Page 1 of Edge (Killers Inc. #2)

The way Henry’s face lit as he joked with Beau always fascinated Mickey.

The salt in his pepper beard caught the light as he threw his head back and roared with laughter.

Mickey found the entire scene riveting. No one acted this way with Beau.

Beau Bosi was the biggest weapons dealer on the west coast. He was deadly and could be extremely cruel.

Yet there was this whole other side to him at home.

Just like Beau, Henry was also two different people.

One was the guy who ruthlessly protected everyone under Beau’s roof and killed without guilt or mercy.

Then there was this guy who cut up with Beau like they were both high school pranksters.

Sometimes, Mickey wondered if there was something wrong with him for the way that made him feel.

“You’re in love with him.”

Mickey blinked. His gaze jerked to Kylo. Kylo was Beau’s adorable husband, who was as sweet as they came. He was a Little and a breath of fresh air. Mickey worked as his personal guard. Watching Henry and Beau had given him something to do while Kylo painted him.

“What?”

Kylo nodded toward where Henry still teased Beau. “Henry. You love him.”

A bright smile exploded across Mickey’s face. “What did I do to make you think that, and how can I make it stop?”

Kylo shrugged. His baby blue eyes stayed locked on the canvas. “It’s in your eyes when you look at him.”

“It most certainly is not.”

Kylo’s gaze moved to hold his stare. “It’s okay. I think we’ve all hopelessly loved at least one person.”

Mickey huffed. He adored Kylo, but Kylo was a romantic. Mickey realized that actually made him easier to talk to, but fuck. “Life would be easier if I was in love with him, but I’m not. He’s more like a dad to me.”

Kylo’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Sometimes a daddy is so much hotter.”

Mickey snorted. “No, thank you. I’m not interested in being spanked.

Sometimes, their relationship mesmerizes me.

” He nodded toward where Beau and Henry laughed together.

“I don’t think either of them is like that with anyone else.

Maybe it makes me lonely, I don’t know, but I’m definitely not in love with him. ”

Kylo glanced behind him. He shrugged. “Henry has been with Beau more years than he hasn’t. Of course they’re close.” He smiled. “Just think, one day, we’ll be just like them.”

Mickey snorted again. “Are you kidding? We’re already like that.”

They exchanged a look and burst into laughter.

Kylo was definitely every bit as much his friend as his responsibility.

He had no reason to be lonely. Kylo was right.

They had each other. His humor disappeared as a familiar face strolled into the room.

Edge Agafonov was a Russian-born assassin.

A sniper—one known for his ability to hit any target from any height.

He was brown-haired and brown-eyed, which sounded unremarkable but was anything but.

His eyes had a bit of gold to them, and he was just sex on two legs, and no, Mickey didn’t know how to explain that.

He just had a sultry walk, voice, and stare.

The guy would make one hell of an actor for any part where he had to seduce someone.

If they had run into each other on the street, Mickey would be obsessed.

He would chase the guy so hard, Edge would be forced to kill him.

Unfortunately, that was not how they had met.

Out of the blue, several months back, Edge had held a gun to his head and forced him into a van.

They’d gone on a short ride to an even shorter interrogation session.

Henry had shown up and made it clear to the Agafonov boys that Beau wasn’t a man to be fucked with and his people were off limits.

Don’t get him wrong, Mickey hadn’t been worried or hurt.

He had known Henry waited in a nearby car, and followed.

There hadn’t been a second where he felt in danger, but still.

The move had not endeared Edge to him. Oddly, though, Edge acted like that day made them besties and it confused the fuck out of Mickey.

Beau appeared behind Kylo. He set his hands on Kylo’s shoulders and eyed the painting. “It’s looking amazing, baby.” He bent and kissed Kylo’s neck.

The instant hot lust that etched Kylo’s features had Mickey turning his head. Unfortunately, that left him staring into slightly golden eyes. That wasn’t a better choice. He couldn’t look away.

“We should take a nap. The boys are going for a ride.”

“Okay, Daddy.” Kylo stood. “Thank you for sitting with me.”

A smile tugged at Mickey’s lips at Kylo’s words. He always acted like Mickey wasn’t an employee doing his job. It was nice. Kylo made the place feel like a home—like this was a family. Like Mickey had a choice. He would choose Kylo, but it was still his job.

“Of course. I had fun. Enjoy your nap.”

Beau winked as he walked away, with Kylo in tow.

Mickey shook his head. Everything had changed since Beau met Kylo. He prayed that never changed. Unfortunately, Kylo and Beau’s departure left Mickey with nothing to do but focus on their visitor. Still, he let Henry take the lead.

“We have a warehouse to check.”

Mickey nodded and held his silence. Outside of Kylo, he never talked much. He didn’t have anything to say.

Edge watched him with so much intensity, it was almost uncomfortable. He couldn’t look directly at the guy.

“Hello, Mickey.”

Chill bumps rose on Mickey’s skin. Heat, humor, and condescension coated each heavily accented word. It didn’t even make sense the way his voice affected him, and Mickey wanted to feel it against his skin. The fucking bastard.

Mickey gave him his most bored-looking nod while keeping his face blank. “Edge.” There. Now they could just not speak.

They headed for the garage.

Edge was so close to his heels that Mickey had never been more self-conscious. “How are you today?”

Laughter dripped from every word. Edge knew he made Mickey uncomfortable, and it pissed him off.

Mickey chose to flip the switch. He pasted on an overly bright smile.

“I’m awesome, actually. No one kidnapped me, so overall a top-notch morning.

How about you? Did you squeeze in an abduction before breakfast? ”

Edge rolled his eyes. Even that was hot. “Don’t be absurd. Kidnapping isn’t my usual style. I shot someone between the eyes about two this morning, though. Do you count that as before breakfast or the middle of the night?”

At some point, Mickey forgot he was only toying with Edge. “It depends. Did you go to sleep afterward?”

“Just a quick two hours.”

“Middle of the night,” Mickey said, finding his answer.

“Then, no. I was a good boy before breakfast.”

Mickey practically felt Henry roll his eyes.

He thought all the Agafonov boys were just that—boys.

Henry didn’t want the responsibility of them and didn’t understand why Beau brought them in for their upcoming drop.

They had always kept Beau safe without extra help.

Henry was a little bitter over it. They would do as told, though.

Following orders kept everyone alive and paid.

Mickey just wished he didn’t feel Edge’s stare from the back seat.

That was the only thing making him think he couldn’t do this.

If Edge made Mickey uncomfortable with his constant stare, he didn’t show it.

It was rare for Edge not to have someone’s number at first glance.

He couldn’t read Mickey. Every time he thought Mickey might show some real emotion, he turned all fake smiles and joking.

The way his eyes swam with laughter at Edge’s expense always fascinated Edge because that faked humor hid a killer.

The guy was deadly. He was the perfect personal guard for Kylo.

In fact, Edge was surprised Beau had sent Mickey with them today.

Mickey likely didn’t leave Kylo’s side often.

In fact, Edge was shocked by this entire outing.

Beau Bosi wasn’t a man who needed help. He employed his own army.

But apparently, one of their longtime clients asked to meet at a different location for their next drop.

Something about the situation had Beau’s senses tingling.

He wanted people his client wouldn’t recognize working reconnaissance on the building.

By drop time, his brother, Tracker, would have every inch of the place wired for sound and video while the team stayed in position to massacre the entire lot of them if they pulled any bullshit.

It was a fairly easy assignment for Edge’s people.

Usually, they were up against people as trained as they were.

That made it a little harder to get the upper hand other than having the element of perfectly planned surprise.

This was nothing. Still, it was best to do a walkthrough before they got started tonight. He didn’t want any mistakes.

The building was located deep inside the warehouse district in Tecate.

It was insane how easily Henry and Mickey crossed the border.

No one even looked their way. At first glimpse of anything Bosi-related, everyone turned their head.

Edge wondered what it must be like to wield so much power.

It was equally crazy how everyone already knew Edge’s family by association and also didn’t question their actions.

The district where the meeting was being held had dried up decades ago, leaving empty buildings filled with nothing but old equipment, dust, and rats.

Edge understood why Beau was reluctant to trust this new venue.

His client claimed heat was on him at their usual spot near the ports, but a two-hour drive one way to a new location left for a lot of room for shit to go wrong.