Page 42 of Their Domme

“The women’s quarters and not the clubs?” I asked him calmly. “Where’s Rhodes?”

“Talking with Ansel the last we saw him.” Maks rubbed his fingers together as Alexei released his hold on me. “What’s going on with him?”

“He’s a friend.”

“That was some kiss at the police station for just a friend,” Alexei challenged dryly. “You’d think both of you would come up with something better than ‘nothing’ and ‘we’re just friends’ as denial tactics.”

My cheeks heated, and I sat back on my heels to study the two of them. “What do you want me to say? We’re friends. Have we fucked? Yes. Many times. Paid and unpaid. So it’s not just something casual.”

“I think you’re both deluding yourselves. Ansel has more invested in you than you realize, and I think it’s safe to say the same for you when it comes to him.”

“I’m getting dressed. Don’t you dare leave without me.” I changed the subject, not ready to examine the kiss or what he had said to me. They were right; there was more than just friendship between us, but I wasn’t sure exactly what our relationship had become, so I was going to avoid the topic for as long as possible. “I’ll just get there another way, then you won’t know where I’m at.”

“Such a fucking pain in the ass,” Maksim grumbled, but I saw a spark of amusement there as he grabbed his clothes and quickly got dressed.“I’m getting a smoke. I’m glad you’re back, Nicholette.”

He started to leave, but I reached out, touching his shoulder to get him to stop. I stood on my tiptoes, pressing my lips to his in a short kiss. This was the softer aspect of our connection. Would he ever be as tender, as gentle as the others could be? I’d wager a bet against that, but I didn’t care. I’d appreciate these little moments for the gift they were, glimpses into another side of him that rarely took the reins. He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close as he deepened it. I closed my eyes, falling into the moment as I reached up, running a hand over his short buzzed hair. The brush of his beard against my face made me smile until he pulled back.

“I missed you, Maks.”

He rested his forehead against mine, nodding a few times before he kissed me and left the room. Maks was a man of few words, but I hadn’t missed the slight shine of his blue-gray eyes when he spun away.

“Maksim always knew you were coming back.” Alexei wrapped his arms around me from behind, the warmth of his skin now replaced by the soft cotton of his shirt. He kissed my shoulder softly. “Never once wavered on it. Him and Bodhi. I’m sure they were both upset in their own ways, but never once did they doubt you showing back up.”

“The rest of you did?” I asked, running my hands over his tattooed arms.

“We were pissed, upset, and hurt that you disappeared without a trace. We turned the city upside down. Even Wrenn has been helping to track you down.” I turned around in his arms and cupped his face, playing with his short beard.

“There hasn’t been a single moment I didn’t think of all of you,” I told him honestly, my voice rough with emotion. “I tried my best.”

“I know.” He smiled gently and kissed my forehead right where Maksim had. “I’ll see you down there.”

He walked out, and I sighed before I went to the attached bathroom, cleaned up the best I could, and searched for some spare clothes in the room. No idea whose clothing it was, but I threw on a pair of slacks and a large black t-shirt. At least everything would be comfortable. My inner thigh was sore, but luckily there were some bandages under the sink. I had just finished cleaning up when a buzz caught my attention, so I hurried over to the bed and grabbed my phone out of the bedside table. I had a few missed messages and emails.

Reading through them, I replied to the email then switched to the texts.

Roderick:Blake said you needed to talk with me.

Nic:I want you to make me a will.

My phone vibrated in my hand right after that. I swallowed hard before answering with a forced lighthearted hello.

“Nicholette.” Roderick's serious voice filled the line. “What do you need it to say?”

I let out a shaky breath, not sure how to say everything I wanted, though I knew where I wanted to start. “All my money should be put into two trust funds, all of it split fifty-fifty between the two babies. If they don’t… If…” My voice cracked, and I forced myself to take a deep shaky breath. “I don’t know what to do if they don’t make it.”

“That’s okay,” Roderick gently replied, his voice soothing and calm. “Who will you give custody to?”

“I don’t know who the fathers are, I mean, you know what I mean.” I waved a hand as if to dismiss what I’d said. “But I want them to be together.”

“What name should I put down?” Roderick asked when I didn’t speak for a minute.

“Sacha,” I said without thinking, instinctively going with him. He would make sure they were safe and that everyone would be able to see the babies. He’d play it fair no matter whose emotions got worked up, and that made him the perfect choice. “Sacha Morozov.”

Papers rustled on the other end of the phone. “I’ll have something for you to sign the next time I see you—”

“I want you to be the executor, Roderick,” I interrupted him firmly. “Make sure it all gets taken care of like it should. I’ll get my account information to you as well so it’s all on there.” There was a beat of silence, and I chuckled, the sound strained. “Maeve said you were the best, and you also work for the F?rstners. My shit isn’t as crazy as theirs, so I know I can trust you to do this for me. If not, I’ll just haunt your ass.”

“That’s sufficiently terrifying,” he drawled, and I threw back my head with a laugh. “Consider it taken care of it. Do they know?”

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