Page 10 of Treasured By 3

We talk a bit more about the plans, but then she pauses. I check the connection and she sighs. “What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“I can hear the smile fading off your face. What’s wrong?” she insists.

“How did you pick who you’d marry on paper? How’d you decide whose last name to take?” I ask.

“Well, Holden and Nick weren’t demanding in that respect. They told me having me was more than enough. Gunner was eager, but it was theonething Roman asked for when it came to the wedding. It was the only thing that mattered to him. He wanted to be my legal husband, and he wanted me to take his name. I was happy to do it,” she explains. “Are the guys fighting over it?”

“I’m just anxious. I mean, the Volkov name carries such weight and if I marry Hunter on paper, Chase will be offended. If I marry Chase on paper, Hunter will pout. I think marrying Lief would fix all that and then I could keep my name, but everyone expects me to marry the mafia boss, so Chase still has to be considered and I-”

“The what?” Sophia asks, her voice stoic. I can picture her face, lips parted, eyes wide, confused beyond being able to yell.

I rewind my mind and realize what I said. I groan. “They’re going to kill me for outing them.”

“I’m on my way. Right now. Hold, get the plane ready!” Sophie yells.

“I wasn’t being serious, they’re not going to-”

“See you soon. A few hours max. I’ll kick some ass,” she says before hanging up.

I sigh and massage my temples. Great. Trying to get some help resulted in opening a huge can of worms. I hinted to Chase that I wanted to tell her, but that’s different than doing it. I didn’t talk to Hunter or Lief about it. There was no agreement in place.

“Just breathe,” I tell myself as my hands shake. “You know how to deal with anxiety attacks. Just breathe and ground yourself.”

I rub my desk and the fabric of my chair. It brings my rational brain to the front. I’m in my office. I’m safe. I can handle this. I’m planning a wedding with the men I love. I faced down someone with a gun weeks ago. I can handle telling my men I slipped and told Sophia. Chase said that Holden already knows. So the family can keep a secret.

Glancing at the time, I realize my shift is over. Well, better to deal with it right away and not let it drag out. I’ll just get more anxious until it bursts out of me and I can’t have that. So I go right to the mansion.

The security guy stops me, looks at me, and smiles. “Valerie! How nice to see you! Are you on the schedule?”

“Do I need to be?” I ask.

He hesitates. “Well, Mr. Volkov has limited who can come in, but I guess it’s assumed you’re included with them now.”

“That is assumed,” I say, flashing my engagement rings.

His eyes dip to them and he nods. “Yes, I’ll let Mr. Volkov know you’re on your way.”

“Which one?” I ask.

“Ch-Chase,” he says, stumbling over the word before muttering in Russian about how wrong it is to call him that.

Soon enough, I’m parked and staring at the mansion as it stares back. I promised them way back when that I’d never tell what they did. Even when I was ready to leave them, I never planned to share their secret. Ever. Even on pain of death, unless I knew they were coming.

Taking a deep breath, I narrow my eyes at the mansion. No building is going to intimidate me. I walk in, summoning all the confidence I have, and walk into the conference room. Chase is there alone. He glances at his watch.

“I only have ten minutes before a very important meeting,” he says, adjusting his shirt.

God, he’s attractive. Wearing slacks and a button up pushed to his elbows, a few buttons undone, so formal and proper, his glasses low on his nose. He’s like a sexy professor, or some nerdy accountant and holy shit, I can’t stand it.

I slam the door, walk to him, and shove him back so he’s sitting on the table. He gasps. “Valerie!”

I kiss him, devouring his moan as our tongues tease and tangle. He strokes my sides, squeezing me against him. I rub myself on him, pulling on his shirt and undoing buttons until I can touch his chest and abs.

Chase groans as I kiss his neck. He takes a ragged breath. “This is why you came?”

“It wasn’t, but I ... I can’t help it. You look so sexy, baby boy,” I groan.

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