Chapter Forty-Eight

It’s been two days since Maxim came to the house. After we all got cleaned up, Dom headed for the office. He said he needed to pick some things up before he came back to the house. Once he was back, he locked himself inside his office at the apartment and refused to come out.

I ordered lunch, because it’s not a secret that I’m a shit cook, before I knock on the door. He doesn’t answer, and the door is locked. I frown at that when Zayden walks by, raising a curious eyebrow.

“Is my angel in need of some lockpicking lessons?”

I laugh at that. “Of course you know how to pick a lock.”

He nods like that is obvious before he runs into his bedroom, coming out with a small plastic case with several metal pins of varying-lengths. Zay explains how each lock is different and needs different tools and angles, but with practice, it will become second nature. He shows me how to feel around for the locking mechanism and how to push it back, accidentally unlocking the door himself.

Quickly, he pokes his head inside, grabbing the handle.

“Zayden, get the fuck out,” Dom growls.

“We weren’t ready! It’s my angel’s turn. One second,” he says as he locks the door from the inside and shuts it once more.

“Your turn,” he says as he hands me the pins.

I attempt to mimic his moves, but it takes me at least four times longer, and it’s not done as well by any means. When I hear that satisfying click, though, pride swells inside of me as I push the door open, grinning like a maniac as Dom stares at me with an exhausted yet small smirk.

Bending down, I grab the food I ordered for him as I walk into the room.

“Pick your first lock?” Dom asks.

I jump up onto his desk, handing him his burger and fries as I nod.

“Yep.”

He gives me a quick wink as he cups my thigh and opens his food with his other hand.

“I’m proud of you, and thank you, baby,” he says as he picks up the burger, brushing his thumb against my leg as he eats.

When he leans forward, his shirt shifts, a small amount of what looks like plastic peeking through. I frown at that, unbuttoning his top two buttons.

“What—”

There is a fresh tattoo right over Dominic’s heart, right where Zayden’s is. It’s a black-and-white daffodil with my name twisted around the stem. My eyes begin to water as I look up to him.

“Is this your first tattoo?”

He nods quietly. “Do you like it?”

I scoff at that, a laugh falling from my lips.

“Like it? I love it. You didn’t have to do that, though.”

“I wanted to. I couldn’t think of a better first tattoo.”

Leaning down, I press a kiss to his lips, sighing against him as he drags me into his lap. I wrap my arms around his neck while I straddle him before pulling away and resting my head against his shoulder.

“Why haven’t you taken a break? You’ve been in here for days,” I murmur.

His hand runs up and down my back as he speaks.

“It’s important work.”

“Are you almost done? Do you have a plan?” I ask.

He nods as I pull back to look at him.

“I do.”

I wait for him to elaborate, but he doesn’t, at least not for a solid minute before he blows out a breath and shouts.

“Zayden, get in here.”

Zay comes strolling in, leaning against the wall as he groans.

“Bout fucking time. What do you got?”

“I found an itinerary change in Maxim’s private plane schedule. He’s got a flight to LA in four days. I cross matched the dates with his email and found a hotel reservation.”

I expect him to say more, but he doesn’t. Apparently he doesn’t need to, because Zayden nods at that and claps his hands together.

“Alright, four days.”

“Four days,” Dom agrees. “I’ve contacted Precision Security. They are going to send a guy over to watch the place while we are gone.”

“We?” I ask. “As in both of you?”

The brothers share a look between each other before both looking at me.

“It has to be this way. We both started with him,” Dom says.

“And we are both going to end him,” Zay finishes.

Something about this twists my stomach. I don’t like knowing they will both be gone. Both be in danger. What if they need help? They don’t have backup, the eye in the sky. Nothing. They could walk in on an ambush with no reinforcements.

“Hey,” Dom says, pulling my eyes to his as he cups my cheeks. “We are going to make it through this together. I promise.”

I swallow roughly and give him my most convincing smile. It still doesn’t sit well with me, though.