Chapter 14
Pip
I'd seen Henny in a lot of different ways over the past few months. Buttoned-up and professional at the warehouse. Sleep-soft and groggy in the mornings. Commanding and intense when he bossing me around.
But nothing prepared me for seeing him in my clothes.
"Stop staring," Henny muttered, tugging at the hem of my black t-shirt. It fit him differently than it fit me, tighter across the shoulders, shorter in the arms. The fabric clung to his frame in a way that made my mouth go dry.
"Can't help it." I leaned against the doorframe, probably grinning like an idiot. "You look good in my shirt."
"It's the only thing that works for tonight. My wardrobe consists of button-downs and slacks. Not exactly sniper gear." Henny's ears had gone pink, which was adorable and also incredibly distracting.
"I know." I crossed the room and ran my hands down his sides, feeling the familiar fabric over his body. "But you have to admit there's a certain appeal to wearing your boyfriend's clothes."
"We're working. And we need to focus."
Henny's voice had that warning edge, but he didn't push my hands away.
"I am focused, Daddy." I pressed a kiss to his jaw. "Focused on how hot you look. Focused on how everyone's going to see you in my clothes and know you're mine."
"Pip." But his protest was weak, and when I looked up, his expression was full of need.
I stepped back, hands raised in surrender. "Fine, fine. Professional. Got it. But later, when we're back, I'm going to spend a long time appreciating this look."
Henny's lips twitched like he was fighting a smile. "Later. Now gear up. We leave in twenty."
The drive to the meeting location was tense. Henny drove the rental SUV while I focused on double checking my weapons. The enforcers in back spoke about what they wanted to eat when this was all done.
Rel and Ricardo had taken a separate private car to the meeting. The boss said he didn’t want anyone seeing us arrive. I think he also hadn’t told Ricardo we were coming. He’d looked tense when I spotted him earlier.
We pulled up a couple blocks away from The Restaurant. Given the location was well known to be a neutral zone, we were in danger of causing tension simply from our proximity. But it was worth it if we could protect our family.
I considered Rel and Henny to be mine. Ricardo was an add-on given how close he and the boss were now. But altogether, they were the closest thing I had to family.
The Bratva meeting was high-stakes. This was the kind of discussion where one wrong word could spark a war.
Which meant being in position to intervene if it came to that.
Our team would have the boss’s back no matter how many men showed up with the Bratva. Those fuckers weren’t going to hurt my friend or his boy toy.
Henny spoke up, pulling me from my thoughts. "Pip, you'll take the best vantage point. Third floor, corner office with the broken window. I’ll be two floors up with Patts. The rest of you will spread out on the roof to make sure all is secure."
I stared at Henny. Different positions meant we'd be separated, unable to watch each other's backs directly. The thought sat wrong in my chest.
He met my gaze and gave a small nod, like he understood. Like he was saying we'll be fine.
Sure, I knew how to keep things in line. I would be good no matter what happened.
But Henny… I didn’t know how he’d handle himself. Didn’t know if he’d be able to get out if things went south.
We split up as we reached the destination. The large, dilapidated office building next to the meeting place was the perfect place to perch and keep watch over everything. It was also great because no one was around to stop us from going inside.
Slipping in was easy enough. We climbed the stairs, the enforcers in front of us since they had to go higher. At my floor, Henny stopped me with a hand on my arm.
“It’ll be fine. Pharrell knows what he’s doing,” he said.
I gave him my best smirk. “Oh, yeah. Boss man has it all figured out. We’re about to be bored out of our minds.”
He leaned forward, as if to kiss me, then stopped himself. I waited a moment to see if he’d actually go for it. Sadly, he didn’t.
But I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I dove forward, taking a quick peck. His cheeks went pink, though he didn’t say anything about the stolen moment.
Leaving him in the hall, I made my way through the rubble of the old office space to position myself at the window ledge.
I set up quickly, assembling my rifle with practiced efficiency.
Through my scope I could see directly into the restaurant where Pharrell and Ricardo now sat waiting for the Bratva men to show.
Perfect sightlines, good cover, easy exit routes.
My earpiece crackled to life.
"Everyone in position?" Henny’s voice came through, calm and steady. Hearing it eased the tension in my shoulders.
"Yep," I confirmed. "I’ve got a visual on them."
"Good. How are we looking on the roof?"
Patts, one of the enforcers, answered, "In position. No obstructions."
"Sounds like we’re ready. Now we wait."
It was quiet for a few moments, then the sound of cars filled the air.
"Bratva convoy approaching," Henny said. "Stay sharp. No one fires until Pharrell gives the order. Understood?"
A chorus of confirmations echoed through the comms.
I tracked the convoy through my scope as it pulled up.
Three black SUVs, all armored. The Bratva came out in force, led by a man I recognized.
Vlad, Stasia’s uncle and a top-level asshole, was flanked by four men, all probably armed, looking like they could break someone in half without breaking a sweat.
"They brought more security than needed," I murmured into my comm.
"Noted. Hold position." Henny demanded.
Rel remained still as the fuckers strolled in the room. I respected that, even as my trigger finger itched with the urge to provide more immediate protection.
The two groups acknowledged one another over the table setup for their talk. There wouldn’t be any hugging or hair braiding between them. Not when there was a fuckton of tension.
"Anyone see any Bratva snipers? I’m not logging any." Henny's voice came through.
I swept my scope across the buildings. There. A shadow in a window that shouldn't be occupied, and the faint glint of a rifle barrel.
"I see one man," I said. "He’s tucked away. I don’t think he’s there to take out the boss man, but I can eliminate him now if you want me to."
Henny's breathing was steady in my ear. "No, let’s wait. A shot going off during the meeting could blow this all up. He may be a third party anyway. Someone like you, Pip."
“As if there’s anyone else like me.” I snorted, then smiled as I heard some of the other men chuckle.
Let them believe I was full of myself. Let them think whatever they want. So long as they did their fucking job and my Henny didn’t get hurt, I didn’t care.
Silence surrounded us after that. I kept my eye on the sniper for a beat longer, but he didn’t seem to move. It made me wonder who it could be if it wasn’t a member of the Bratva. I knew all the players in the game.
I made a mental note to check on it later. Or I would if whoever it was didn’t end up on the wrong side of a bullet today.
Rel and Vlad were talking back and forth when I focused back on the meeting. I could tell things were getting bad even as the whole picture appeared calm. You don’t work with someone for years without knowing their tells.
My instincts screamed for me to light these men up.
I tapped the side of my earpiece three times, allowing it to switch over to the private channel between me and Henny. It was meant to be for emergencies only, or if we thought the enforcers were going to double cross us.
This wasn’t the case now, but I needed to hear him without other ears listening.
“Henny,” I said quietly. “You alright up there?”
“I’m fine, Pip. You?”
"Better now that I can hear you. How's the shirt holding up?"
He sighed. “Pip, we’re supposed to be focusing on Pharrell and Ricardo. Save the flirting for later.”
"I am working. Just multitasking. Thinking about later, when I peel that shirt off you and—"
"Focus," Henny interrupted, but his breathing had changed. "Save it for after."
"Spoilsport."
Movement in the restaurant caught my attention. One of the Bratva guards was shaking, his expression agitated. Then another guard shifted, hand moving toward his weapon.
"We have a problem," I said, switching back to the group channel. "Bratva guards are moving into defensive positions."
"Confirmed," Henny said.
In the next second, the Bratva men standing behind Vlad raised their guns. My finger hovered over the trigger, ready and eager to take the shot.
Pharrell tapped the table twice. Henny’s voice followed over the line. “If Pharrell does that motion again, show off. Let them know we’re here.”
Not even a minute later, the boss’s fingers drummed on the tabletop. I pressed the button to reveal my sight, then aimed it straight at Vlad the douche. The rest of the guys picked their own Bratva idiot to focus on.
While I couldn’t see Pharrell’s expression, I just knew he had to be smirking. They thought they were safe because he only brought Ricardo inside with him. Little did they know we had his back.
As we watched, Vlad gave a signal to his men to lower their weapons. There’s a bit more talk, then Pharrell stood to leave. Ricardo followed closely after him.
The minute they cleared the building and got in the car, Henny shouted over the line. “Pack it up or we’ll miss our ride.”
I knew the plan had been to leave the rental on site. We didn’t want anything coming back to us. It also could have been tampered with in the time we left it alone. No need to risk anything when the boss said he’d meet us a few streets over.
When the car stopped for us, I dove in and shifted so the others could follow. Henny was next, then the other enforcers. It was a tight fit, but well worth it to see the shock on Ricardo’s face.
“Good work,” Rel told us. He then picked up his phone and started typing on it like crazy.
Ricardo couldn’t stop staring, which was fine with me. I was happy things were done. We could find out later what all transpired between the boss and Vlad.
“That was pretty fucking epic. They all looked so scared once we showed ourselves,” one of the enforcers said. His buddies agreed quickly.
I huffed. “Would have been better if we could have had more time. Maybe tortured them a bit before we blew their brains out. That’s always my preference.”
The men chuckled, though it sounded forced. I looked to Henny to see how he felt, only to see him smiling at me with a soft glowy look.
Sucking his dick sounded really good right about then. Maybe I could make that smile turn wicked.
“I’ll admit I’m glad it didn’t come to that, Pip. Do you know how much paperwork is involved when there’s an incident at The Restaurant?”
“Nope. But I bet you do,” I teased.
“Yes, I do. And it’s not something I ever want to go through. Save the violence for literally any other place.”
Conversations switched from there with the enforcers replaying the meeting to themselves, Henny speaking to Rel about his schedule, and Ricardo staring at his man like he hung the moon. I sat back quietly to take it all in.
This was what my life had come to. I’d gone from solo work to group projects. Normally that would be a nightmare. But I could see the appeal so long as Henny was involved.
After we got back, the boss instructed us all to take some time to ourselves. He didn’t have any plans we needed to handle right away.
I knew that was code for “I want time to go fuck Ricardo.” Far be it from me to stop him. I wanted Henny buried inside me. I’d be a hypocrite to pretend otherwise.
Inside our room, Henny moved as if he were going to take his shirt off. I made a noise of protest, which made him laugh.
“You really like me wearing your clothes, baby?”
“Yes, Daddy. I really do.” I peeled the shirt off him slowly, taking my time to kiss the skin as it was revealed. Once it was off, I threw it to the side.
He hummed. “Then maybe I should start wearing them when we’re alone like this. I don’t have to be in my suits all the time.”
My cock pulsed with the suggestion. “Yes, please! That. I want that.”
“If it makes you happy, then how can I say no?”
His thumb trailed over my bottom lip. I felt the movement in my cock, almost as if he had a direct line to the damn thing. He was going to make me bust in my pants if he didn’t stop.
As if he could read my mind, he grinned and leaned forward. “Showers first.”
I blinked. “Showers?”
“Yes, baby. We need showers before we do whatever dirty thoughts have this pretty cock all hard for me.” His palm pressed against my erection.
Nodding, I waited for whatever instruction he wanted to give me next. I’d do whatever he wanted. I trusted Henny to take care of things. He’d never let me suffer.