Page 83 of Where the Wicked Reign

Honestly, it was the opposite.

That night atNocturnehad shifted things between us in a major way.

In an irreversible way.

Our text conversations had been almost verging on normal, just two people trying to get to know one another through some flirting and shooting the shit, taking an interest in each other’s days, that sort of thing.

It had actually been really nice.

But then, a couple of hours ago, the four of us had met at my storage facility and Nico had seemed off. He’d barely looked at me, barely said a word that hadn’t consisted of talk about our operation.

And now he was up front with Emilio several feet from me as the four of us walked through the dark forest together toward our target location.

The good news was that the boys hadn’t argued once when we’d geared up at my storage facility. They’d obviously taken my words to heart from the other day. And right now Emilio and Nico were talking back and forth pleasantly, no tension coming off them, no harshness at all. Emilio had even toned down his usual terseness with me and almost been pleasant toward me.

But Nico acting off and forgoing what had become his obsessive, possessive, and basically clingy thing with me was throwing me off. And that was coming through in a whole lot of frustration and agitation right now, when I should be clearheaded and completely focused on the hell we were about to barrel right on into.

It had the crunch of leaves, twigs, and whatever else on the forest floor behind me finally bothering me beyond the point of being able to continue to ignore it, and I spun around, demanding of Julian, “Are you still staring at my ass?”

He’d been walking beside me, but then he’d slowed a little to get his gear ready now we were only a couple of miles from the house where the hostages were being kept. Since then, he’d been walking behind me, instead of coming up on my side again.

He seemed to be playing some sort of infuriating game.

Just like Nico.

Me suddenly stopping had him pulling up short. He smirked as he ran his gaze over the sight of me in black tactical gear, two pistols strapped to either hip, with a few ballistic and tactical knives secured to my pants, too. “Well, I am an ass man, darlin’.”

“You’re shameless.”

“That I am.” He smirked as he caught me automatically checking him out in his dark motocross pants and top with the vest I’d procured for him strapped over the top, and his backpack hanging off him too. The other two were decked out in black jeans and heavy leather jackets with the vests beneath, but Julian had his own style and way of doing things that stood out from all the rest. It was something I liked about him, actually. He marched to the beat of his own drum, and that would always be respected by me, because I followed a similar path to that.

“And so were you the other night,” he said, making my gaze snap back to his hazel eyes shining with mirth. “It was a hell of a thing. I mean, Jesus Christ, you gave Nico Marchetti a run for his money. I had to stop you more than him, darlin’.”

Jeez.“He wanted the real me, so that’s what he got.”

“He certainly did. And just so you know, I’m here for it.” He winked. “Anytime, anywhere.”

“Brazen come-on noted.”

“That’s me. I don’t beat around the bush when it comes to something—or someone—that I want.”

He was certainly a hot piece, and his upbeat attitude was also something I could do with to balance out all the rest. Not to mention, the way he’d touched me had left its mark on my memory… and my body.

“I left the other morning and stayed away until tonight to give the three of you time to work things out, to figure out a way for my presence in your lives not to come between you, so I don’t think—”

“Nico is down with it.”

“What?”

“Only if you are. But, yeah, he doesn’t mind sharing amongst our brotherhood. We’re a package deal, as you’ve already realized. Even in this way. I know you were immersed in the intensity that night at my club, but it was Nico who encouraged my participation. And he most definitely enjoyed seeing you being pleasured by me.”

A tremble rolled through me at his words.

Before I could think more about it and try to fully wrap my mind around the possibility he was laying out, he said, “By the way, Nico’s not blowing you off, or retreating from you. He’s concerned about you seeing his fucked-up side tonight. It’s different from his sexually depraved side. His gift and thirst for violence is a whole lot more intense and very brutal. He’s worried it will put you off him after it took him so long to win you over even a little.”

“That’s why he’s been glued to Emilio?”

“Yeah, he grounds him. Plus, the two of them buried the hatchet where you’re concerned.” He smiled at me. “Impressive what you did there, by the way.”

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