day, none of them knew the gritty details of that trip. It had taken a while, but the three of them had eventually gained the abused kid’s trust and welcomed him into their circle.
Vasily had helped them all, and now Gabriel was disrespecting the man by giving in. Accepting defeat in the face of an attraction stronger and more demanding than anything he’d ever experienced. This shit with Eva wasn’t about fucking. It was…
Yeah. No. He wouldn’t label it, he thought as he watched Nika drag Eva to the dance floor. And he wouldn’t deny it. Couldn’t, no matter the fallout. Because, despite his walk down memory lane, despite Vasily’s acceptance and easy aid, his understanding and all those discussions regarding Gabriel’s mangled emotions when he’d made a kill that was expected of him, Gabriel didn’t have what it took to hand Eva’s care over to Alek and walk away.
Flames licked at his skin as he watched her dance. She stood out in the grinding crowd like an onyx jewel dropped into a toy box full of broken Lego pieces, her movements graceful, the sway of her hips smooth, her arms rising sinuously above her head as her bare back curled and straightened with an ease that made him itch to get her under him. Both girls were stunning, Eva nightfall, Nika sunrise.
His phone vibrating yanked Gabriel out of his head and he withdrew it to glance at the screen before bringing it to his ear. “Paynne.”
“Eva texted again this afternoon,” the biker reported. “Wants to know if I’ve learned anything new about your brother’s visit the other day. I can’t put her off forever, Moretti. What can I tell her?”
Fuck. “The truth,” Gabriel suggested. “That you don’t know why he was there.”
In Paynne’s original debriefing a couple of months ago, it had been the Russians that had been the threat, so the biker hadn’t been informed of Stefano’s vendetta, only that the boss and Gabriel were brothers. Gabriel would have to let Vincente, who was his and Paynne’s usual go-between, know it was okay to fill in the blanks.
“The truth. Right,” Paynne snorted. “She’d be pissed as hell if she found out I only came to New York to watch her ass. That I lied to her about it for weeks.”
“I wouldn’t recommend full disclosure,” he said dryly. “Might make for an awkward pickup at the airport when she returns next week.”
“When she what?”
“She’s filling a position at TarMor and will come back with me when I relocate to the Manhattan office. It’ll make watching her that much easier.” Among other things.
“Shit. My sister’s gonna freak. So is Vex when he hears me tell Eva we’re amateurs who can’t find out why some goon broke into my place. She’s not gonna swallow that, Moretti. She’ll question why I’m letting it go.”
“Then you better think of something plausible to tell her before she does. Later, Paynne.”
As he tucked his phone away, he saw Quan smoothly making his way between the loosely packed bodies to intercept the trio of gawkers who’d been discussing the girls earlier. They’d decided to make their move, it seemed. Quan motioned them in, as if about to share a secret, and said something that had all three sets of eyes widening and shifting to where Gabriel stood with Alek. The tallest in the group adjusted himself, giving Gabriel some idea as to what Quan had threatened. They gave up on their prey and scampered toward the rear of the club without a backward glance.
Quan returned, taking up his position on Gabriel’s right, not a word spoken.
But, then, none were necessary.
† † †
Ian Preston slid his credit card out of the slot on the front of the pump and lifted the nozzle while chomping down on the TUMS in his mouth. He turned and nearly choked on the chalky remains when he saw that mean fucker with the stupid hairdo leaning against the quarter panel of his car. What the hell? Had the Moretti underboss followed him to Seattle? Did they think he was gonna fuck them over?
Tempting. But he wasn’t stupid.
“Hey,” he said around his now-thudding heart. Had to can it with the fuckin’ burgers. “Where’d you come from?”
“Where is she?”
Dammit. How the fuck had he gotten involved with these guys? Fuckin’ mafia. Why hadn’t he listened to his mother—may she rest in peace—and become a plumber? He could’ve been lookin’ at some chick’s tits while he unplugged her sink. Maybe got a blow job from