Page 1 of Dangerous Command
PROLOGUE
six months earlier
Maddie
Everything seemed perfect at the Adler House, but I still couldn’t let go. Earlier, the brothers had destroyed the Midnight Miles Corporation Headquarters with Miles Muro still inside of it. For the first time in a long while, we had reasons to celebrate, but I wasn’t used to this. Still, I leaned against the wall and forced the tension away, because the three Adler brothers were relaxed in front of me, so I knew I should be too. The youngest brother discussed blackjack strategies with his wife, and the next brother put his arm around a young woman with faded unicorn hair. The oldest brother, Derek, looked at me with a gleam in his eyes, as if he wanted to tell me something important. Despite my worries, I smiled back, because there was no reason for any of us to dread the night anymore. Not even me.
Derek handed me another glass of white wine, opening up a can of beer for himself. We clinked our drinks together, both of us more tired than tipsy, but neither of us wanted to end the night of celebration. His hair matched his brown eyes at that moment, dark and haunting. His broad shoulders flexed as if he could shield his family from evil and carry them up to the top of the world.
“How long have you been working for us?” Derek asked.
“I don’t know,” I laughed, throwing my red hair over my shoulder. “A year? Maybe more?”
He beamed at me like he had been keeping track of every second since I had first walked into his penthouse.
“You’re good, you know that?” he said, resting on the wall next to me. The woodsy scent of eucalyptus came from his body, heavier now that we were drinking late into the night. I wanted to bury my nose into his neck, to never let go of that scent, that overwhelming sense of security. Protection. Safety. Derek would die to make sure his family lived, and somehow, I knew he would do the same for me.
I wanted to give in. And now, with Miles Muro gone, maybe I could.
“I’m good?” I asked, a sly grin crossing my lips. “Tell me the ways, Mr. Boss.”
“Mr. Future Boss,” he corrected. “My father hasn’t retired yet.”
“You run the show already,” I said. I shoved his shoulder playfully, an electric wave of heat zapped from my fingers to my neck, making me flush. His eyes twinkled down at me, proud of what he had done for his family’s business. Proud that I had been a part of it.
“You’re dedicated. Loyal to my family. And you’re incredible,” he said, his eyes drinking in my body. “And no matter what I do, you never play into this.” He gestured between us. “Why is that?” He leaned in, our faces so close that his breath tickled my lips. “There’s something here, Mads. We both know it.”
Mads. He was the only one who called me that, and only when we were alone, like it was our secret. It gave me chills. Was it irritating that he was so confident in himself? Or was it hot that he knew that I wanted him too?
“You like your women to bow down to you,” I said, blushing all over. “I can’t do that.”
“Not bowing,” he said. “Kneeling.” He tucked a finger under my chin, making me look up at him. “And there hasn’t been another woman. Not since you first came here.”
How could that be true? He could have had anyone.
“You’re just saying that,” I stammered.
“I’m not.”
I studied his expression. He was in line to take over his family’s mafia. Women must have thrown themselves at him. I didn’t want to believe him, but somehow, I knew it was true. Derek didn’t falter. He wasn’t afraid. He knew his truth. My breath caught in my throat, his gaze capturing me. I wanted Derek, more than I had ever wanted another man in my life. But I had responsibilities, someone who depended on me, and I couldn’t give in. Not until I could guarantee everything would be all right.
“While I expect my woman to kneel, I always treat her like a goddess,” he murmured. “You know that.”
Those words caught me. Maybe now, now that everythingwasfine, it would be okay. To give in to him. To us.
Just this once.
He stepped closer, dipping a hand behind my back, cupping my ass. A shiver ran through me. Derek and his family terrified me. Most of the time, they were good people, but everything could change in a second and I couldn’t let that happen.
But I wasn’t sure about that anymore. I closed my eyes, ready to let it happen. To finally let him take me like I had been dreaming about for months. To see if his lips felt as soft as they looked. If he could make my heart stop with that gaze while he fucked me.
“What’s holding you back?” he whispered. He leaned down to me, about to meet my lips.
“You,” I breathed. “You don’t want to screw your employee. You have your rules.”
“That’s right,” he said to himself, remembering those rules he had told me. “But you’re not working right now.”
“Derek.”
