Page 16 of Doubts & Fears

Chapter 6

Kinsley

I’m Not Staying

Shadows danced across the darkened room as I awoke hours later, and the most feared man I had ever met was asleep, snuggled up next to me like a little boy. I studied his features; he looked so young and carefree in sleep. His perfectly full lips were parted, his breathing calm.

Was what my manager said about them true? What made him, all of them, into the men they were? I reached up and caressed his cheek, but the movement must have woken him. He grabbed my wrist in a death grip, causing me to gasp. He loosened his hold when he realized it was me.

“That doesn’t belong to you. Where are your manners? You should always ask permission before you touch a man,” he remarked, his voice drowsy from sleep.

“Someone has jokes,” I whispered, reaching up. “May I?”

He nodded, so I traced his hairline, then his eyebrows and down his cheek, running my fingers through his beard. It was surprisingly soft. I traced his lips next, and he kissed my fingertips gently.

“Thank you.” He mesmerized me in the most beautiful way.

He brought his hand up. “Anytime.” Then he traced my face. “I can see why Alek is obsessed. There’s something special about you.”

I grabbed his hand. “Please never say that again.” I kissed his fingertips and put his arm around me before snuggling into his enormous body.

His arms wrapped around me tightly, protectively. He held me for a while longer, his hand rubbing my back until my stomach growled loudly.

“I guess we should feed you.” With a chuckle, he let me go. He got up, stretched, and said, “Next time you want a cuddle, it will be in my bed. This one is not nearly big enough for me.”

“Next time?”

“Yes, though I’ll remind you, we are like the three musketeers. All for one, and one for all,” he teased.

I shook my head and stood to stretch. “We’re back to that again. So this means—”

“If you let me cuddle you, you best be prepared to let the rest of the Death Squad cuddle you too. That’s what you called us, right? The Death Squad? I’d bet you a hundred dollars they are arguing right now about who gets a shift tonight.”

I threw a pillow at him. “You plan to pass me around, then? So much for being special. You must have a lot of money to be betting hundred dollar bills all the time,” I said, wiggling my toes. “By the way, I’m sorry your gift got burned in my house. It was such a friendly gesture. Of course, I’ll need a new blade now.”

“Planning on pulling it on Aleksandr again?”

“Maybe. Do you think my blade made it? It’s steel, so it could have, right?”

“Not sure, but we can ask. As a fellow blade lover, I couldn’t imagine being without my favorite one.”

“Is that what we are? Fellow blade lovers?” I grinned at him wickedly. Teasing with him felt different.

“I think it’s safe to say if you’re a good girl, I may teach you a thing or two.” He chuckled when he heard me gasp.

Dear god. Hearing the wordsgood girlfrom his lips made my insides flutter. His voice was husky, and his upturned mouth made my stomach leap.

“With a blade, Kinsley, just a blade. Remember, you’re not that special.” He stuck his tongue out. “Let’s go, and youwilleat,” he commanded, pushing me toward the door.

“You guys like to shove me around a lot. One of you is always pushing me. It’s like you’re herding me. I’m not sure I like it.”

“Liar,” he joked, pulling on my hair.

“Now I’m offended.”

“Well, you can cry on some other man’s shoulder about that, little love. I’d bet it will be Aleksandr tonight. He’s quite mental about you.”

“Finally, someone who agrees with me.”

---