Page 53 of Shield

Siena pops the last piece of cantaloupe into her mouth, trying not to choke as she laughs. I don’t give her a chance to recover. Wrapping an arm around her waist and tackling her onto the bed, the tray rattles beside us, and she squeals.

For the past week, life has been nothing but fucking, napping, and eating, tangled up in the sheets and each other, locked away in this penthouse like the rest of the world doesn’t exist. Like a perfect honeymoon with my beautiful wife.

I keep my phone within reach, just in case Vin or Tommy need me. But aside from Vin’s occasional updates—how he’s moving like a shadow to build the army we need, Tommy’s progress with Giovanna—there’s been nothing. No reason for me to break the spell. Vin and I agreed we should all lie low, that I should keep Siena out of sight until the war is ours to start. And I’m happy to comply. I’ll take any excuse to stay buried inside her, losing myself in the only peace I’ve everknown.

Siena shifts upright, snags a pancake from the tray, and leans back against the headboard. I bite back a grin as she casually pushes aside the silk restraints tied there and settle my head in her lap, inhaling the faint scent of sex and her skin.

“Matti?” She strokes my hair, her touch featherlight.

I toss a grape into my mouth, chewing lazily. “Yes, kitten?”

“I was thinking about going back to work,” she says, tentatively.

“No.” It’s not even a possibility.

Her eyes darken and spark at the challenge. “What do you mean, ‘no’? You’re not my boss, Matti. You don’t get to decide what I do.”

“Really.” I stand up, pulling her up with me as I push the breakfast cart into the living room.

“Yes, really.” She follows me down the hall and plants herself on the couch, tearing off a piece of pancake like she’s seconds from launching it at my head. “I can’t just sit here and be your personal fuck toy forever.”

I arch a brow, trying not to smile. I love it when she gets mad at me. “Why not? You seemed to enjoy it this past week.”

“Are you serious right now?”

“Very.”

She glares at me, grabs another piece of pancake, and chucks it at me. I catch it midair and pop it into my mouth.

“Why do you have to be so damn controlling?”

“It’s not about control. It’s about common sense,” I point out. “You’re a target right now. That little nonprofit of yours is vulnerable. You saw what happened to the lawyer’s office, and that was only a block away.”

Siena exhales sharply. “Matti, I miss working. I miss my friends. I have to do something.”

I crawl over the couch, pinning her with my weight, pressing my lips to her throat. She told Amelia she needed a week off, but what she doesn’t know is that I told Amelia to find a replacement for her. She won’t be back.

“Don’t worry, kitten. I’ll keep you busy.” My mouth grazes the shell of her ear. “When you start having my babies, you won’t have time for anything but us.”

She swats at me, rolling her eyes. “If and when I have kids, Matti—heavy on theif—I’ll still want to work.”

I frown. “You’re not working, Siena.”

She reaches around me, lifting a domed lid off the tray. She stiffens.

“Um, Matti…”

Instead of food, a manila envelope sits on the silver platter. Inside, nestled together like a quiet threat, are Emily’s phone and a purple flash drive. I give Siena a wink as I grab my laptop off the table and head back into the bedroom with the envelope.

“I have some work to do, kitten,” I say, keeping my voice even, controlled.

Because if there’s anything in here that could destroy the peace I’ve created for her, I need to see it first.

**

About a half hour later, I come out of the bedroom and set the laptop on the table. There was a ton of information, but as far as I can tell, there were no texts, emails, notes, or pictures that gave away anything that would upset Siena.

Sitting down, I pull the phone and flash drive from the envelope and hold them out to her.

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