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“You cost him his pride. That’s even worse.”

Alexei grunted in acknowledgment of that. Pride would always be the bigger issue with Ivan. It had to be known he was still top dog, in complete and total charge of his kingdom. Alexei purposefully fucking up a major deal, losing millions in a single act, definitely fucked with that image.

He almost had to suppress a smile at the thought, feeling somehow that Sascha would sense it on the other end of the line.

“You’ve found somewhere?” Sascha asked.

“I have.”

“Don’t tell me any details.”

“I won’t.” And Alexei wouldn’t. He loved his younger brother dearly, but Sascha had grown up spoiled, babied by both his brothers and their father. He was often careless, not out of ill intent but pure thoughtlessness.

Alexei loved him, yes, but he didn’t trust him. Not with his life. With other things though…

Alexei cleared his throat. “There’s a barista here, at this café I go to. He’s so…strange. I think he might be an alien.”

There was a moment of silence as Sascha clearly struggled to register the direction of Alexei’s thoughts, and then he was barking out a sharp laugh. “You’ve lived in New York thirty-five years and never met someone you cared about for more than one night. Now you’ve been on the run six weeks and you’ve got yourself acrush?”

“It’s not a crush. He’s way too young for me.”

“It sounds like a crush.”

With anyone else, Alexei would have hung up the phone by now. He didn’t take kindly to teasing. But Sascha was allowed what others weren’t, and the little fucker knew it. “What would you do if you had a crush? Not that this is a crush,” Alexei hurried to clarify.

“Oh my God, Alexei. Just ask him out. You’re a good-looking guy. I’ve never seen you strike out when you’re interested.”

True. Incredibly true. Although, back in New York, Alexei had been operating under very different conditions. He’d never known how many of those men had been attracted to his looks—which weren’t bad, he was aware enough to know—or to his perceived money and power. How many lovers had come to him because they knew his family ran the club they’d found themselves in? How many were simply attracted to the potential brush with danger? Flirting with a rumored member of the mob?

But Jay didn’t seem too impressed with money or prestige, as far as Alexei could tell. He’d seen, just the other day, a suited customer trying to show off his Rolex, and Jay had countered with his own glow-in-the-dark waterproof number, of which he was apparently incredibly proud.

So whatdidget the little barista going?

Alexei hung up after a few more minutes of catch-up with Sascha, feeling foolish for having outed his little obsession, the unfamiliar emotion causing him to scowl at anyone who crossed his path on the way home.

Alexei didn’t know what he wanted. He felt like a dog who wouldn’t give up his bone, even as he choked on it.

He knew he didn’t have space in his life for another human being, especially one as sugar sweet as the one he was currently coveting. He imagined for a moment: sweet, doll-like Jay, faced with one of his brother’s men. Alexei’s blood ran cold at the thought. Jay wouldn’t stand a fucking chance.

No, Alexei should stay far away from him. Find a new place to haunt.

It was just that…after a lifetime of numbness, of feeling cold and distant and apathetic to everything around him, there was now this little bright spot of color. And it didn’t make sense, and it probably—definitely—made Alexei a creep, but there it was. A blossoming obsession.

And that night, straining cock in hand, the shower spray beating on his back, Jay’s pretty face projecting onto his closed eyelids, Alexei had to admit it. He wasn’t going to leave the guy alone.

A good man would.

But Alexei had never been a good man, had he?

three

Jay

Alexwasback.Alexei, Jay reminded himself as the door chimed and his new favorite regular arrived. He’d told Jay the other day to call him Alexei.

Jay liked it. The little “ei” added a bit of softness to the human’s name, which added a bit of softness to him as a whole. Which was kind of nice because Alexei could be a bit…intimidating.

He was big, for one. So much taller than Jay, by practically a whole foot, it seemed. And he was very, very handsome, for two. Just…quite appealing in general. His face, with its long, straight nose and rugged, masculine jawline. His build, with broad shoulders and large hands to match. Even his forearms were weirdly nice looking when he pushed his sweater sleeves back, like now. Golden hairs dotted them, the color matching the scruff on Alexei’s firm jaw. Jay wanted to rub against those arms like a cat. His beastie did too.

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