29. Vail

I had a sleeping baby in my arms and couldn't be happier. My niece was seven months old and the sweetest little girl to ever be born. Cat kept trying to take her from me to put her down, but I wouldn't release her. I needed the calm in my life. Having Ivy here soothed me.

Ever since that amazing night with Jordan and Hartley, life rushed by in the blink of an eye. It had only been a week since then, but in that week, I'd moved in with them. I still had my home, not willing to give it up. If our relationship fell apart, I had somewhere to go. It was a safety net. One I desperately needed after everything with Gil.

That brought me to another issue. Jordan had a man following Gil, and I did as well. Jordan didn't like to discuss my ex, which was fine. He wasn't my favorite topic either. I was afraid he was going to hurt Jordan. Yes, it was laughable that he could get anywhere near Jordan to injure him. Jordan was still human, after all. He could be cut, shot, and die.

Gil had been spending more time in his condo in West Dremest. Unease skittered through me like he was planning something, which was why I sought my sister today and her two kids.

I loved them but didn't want children of my own. It was nice to spoil my niece and nephew, then leave them with their parents while I enjoyed peace and quiet. My nephew was napping, so the house was blissfully silent.

Cat walked into the living room, where I sat. Long, pink hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. Cat was tall and lean, not the same height as me, but she was five foot ten. If I put Hartley next to her, she'd be taller than him.

She kept her voice down as she settled into the oversized chair, curling her legs under herself while she held a mug of coffee close. "Okay, let me get this straight. You moved in with Jordan Altair, the mafia boss. The man no one in the entire city wants anything to do with."

"Yup."

"Maybe this will finally put an end to Gil bothering you."

"I told Jordan not to go near him."

"What the hell did you do that for?" she yelled, then quickly calmed when she heard the sweet whimper of her daughter. "Let Jordan kill Gil."

"Cat…"

"I know you don't want to hear it, but fuck's sake, Vail. Unleash the beast. Gil abused you for years. It's time to put an end to this once and for all." Cat had tried repeatedly back then to get me to leave Gil. I would, only to be reeled back in by Gil apologizing and promising it wouldn't happen again, until one night it all became too much.

"It's not that easy."

"I beg to differ." She took a sip of her coffee.

"More violence isn't the answer."

"In this instance…"

"I'm never introducing you to Jordan. You're a bad influence."

She grinned. "You know it. If I thought I could get away with it, I'd off Gil myself."

"Jesus, Cat. You have kids."

"And I have a brother."

"I'm fine."

"You're getting lots of dick. Of course, you are."

I groaned and dropped my head back onto the couch. I loved my sister, but she was a handful.

"Listen," she began again. "You're in a new chapter of your life now. While I don't love the idea of you being with a known criminal, at least he'll keep you safe. Plus, you get to be with sweet Hartley. I saw him last year, maybe, I can't remember now. I was in West Dremest running errands, and he was in the next aisle over. Before I could say anything, he walked to the register. I didn't want to interrupt his day, so I went on with my business. He grew up hot."

Rolling my head, I looked at her again. "Didn't you just say he was sweet?"

"Sweet boys can be hot too. Besides, you need the sweet to balance out the spicy in Mr. Altair." She waggled her eyebrows.

"You sound like one of his guards calling him that." Not hot but Mr. Altair.

"Why don't you invite me over so I can meet all the sexy men then we can debrief after?"

"Not anytime soon. Besides, wouldn't Dana have something to say about you looking at a bunch of attractive men?"

She scoffed. "I've met the dancers at Untouchable. If he didn't mind me fanning myself over them, he won't about Jordan's guards. He might not want me in Jordan's home though." She took another sip of coffee.

"No, he wouldn't."

"He doesn't like the idea of you being there either, but he understands Jordan and Hartley make you happy, so he hasn't brought it up."

"I'm glad." I respected Dana a lot and considered him a brother. The way he taught me how to cook, how he brought me into Untouchable, where I met so many amazing people, I'd forever be grateful to him. That didn't mean I wanted him butting in to my relationship.

"Now what, since you won't let me visit yet?"

"Now I'm taking one day at a time, doing what I normally did before, but this time I have a shadow everywhere I go."

"Ollie is very nice to look at." Cat sipped her coffee while she glanced toward her front door where Oleander stood on the other side. He preferred to remain outside and give us privacy.

I shrugged one shoulder.

"You only have eyes for Hart and Jordan. I'm so happy you're doing well, Vail. All jokes aside, if he makes you smile, hold on to him."

"I couldn't let him go if I tried. He moved Hart in because he had no heat. Didn't even ask him, just said he was moving in."

"The whole alpha thing can be a turn-on."

"In moderation and in certain situations. I don't need someone trying to rule my life again."

"Has he done that?"

"No."

"Then it's a turn-on."

We sat in silence for a bit, not feeling the need to talk. I could have drifted off to sleep had it not been for my sister's phone softly ringing. The ringtone was a very familiar song.

"Really?" I asked.

"What? You know the band, Vail. I'm doing my part to support Ruined and Relinquished."

"It has nothing to do with the fact that you've been lusting after Dash Meadows for over a decade?"

"He threw his shirt to me at a concert. I'm a man magnet. I can't help it. Nor can I help that his sweat landed on me. Or that his shirt smelled so fucking good."

"Groupie," I muttered.

She stuck her tongue out at me then reached for her phone to answer it before going into the other room. I had to introduce Cat to Dash. She would love meeting him in person. Dana might get jealous, but he'd live. Besides, Dash was very taken by Romeo and Tristan. I didn't think anyone could come between them.

The band and their partners arrived home late this morning. Jordan was downright antsy to see Romeo and Tristan. Jordan knew he'd have to wait until Pepper was done visiting them before he could see for himself that they were fine and healthy. Plus, he had to drop Latte off at Romeo's house. Tahoe wasn't going to take missing his friend well. I'd have to set up playdates for them.

Cat returned with her phone in hand. "That was Dana. He wanted to know why Ollie was still standing outside. I told him Ollie's inhuman, and the cold doesn't affect him." They had security cameras on their home.

"You could be right."

Oleander wasn't the same size as other guards of Jordan's, but I was assured he was just as deadly. Apparently, he had worked his way up in the organization after being recommended by Sheldon. When I agreed to move in with Jordan, he said that meant there had to be a man on me at all times and not the one who followed me around I already knew about. This one would always be with me. I understood Jordan was targeted sometimes, though I had yet to see it and didn't want to. He said that was due to him killing Leeland. It sent a message to others he wasn't to be fucked with. I didn't want to know the details, but I'd heard rumblings the stage they set for Leeland's fake suicide was very realistic. That was about all I wanted to know.

The front door opened, and Oleander entered. His dark hair was pulled back into a bun. As tall as me but leaner, I could see how he could be intimidating. His face was hard as he swept the room, always looking for danger, but it quickly softened when his eyes landed on Ivy in my arms.

"Mind if I use your bathroom?" he asked.

"You're immune to the cold, but you still have to pee?" Cat asked. "Maybe you're not completely inhuman after all."

His lips twitched like he had a retort that wanted to break free, but he held it in. "I'm very human."

Cat gave him a head-to-toe assessment. "I'll let you use the bathroom if you stay inside. My husband's on my ass about you freezing to death on our porch."

He nodded.

Pointing to the hallway, Cat said, "Second door on the right."

They lived in a suburb of Dremest in a large ranch home with a lot of land. Dana had a garden out back he brought to life every spring and summer, growing plenty of vegetables to feed not only his family but his neighbors as well.

Ivy stirred in my arms. First, it was a soft whimper that quickly grew into a cry. That was when Oleander returned and asked if he could hold her. I made sure it was okay with Cat first, then handed Ivy to him.

A smile bloomed on Oleander's lips the moment she was in his arms. A few seconds later, tears filled his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Cat asked and got to her feet.

"Yeah, fine. I… I haven't held a child in over five years. I had a daughter once. She didn't survive long after her birth. My marriage crumbled within the year." He held my niece close while she reached up to touch his face. Tears ran down Oleander's cheeks. God, it was breaking my heart.

When I looked at my sister, she was crying too. She wrapped her arms around them and put her head on Oleander's shoulder. "You come here any time you want to hold my babies. Any. Time. I'll make Dana cook for you too."

That was my sister. She would welcome anyone into her home who needed it. While Oleander didn't need a place to stay, he could use the caring support from my sister.

I could only imagine what she'd do with Jordan and Hartley in her home. Although I'd witnessed how Jordan was with Irene. I wasn't worried about him being cruel to my sister. If anything, I'd learned Jordan had a kind side he didn't show to many.

While I watched Oleander with my niece, it made me want to get to know the guards on Jordan's staff better. I was sure he did an extensive check on each one before bringing them on. But did Jordan know about their pasts to this extent? Did he know Oleander was still mourning the loss of a child?Add in all the shit they probably saw working for Jordan, and it made me wonder if they should have a therapist on staff to help them.

The thought of bringing that up to Jordan had me fighting a smile. He'd probably look at me like I had three heads. And yet, I couldn't wait to go home to him and Hartley tonight.