“Nope. Dead serious.”
“It was a literal sign from the jewelry gods,” Shayne added with a grin. “When are you going to do it?”
“How the hell did you make my proposal sound dirty?”
“I’ve got mad skills.”
The security alarm beeped once when I quietly opened the front door a little after six that night. I quickly keyed in the code, Sloane’s birthday, then grunted a curse when I rolled my ankle on one of Ralph’s chew toys. I tossed the silicone bone to the side and went in search of my family. The first thing I noticed was the scent of freshly baked desserts lingering in the air. Damn, my girl was even more stressed than I realized. The second was the pile of Tupperware dishes lined up along the counter in the kitchen. Double damn. There was no way she was giving my sweet treats away. I might have to do two-a-days at the gym to keep fromgaining a hundred pounds, but to hell with playing nice in the sandbox. I wasn’t sharing.
I found them in the family room, watching a movie on the big screen TV. Well, Rogan and Reagan were asleep on the chocolate-colored sleeper sofa with Ralph in between them, while Finn and Sloane occupied the plush tan recliners on either side. My Sunshine saw me first, narrowing her eyes into slits. So much for her being calmed down.
“Hey,” I whispered.
If possible, her eyes narrowed farther. Not good.Shit.
“I’m gonna get going.” Finn kissed his sister on top of her head, then muttered, “Good luck,” on his way past me.
Run, coward. Run.
“Can we talk?”
“Oh, now you wanna talk?”
I held out my hand, helping her up. When she didn’t immediately pull away, I took it to mean I wasn’t entirely in the doghouse. Partially, maybe. Regardless, it was my fault. My communication skills, when it came to personal relationships, were severely lacking. Case in point, my current predicament. If I’d talked to her before making the decision to involve Zak, I wouldn’t be about to beg for mercy.
The temperature outside was mild for a fall evening in the mountains of West Virginia, still I grabbed her a light jacket from the coatrack, pulled it up her arms, then led us onto the back deck. She stood facing the railing, glancing out into the vanishing sky. I closed in behind her, wrapping my arms around her chest.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you about Zakhar.”
“Why didn’t you?” She turned her head around and back.
“Would you believe me if I said I forgot?”
“If that’s what really happened, then yes. Is it?”
“Yes.” I winced. “And no.”
“It can only be one or the other, Duncan.”
“I genuinely did forget, although subconsciously I think my brain wanted to wait because I can’t stand the thought of someone other than me protecting you. It makes me feel like I’m not doing my job.”
“What? You think because you aren’t here physically that you’re not protecting us? I think you’ve taken one too many knocks to the head in the boxing ring.”
“I’m being serious, Sloane.”
“So am I.”
“Have you forgotten the reason you need extra security in the first place? It’s all because of me, Sunshine.”
“Bullcrap. We’re in this because some scumbag tried to kill us, then tore us apart, while betraying your trust. Sound familiar? Now, would you like to continue this conversation or have make-up sex?”
I ground my hardening cock into her ass.
“Always make-up sex.”
Sloane
I was team Zakhar all the way. Not just because he was drop-dead gorgeous, which he was. His jet-black hair, which was pulled back into a low ponytail, highlighted the most interesting steel-blue eyes. The two goons with him, introduced as Kasimir and Makari, were equally as handsome, however they were scary big.