Anya de Luna POVRealizing there’s no getting through to Xander, I say, “You’re sleeping on the couch.”The corner of his mouth lifts in a hot smirk. “That I can do.”I shake my head at him. “And don’t get any ideas during the night.”“Like?” he teases me.“You know what I’m talking about,” I mutter.When I walk toward the hallway, I change direction and check that the front door is locked.“What are you doing?” He asks.“Getting ready for bed.”He shakes his head. “We’re not done talking.”At the rate we’re going, we’ll never be done talking.“I’m tired, Xander. It’s been a crazy day. Let’s continue the conversation tomorrow when we’ve had some rest.”Agitation flashes over his features. “You asked me to place myself in your shoes, and I’m trying. Can you do the same for me?”I suck in a deep breath of air, then give in and nod.“Thank you.” He walks back to the couch and sits down, his eyes following me. When I pass him, his hand shoots out to grab mine, and he pulls me back onto hi
Alexander Vittorio POVI don’t dare move a muscle while Anya sleeps. I hold the love of my life, feeling the happiest I’ve ever been.This is all I wanted.With Anya in my arms, I process the shock of finding her and Vincent, and I form a plan to win Anya’s heart again.My woman wants dates. She wants to be swept off her feet.She better fucking brace herself because I’m bringing out the big guns.I manage to dose off occasionally, and when the sun starts to rise, I carefully climb to my feet with Anya in my arms. Carrying her to the bedroom, I glance around her personal space before I place her down on the bed.After I covered her with a blanket, I picked up the framed photo of her and Vincent.They’re on the beach, and both have happy smiles. Anya is wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and Vincent has a little Speedo on. My boy is covered in sand.I almost let out a chuckle.Taking the photo, I glance at Anya’s sleeping face before I walk out of the bedroom. I check in on Vincen
Anya de Luna POVI’m woken by Vincent, who’s bouncing on my bed. “Come on, Mommy. I want to see Daddy.”“Then go to him,” I mumble.“He’s not here,” Vincent complains. “Get up so we can go to him.”My eyes pop open. “What do you mean he’s not here?”My boy gives me a worried look. “He’s gone.”Climbing out of bed, I walk to the living room, but there’s no sign of Xander. I peek through the curtains, and seeing the car is gone as well, I let out a sigh.“Daddy had to go to work,” I tell Vincent. “And we have to get ready for the day so we can go to the bookstore.”Vincent’s face crumbles, and he starts to ugly-cry. “But I want my daddy!”I rush forward, and picking him up, I coo, “Aww, you’ll see your daddy again. Mommy will call him.”Crap, I don’t have his number.I’ll ask Rosemarie for Xander’s number.“There-there. Let’s get ready for the day. You can have something from the coffee shop for breakfast. Okay?”He sniffles as I carry him to his room, and while I’m dressing him, he say
Alexander Vittorio POVI had to leave the bookstore so I could take Viktor to his one o’clock meeting.Every time I see Anya and Vincent, I feel a little calmer.“What’s on your jacket?” Viktor asks. “It better not be shit.”I let out a burst of laughter. “It’s chocolate.”“Thank, fuck,” he mutters. When we get to the office, check on the shipments that are due. I want to know what the rest of the week looks like.”“Okay.” Hesitating for a moment, I decide to go ahead and ask, “How did you get Rosemarie to fall in love with you?”“I kidnapped her,” he chuckles before he gets serious. “I showed her she’s safe with me. It took three years, Xander. She didn’t take it easy on me.” He glances out of the side window of the car. “Anya already loves you. Just remind her who you are.”I nod as I steer the G-Wagon into the underground parking. “Any news on Brayden Kelly?” I ask as we climb out of the vehicle.“No, but I’ve increased the hit on his head to two point five million, so he should be
Anya Santini de Luna POVHoly crap, that was intense. My heart is fluttering in my chest as I drive home. Did I like that? Why? God, the man was hot as hell laying the law down.“Mommy, what’s for dinner tonight?” Vincent asks.Something to cool me down.“Ahh…we’ll see when we get home. Is there anything you’re in the mood for?”“Pizza is for special times, right?” he asks.“Yes.”“So it’s special that Daddy came back.”I let out a chuckle. “Okay. We’ll order pizza tonight.”“Yay!”With Vincent happy, my thoughts return to Xander. He’s been amazing with Vincent, and I love watching them interact.I’m still apprehensive about a romantic relationship with Xander, but I said I’d give him a chance, so that’s what I’m going to do.When I pull into the driveway, Xander stops behind my car. I climb out of the vehicle and notice an SUV parking in front of my house.“Who’s that?” I murmur before I open the door for Vincent to get out.When Xander walks toward us, I gesture to the car. “Will yo
Alexander Vittorio POVI didn’t stay late so Anya could get a good night’s rest. With Viktor in Las Vegas for the meeting with the Priesthood, it gives me the perfect opportunity to assassinate Brayden Kelly.If Kelly is keeping tabs on Viktor, he won’t expect the attack.I park the G-Wagon near the docks and armed with a sniper gun, a small rocket launcher, and two of my favorite handguns, I disappear into the darkness. Dressed in full combat gear, I’m ready for any kind of action.I’m sure Kelly is prepared for a full-scale attack, and he won’t expect just one man. At least, that’s what I’m hoping. With the sniper gun and rocket launcher’s straps flung over my shoulders, I enter the docks from a side gate that looks like it hasn’t been used in ages. The lock is rusted and easy to break. Lightfooted and keeping my head low, I make my way between the warehouses. Using a fire escape, I scale to the roof, where I’ll have a better view of the area.Once I’m on the roof, I move cautiously
Anya de Luna POVWatching Xander drive away with our son, I’m filled with anxiety. You need to give them alone time together. I chew on my thumbnail as I stand by the door, my eyes following the G-Wagon down the road. God, it’s going to be a long two hours.Suddenly the brake lights go on, and a second later, the vehicle makes a U-turn. Did they forget something?Xander double parks the G-Wagon, and lowering the window, he calls out, “Lock up and come with us.”My eyebrows fly up. “Really?”He lets out a chuckle as he nods. “Yeah. I hate knowing you’ll be worried the entire time we’re gone.”I let out a happy shriek and rushing to the counter, I grab my handbag. Thankfully, Peter is already leaving the store, and I can lock up quickly.I hurry to the passenger side, yank the door open, and climb inside. Giving Xander a happy smile, I say, “Thank you.”His gaze is tender as he murmurs, “Anything for you.”Anything for me. It’s only been a couple of days, but this man is making quick wo
Alexander Vittorio POV I feel the date was a massive success as I carry my sleeping son into the house.Anya helps to change him out of the tuxedo and into his pajamas before I pull the covers over him and press a kiss to his forehead.I leave Anya to whisper good night to our son and walk to the living room.I’m fucking nervous. There’s been such a huge build-up to the kiss, and I feel pressured not to fuck it up.Shrugging my suit jacket off, I roll up the sleeves of my dress shirt. My eyes keep flicking to the hallway, but when too much time passes and there’s no sign of Melody, I frown.What’s keeping her?I check that the front door is locked, and when she’s still MIA, I head down the hallway.I peek into Vincent’s room, and not seeing her, I walk to her bedroom. I nudge the door open, and hearing running water, I slowly move closer to the bathroom.A smile spreads over my face when I catch her staring at her reflection in the mirror.“You’re a confident woman. It’s just a kiss.
He slipped the ring on her finger, climbed onto the bed, and swept her into a kiss. By the time he was done, her head spun more than a little, and there was a strange clapping sound assaulting her ears. “Ignore them,” he whispered, cupped her jaw, and lowered his head for another kiss.Confused, she looked beyond him, toward the door. Val, Ginger, Ariana, Lee Anne, Anaisse, and Tommy gathered just beyond the threshold, clapping.“About time, Snowflake,” Ginger called.“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Ryan called, never taking his eyes off her. His smile held wicked intent.The door whooshed closed.“I’m injured,” she warned as he moved in.“I’m careful.” He traced the front opening of her hospital gown, barely grazing her flesh.“I guess you are,” she managed, as his fingers parted the gown.“And creative.” As proof, he tapped the bed-adjust button and eased her into a more reclined position.She raised a brow at him. “A nurse could walk in here at any moment to check on me
The light hum of female voices registered first, followed by the smell of roses and lilies. Annabelle lay still for a moment, kept her eyes closed, and did a quick physical inventory. Toes? Check. Fingers? Check. Head still attached to the shoulders? Check.Best she could tell, all parts were present and accounted for. She felt stiff and groggy like she’d been asleep for a week, but nothing too alarming. A vague impression of Ryan holding her hand and telling her not to worry about anything danced through her mind, but she couldn’t say for sure whether that was memory or wishful thinking. She racked her brain for something more. Other images formed—a nurse with a short brunette bob offering her water. Anaisse smiling through tears while helping brush her teeth and hair—but no Ryan Ferrer.Deciding to chance a look around, she opened her eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the sudden brightness. Sunlight streamed through an unfamiliar window, below which sat a metal cabinet holdi
Ryan hurried down the passageway toward the stage, hugging the wall and keeping his steps quick and light. He doubted anyone would hear him coming over the noise of the party, but he didn’t plan on leaving it to chance.The passageway widened at the back of the stage. A retractable metal security gate spanned the stage to prevent anyone from moving the festivities to the backstage area. The blackout curtain hung just beyond the security gate. He wrapped his hand around a slat and gave the gate a shake, testing it. Fully secure, with very little give. No one had slipped into or out of the backstage area through there. He worked his fingers between the slats, moved the curtain aside, and looked out. A sea of zombies, ghouls, princesses, and pirate wenches danced under flashing purple lights. Nothing unusual.His phone vibrated. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the screen. A text from Tommy read, At the back door. Wait for me. For a nanosecond, he considered waiting, because, pro
Detective Ryan FerrerRyan bit back a curse as he examined the broken lock. Kicked in? He pulled his gun and crept through the door, keeping it low. Since nobody shot him in the head the moment he cleared the threshold, he swept left with his gun, then right. No sign of anyone.He straightened, stuck his gun into the back of his jeans, and debated his choices. Val’s office and the dancers’ dressing room were down the hallway to the left. The hallway on his right led to the stage, and beyond that, another narrow hall led to the back door of the club.Instinct told him to go right since that direction ultimately led to an exit. He shot off a text to Tommy. The door’s busted. Get back here. Don’t bring Anaisse. He didn’t wait for a reply, just tucked the phone in his pocket and started down the hall, scanning in every direction as he went. A few steps along, he glanced down and froze. What the hell…? He crouched and picked up a small white feather.His heart thundered in his chest. Annab
Oh, no. No one would see them up there. “I can’t. I’m afraid of heights.” Also, she was in no condition to scramble up a straight-vertical ladder. Numb hands, shaky legs, and the unrelenting pain in her side made the climb risky.She released a shuddery breath when the pressure of the gun disappeared from the center of her back. Her shoulders dropped and she relaxed infinitesimally, just knowing the damn thing wasn’t poised to blow a hole through—The cold, unforgiving metal pressed against her temple, scattering her thoughts like seagulls. She heard the click of the safety release.“Climb or die.”“Okay, okay.” The words scraped along her tight, dry throat. Turned out her fear of bullets trumped her fear of heights. She clasped the nearest rung in a bloody grip. “I’ll climb.”Working her way up the ladder took even more effort than she’d anticipated. Escape scenarios cart-wheeled through her mind too quickly for her to get a solid hold on any one plan.Stay calm. Easier thought than
Fuck, fuck, fuck, Annabelle, where are you? Ryan cut a path through zombies, mummies, and vampires, scouring his search area for any sign of her. There was none. To compound his apprehension, his phone remained frustratingly silent. The secret hope he’d harbored that she’d sneaked away to a stall in the ladies’ room to put herself together and curse him to hell and back waned with each passing second.If anything happened to her, he’d…he didn’t know what he’d do. His hand shook as he shoved it through his hair, pulling hard at the roots until his scalp screamed. They had to find her. End of discussion. There was no way his last interaction with the love of his life could take place in a back room at a strip club, her staring at him with a heartbreaking expression on her face, saying, “I’m sorry.”Absolutely not. He’d find her. And when he did, he’d sit her down and they’d have an honest talk—no more games or tactics. He’d ask her, point-blank, what the hell part of their relationship
Now Tommy turned and looked at him. “She doesn’t have her phone.”“What?” True, Annabelle hadn’t been carrying hers either, but Anaisse was the responsible twin.“You saw what she’s wearing. You think she’s got a BlackBerry built into her shoe?”“I was hoping.”“Sorry to burst your bubble. I don’t suppose Annabelle told you what she did on her way in to the party?”The bad feeling came back. Stronger. “She said something about handling her pen pal.”“She scooped him. He threatened to reveal that she used to strip for a living. Annabelle decided to break the news herself, so she rolled out of the limo this evening and held herself a press conference, during which she mentioned she’d spent two years dancing at Phoenix.”He felt the color drain out of his face. “Holy shit. Exactly why am I not supposed to be worried yet?”Tommy shrugged but returned to inspecting the crowd. “She could be right. Now that he’s got no hammer to hold over her, he’ll lose interest.”“Maybe. Or could be he’ll
The insult stung. Did he really think he’d fooled her up until they’d danced? Like she only recognized him by the feel of his cock? “I knew it was you the minute I saw you. Letting you think otherwise was just”—she lifted her shoulder in a casual shrug—“an entertaining little game. But the game is over and, ultimately, doesn’t change what I want.”Apparently, she could sting him back, because his eyes narrowed. Then he ground his hips against hers until she bit her lip and moaned.“You’re sending mixed signals, Annabelle. You don’t know what you want.”Sadly, she did—she wanted far too much, more than he’d offered—but her stupid, traitorous hips lifted, seeking more from him.“Careful. The condom…” He reached down between them and pinched the base of his erection, holding the latex in place. But when he started to pull out, she panicked.“Don’t.” Her hands flew down to his hips, and her fingers dug in to hold him still. Don’t leave me empty. Not yet.“Annabelle…” He swore under his br
Annabelle rode out the last trembling aftershocks from the mind-numbing orgasm—the kind of full-body meltdown only Ryan could deliver. Shaky, sweaty, and tingling like she’d been struck by lightning, she barely registered when he lifted her and put her on his lap. She opened her eyes and immediately tumbled into his. Dammit. He pinned her with an expression she couldn’t fully read, but made her heart want to flip over in her chest and expose its soft underbelly. Which only proved she was, in fact, her own worst nightmare. No faceless stranger could lay claim to the title. She held that honor all on her own.Was that what you were looking for, Angel? He’d spoken quietly, but she heard the test in his voice as if daring her to push him even one more inch.Oh, she dared. Pushing him was about the only thing she dared do at this point because she knew full well her resolve would collapse like a house of cards if she came clean about their charade. And God only knew what confessions would