Page 44 of Tangled Souls

“No,” I barked, “not as bait. Never as bait.” I looked into her eyes and hoped she could see the sincerity in mine. “The truth is that if someone wants to get to us then the best way is through you.”

It was like a light bulb went off, the confusion clearing from her eyes. “But only if they’re underestimating me and who I am.”

The smile I gave her was genuine and wide. “Exactly. And men like that will always underestimate you. I could be accused of the same thing.”

Oaklynn giggled softly before reaching over and giving my hand a squeeze. “The difference is that you’re willing to learn and to adjust your thinking. He never will be. It will be his downfall.”

“That’s what we’re hoping,” Baker admitted, “but one thing we will never do is put you in danger.”

“I know,” she assured us.

I blew out a breath, relieved at her trust in us even though I wasn’t sure we completely earned it. I watched as our stunning wife’s mind mulled something over.

“What I can’t figure out is how Adam, or Mikhail, knew I was going to be at that meeting. I mean, sure in certain circles it might be talked about, but for him to know about it? It feels suspicious to me,” she mused.

“We don’t know how he found out,” I admitted. “Adam didn’t know, or he wasn’t saying.”

“Maybe we should visit him again,” Maxim suggested with a little more glee than necessary for the situation.

I shot him a look, but he didn’t look regretful at all. Quite the opposite.

“So,” Oaklynn chirped, “what’s next on our public tour?”

We chuckled, the tension in the room becoming more manageable under the light of our woman. It’s something she’s skilled at, something I’ll never take for granted.

How our woman makes even the worst days feel lighter and easier to navigate is a gift. I didn’t realize I wasn’t breathing deeply until she came into my life. The world we operate within can be dark, but she brings in light and helps me shoulder the weight of the responsibility.

My gut is screaming at me now though. I don’t want to leave the house with our wife even though I know we have to do it.

She’s not missing the gala and none of us will ask her to. That doesn’t mean I’m not scared as hell about something happening to her. There will be so many people there which puts me on edge, even though we have people watching the perimeter to ensure the event is secure.

None of us will be leaving her side, but that doesn’t mean I’m not dreading the whole thing. If something happens to her, I’ll raze this city without thinking twice about it.

The guys are already downstairs, dressed and waiting for us. But I just needed a moment with our woman. I have no problem sitting on the edge of the bed and waiting for her while she’s in the shower. My heart is pounding in my chest and it’s nearlyimpossible to push aside the worry which has been dogging my every movement since the moment I woke up this morning.

When the bathroom door opens, our woman steps out while the steam from the shower she just took is following her like it can’t bear to leave her the same way I can’t. She startles when she notices me, but the surprise on her face smooths out to understanding almost instantly.

Her legs are bare, and her silky robe clings to her still damn skin. She’s sexy as hell and I can’t look away from her as she reaches up and unclips her hair which she clearly put up to prevent it from getting wet. I watch the dark strands tumble down and provide the sexiest halo I’ve ever seen.

“You look nice,” her voice is soft and soothing as she moves toward the closet. “Were you sent to hurry me along?”

When I shake my head, my silence has her turning toward me before she disappears into yet another room and I lose sight of her. The way she tilts her head to the side and studies me is adorable, but it barely penetrates my mind.

Oaklynn’s small hands cradle my jaw, and I jump a little, surprised at myself that I got lost in thought and wasn’t paying attention to her movements. Her eyes move back and forth between mine and it feels like she’s looking into my soul.

“You’re worried,” she doesn’t pose it like a question, just a simple fact.

“I don’t like you being exposed like this,” I admit.

The smile she gives me is soft and filled with love instead of being patronizing or dismissive. Her fingers slide back and forth against the stubble on my face, scratching against her soft skin. Ilove it when she touches me, it’s grounding in a way I didn’t even know I needed.

“What will you do if I’m in danger?”

Her question throws me off for a moment and all I can do is stare up at her, my mouth opening and closing a few times before I snap out of it. When I do, I growl, “I’ll kill anyone who thinks they can hurt you, threaten you, or breathe on you funny.”

Her laughter fills the room and forces some of the knot in my gut to unfurl. It’s not gone, I don’t think it ever will when it comes to our woman, but I can breathe a little easier.

Fuck, our wife is something special.

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