Page 93 of Witness Protection

“Hey, it was just a scratch.”

“You do have my blood inside you,” said Hawk. “Must be that.”

Cayden huffed and walked away, leaning against the closest wall. He ran a hand through his hair again, his expression hard. “Neither of you have thought this through. What happens after today? Antonio Jr. is still a threat. Where are we supposed to live? How can it work?”

“You’ve never had a real family. You’ll get used to it,” said Hawk.

“That answered none of my questions.”

Cayden exhaled, appearing to settle down slightly. Hawk almost laughed out loud, but held it in. He was trying to convince another man to fuck his woman, to live with them under the same roof. He wasn’t sure why he felt so confident in the arrangement, but it felt almost natural, like it was exactly what was supposed to happen. It fixed all the problems.

Since realizing Sophia had a thing for Cayden, it tore him up inside. But then the other man grew on him, and he could understand what Sophia saw in him. He’d give her the fucking world, his life, so why not the unorthodox relationship she craved? Their lives had always been far from normal.

“I need you, Cayden. Please stay,” said Sophia. She approached him but kept her distance.

“How can this not bother him?” Cayden waved a hand in his direction.

“I’m right here, you know? It’s not exactly my first choice,” said Hawk. “But I know what I bring to the table, and if she says she loves me, too, I have to believe it.”

He was confident in his prowess. Hawk was a man, not a boy, and having another guy in the family wouldn’t make him feel insecure. He was willing to make it work—for her.

“I’ll stay the night … but only to recuperate a bit more. I still need to think about things, so don’t think I’ve agreed to anything.”

****

Sophia awoke to a whisper against her ear. Was she dreaming? She rubbed her eyes and twisted in the blankets. It was still dark outside.

She’d been sleeping alone. Hawk was in the second bedroom and Cayden on the sofa. Cayden said he’d stay on one night, but one night had turned into three. They all seemed to be avoiding the topic and keeping their distance from each other. She was tired of walking on eggshells around the suite.

She could love them equally.

She knew that.

Not a doubt in her mind.

Sophia was just grateful Cayden was even considering a ménage relationship. Ménage. It sounded wrong and crazy and taboo, but the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. It was her ultimate fantasy. The only answer for her in this situation. She’d inadvertently given her heart to two different men.

It already surprised her that Hawk had changed his tune so quickly. She remembered his tone of voice when he mentioned double-fucking her in the ice room. It intrigued him.

“Come with me.”

Cayden had one knee on the bed as he hovered over her.

“Where? What’s going on?”

“I need to be alone with you. We have to talk. Just you and me,” he whispered.

“Okay…”

She sat up, still partly in a daze. He was fully dressed, his jacket and boots on, ready to leave. She’d taken her usual shower before bed, so she just pulled on some clothes and tied her hair into a ponytail. Only the moonlight gave her enough light to see. As soon as she was dressed and had her flats on, he took her hand and led her to the front door.

“What about Hawk?”

“He’s sleeping like a baby. We won’t be too long.”

It felt good to hold Cayden’s hand, so strong and warm. She hadn’t really been close with him since she left the trailer. She missed him—their talks, the silliness, their growing connection. It had all been building into something beautiful when he cut their time together short.

The light in the hallways stung her eyes. She cuddled against his side as they walked down to the elevator, only the sound of keys jingling in his free hand. He smelled so damn good, a mix of woodsy cologne and leather. Although she had no clue what he was up to, she didn’t care. She trusted him and wanted him to trust her in return.

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