Page 12 of Vail

A smile curved my lips. “Well, that’s nice to hear.”

His eyes narrowed as a low growl emanated from him. Nothing like the growl he gave his guards when he was pissed. This was a sexy rumble. “Vail.”

“What about Hart? Do you love him too?”

Instead of answering, Jordan gripped Hartley by the back of the neck and slammed his lips down on Hartley’s. The kiss had enough force for Hartley’s knees to buckle. Thankfully, I had my arm around his waist to hold him up. It was over too soon. If they would have kept going, sleep would have been a distant memory in favor of a lot of fucking.

Jordan broke the kiss to drop his forehead on Hartley’s. “I love you, Hart.”

“Oh my god,” Hartley whispered. “I’m going to cry.” Tears welled in his eyes. “I didn’t expect this. Vail already told me he loved me, but this has been one hell of an emotional roller coaster. You love me, Jordan? Really?”

Jordan’s lips twitched but didn’t fully lift into a smile. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“But you’re you and Vail’s, well, Vail. I’m not even close to?—”

Jordan put his hand over Hartley’s mouth. “Don’t you dare say you’re not close to who we are. If anyone’s better, it’s you two.”

“Now, now,” I cut in. “Are we really going to start this? Because I think you’re both amazing.”

“I kill people and sell guns and drugs for a living,” Jordan stated.

“If you’re getting technical, you do much more than that. Without you, a lot of people wouldn’t be employed, and I don’t just mean your guards. They matter too though. Some of them have been dealt a shitty hand. You have no idea how much them working for you means. But outside of your guards, you have multiple businesses you run legitimately. Without you, people wouldn’t have job security, medical insurance, and more. Don’t sell yourself short.”

Clearing his throat, Jordan looked down and straightened his jacket. “Yes, well, they’ve proven themselves and that’s why they still work for me.” He wasn’t only referring to the guards. I had a feeling Jordan applied the same rule to everyone under him. He valued loyalty above all else with the people he employed. If they made a move against him, they wouldn’t have a job. Some wouldn’t have a life.

I hooked my finger under his chin, reveling in the feel of his beard against my skin. Fuck, he was only gone for a bit. It felt like an eternity. The time spent without him had me feeling so many emotions; I wasn’t certain I’d ever get my head above water, especially after talking to Lana and the cops about Gil.

Jordan’s eyes lifted once more, meeting mine. Vulnerability swam in them. He’d say Hartley and I made him that way. There was truth to it. If someone wanted to get to him, they’d just have to hurt us, his son, or Romeo. But this was a different vulnerability. This was Jordan not able to easily accept compliments from us.

“Why are you okay when someone says you’re a good businessman or a badass boss, but when I compliment you, your head goes down?” I asked.

“I don’t deserve your praise.”

Cocking my head, I asked, “Why not?”

“I should be a better man for you both.”

“We’re not asking you to be,” Hartley said. “We want you exactly how you are.”

Jordan nodded, then let his head fall to my shoulder. We’d been down this road already. Hartley and I were well aware of who he was and what he did. It wasn’t always easy to swallow, especially with him getting hauled off in a cop car, but that was because I doubted him, not because of his crimes.

I doubted Jordan wouldn’t hold true to what he’d told me. That was on me, not him. I had my own shit to work out. Trust for one thing. It was easy for me to put myself in Hartley’s hands. I knew him years ago. He could hurt me just as much as Jordan could, but that wasn’t Hartley. He was too kind.

Jordan made a big step tonight by telling me the truth, one I didn’t doubt. If I really wanted the evidence, I could get it. I didn’t. That would only prove I didn’t trust him after all.

6

VAIL

“You look tired,” my sister said. My seven-month-old niece was on her chest, quietly sleeping, while my four-year-old nephew was outside playing in the snow with Oleander.

I didn’t doubt Oleander’s ability to protect me and my family while we were here. But since we still didn’t know where Gil was, Jordan doubled up my and Hartley’s detail. It was a toss-up who we got besides our regular guards when we left the building. Today, I had Sheldon, who was apparently bored and wanted to get some fresh air, so he offered to join us.

“I’m exhausted,” I told Cat. Her couch was so comfortable I couldn’t help but lie back and put my feet up, taking up the entire length of it.

Jordan, Hartley, and I had slept for a long time, but even after waking, I was still tired to my bones. I figured it would do me good to breathe in the cold air. I ended up on my sister’s couch while watching the snow lightly fall. It had started while we slept and was finally tapering off. The streets were plowed and treated so there weren’t any problems leaving the city.

Jordan wasn’t happy about me going to Cat’s. I had to remind him I could come and go as I pleased. This went back to me refusing to be caged. Jordan knew it, but his instinct was to keep me safe. I got it, I really did. What he needed to understand was I had to have my freedom. That didn’t mean I loved him any less, or that I wasn’t coming back. He wouldn’t admit it, but his insecurities ran deep.

---