Page 9 of High Stakes

I shrug my shoulders and lean forward, bracing my forearms on my knees. “It doesn’t matter, now does it?” I snap back at him. “She’s been with me for years and I’m never more than a second thought. The muscle to her brain,” I whisper before I can stop myself. I mentally wince, but they don’t seem to catch my meaning. “She saved my life once.”

Declan stops stroking her face and cocks his head. “Really?”

I nod once. “She’s had a hard time since her parents died. She only has a few people to hold her together when she gets too close to breaking. She took it hard. She lost so much in such a short time. Her home, her family, her friends.”

“What happened to them?” Hayden asks curiously and shifts so that he’s facing me.

“They died in a fire. Her parents were tycoons. Her father was in the hotel business and her mother was a fashion designer. They owned several department stores and hotels around the city, but they lived in The Lotus Blossom.” My eyes blur as I tell the story, but I still catch movement out of the corner of my eye.

Hayden visibly tenses and exchanges a hard look with Declan. Neither of them speak as I continue.

“There was a break-in one night. Apparently people had been canvasing the place for days, but no one realized until it was too late. They set fire to several floors, planted bombs for timed explosions on others, and then gunned down several people on their way to the vault.” I suck in a sharp breath as the memory surges forward. “I was shot trying to get people out, but Emelia found me and got me out before the structure collapsed.”

I stop talking, unable to fight the emotions crashing through me. That’s the night that my Little Bird broke. The night her soul shattered and became irreparable shards of broken pieces that would never completely fit back together again.

“I heard about that fire,” Declan says after a long silence. His voice is emotionless.

I look over at him and catch the two of them locked in a silent conversation. Hayden’s face is ashen and Declan’s fist is clenched and resting on Emelia’s back. I narrow my eyes at them, but say nothing as they end their conversation and look back at me. “She took it hard,” I say pointedly and watch Hayden’s eyes shift to Declan again.

Interesting.

“She’s a strong woman,” Declan says simply and finally unclenches his fist. “But I can’t imagine what kind of pain she has gone through.”

“I can,” Hayden mutters sullenly and shifts his body, crossing his arms across his chest.

I look at him expectantly, but say nothing, waiting for him to share on his own. If he doesn’t, well I don’t really give a fuck. I’m using this as a time killer to spend more time with Emelia. Even though she’s snoring on another man’s lap.

“My parents died a while ago. Tragically,” he adds as an afterthought and pulls a small pocket knife from his pocket. He spins it between his fingers absently, like a lethal fidget spinner. “A part of me broke that day, and I’m still trying to find something to fill that space.”

That explains the long look they shared. They have more in common with her than they even realized. Hayden is just as broken as her. Maybe that’s why he’s so drawn to her. Similar souls always seek each other out to mend the tattered pieces together.

I nod and exhale deeply. “I never knew my parents. I grew up in the system. Nothing more than a number and an extra mouth to feed.” I don’t add that I was also a human ashtray and punching bag, but that’s a story for a different touchy feely moment.

Declan lets his head fall back against the cushion and chuckles softly. “And that’s enough personal history for thenight,” he says pointedly. “I’m going to put her to bed.” He stands and gently rouses Emelia. She yawns and follows him into her room. Anubis emerges from the shadows and trots lightly after them.

“Just tuck her in! We have shit to do!” Hayden calls loudly after them. One of Emelia’s ankle boots sails out of the dark room and almost hits Hayden in the chest, but he catches it with a laugh.

I stand and stretch the stiffness from my muscles before pulling on my leather jacket. My eyes drift back to the bedroom and my chest constricts again as another wave of jealousy rocks me to my foundation.

Hayden puts a hand on my shoulder and it takes everything in me not to push him off. “We don’t mind, you know,” he says quietly.

“Mind what?” I snap and lose the battle. I shrug out from under his hand.

“Sharing,” he says simply and nods toward the room. “You want her. How could you not? She’s beautiful and smart and strong. Fuck, she’s a literal goddess.”

That is one thing that we can always agree on.

“I can’t,” I whisper softly and shake my head. I can’t wrap my mind around sharing a woman. I am a monogamous kind of guy and I want no parts of any three or foursomes unless they are all with pussy.

Hayden holds up his hands and backs away as Declan emerges from the bedroom and closes the door with a soft click. They pull on their helmets and follow me outside. I lock the door and head to my car, fingering the keys in my pocket as I think about Hayden’s words.

“Hector!” Hayden shouts over the roar of the bike engines. “Think about it. If it’s what she wants,” he jets forward until he’s directly in front of me, “would you really deny her?” He doesn'twait for my answer. He flips his visor down and the two of them disappear into the darkness.

I sigh loudly and drop into the seat of my car. He infuriatingly has a point, even though I don’t want to admit it. I want no parts of a dick fest, but what if she wants me and is just too nervous to ask me?

Would I deny her if she truly wanted it?

The answer is absolutely the fuck not.

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