“He’ll be here soon, Aleks. Everything will be all right,” Con said from where he was sitting on an armchair that looked like it cost more than my brother’s car. I was sitting on a couch made of the same fabric, so I was afraid to move for fear that dirt would transfer from my clothes to the fine material.

I wanted to ask Con how he was so sure he was coming, but I was too afraid to open my mouth.

Because then I might ask the three men staring at me like I was some bizarre-looking animal at the zoo to take me home… or back to that little house in the middle of nowhere so I could get rid of that note and just crawl back into Vaughn’s arms.

What the hell had I done?

“No,” I whispered so the men around me wouldn’t hear. “I did the right thing.”

“Did you say something?”

I jumped when the man named King spoke.

“Um, no, sir… sorry,” I croaked.

I chanced a glance at him and saw that he was watching me with a mix of pity and understanding. He was a really big guy… bigger than both Con and Luca. He wasn’t classically handsome and had lighter features, but he scared me the most. A dark green T-shirt was pulled across his broad chest. His arm muscles were stretching the thin material to the brink and I could see a tattoo on his bicep, another on his lower arm and even on his hand.

I told myself just to take deep breaths. Vaughn would come. He had to.

Unless I’d angered him so much that he wanted nothing more to do with me. He’d said he’d always come, but maybe always didn’t really mean the same thing when you defied someone.

“Can I get you anything to eat or drink, Aleks?” Con asked. If I hadn’t been so nervous I would have smiled at how the man always seemed to be wanting to feed me.

I shook my head. “No, thank you.”

No way was I going to throw up in front of these men, and that was exactly what would happen if I tried to put anything in my belly at this point.

Where was Vaughn?

Luca and Con had said he’d probably be right behind us… that it would be only a couple of hours at the most until he arrived. But it had already been three hours since we’d arrived at the too-big house. The drive to Vegas had taken a couple of hours and the flight had taken almost five, so it was nearing the twelve-hour mark since I’d last seen Vaughn.

“He never picked up the ticket,” Luca said as he hung up his phone, his face pulled into a mask of irritation.

“Ticket?” I asked.

Luca sat down in the other armchair. To say I’d shocked the man when I’d found him early this morning and told him I’d help him find his son was an understatement. The man continued to look at me like he couldn’t believe I was there.

I couldn’t believe it either.

“I left a ticket for him at the airport. It was an open ticket so he could grab the next available flight to New York as soon as he realized we were gone. I had Con text him the information when we left Vegas.”

I nodded. I’d finally discovered we were in Nevada when Luca, Con, and I had left the house in the early morning hours. We’d flown out of the city on a private jet, but I hadn’t thought to ask where we were going or how Vaughn would get there. Admittedly, I’d been too numb to do much but sit there and stare out the window. It had taken every ounce of control I’d had not to lose myself to a blackout.

Or to beg Luca to turn the plane around and take me back to Vaughn.

I hadn’t actually made the decision to help Luca find his son until I’d been lying in bed with Vaughn and he’d talked about staying in the life he’d had to take on to look for the boy. It was the part when he’d admitted he and his family couldn’t come back from what they’d been through that I’d known what I needed to do. I’d already been mulling over what it would mean to try and help Luca find Gio but knowing Vaughn would go back to that life and do it alone, without his brother and friends, had made me realize Gio wasn’t the only one who needed to go home.

They all did.

Just like Dante had needed to go home.

My brother had been lucky because he’d had Remy to help him and me. And of course, Vaughn had saved us all.

I needed to give that back to Vaughn and his family, and I needed to help Gio because I was Gio and Gio was me. There were hundreds of Gios out there, thousands even, and they were all waiting for someone to come for them.

I couldn’t save them all, but I wouldn’t let my fear keep me from trying to save at least one.

Would Vaughn understand that?

Would he forgive me?

Was he even going to come?

“He knows we’re here?” I asked, my voice cracking a bit. “Not in the city?”

Luca nodded, his expression softening a bit. “He knows we’re in the Hamptons and he knows how to get here. We spent most of our childhood in this house because our mother preferred it to the city.”

I managed another nod. I couldn’t stop shaking so I tucked my hands under my legs so it wouldn’t be as obvious.

Then I remembered the dirt on my fingers. “I’m sorry,” I cried as I yanked my hands from beneath my legs and jumped to my feet to see if I’d stained the pretty fabric.

“Aleks—”

“I should have washed my hands better,” I said, completely horrified. “Those men took me from work so my hands were still dirty and I was too upset to really scrub them but I should have when I got here—”

Terror began to skate through my system. What kind of punishment would I have to endure for staining the cold man’s expensive couch?

“Aleks!” Luca called and I snapped my eyes to him. King and Con were both standing now. They looked worried.

“Aleks, the couch is fine and your hands aren’t dirty. Even if you rolled around in mud and then on this couch, I swear to you, I wouldn’t care. It’s okay.”

Luca seemed tense and I realized he was probably waiting for me to slip into another one of my blackouts.

Part of me kind of wished that would happen. I forced myself to take several deep breaths as I tried to accept that I wasn’t in trouble. But I couldn’t find any sense of calm.

Oh God, I couldn’t do this.

“Where’s Vaughn, Luca?” I whispered.

Luca carefully reached out to touch my upper arm. It was all I could do not to pull away. “He’s coming, Aleks. I swear he is.”

“He’s here,” King said softly. I jerked my head to look at him and saw him holding his phone out so Luca could see the screen. “My guy says he just pulled up.”

“Make sure your guys stay out of his way,” Luca said as he stepped back from me.

“Luca, not even you could pay them enough to get in his way,” King said as he put his phone away. There was a hint of humor in his voice, but I didn’t understand it.

Vaughn was here.

He’d come.

Luca moved away from me and then Con was at my side. I was shocked when he actually put his body between me and the big door that led into the hallway.

“Con?” I said softly in confusion.

“He’s gonna need a minute, Aleks. Just stay behind me, okay?”

“I should tell him I’m sorry,” I said. “I… I should take my punishment without argument.”

Con looked over his shoulder at me. “Aleks, the only thing you need to worry about is him hugging you a little too tight,” he said with a little grin. “You’re not the one whose ass he’s going to kick.” He motioned to King. “Why do you think I called King in for backup?”

I looked toward the other two men and saw that King was standing just a few feet from Luca. And Luca actually looked a little nervous.

“Vaughn said you try to make them talk things out before they fight,” I said.

Con chuckled. “Even I’m not that good,” he said.

The huge door suddenly flew open with violent force. Vaughn’s eyes swung to mine and I swore I saw the slightest bit of relief in them. Then it was like he forgot all about me and he was on Luca without a word.

It was a violent encounter and Luca didn’t seem to be doing more than trying to defend himself. I didn’t actually see him throw a punch.

I shouted Vaughn’s name a couple of times, but he completely ignored me. King finally intervened, but Vaughn turned on him instead.

“Get your fucking hands off me!” he snarled as his rabid eyes remained on his brother.

“He’s had enough, Vaughn!” King said.

“I’ll say when it’s enough!” Vaughn responded. “You’re no longer my brother!” he bit out, then his eyes were on King, then Con. “We’re no longer family!”

“Vaughn, it was his—” Luca began, but Vaughn hit him hard.

“Shut the fuck up! Don’t tell me it was his fucking choice because you guilted him into it!”

When Vaughn slammed his fist into King’s face, I felt the tears start to fall.

“Vaughn,” I said softly, though I knew he wouldn’t hear me. Con moved away from me and toward the struggling men. All four men began shouting so loud at one another that I knew I’d never be able to get Vaughn’s attention. I looked around desperately, then grabbed a large sculpture that looked like a green rock. It was heavier than I would have thought, but I didn’t care. I also didn’t care what punishment damaging it would earn me.

I pulled my arm back and with every ounce of strength I had, I let the thing fly. I’d expected it to just make a hole in the window and figured the breaking glass would make enough of a sound to be heard. But to my horror, the entire floor-to-ceiling window shattered and the sound was deafening as glass flew. Fortunately, none of the glass hit me or any of the other men.

There was a beat of silence as we all looked at the window.

And then everyone was looking at me.

Luca’s face was covered in cuts and bruises and his lip was bleeding.

King had a fresh bruise on his cheek.

Con and Vaughn both seemed unhurt.

“James,” I whispered as my eyes met Vaughn’s.

“Get out,” he practically snarled, but I knew he wasn’t talking to me. His eyes never left mine as the other men silently left the room. I didn’t look at them.

I had eyes only for him.

He was looking at me like Luca had the night before when I’d first spied him on the porch…

Predatory.

That was the word.

But unlike with Luca, I wasn’t scared.

I was… ready.

“James,” I repeated, my voice low.

His strides were long and sure as he approached me. His hands came up to encircle my neck. I raised my hands to hold onto his wrists.

But not to try and stop him.

No, because I instinctively knew I’d need something to hang onto.

“You came for me,” I said as I met his eyes.

“Always,” Vaughn said, his voice still sounding harsh, but not because he was angry. He held my eyes for a moment, then his mouth was on mine.

Despite his anger or desperation or whatever it was that had driven him to let his fists fly with his brother and friends, his kiss was incredibly gentle. I’d expected him just to take what he wanted, and I’d prepared myself for the onslaught.

But his mouth was so soft and the kiss was short. A quick press of his mouth against mine.

Then another.

And another.

Over and over he kissed me and every time caused something inside of me to build, explode, then start to build again. His hands were firm on my neck, but it was his head that moved as he took my mouth at different angles. His beard tickled just the littlest bit, but there was nothing funny about it. If anything, it just made the sensation more vibrant.

It was an assault on my senses but in the best way ever.

Vaughn pulled his mouth from mine and kissed the corner, then began peppering my cheek, jaw, and chin with little kisses. I was sure my nails would leave half-moon marks on his skin because I was holding onto his wrists so hard.

“James,” I breathed when he kissed me softly again.

He pressed his forehead against mine. “I was so fucking scared, Aleks.”

“I’m sorr—”

“Don’t be sorry,” he said before I could get the entire word out. “Just swear to me that you won’t ever walk out on me like that again.”

I nodded frantically. “I swear I won’t, James… I just…”

“What?” he murmured.

I opened my eyes. I could see that his were closed. He was still clinging to me, but I knew if I’d wanted him to release me, I would have just had to pull back a little.

“It had to be my choice to come here and I knew it was one of the few you wouldn’t let me make.”

He nodded against me. “Not safe,” he muttered.

“You’ll keep me safe,” I whispered, then I took a chance and pressed my mouth to his. He moaned, and I felt a thrill go through me that I’d done that to him. But when his tongue suddenly licked along the seam of my mouth, I jumped in surprise and broke the contact.

Vaughn kissed me again gently, then whispered, “Just trust me, Aleks.”

I stilled and let him kiss me again like he had before. It took just seconds for me to get lost in his touch again. This time when his tongue traced over that same spot, I managed to hold still.

“God, so sweet,” Vaughn groaned against my mouth. “Open up for me, baby.”

I didn’t understand what he wanted and went to ask him just that at the same time that his tongue did the move again. I jumped when his tongue came into contact with mine. I’d barely processed that he tasted like butterscotch because he immediately drew his tongue back and kissed just my lips. When he repeated the move with his tongue, I found myself trying to figure out what it felt like.

It was weird and awkward and amazing all at the same time. I’d seen people kissing before, but I’d never realized this was what they were doing when their mouths were so passionately melded together.

“Okay?” Vaughn asked, sounding out of breath. He put enough space between us so he could look me in the eye.

I nodded because my throat felt so thick with emotion.

“Do you want me to stop?”

I didn’t even have to think about that for a second. I violently shook my head. His smile was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen. This time when his mouth closed over mine, I was ready.

And what was weird and awkward and amazing became just amazing.

Then it became something else entirely.

“James,” I managed to get out when he gave me a second to catch my breath.

“I know,” was all he said, then his mouth was back on mine and my instincts kicked in. I didn’t care if I wasn’t doing it right or it wasn’t pretty or what it would lead to… I just kissed him back. My arms went around his neck of their own volition and I was pressing into him so I could get more of whatever was causing all the little sparks of delight to go off in my belly like firecrackers. Since moving in with Dante and Magnus, I’d watched the annual fireworks on television every summer and always marveled at the end of the show when it seemed like hundreds of the things were going off all at once and lighting up the sky.

Those fireworks had nothing on the lightshow that was going on inside of me. My groin hurt from how hard my penis had gotten, but I didn’t want to take away even one brain cell from enjoying what Vaughn was doing to me to consider what any of that meant.

Vaughn’s hands ended up on my back, then drifted lower. When they drifted over my backside, I couldn’t help but tense up.

And he noticed. He eased his hands up to my waist but I knew I’d ruined the moment.

“I’m—”

“Perfect,” Vaughn said. “That’s the only word I want to hear from your mouth right now because that’s what that was, do you hear me?”

My body sagged in relief. I certainly didn’t believe I was perfect, but whatever the heck had just happened between us couldn’t have gotten any closer to perfect than if God Himself had created it with His own hand.

“Perfect,” I whispered as I dropped my head so it was tucked beneath his chin. I wrapped my arms around his waist and curled the fingers of one hand around the forearm of the other to lock my arms in place in case he got the foolish idea into his head that he should let me go.

It was a long time before he spoke, but I liked that he held onto me when he did.

“Why, Aleks?”

I knew he wasn’t asking why I’d left without telling him. He already knew the answer to that. No, he wanted more than that… needed more, probably.

“I spent all those years surviving because I knew Dante would come for me,” I said softly. “There were so many days I wanted to just go into my head and never come out again. I… I once had the chance to end it all when I found a piece of broken glass, but I didn’t want to die. I just wanted to go home. Wherever Gio is at this very second, all he’s thinking about is surviving so he can see his father again… so he can see his uncle and his mom and all the people he loves.” I shook my head and pulled back so I could look Vaughn in the eye. “I had Remy and Dante and you to save me, but what if Gio doesn’t have anyone? What if I’m the only one who can make sure he gets to come home? God gave me so many people to look out for me. What if He’s given me to Gio? I… I couldn’t live with myself if I did nothing.”

“It’s too dangerous—”

“You saved me and Dante and Magnus when it was just you, James. No one will be able to touch me with you and your family watching out for me,” I said.

Vaughn sighed and dropped his forehead to mine. “I don’t want you to do this,” he whispered. “I just want you to be safe. But I want Gio back so fucking bad.”

I put my hand to his cheek and he immediately pressed into it. “You’re going to have both, James.”

“Promise me,” he demanded. “Promise me I won’t lose you.”

But he didn’t let me answer.

Maybe because he knew it was a promise I couldn’t make.

He kissed me instead and I let him because it was easier.

And for once, I wasn’t ashamed for taking the easier path.