Page 104 of Chaos

His lips are firm and his jaw clenches. “Yes. For the first time in what fucking feels like forever, I can honestly say my answer is yes. All because of you, sweetheart.”

Tears threaten to spill. I feel the same. I know this man is it for me.

“Now, I seem to have heard that you might, one day, want to be Mrs. Carter?”

I can’t stop the giggles that erupt when he rolls me onto my back and pins my wrists above my head. His thick thighs nudge mine open as he settles over me.

“You know, I used to dream of this when I was cooped up after having Maeve. That somehow you’d barrel into my life and save me. That she would have her daddy. That I’d find the man who stole my heart and made me her mom. I never thought it would be possible. Hell, even when you did show up, I worried you’d hate me for ruining your life.” Chewing on my lip, I wait for his response.

“You made it, baby. You gave me everything I never even realized was possible. You have no idea what kind of hole you dragged my sorry ass from.” His warm palm runs up and down along my side.

I wiggle my hips, feeling his dick harden against me.

“I want to see you pregnant with my baby. Fuck, that’ll be so hot. You think I’m obsessed with you now? Just wait.” He keeps my wrists in one hand and grabs my thigh with the other.

“Well, that sounds good.” I smooth a lock of his curly hair and watch his eyes actually light up.

“But I was miserable when I was fat and pregnant. I hated it. I felt so sick, so ugly and useless.” My bottom lip juts out in a pout.

“I wish I was there,” he says softly. He casts his eyes down. For that split second, I feel his pain and I hate that for him.

“We can’t change that, but we’re here now. And maybe we can do it again. You can experience all those night feedings, too. It’s a ball.”

“That sounds like exactly what I want,” he whispers against my lips before kissing me.

FIFTY

JAX

Mikhail’s mask billows around his nose as he watches me sneak into his office. “Now that Jax has graced us with his presence, I’ll begin.”

Alexei grins at me from the couch and flips me the middle finger.

I bet he’s happy. I just bumped him from the top of Mikhail’s shit list for the day.

“Enzo has relayed the info on the contact that Nikolai and Jax sniffed out.” Mikhail holds up a sheet sized photograph of a dark-haired man wearing sunglasses.

“I was there, too!” Alexei protests, sitting forward while throwing his hands in the air.

Mikhail glares at him, but continues.

“His name is Kirill Yelchin. He was a lackey when I was in Russia, but seems to have risen through the ranks since I’ve left.” He drops the page and picks up another. “This is Knox Leary. He’s now target number one. We need to remove any foothold that my father is trying to establish.” He waves the closeup of the bearded face I’ve gotten to know too well over the last few weeks.

“I’m tired of playing. If my father, Ivan, comes to play, it will be a bloodbath. Vegas will burn, and no one will walk away unscarred.” His voice raises as he crumples the photograph into a ball between his palms.

“So, a kill order?” Nikolai cracks his knuckles and the very edge of his lip turns up.

I think he’s excited. Well, it’s the most emotion I’ve seen him show.

He’s like Frankenstein most of the time, completely neutral.

I bet his face cracked.

“Yes. We aren’t fucking around any more. I’ve called in help with clean-up teams from New York. Enzo said that Mr. Falcone will send extra people to try to keep things as hush-hush as possible. But I think we have the manpower here for the front lines.” He pulls his heavy rolling chair out and sits, then folds his thick hands in front of him.

He looks like royalty. Acts like it, too. Especially with that balaclava on all the time.

I still wonder if he has scars.

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