Page 91 of Dearly Betrayed

“No,” Jayson says, his voice hard. “It’s my job.”

“I don’t care who does it,” Rian adds. “Doesn’t matter on my end.”

“Finish the three remaining soldiers off, and we agreed that Fallon will stay.” Adler’s eyes turn to regard me. The room is cold and the walls shuffle closer. “Rian assured me that you have no designs on our family.”

“I don’t.” My voice comes out small. I clear my throat and sit up straight. “I don’t,” I repeat, and say it one more time, for good measure. “I don’t, at all. I love your brother. I didn’t think I would, which is why I made that stupid mistake, but things changed. I want to be with him. I really do.”

Silence sits heavy. Jayson squeezes my hand and nods once, looking at me like an adoring acolyte. That gaze puts steel in my spine and makes me feel like I can smash a mountain with my bare fist.

“Then it’s a deal,” Rian says. “Kill those three, and all’s forgiven. God, what a fucking mess, right, Fallie? But we’ll deal with it. Glad you two decided you like each other.”

“Glad we did too,” I admit, still blushing.

“Goodbye, Rian.” Adler hangs up the phone, cutting my brother off. The dial tone disappears as the Don sits back in his big leather executive’s chair. “I understand this is strange. Killing those men doesn’t prove anything. But the fact that you didn’t try to argue for their lives says something.”

“You’re still testing her?” Jayson snarls.

“I’ll be testing her until I’m satisfied. Don’t forget who runs this family.”

“She’s my fucking wife.” I have to hold his hand tight to keep him from getting up.

“Easy,” I whisper, touching his arm. “Jayson, it’s okay.”

“It’s not okay. I’m the one she stole from. I’m the one she was going to hurt. If I believe her, that should be enough for you.”

Adler regards his brother and only shakes his head. “Kill the last Grady soldiers. Then your wife is all yours.”

“Fine.” Jayson gets to his feet. I follow suit. “Anything else,brother?”

“Nothing. You’re dismissed.”

Jayson lingers, seething, but I tug him back. He follows me into the hall where he storms toward the elevators, so angry he can barely control himself. I speak softly, trying to soothe him, rubbing his arms and shoulder and kissing his neck, and it takes the entire ride back to the condo for him to finally start breathing normally again.

“I hate this,” I say once we’re back in our room. He wraps his arms around me and kisses my neck. “I really, really hate it. You’re actually going to go out there and kill those guys yourself?”

“Zach’s been on the case. They’re staying together in a rented room right downtown. Safety in numbers.”

“It’ll be dangerous then.”

“I’ll hit them fast and hard, and I’ll make sure to bring plenty of muscle with me.”

“I don’t like this. Why is Adler making you do it?”

My husband is quiet as he kisses my neck and chin, slowly taking off my shirt. He tosses it aside. I barely even notice that he’s undressing me—we haven’t had on clothes for days. This is our natural state right now.

“My brother plays games. They’re all tests. Loyalty tests. He wants to make sure I’m loyal to him and the Costa family over you and your family. He wants to make sure you won’t try to stop me from hurting those men, just in case you’re working together. Which is absurd, since they tried to kill you. I’m sure he’s got other motives he’s not saying.”

“It’s crazy.” I purr as he strokes a hand down my flank and grips my ass.

“This is what I do, baby.” His tongue invades my mouth, flicking across mine, before he licks and sucks my breasts. “I kill for the ones I love.”

“Jayson,” I groan as his hand slides between my legs. “How are you thinking about sex? I’m so scared for you.”

“Sex is all I can think about. You make me like this, my love. You drive me fucking wild, and if this is going to be our last night together, I’m going to make the best of it.”

“Don’t say that.”

He shoves me down onto the bed. I glare at him, not happy.

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