Page 22

O f everyone who’s painted my nails over the years, none of them have been as sweet as the man who is currently focusing so hard, I’m afraid he’s going to break the brush.

“Thank you,” I say softly, not wanting to ruin the…peaceful silence and comfort between us. After everything that’s happened lately, this tiny, carved out moment between us is needed.

Ignacio looks up at me, his chestnut eyes intense, but soft at the same time. The smile that curls his lips isn’t what one would expect from someone covered in tattoos, and named Chaos…but the entire package just seems to fit.

“You’re welcome. This is the least I’d do for you, Little One.”

My cheeks heat with a blush, as pleasure curls within me. Hell, I’m sure I redden further at just the thought of this sexy man seeing me fucking blush. That is not something I do.

Fucking hell, wanting soft and sweet isn’t me either, but with Ignacio…

I like it. How he didn’t give in. Even when he fucked me hard, it wasn’t rough or demanding.

It wasn’t just about chasing the high of a kill.

Maybe it was at first, but as soon as he touched me?

The way he kissed me, how he held me, the sureness of his touch… Everything about him screamed more .

Even now, as he sets my hand down on the coffee table, and screws the lid back on the nail polish he bought me. Every single action is thoughtfully carried out, gentle in a way his looks and reputation would argue against. And I want more of it all.

Scooting closer to me on the floor—where we’ve been sitting, so he could paint my nails more easily—he cups my cheek in a calloused hand. His touch is soft, and my lips part at the warmth of his skin.

“Don’t treat me like I’m glass,” I whisper, staring into his eyes. “I may be small and cute, but I will cut you… Twice, if you make me mess up my nails in the process.”

He gives me a small smile. “I won't,” he says softly. “I made that mistake before, but I promise, Roman, when I look at you, I see you .”

My breath catches in my throat. “Kiss me,” I demand.

He lets out a quiet laugh, yet still he leans in and gives me what I’ve been craving for days now, but haven’t been able to have, because we’ve both been busy.

I itch to touch him, but I don’t want to mess up the nails he painstakingly painted for me. So I settle for kissing him with all I’m worth, hoping I can infuse as much want and need with my lips, tongue, and teeth, as I would with my grabby hands.

Ignacio pulls me around the waist and settles me in his lap. My tight pencil skirt gets pushed up to my hips as I settle over him.

I moan and throw my head back, draping my arms over his shoulders as he kisses down my throat. One hand moves up to hold my hair, while the other settles on my thigh, dangerously close to my now-exposed dick.

“Do you often go without underwear, Little One?” he asks, without taking his lips off my throat. He moves his hand higher, brushing the backs of his fingers against the side of my dick, making me whimper.

“Only when I wear this style of suit,” I admit, rocking my hips a little, encouraging him. “I prefer the pleated skirts, but sometimes it's nice to mix it up.” I moan when he brushes more firmly against my cock, forcing pre-cum to bead at the tip.

Ignacio draws my mouth back to his, and I get lost in the taste and feel of him. The fluttering feeling in my chest and stomach makes me as breathless as his kisses.

Before I can beg for him to lay me out on the floor, or even bend me over the desk or couch—I’m not picky—the door to the office opens.

“Roman, you need to—” Hollis cuts himself off mid-sentence and I groan, pulling away from Ignacio's mouth, to look over his shoulder at my lover.

Ignacio makes a noise that can only be described as a growl as he shifts, turning his back to the door, shielding me, since I'm sitting half-naked in his lap. I laugh, and Hollis rolls his eyes.

“Please,” Leandro says, maneuvering around Hollis. “We’ve all seen Roman’s dick. Nothing going on here is a surprise to us.”

“What’s going on?” I push away from Ignacio, who slowly lets me go, annoyance and reluctance written on his face. I kiss him lightly, before standing and smoothing my skirt down, making sure everything is in place. I hope my nails are dry enough that they won’t smudge as I do so.

“We found something that may give us answers,” Hollis answers me, holding out his tablet.

Ignacio stands and looks over my shoulder as I take the device—he might be shorter than my other lovers, but he's still taller than I am…though everyone is. “What are we looking at exactly?” he asks, but before Hollis or Leandro can answer, he says, “You got a location?”

My heart skips a beat as my breath catches in my throat. I stare at the address on the screen, hope teetering inside my chest as I wait for an answer.

“Possibly,” Hollis says cautiously.

I look up from the tablet and meet my other lover’s dark gaze. “Please,” I say quietly. “Per favore, Amante.”

Ignacio snakes a hand around my waist, as I stare at Hollis with anticipation.

“As you know, we’ve been monitoring the apartments Keegan and Marcus got word of.

That dumbass fed—Tom Court—showed up. I called one of my spies, who then requested help in following him.

” Hollis smirks, a dark and twisted expression that makes hope flutter in my chest once more.

“Luckily, someone I know from my freelance days was in town, and took over surveillance—he can give your Ghost a run for his money, Chaos—anyway, he tracked the fed to that address.” Hollis nods at the tablet in my hands. “Notice anything familiar?”

Looking down at the screen once more, I study the photos of the building and the address. “Fucking hell, this is the place we tried to buy last year.”

“Yep. What are the odds that our federal friend just happens to be there right now?”

Dread begins to settle in, right beside the hope. I look at Hollis once more. “There aren’t many coincidences in this life, if any.”

He dips his chin in agreement. “Call a meeting, Boss. We need to talk about next steps.”

Swallowing, I take a moment to enjoy the warmth of Ignacio’s arm around me, before I pull away, knowing this may be the last moment of quiet peace we get for a while.

Handing the tablet back to Hollis, I walk over to my desk and pick up the phone, knowing that this one call, a rallying of the troops, could change everything. For better or worse, this may be over soon.