Page 72 of Choices

Rico assesses me from behind his desk and I'll admit I'm a tad bit nervous. I knew he had slept with Hannah, but I didn't know how far emotions played in it. He obviously cared for her because of how he's been acting lately, but was it more? And I had failed my duties to guard her if I was inside fucking her. But God, I couldn't care less. The feel of her soft hands on my body, her warm kisses, her body that brought me so much fucking joy.

Matty can't read the room, though, and keeps pressing.

"You didn't just fuck the soccer mom once, though, did you?"

I stare at himand grin.

"Good for you!" He shouts, clamping a hard hand on my shoulder. "Finally popped that cherry?"

I growl at him.

"So tell me this: How many times did you get off?"

I know I shouldn't kiss and tell, but the teenager, and even 20-something in me who thought we'd never have sex is too fucking happy.

I lift my hand with four fingers raised.

"Four!? Fucking hell, man. Congrats! That's fucking amazing." Matty says, and I fully believe him. "But more importantly, how many times did you get her off?"

My cheeks heat as I remember every single sound, movement, kiss, bite, and flush of her skin as she came. And I stick my thumb out.

"Good, fucking man!" Matty shouts. "Fuck, I wish I could have lost my V-card like that. With an older woman who knew what she was doing." His eyes look far away for a moment as if he's lost in a memory.

"So are we going to talk about this?" Rico asks.

I give him a blank stare.

"We all want the same woman."

I look from Rico to Matty to see if there are any hints of jealousy, but I don't find them. Am I jealous? If I'm honest with myself, no.

Possessive, obsessed, and protective, but not from these guys. Hannah's an incredible woman, and she deserves all the love and affection we can give her. If the other two are on board?

Matty gives a voice to my thoughts. "She'sa grown woman who gets to decide what and who she does with her own body." Then he shoots me a wicked grin. "I don't mind sharing."

Rico looks at both of us and simply nods.

"Has she compromised your loyalty, Santiago?" Rico asks. I think about it for a moment. No. I'm still loyal to him, his mission and his enterprise. He's a good man who does bad things to make sure good people are safe. He saved me from death. He saved me from a horrible unknown future, and I'm eternally grateful for everything he's done for me.

But if he made me choose? Between him and Hannah? The honest truth is I would pick Hannah 10 times out of 10. I'm grateful and appreciative of Rico, but Hannah breathed life back into me. That's not something I can take lightly. Hopefully, it'll never come to that.

Instead, I sign: "Hannah is everything to me." I even like the way her name feels on my fingers. H-A-N, and then the same but in reverse, N-A-H. It feels good.

I know Rico doesn't know ASL, but he can gather enough from my lips moving, and my hands to understand. I don't want to go against Rico. I don't want to choose, but if I have to, I'll choose her and deal with the consequences. If I have to fight off the Columbian mafia and every other mafia out there to keep her, I will.

Chapter twenty-eight

Matty

Ican see down Hannah's shirt. I should tell her, right? Or maybe she already knows? And wants me to look? The top swells of her luscious tits and the deep groove between them is taunting me. They beg me to bite them. It begs me to lick through the valley.

We're back in my office in DC. Hannah's on her knees on the floor surrounded by printed-out bank statements. I offered her the digital spreadsheets of Vitale's many accounts, but she said she works better when it's printed out. She's humming a tune I don't recognize, highlighting lines and scribbling notes. She looks really fucking happy. And more alive than I've ever seen her.

I know my brand of crazy isn't for everyone, and I've never really had to grow up. But I would. For her. I could be that responsible, consistent man Rico is. I could be that protective, alpha-vibes Santiago is. But maybe that's just it. Maybe I don't need to be, because the other two are. I won't be the kid's stepdad. I'll be like that cool uncle who helps get them into trouble, but who they secretly call asking about girl troubles.

I smile. What Hannah needs is fun. To not take life or herself too seriously. To go with the punches and learn to enjoy life. To thrive, not just survive. And by fuck, I can help her do that. She's already doing it.

Rico's the man she can lean on in times of need. When she needs someone strong and steady and willing to take charge when her battery's low. Santiago, with his overprotective being, and young bad boy virgin vibes makes herfeel like a woman again. Makes her feel wanted, desired, and needed in a way only a woman can be. I remind her to enjoy life and embrace your own brand of crazy.

---