Chapter 17
Seventeen
NATASHA
Today has been the best day that I’ve had in a long while.
After waking up to the spiciest sexual experience of my life—and we haven’t even actually had sex yet—I had some coffee and sat out by the pool to read for a while.
Julian spent a long time in his office. Every once in a while, I’d hear him yell at someone on the phone.
My husband is intense when he’s in work mode.
But he’s only ever good to me.
Part of me wonders if I’m giving him too much trust too soon. We’ve only been married for a few days, and although he’s never threatened me in the past, I should keep my guard up and my eyes open. Because men can be unpredictable in our world.
I should know that better than anyone.
With a sigh, I fiddle with my necklace and close my eyes, enjoying the sunshine. I was in the shade for a while, but it feels good in the sun. With it being fall, the days have been getting cooler and cooler, so it’s not too horribly hot today.
Not like the oppressive heat over the summer.
“You’re going to burn.”
Blinking my eyes open, I turn my head toward that familiar deep voice and smile. “I haven’t been in the sun long. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, why do you ask?”
He sits in the chair next to me and reaches for my hand.
“I heard you yell a couple of times.”
“I’m having issues with a shipment that’s coming into my LA port tonight. I don’t want to have to go there, so I’ve been trying to manage it from my office.”
“Why don’t you want to go to California?”
He squeezes my fingers before bringing them to his lips. “Because I have a sexy wife at home, and I’d rather not leave her.”
Okay, that might be the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.
“I’d be okay,” I whisper, and then yelp when he tugs me into his lap and buries his face in my neck, giving it a little nibble. “Okay, fine, I like it better when you’re here.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear. We have to go in a few minutes.”
I can’t resist dragging my fingers down his cheek as I ask, “Go where?”
“We’re going into the city for dinner,” he replies. “Nothing fancy.”
“Oh, I’ll go change. I don’t know if you’re aware, but my super over-the-top husband bought me all kinds of pretty new clothes, and I’ve hardly had the chance to wear them.”
Julian smirks and then pats me on the ass as I stand up to go inside and get ready.
“I like this sassy side of you, Angel.”
Me too.
I wonder where he’s taking me.
Staring out the window of the SUV, I see the lights of the city come into view.
I know that Las Vegas can be a dangerous, seedy place for a lot of people, but I’ve always thought it was beautiful.
I love all the lights, the people shuffling around.
Some of them make me laugh, like that Elvis impersonator who’s currently thrusting his hips back and forth, drawing a crowd.
“I love this city,” I find myself saying out loud. “I always have. Even the tourist traps.”
“I’m glad you do because you’re married to a man who owns most of it,” he says, bringing my hand to his lips. “Before we get where we’re going, I want to take a minute to talk about what you said when I got home last night.”
“What did I say?” I ask him.
“That having food ready for me, and not leaving the kitchen until I’ve eaten, is your job.”
“It is—”
“No. It isn’t, Natasha. I want you to throw pretty much every rule you’ve been taught out the fucking window.
You and I are figuring this out as we go.
There aren’t any rules until we make them for ourselves.
I don’t want you to go without eating or to exhaust yourself like that again.
Eat when you’re hungry, especially if I’m not home.
And I’ll do better at communicating with you.
I should have let you know that I’d be home late, and I’ll do better. ”
“Okay. Thank you.” I lick my lips. “I have a rule.”
His eyebrow kicks up with amusement. “I can’t wait to hear this.”
“No other women.”
“I already told you that I’m not interested in other women.”
“I know.” I nod and squeeze his hand in mine, trying to reassure myself more than him. “And I believe you. But in our world, most men don’t honor that for long. If you’re ever with someone else, you won’t be with me ever again. I can’t handle that, Julian.”
He nods and reaches out to cup my cheek.
“If you’re ever with anyone else, I’ll fillet him with my dullest knife over the course of a year, taking a little at a time.”
“Well, that sounds delightful. I’m changing my answer to that.”
Julian barks out a laugh, and then we’re parked, and I look out the window.
My body goes ice cold.
Every muscle seizes.
Oh no. Not this. Anything but this.
Suddenly, my door is opened, and Julian is helping me out of the vehicle.
“I th-thought you said you were taking me to dinner.” I can’t take my eyes off the Rapture sign.
I don’t want to be here.
“I am,” he replies, and with his arm around my shoulders, he leads me into the building.
I can’t do it.
I’m going to fuck you so hard, and for so long, your entire body will be a mangled, disgusting mess. You’ll be begging me for mercy, but no one will hear you.
“Angel?”
I shake my head jerkily as we board the elevator. My teeth are chattering, and I can’t pull in a breath.
“Natasha, look at me.” The elevator jerks to a stop, and then his hands are on my face and his forehead is resting on mine. “Take a breath. Like this, take a breath in, baby.”
“Can’t. Can’t be here. Please.”
“No, Christ, we’re not going to Rapture.”
I shiver at the word.
“We’re going to the penthouse. To Rome and Lulu’s for family dinner. I’m not taking you to the club.”
I want to cry. God, I want to cry and beg him to take me out of here.
“I h-hate this building.”
“You have nothing to be afraid of,” he assures me, his voice so hard and sure. “I’m right here, and I’m never leaving you alone. Nothing can hurt you, angelos mou. Lulu invites all of us for dinner every week. Food is her thing.”
I swallow hard as my lungs finally fill with air, and then the elevator is moving again. When we reach the top, Julian walks me out into the hallway and then tugs me against him.
“We’ll stay out here until you settle,” he murmurs against the top of my head.
He presses kisses there, and it makes me calm down more.
I’ve never found comfort in anyone’s arms before, but this I could become accustomed to.
“I’m sorry, I thought it would be a fun surprise to see everyone.
I didn’t even think to warn you that we were coming here. ”
Taking a deep breath, I pull back and try to smile up at him. “I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod, not wanting to embarrass him by keeping him out here in the hallway any longer. Rome’s guards are watching us, and I don’t want to give him a reason to be angry.
He hooks his finger under my chin and tilts my face up to his.
“Look at me, not them. I want you to tell me if you’re not okay, Natasha. Nothing is more important than you, so say the word, and we’ll leave.”
I shake my head and pat Julian’s chest. “No, I don’t want to leave. As long as we don’t go down to the club, I’ll be fine.”
“Someday, I’ll take you there and show you how good it can be. What you experienced is not at all what the club is about. But no, for tonight, we’re going to enjoy some time with family.”
Julian leads me to the door and places his palm on the reader and then opens the door when it unlocks.
“You have access to Rome’s home?”
“We all do,” he replies. “For all of our homes. We’re brothers in every sense of the word. But I don’t walk in without knocking unless he’s expecting me.”
He smiles down at me and leads me inside, and the scene before me is not what I was expecting.
The made men I grew up around are stoic. Hard. Angry. They don’t laugh or smile or joke around.
But that’s exactly what this group of people is doing.
I don’t know some of them. I recognize Lulu and Scarlett, and Rome of course. The others were at our wedding, but I don’t think we’ve met.
“They’re here,” Lulu says with a bright smile. “Come in, you guys. Natasha, do you know everyone?”
“I don’t think—”
“I’m Spider,” a man with a bald head and a spiderweb tattooed on his scalp, says with a remarkably kind smile for someone so scary. He doesn’t make a move to touch me. “Carson’s second.”
“Who’s Carson?” I ask.
“Me.” The scariest man I’ve ever seen in my life, and that’s saying a lot, crosses over to me.
He’s so damn big. Well over six and a half feet tall, with tattoos down his fingers, his dark blond hair brushed back off his face.
He reminds me of a bigger version of Jax from Sons of Anarchy.
I’m pretty sure he was at the wedding, but I was too upset to pay attention to the guests that day.
“You’re a scary man.” Did I just say that out loud?
Carson’s lips twitch, and he winks at me. Should a man be this scary and handsome at the same time? It doesn’t seem fair.
“Not to you,” he replies easily. “You have nothing to be afraid of. Welcome to the family, little one.”
I’m introduced to Mateo, who’s tall, dark, and handsome. All these men are sexy in their own way. Of course, my husband outshines them all.
But I’m biased.
“You know Jack,” Julian says, gesturing to his second in command. “That’s Diego, Mateo’s second, and you’ve met Luke.”
“I’m with him,” Luke reminds me, gesturing to Rome. “And we’ll get you a spreadsheet so you can remember everyone.”
“That might be helpful,” I reply with a grin and look around the room. There’s a lot of power here. So much that it practically has its own heartbeat. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“Come help me,” Lulu says, waving for me to follow her, but I’m reluctant to let go of Julian’s hand.
He kisses my knuckles and leans down to whisper in my ear.
“Go chat with them. I won’t be far away.”