

Ari doesn’t let me down as he tilts his head down to meet mine. “Sorry Butterfly. I will not risk your life. I—”

“I know, but I need to save her and the rest of those girls. I can’t just let them stand there with those filthy bastards. Please Ari. You can stay here and I’ll go back. They won’t recognize me.”

A black SUV pulls up next to the alley and I freeze. But the fear quickly dissipates when Ari moves towards the SUV and slides into the backseat.

As the unknown driver pulls away from the curb, Ari takes both of our masks off before rapidly typing on his phone.

He doesn’t say a word, and my frustration grows. “Ari. Let me go back. I promise I will call you and keep you updated. Just go back to the hotel and I will call you when I get them to safety.”

“No.”

Turning in the seat to fully face him, the slit of my dress falling open further. “What the fuck do you mean, no? Last time I checked, I am a grown woman who is capable of making her own decisions. You may be the man that kisses me goodnight, but don’t get it twisted for a second that I am not in total control of what I can and cannot do.”

Aries types rapidly on his phone for a moment longer before turning his full attention on me. “You’re right. I am the man that kisses you goodnight and holds you when you can’t sleep. You’re also correct that I do not control you or tell you what you can and cannot do. But that doesn’t mean I am not going to protect you with every fiber of my being.”

“But—”

“Let me speak, Taylor.”

His voice is stern and I know I should listen, but the look on Melody’s face keeps replaying in my head.

I open my mouth to protest, but Aries stops me by dragging me into his lap, his tattooed hands cupping each side of my face. “Stop. Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

His thumb brushes against my cheek and I can’t help but sink into his touch.

“Then I need you to trust me that I have the situation handled.”

“But how?”

“I just activated the New York team. They are walking in there as we speak and have explicit instructions on who to look for.”

Shock must be evident on my face because a small smile spreads across Aries’ face. “I would never let innocent women just stand there and continue to be taken advantage of. I just needed to get us out of there and out of danger before all the hard work and putting ourselves in danger went flying out the window.”

Sighing, my head drops to Ari’s chest. “I’m sorry. I should have listened to you.”

“Say that again.”

My head pops up and I glare at him.

A chuckle escapes him, and he pokes my side, eliciting a screech from me. “Stop!”

“Not until you say those beautiful words again.”

His tickling continues, and finally, when hiccups overtake my body, I throw my hands up. “FINE! I’m sorry! I should have listened to you. You were right!”

Aries torture immediately stops, and he smiles. “Damn. You didn’t have to add in the “I was right” part, but thank you. Words of affirmation are my love language.”

Dramatically, I fall back against his chest, not hiding my eye roll. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Not the love language. Who the hell are you, and what did you do with the grumpy man who would stare at me and watch my every move?”

Ari spins me in his lap, his dark eyes meeting mine. “He finally got the girl that he has been in love with for years to admit that she feels the same.”

My eyes go wide. “I–I didn’t—”

“I know you didn’t. But you will. Just give it time.”

Did he just…yep. Aries Clark just told me he loved me in the back of the car in the middle of New York City.

Do not panic. Do not panic.

His tattooed hands brush against my face and he leans in, placing a gentle kiss to my lips. “Don’t panic. Just accept the fact that I love you and I’m not afraid to show it. Take your time because I will wait for eternity if that means I can ride off into the sunset with you in my arms.”

Damn this man.

Words fail me, and all I can do is nod.

Lucky for me, he doesn’t push as the car slows to a stop outside our hotel. “Now that that's been addressed. What do you say we go up to our room, order some pizza, and watch security footage from the event?”

“Aww, you do know the way to my heart,” I say, my hand moving to rest on my heart.

Ari places a quick kiss to my lips and smacks my ass. “Always Butterfly.”