Page 127 of The Games of Madmen

Rodion arrives in an instant, placing himself protectively in front of Roza. Benny raises his hands and says, “Calm down, I'm not a monster.” The way he utters the word “monster” sends a chill down my spine, as if all the darkness around us is drawing closer to him, and he is absorbing it.

He iseverypart a monster.

I’ve been around evil, perversion, and everything in between, but nothing has ever unsettled me as much ashedoes.

“We’re done,” Viktor announces, and Benny walks past us. “Be seeing you.”

No, the fuck you won’t.

I shudder and grip Z’s shirt and lower my voice. “Let’s get the hell out of here and be grateful he’s fucking off to Russia.”

Twenty years later…

Hands, lips, and teeth roam all over my body. Rodion is at my back, and Z is at my front. We move in tandem as they both fill me, skin to skin, sweat misting our bodies.

“I love you,” I cry out when the pleasure crests and takes me over the cliff. They follow me over, and when we’re just a pile of panting limbs, Z traces the tiny, thin scars littered over my torso.

I swallow and say, “Brett proposed to Roza.”

Z stiffens, the soft strokes stilling, and Rodion jumps up from bed.

“You planned that,” he accuses. “Get us all sated andthentell us.”

I promised our girl I would share the news with her fathers so she wouldn’t have to. She agreed to tell her brother, who will be much harder to convince. He disapproves of Brett because he sees Brett as just an ordinary guy. Like his fathers, our son Dion is a trained fighter, and believes that all men should be capable of protecting their women. It’s wild because Roza knows how to defend herself if needed. She doesn’t need Brett to do that for her. Her momma taught her that.

Z shakes his head. “It’s not happening. He’s not good enough for her. He’s a damn accountant for fuck’s sake.”

Slapping his arm, I pout. “Don’t be mean. Would you rather she end up with Vsevolod and have Vlad as a father-in-law?” I shudder at that thought.

“Yes, Vol is strong, brave, and rich,” Rodion replies, this time pacing.

“Don’t be gross. She doesn’t need strong and brave. He’s not going to fight bears in the wild. And we’re rich, therefore she will always be rich.”

“Exactly. He’s a gold digger.” Z this time.

“And, he’s skinny,” Rodion sneers.

“So, I’ll feed him.” I roll my eyes and sigh when Z resumes stroking over my torso.

“You don’t cook,” he reminds me.

“I meant Kath, the housekeeper slash cook, will feed him up.”

“I don’t like it.” Both of them now.

“You don’t have to like it, but for Roza, please try. After things went bad with Vol, it took her a long time to get over him.”

And I don’t want her with a Vasiliev. Roza nearly moved to Russia when they started dating. We went over to visit the family, and Ven had a big party where he invited everyone. It took one look from Vsevolod, and my Roza was hooked.

“Fine. We should have alone time with Brett, though,” Z says and Rodion grins from the side of the bed, buck-ass naked with his hands on his hips. These two men have aged like fine wine. The slight dusting of white in Ro’s hair catches the light, and his muscles flex with each movement. In all the years we’ve been together, I’m still just as obsessed with these men as I’ve always been.

“Play nice,” I warn them. “I’m meeting Roza for breakfast and I want to tell her you both approve.”

“We don’t lie to each other, love,” Ro says in a sugar-coated tease.

Z dips his hand lower, and I have to bite my lip. I toss a pillow at Ro and he catches it with ease.

“What time are you meeting her?” he asks.