Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Do you have any advice on what we should do next? I don’t want to give this thing to the CIA if they have no business getting their hands on it. Same for all the others. I don’t want to get stuck in the middle of some international pissing contest,” Alexei demanded.
“Unfortunately, that’s exactly where you are,” Gabriel said.
“And we can’t help you get out until we know what’s on that damn thing,” Justin added.
“We’re flying out,” Gabriel announced, and Alexei hated to admit that he was both disappointed and relieved. Having his uncles on hand meant they’d just added some serious firepower, but it also meant his cozy time with Soren was coming to an end.
“Will the four of us be enough?” Justin inquired.
“What about Kai? Could you call him?” Alexei suggested, mentioning the only other assassin he knew his uncles were friends with.
Gabriel chuckled softly, the sound somehow managing to be both dark and warm. “Ghost is still retired and very happy about it.”
“I have some friends from my old team who might be willing to help,” Soren offered.
“Really?” Alexei whispered.
“Shit is gonna get messy. You sure you want to bring them in?” Justin asked as well.
“Yeah, they won’t mind. If it gives them a chance to give the Company the bird, they’ll be happy to come play. I need to see if they’re free.”
“Sounds like a party,” Justin chortled.
“Call them and put them on standby. Wait until we have time to get into the hard drive and assess the situation,” Gabriel instructed. “We’ll grab a flight this afternoon and head your way. We should be there by late morning. Alexei?”
“Yes?”
“Stay out of trouble until we get there.”
Alexei gasped and was about to argue, but his uncle had already ended the call before he could. Oh yeah, that was totally Gabriel’s style. He loved getting in the last word. At least his husband was there to get even on Alexei’s behalf.
“Asshole,” Alexei muttered.
Soren wrapped his arms around Alexei’s shoulders and pulled him in tight. “Are they going to kill me?”
“Well, not right away. Definitely not until after we settle this hard drive business,” Alexei teased, but Soren wasn’t amused. He pushed up on the tips of his toes, nuzzling Soren’s tense jaw. “I’m joking. They’re not going to hurt you. They’re not like that. They want me happy, and you make me happy. They’re going to grumble a little bit, but they’ll come around.”
“I have never been so scared in my life to meet the family,” Soren admitted with a shudder.
“Don’t worry. They’re going to like you. It won’t even matter that you’re like twenty years older than me.”
“Fourteen. It’s only fourteen years,” Soren sharply corrected.
“Fourteen, twenty. It’s all the same thing.”
Soren groaned, looking pained. Alexei swallowed his laughter. He’d tortured the poor man enough. He would have plenty to deal with when Justin and Gabriel did arrive.
“Why don’t you go call your friends and give them a recap of our shit storm while I see what I can make for dinner?”
“Thank you, Angel.”
Soren leaned down and peppered his lips with light kisses that were slowly growing more heated. With a breathless laugh, Alexei pushed out of Soren’s arms and pointed out of the room. Soren moaned extravagantly and shuffled slowly out of the kitchen. If they continued, it would be hours before Soren made his phone calls and well past dinnertime when they finally ate again.
It didn’t matter. Alexei was already formulating a plan for how he could help Soren forget about the fact that two deadly assassins were about to descend on their little love nest.
Chapter 17
Soren slipped into bed, careful to not disturb a lightly snoring Alexei. The bedroom was heavily shadowed despite it being nearly noon, but he could still make out the man’s sleeping form under the twisted sheets. His pale-blond hair was a stark contrast to the deep red blankets. There was something sweet and adorable about him right then. Everything about Alexei was in-your-face, brash, and cocky. He was the bright flashing lights of the Las Vegas Strip. He was a thousand Fourth of July explosions. And Soren loved it. There was nothing he’d change about him.
But this quiet side was sneaky. It was worming its way past his defenses, reminding Soren that Alexei was young and fragile. He wanted to wrap his arms around Alexei and hold him tight, protect him from the world. Not that Alexei would ever let him. It was a protective side of Soren’s personality that he rarely felt.
Swallowing a groan, Soren stretched out alongside of the sleeping man. They’d stayed up way too late fucking and woken again for more sex at six in the morning only to return to sleep. He’d gotten up, used the bathroom, showered, and started the coffee.
Soren ran his hand across Alexei’s flat stomach and pressed a kiss to Alexei’s shoulder. His lover stirred slowly, turning his face toward him for more kisses as if he couldn’t get enough. It was intoxicating. Soren had never gone in for long-term relationships. Fuck, he’d barely even tried a short-term one. He lost interest too quickly, and his job always made relationships difficult in the first place. How many people in the world were going to understand that he needed to slip away to steal something for a job? Or that he couldn’t meet up for dinner because he was studying the security system for the Winter Palace in Russia?