I’ve thrown Devon and Denise into the deep end. They have to run Byrne Enterprises, so I can settle this shit with Finn once and for all and check on all the warehouses.
I have every available man scouring the city for any sign of Finn and the remaining Sicilians.
Every last one of them will die.
Standing in the warehouse where we keep our weapons, Will and I are checking to make sure we have enough.
“We’ve got a solid stash,” Will mutters. “Two machine guns per man. A fuck ton of incendiary grenades. There’s enough.”
He’s right, but I check again. Picking up random weapons, I inspect them to make sure everything works just fine.
When I’m done, Will gives me a bored look. “Are you done now?”
“We can’t afford anything to go wrong,” I mutter. “As soon as we find out where the fucker is hiding, we need to attack.”
“I’m well aware of that.”
I glare at Will.
Rolling his fucking eyes, he lets out a sigh. “Fine, you want to check them again?”
I shake my head. “Have you heard when the funerals are being held?”
“Monday. You won’t be able to stay the full service.”
“I just want to make an appearance at each one. They deserve it.”
I suck in a deep breath of air as the loss rolls over my shoulders. I glance at the men in the warehouse. Each one of them has a family. Someone who will miss them. Still, their loyalty belongs to me.
As if Will can read my thoughts, he steps forward to lock eyes with me. “They know you care, Liam. They’re here because they chose to follow you.”
I nod.
Will tilts his head. “So Collin told me you hugged him.”
I let out a silent chuckle. “Just happened in the moment. I was glad the kid survived.”
“But you won’t fucking hug me,” he says, all disgruntled.
My eyebrows fly up. “You want a fucking hug?”
“Oh no. Don’t want you to feel uncom–”
I grab hold of his shoulder and yank him to me. My body tenses, and the familiar feelings hit, but I ignore them, hugging my best friend.
Just for a second or two.
Pulling away, I mutter, “Happy now.”
The fucker pretends to wipe a tear away. “Happiest moment of my life. I’ll never forget it.”
“Fuck off.”
We start to laugh, and it eases some of the tension in my chest.
“Let’s go.”
I walk with Will toward his SUV, and climbing in, he steers us toward the next warehouse.
We spend the entire day making sure everything is in order, and I take a moment to speak with each of my men. I want them to know they’re not just soldiers but family.
By the time I get home, it’s almost eleven pm. I walk into the penthouse only to find Kiara and Declan playing poker.
“I’m home,” I say.
Declan doesn’t look up from the shitty cards in his hand. “Heard you come in.”
“Just a second.” Kiara narrows her eyes on her cards, then pushes all her chips into the middle of the coffee table.
“You’re bluffin’,” Declan grumbles. He stares at her, trying to intimidate her into revealing her hand, but my woman keeps her poker face expressionless.
I walk around the back of the couch, and seeing her hand, I lift an eyebrow.
“Fuck, I’m out.” Declan throws his hand on the table.
Kiara jumps up and does a happy dance, shaking her sexy ass. “Sucker.” She drops her cards on the table, her hand even shittier than Declan’s.
He immediately scowls at me. “You looked impressed!”
“No, I was surprised that you both can’t play poker to save your lives.”
Kiara comes around the couch, and wrapping her arms around my waist, she tilts her head back. “I missed you at the office. How was your day?”
I press a kiss to her lips. “Busy, but we got a lot done.”
Declan nods at me, then walks to the elevator. Once the doors shut behind him, I glance down at Kiara again.
“I made dinner. Can I warm it up for you?” she asks.
Engulfing her in my arms, I shake my head. “I just want to hold you for a couple of minutes.”
She rests her cheek against my chest, then asks, “Are we still going shooting tomorrow morning?”
“Definitely. The sooner you can handle a gun, the sooner I’ll find rest for my soul.”
I let her go, and as she walks to the kitchen, I say, “I’m going to shower.”
“Okay. What are you going to drink with your food?”
I head toward the stairs. “Just a bottle of water, baby.”
Rushing through the shower because I seriously don’t have energy tonight, I quickly dry off and pull on a pair of sweatpants.
When I come down the stairs, Kiara grins at me. “Do you know gray sweatpants on a man is porn for a woman?”
“Is that so?” I chuckle as I take a seat on the couch.
Kiara hands me the plate of spaghetti bolognese she made and sets the bottle of water on the coffee table.
“Yep, especially if the guy has those fuck-me-muscles you have.”
I lift an eyebrow at her. “Fuck-me-muscles?”
“The V by your hips. It’s like an arrow straight to your cock.”
I can’t keep the grin in any longer. “It’s cute when you say fuck and cock.”
She packs up the cards and chips, then pins me with one hell of a seductive look. “I want you to fuck me so hard with your cock that I won’t be able to walk a straight line tomorrow.”
No longer cute. Jesus.
I lean forward to set the plate on the coffee table, but Kiara wags a finger at me. “Oh no, first have your dinner before you can have dessert.”
I give an incredulous look. “Are you trying to kill me, woman?”
She lets out a burst of laughter. “I’ll make you a deal.”
“Let me hear it.”
“For every bite you take, I’ll take off a piece of clothing.”
“Deal.” I shovel a bite into my mouth.
Kiara bends right over and takes a sock off.
The little game continues until she’s standing in her bra and panties, and I’ve had enough.
Setting the plate down, I get up. “You wet for me, baby?”
“Soaked,” she purrs.
I slip my hand between her thighs, and feeling the evidence of her arousal, I smirk. “Good. Now bend over the couch and hold on tight.”
