Still Brazen

by M. Malone

  “Look familiar?”

  I shook my head. Matthias was staring at me in a way that was unnerving. The dude was always dialed to intensity level one thousand, but there was something different about the way he was looking at me. It was almost… accusatory?

  “What the hell is going on, Matthias? Am I supposed to know who that is?”

  He sighed. “Is there anything you want to tell me, mate?” His accent was always thicker when he was annoyed, and right then he sounded like he’d just jumped the pond.

  “Don’t do that. You know me. I don’t bullshit. If I tell you I don’t know the guy, I’m not yanking your chain.”

  Matthias hit a few other keys and brought up another image. “He works for a mob boss that operates mainly out of Eastern Europe. They call him Mr. X. Recognize him?”

  It used to always sound so cheesy when people would say that their world stopped spinning. But I finally understood the expression because in that moment, I was so stunned I almost fell over. It had been so long since I’d heard that name that it sounded foreign to hear it spoken out loud. Maybe in some ways Mr. X had become a part of my past that I’d buried so well I’d managed to convince myself it had never happened. I was good at fooling myself, apparently, because I’d legitimately never thought I’d hear the name again.

  “The past is never really buried, is it?” I whispered.

  “Believe me, I know. I’ve been there.” Matthias wasn’t known for being the most compassionate guy on the team, but in that moment I could see true understanding in his gaze.

  “Mr. X was a client way back in the day. That was handled years ago. Noah made sure the whole organization fell apart. He was in jail.” The tone of my voice must have clued Matthias in that I was unraveling because he leaped to his feet and pushed me down into his seat.

  “Take a deep breath. I don’t need your big ass falling over in my room, because I’m not giving you CPR.”

  I sat there, listening as Matthias called someone, the words not registering. All I could think of was that last day when I’d seen Mr. X and known that things had to change. It had been a defining moment for me, the final nail in a coffin that had been partially closed for years. Most people don’t survive long in the underworld unless they already have no soul. I had felt mine slowly slipping away until I met Hailey. She’d reminded me of what was good and right in the world, and I’d known that I wanted more than money and a life on the run. And even though I’d had to leave her behind, she’d been the catalyst and driving force behind everything I’d done since to build an honest life for myself.

  “Noah and the others are waiting in the conference room.”

  I follow him blindly as we walk out of his room and down the hall. When we passed the kitchen, I glanced around for Hailey but the room was empty.

  “She’s with Lucia.” Matthias answered the question before I could ask.

  Noah was already in the conference room when we arrived, along with Rafe, Jonas and Dylan. Tyse walked in behind us and took the chair right next to the door.

  “Okay, let’s get started. Ryan is out with a client, but I’ll brief him when he gets back.” Noah looked over at Matthias, who stood and walked to the laptop set up at the front of the room.

  “This is Mr. X.” He pulled up the same image he’d shown me.

  Noah sat up straight and then glanced over at me. “Are you serious?”

  Matthias chuckled darkly. “Some of you have heard of him. He’s a major European mob boss who was in jail until recently. We’re still not sure how he got out, but his network is completely intact and seems to have thrived while he was incarcerated.”

  Noah grunted. “What I want to know is how this could go down without anyone telling me?”

  Jonas leaned closer. “I get the distinct feeling that wasn’t an accident. Someone didn’t want you catching wind of this until it was done.”

  “Government?” Noah looked annoyed. “You know what that means.”

  Matthias shrugged. “That was my first thought. There’s no way ORUS isn’t involved somehow. Any time the government has some shady business they want handled, ORUS gets it done. There’s no way Ian didn’t know.”

  The silence that settled over the group made my stomach twist into knots. Even though I had never been a part of the shadowy, secret organization that had trained most of the others, I knew plenty about how they operated by now.

  And if they were involved, then this Mr. X sighting didn’t bode well for any of us.

  Hailey

  I looked up in alarm when the door to Lucia’s room burst open and calmed only marginally when Noah came through.

  “Babe, you just scared the crap out of us!” Lucia held a hand to her throat before leaning up to offer her cheek for a kiss.

  Noah obliged, bussing a quick kiss against her cheek. “Sorry, Lu. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Oskar appeared in the doorway behind him. If I had to pinpoint exactly what was wrong, I probably would have said his eyes were off, but I knew for sure was that something was wrong. Oskar looked like he’d aged about ten years overnight, the lines around his eyes standing out in stark relief against the bluish shadows under his eyes. I stood slowly, my legs stiff after being curled up on the bed while I chatted with Lucia. After talking to Evan earlier, I’d been a little bored and lonely when he’d had to go with Ryan to meet our father at work. Evan had been resistant to having bodyguards following him everywhere, but now I think he could see that it was turning out for the best. With constant babysitters, he couldn’t get himself into any trouble. It was forcing him to be responsible the way he should have been all along. Evan had seemed more settled and serious than I’d ever seen him.

  It was a hard thing to acknowledge, but my big brother really had been weak and easily influenced by others. For so many years I’d looked up to him and loved him, the way little sisters everywhere did. But I’d had to accept that my brother had some pretty major flaws and I couldn’t help him fix those. He had to want to fix them himself. It seemed like he was finally taking some responsibility and working to be better.

  “I’ll see you later, Lucia. We can finish binge watching the rest of Grey’s Anatomy later.”

  She nodded. “Right. I’m not letting you out of it. I still can’t believe you hadn’t seen it before. Everyone needs McDreamy in their lives.”

  Chuckling, I waved before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind me. Noah had a hard time keeping his hands off his wife on any given day, so I figured I’d save anyone else from getting an eyeful they weren’t ready for.

  Oskar pulled me into his arms and rested his head on top of mine.

  “Hey, is everything okay?”

  He squeezed me tighter. “Come with me. We need to talk.”

  I followed him, not letting go of his hand the whole time. Maybe if I held on hard enough it would keep me steady through whatever was coming. Seriously, when had good news ever followed the words “we need to talk”. Clearly something had happened, and it was going to be something I wouldn’t like.

  In his room, Oskar closed the door behind us. When he tried to lead me over to the bed, I dug in my heels.

  “Just tell me. What’s happened? Another threat?”

  He sighed. “Not exactly. We’ve got some leads but not enough, and it’s difficult to judge whether you’re safe here. I’m researching some alternate safe houses for you.”

  The things he was saying made sense, but there was definitely something that he wasn’t saying.

  “Safe houses for me. Where are you thinking we should go?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “Oskar, you’d be with me in the new safe house, right?”

  When he wouldn’t meet my eyes, I yanked at his hand. “No way. You’re not sending me off somewhere without you.”

  He looked at me, and I shivered at the empty look in his eyes. Oskar was always joking around with me and saying inappropriate things. It was chilling to look into his eyes and see
a stranger. It was like he’d walled himself off from me already, as if we were already separated in spirit.

  “Butterfly, I think it’s for the best if Rafe or Matthias takes you away somewhere. With their skills, I know that you’d be safe.”

  Horrified, I snatched my hand away. It would have been bad enough if it were just a suggestion, but he was talking as if it was a done deal. For all I knew, he’d already packed my clothes and was planning to stick me in an unmarked sedan right after dinner.

  “No way.” I didn’t look at him again as I walked to the door and yanked it open. “Noah! Rafe! Whoever else is here!”

  Something crashed behind me, but I didn’t look back as I charged down the hallway. I could hear doors opening and closing upstairs and then the sound of feet on the stairs. Matthias poked his head out of his room when I passed.

  “You too!” I yelled as I passed by. “Everybody needs to hear this.”

  JJ looked up from the magazine in her hands when I stormed into the family room. “Damn girl, you’re on the warpath. What the hell did He-Man do now?”

  I felt a little silly now that I’d brought everyone down here for this, but that wasn’t going to stop me. “Oskar just told me that he’s going to send me away. I’m not okay with that.”

  Oskar’s shoulders sagged. “It’s not safe for you to be around me. The others can protect you while we figure out how to draw the heat off me. Your brother will remain under our protection, but there are so many other factors to consider. This needs to be done. It’s the only way that I can keep you safe.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t agree with that. How is putting you in danger instead of me supposed to be any better? Don’t you get it? If something bad happens to you, then I might as well have died anyway.”

  Everyone went quiet. Oskar stepped closer. “I can’t take any chances here Hailey. This is way things need to be.”

  “So, you think you can just make decisions for me? Screw that. That is not how things are going to be with us. I’m your wife, and that means that I’m with you all the way. Even when things are bad. Even when things are scary. Just try and get rid of me, mister, and you’ll be getting a swift kick in the balls!”

  The guys all exploded into laughter, and my face flamed. Even though I’d called them all downstairs, in the midst of my rage I’d totally forgotten we weren’t alone. I squared my shoulders. I wasn’t going to be ashamed. Nothing that I’d said was anything less than the truth, and if embarrassing myself in front of everyone got my point across, that was a loss I was willing to take.

  “She’s perfect for you, mate. Don’t fuck it up.” Matthias’s voice carried over the sound of the group’s laughter.

  Oskar was chuckling too. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or if I needed to make good on my threat. Then he completely swept my legs from under me with two simple sentences.

  “Yes, she is. That’s why I love her.”

  I clasped my hands together to keep from reaching out for him. Ever since the day I’d said I love you and he hadn’t said it back, I’d told myself that it didn’t matter. That his actions meant more than any phrase ever could. Oskar showed me how he felt about me in tangible ways, the things he did for my comfort, the way he worried over my safety. All of that was potent and real evidence of how he felt, and I’d come to accept that.

  But hearing it out loud had an impact I hadn’t expected. Tears pricked at my eyelids, but I sniffed, refusing to let them fall.

  “You love me?”

  He grinned. “Of course I do. How could I not? You’re my ballsy, mouthy butterfly. What the hell would I do without you?”

  “I don’t know, but I don’t plan to find out. Because I love you too, and you’re not getting rid of me.”

  Amid a chorus of whoops and cheers, Oskar scooped me up and tossed me over his shoulder. I pinched his back and then huffed when I couldn’t find even an ounce of fat.

  “Put me down, you Neanderthal!”

  He squeezed my legs. “Not a chance. I need to get you alone so we can have a rational conversation. Preferably naked.”

  14

  Hailey

  He loved me. He’d blurted it out to everyone. Why hadn’t he said anything before? After the first time I’d said it, I’d assumed he didn’t feel the same. I’d stopped hoping to hear it, thinking that Oskar just wasn’t ready to go there yet, but he’d made it clear tonight that he was all the way in.

  He carried me easily toward our room, a hand on my ass. The sound of his feet on the carpet told me that we were in the upstairs hall. Any second now, we would be inside. And then he would be inside of me, and I wouldn't feel so empty.

  He loved me, and we’d wasted so much time. For once I wasn’t alone. Never mind my emotional outburst in front of everyone. I wouldn't judge myself too harshly because… he loved me, and I was about to have an orgasm. Several of them.

  Multiple orgasms awaited me, and I couldn’t wait.

  Oskar fumbled with the door. Finally, he adjusted his hold on me long enough to get it open. Once inside, he pushed the door shut and then eased me off his shoulder. But instead of sliding me all the way down, he pressed me against the door.

  “You love me.”

  I nodded with a smile. “Yep. You love me too.”

  “Duh.”

  He kissed me hard then, his lips crushing mine. His big body pressed me against the door as his tongue slid in and out of my mouth, branding me.

  With me braced against the door, his hands shifted and slid up under my top, cupping my breasts, kneading them, rolling his thumbs over me nipples.

  Jesus. A cry tore out of my lips and I rocked my hips into him, inviting him to go exactly where I wanted him to be.

  With a muttered curse, I fumbled with his belt buckle, and reached between our bodies to help him. Closer. I just needed to be closer to him. A naked him. Right the hell now. Jesus— I needed him inside me. Batting away his hands, I used my dexterity to remove his belt and unsnap the top of his jeans.

  “Seems like you’ve had some practice with that, butterfly.”

  “Please shut up and fuck me.”

  His laugh cracked through the silence. “Your wish is my command.”

  With a series of wiggles, we were able to get his jeans past his hips. Then his boxers. He reached under my skirt and hooked his thumb inside my thong before making a fist.

  I pulled back and met his gaze, all the heat and intensity of it, boring into my soul. And then he flicked his wrist and the thong snapped in two as if it were merely a rubber band.

  Yes. Hell yes. Before I knew it, the smooth head of his cock nudged my entrance.

  "Hailey." His voice was part growl, part question, all Oskar.

  "Yes, I need you."

  He nudged his length against my center and I moaned deep. All I needed was him. Him inside me, making me shake, making me want nothing else. That's what I needed. Later we’d do all the feelings talk. Much later. "Oskar, now, please."

  "You haven't come yet," he muttered.

  Oh, my big, beautiful Viking. Always so worried about me.

  "Do you feel how wet I am? I just need you inside me, now."

  The growl was a low rumble. "Jesus, fuck, Hailey. Condom."

  "I'm on the pill. Oskar, just—"

  With a muttered curse, he slid the head of his cock inside, and all the way home. "Shit," he muttered through clenched teeth. "So fucking good."

  I groaned. Holy hell. Against the door, Oskar slowly loved me, rocking his hips in and out. Pulling out until just the tip of him grazed my slick entrance, and then kissing me softly, slowly deepening the kiss as he slid all the way back in, stretching me wide, making my head roll back.

  His fingers intertwined with mine over my head, and he placed a hand on my ass for extra support.

  It didn't take long. I felt my body going tight. I knew what was coming. Welcomed it. Welcomed that quiet ownership. I needed this. A few weeks with him had ruined me for anyone else, ever agai
n. Good thing he loved me.

  He picked up his pace. "Come for me. I need to feel you—"

  He didn't have to tell me twice. I threw my head back and screamed his name, breaking apart as he loved me.

  He cursed low and tightened his grip on my ass. His hips picked up the pace, faster and faster, taking me deep, taking me high. And then, when my orgasm rolled into a second one, threatening to break me apart, I whispered, “I’m never letting you go.”

  “Good, because I plan on keeping you.”

  I dropped my head forward and bit into his shoulder. Going limp, I knew that I was going to keep him forever. I didn’t believe in fate, but I knew I was right where I belonged.

  15

  Oskar

  “So, is this what life is usually like around here? Hanging out, watching movies, and teasing each other?”

  Hailey snuggled closer, pulling one of the million throw blankets Lucia insisted on leaving around over her lap. We were currently in the family room waiting for JJ to get back with the popcorn. I would have to remember to thank both JJ and Lucia later. They’d gone out of their way to be welcoming to Hailey and make her feel like a part of the group.

  When I’d decided to bring her to the penthouse, I’d only been thinking about her physical safety. But after more time with her, I could see how isolated Hailey was from everyone else around her. She spent most of her time working. Even though she worked with her family, they focused on business and didn’t seem to concern themselves with what Hailey liked to do outside of work. Did anyone ask her if she had hobbies or interests separate from her family’s perfume empire? It didn’t seem that way. But in the past weeks with me, she’d opened up in so many ways. Her eyes seemed brighter and she wasn’t so stressed. It was an unexpected gift that I’d been able to give her. Friends who didn’t give a shit about how much money she had or could make.