Page 54 of Her Filthy Reverse Harem Romance Collection

I watch him leave, head down, shoulders slouched. Like a man defeated by life. I take ownership of the partial hell the man lives in, but no one told him to get in bed with me or take my money.

People make their choices. And should be held accountable for them in life and whatever comes along after we check out. I know I sure the fuck will when it comes my turn.

I stand with the bank of monitors in front of me, a glass of water in hand not really seeing the erotic shows playing out. Everywhere I turn my gaze, instead of seeing random women taking on multiple partners in an array of positions, I see her. Those expressive eyes of hers, hear her sassy voice.

I feel Drake come up behind me. His silent presence reassuring. For over three decades he and Grey have been at my side. We grew up together. Me the son of a father who had nothing. From a young age I knew poverty in my family would end with me. I wanted a life where I controlled all the outcomes. Only money made that happen. So I built it. From the ground up. With the help of loyal friends. Partners. In more ways than one. To the outside world we were killers. The devils of Chicago. Rich. Corrupt. Unapologetic in every way.

I learned at the knee of my father that what the eye sees goes a long way to persuade the heart and minds of others. I doubt he meant for me to apply that to my way of life, but it is what it is.

Organized crime isn’t synonymous with low-life thugs running around like some street gang. I run a professional outfit that requires a level of trust that goes both ways. I might be a killer in the eyes of society if my past was to ever come to light, but I’m also fair. I take care of my own and we never want for anything. It’s the way my father taught me and a life lesson I plan on passing down the line when we have sons of our own.

Ifwe have sons of our own. Katriona is key to that ever happening for the three of us. If she takes us. I know we’re a long way off from getting her to take men who have wanted nothing else for longer than I care to admit.

“You knew she would run the first chance she had. Why are we not out there right now hunting her down?”

I nod, not bothering to turn around. “I did know she would run. She was smart to have run from us, and we’re not hunting her down, as you say, because we have to make sure our friend doesn’t die. And Marcus. He’s waiting for us to do exactly that. The last thing I want to do is lead him to her when we are a man down.”

“Yeah, fuck, sorry. We just…It’s killing me inside not having her here. And Grey...” Drake scrubs a hand over his face, looking older than his thirty-nine years. This kind of life tends to shave off a few years if you let it. “Did you feel the way she took to us? There was a connection I’ve never felt before, man, and it scares the shit out of me. We all felt it. The way she kissed each of us.”

“I felt it too.”

“She has a fire that is unmatched by anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Still think she’s the one?”

Drake mulls over my question, aiming an arched brow my way. “I do.”

“On that, we both agree.”

“Grey is in pretty bad shape, man. Looks like death is waiting to take him away from us.”

Darkness steals the light from Drake’s eyes and it pains me to see my blood brother in pain. He and Grey are my partners, my equals in many ways but one. When you run an organization as deeply rooted in the shadows as ours there can only be one head. One authority and that’s me. Behind closed doors, what we do stays with us. Though rumors have spread we like to share women like we share our profits.

“He took a bullet for her. Doc says if he pulls through tonight, he’ll likely live.” Drake points at my arm. “And you need to tend to that.”

“Yeah.”

I pull my shirt off, tossing it over a chair. Thank God the asshole who shot me didn’t have better aim. I grab a clean gauze out of a drawer and wrap tape around it to hold it in place over a deep gash in my arm. “We all would have done the same to protect her,” I say.

“He did. You should let Doc put some sutures in that. You’re getting blood all over the fucking carpet.”

I wave him off. “It’s only a flesh wound. The idea of stitches pulling at my skin is one irritation I can do without.

Drake eases into a chair after pouring a drink, his eyes glued to the amber liquid, but doesn’t drink. Agitation rolls off him so I wait while he gathers his thoughts. Experience tells me they match my darker ones thirsting for blood. He just needs a moment to ground himself.

“We waited for months to have her and now she’s gone.” He speaks quietly but the weight of his words presses on me all the same.

“He’s out there hunting her, too, you know. Marcus is a callous motherfucker. If he finds her first there’s no telling what he’ll do. Kane can’t control him. I looked into his eyes. Soulless bastard has no scruples.”

“Not many assassins do.”

“Things have become lax around here. They shouldn’t have gotten within five miles of this place without us knowing. Call in the men. Let’s check our lines and make sure we’re all on the same page.”

“Are we cleaning house?” Drake asks but he knows damn well what the answer will be. “It wouldn’t take much to hunt her father down and eliminate the problem.”

“Do you want to be the one to tell her you offed her father?”

Drake growls out his frustration. “There are moments I don’t give a fuck. He’s one of the monsters this world doesn’t need. You know the shit he and his men are into. The trafficking they do. What kind of father is he to her anyway?”

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