Page 58 of Lost Kingdom

“No. I want you to marry me, move into my apartment, and grow old and fat and be all mine.” Another pin, and then his lips pressed to my cheek. “I can have things finalized within the hour. And if you don’t want to live above the bar, I can get us a house before the end of today.”

“Or…?” Nerves hammer at the base of my heart, pounding like a drum. But I tilt my head and glance up to search his eyes. “I could keep my apartment, and you keep yours. And then maybe we can get that coffee you asked me out for. If things go well, maybe we graduate to getting dinner. Marriage in three to five years.”

“Marriage in three to five business days.” He sets his hand on my throat and draws me up until our lips touch. “Babies in three to five years, since your career is important and you’re not ready to slow down.”

“Five years before we have kids… makes you an old man.”

He squeezes, just a little tighter, and grins. “I’ve got me under control. And you’re young, so we’re good for a while yet.” He bites my bottom lip and chuckles when I hiss. “I’ll create an heir, Aubree Grace. But we don’t need a boy, and I sure as fuck won’t name it Tim.”

“Coffee first.” I turn again, plastering my back to his chest and snuggling into what may be the most comfortable bath I’ve ever experienced in my life. “I know for a fact you bought Minka a coffee machine for her birthday last year. You’re gonna have to make our coffee date memorable, or I might worry you love her more than you love me.”

He scoffs. “She’s a pain in my ass and half the reason I’m angry all the time.”

“Only half?”

“You, sweet Aubree, are the other half.” He trails his fingertips over my chest and down the valley between my breasts, then his hand disappears beneath the surface of the water, over my belly and down to my humming core. Finally, he slips a single digit in and steals my breath away. “You are where everything begins and ends for me. My good moods and my bad. I’m wrapped up in you and never want to escape. Does that feel better?”

I clutch to the sides of the tub and whimper, my legs splaying wide and a mewling cry rolling along my throat. Because pain turns to pleasure, and Timothy Malone’s touch is like coming home. “Shit.”

He taps my clit and drags me toward ecstasy. “Much better. Now we’re gonna bathe in your pleasure.”

19

TIM

I DON’T TELL. YOU DON’T TELL.

The fact I own and run a bar that operates until the early hours of every morning is a problem for a man who wants to create a life with a woman who works a standard-ish nine to five. When Aubree wakes around six, I’m barely nodding off for the night, and when she’s off in the evening, I’m working and unable to dedicate more than a few minutes of my time to her.

Or at least, that’s how things used to be. But I’m a forward thinker, too, and knowing who I wanted to spend my life with meant delegating the bar and hiring someone else to manage the place for me.

Daisy.

She’s sweet as pie, but fierce with the customers. She pours fast, counts change to the cent, and takes no shit on the off chance someone wants to give her trouble.

It means I can be absent for a night. Or days. Or weeks, even, and know the place is being managed, the till won’t be skimmed, and the doors will be locked at night to keep the vagrants and thieves away.

It’s all a good deal, really. Especially as we pull up outside the bar around lunchtime to find the door swinging and business chugging.

Passive income is my favorite kind.

“I’ll follow your lead.” And yet, I twine my fingers in Aubree’s and press her palm to my lips. “Tell them whatever makes you comfortable. Theyknow we’ve spent the night together before, so if that’s the story you want to work with this time, then that’s fine.”

“Yeah?” She glances across, sweet seduction and untapped purity. I don’t know how she works with the dead, day in and day out, and hangs around with the people she does, and still maintain her innocence. “And you’re okay if I go in and tell them we’re still friends?Justfriends?”

“I support whatever brings you comfort.” Another kiss, which leads to her narrowed eyes. “I’ll tell them we’re getting married,” I chuckle. “But I’ll nod and sayyes dearto anything you tell them. There’s no rule that says we have to have the same story.”

Rolling her eyes, she yanks her hand from mine and shoves out of her side of the car. And though I’d like to let her stomp off and do her thing, I’m wildly aware we still have enemies in this city. Men looking to collect a debt and settle a score. So I jump out too, quick as a flash with my eyes scouring the surrounding street. Then I lope up on her left and throw my arm over her shoulders.

“Wanna check the real estate websites and shop for a house? We’ll need space for the cat, and probably extra guest rooms since we both have a fuck ton of siblings. But no pool necessary. I never liked them, and we’ll make the guest beds uncomfortable so no one stays too long.”

“We’re not buying a house.” She pushes through the bar door just a half step ahead of me, the familiar sound of cops drinking and the comforting scent of spilled beer filling our senses. This is home. Chaos and noise and the constant chatter that revolves around dead bodies and broken laws.

“They’ve returned!” Catostandson my bar, his arms in the air and his eyes wild with torment. And though I shoot a look at a sheepish Daisy, he’s a Malone, which is where she draws the line when kicking ass and dealing with customers. “Aubree Emeri! You look…” He giggles. “Adequately sullied.”

“Kill him.” She turns to me and looks up with eyes that could convince me to torch an entire city. “You’re for hire, right? And you have a certain skill set and loyalty to me. That means I can ask for anything I want.” She hooks a thumb over her shoulder and speaks seriously. Deadly serious. “Dispose of him. Make it painful and bury him somewhere no one will ever find him. Then I’ll marry you.”

I look at my baby brother, wild hope clawing at my throat, and consider a world where there are only four Malone sons. Five is a lot. Unnecessary, even. His carbon footprint alone is wasteful and dangerous…

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