7. CHAPTER 7

7

JULES

Kai remained quiet most of the journey back, and I’m having to fight with myself not to pin him by the neck and ask him what’s wrong. Ever since he received a text message just after we left his mom’s, the tension in the car has had me on edge. Not to mention how irritating it’s been to be sitting next to someone who has bounced their knee for nearly the entire journey.

We arrive back in Grinston, and it doesn’t take long for us to arrive at the Kozlov residence. Driving through the gate, I notice that most of the cars are not here, and Seb’s motorcycle is gone. Only Simon’s car is left outside the property.

“Holy shit, you live here?” Kai gasps in awe as his eyes widen like a kid in a candy shop. I pull to a stop, hop out, and grab his bags from the backseat. Kai is just standing next to his open door, taking in the beauty of this house. I’ve gotten used to it, but I remember when Dima and Lev purchased the property, how foreign living in such wealth was for me at the time. For all of us, really, because the brothers came from as little as I did.

“Our bosses, Dima and Lev, live here, along with Seb, Dima’s husband. The guards live out back in another property.”

All of the rigidness that Kai held onto during the drive over has completely disappeared, replaced by excitement and eagerness to get inside. While it’s endearing to see him smile and look happy with that damn dimple on full display, I’m still contemplating how to explain what really goes on here, and I need to do it fast. The last thing I need is for him to meet the brothers without being prepared.

“Come on, let’s get you settled, and then we can go over the job.”

I lead the way around to the side of the property that only the guards and I use to access our home. For the first couple of months, either myself or one of the other guys will have to accompany Kai in the main house, until the brothers feel they can trust him enough in their home. We don’t tend to be in the main house on our own without the brothers, only if they request it. But one of us is in the house when they are home as added security. It never used to be much of an issue, but since the drama with Seb’s ex and the shitshow from the guard Zayn who betrayed Dima and Lev, the brothers are now looking to secure the house better and extend the property, along with hiring extra muscle.

I hold the door open for Kai to enter our home, then lead him down to his room. It’s Zayn’s old room, but we cleaned out all his shit after we ended the fucker. His deceit still gets my blood boiling, how he helped Seb’s ex try to get one over on the brothers.

“This will be your room. Mine is at the end of the corridor, and Simon’s is across from you. Our rooms are private, so you never go into them without permission. We share food that we buy, and you can use everything else in the house that you like. You can only go into the main house with either one of the guards or the brothers until Dima and Lev are convinced you are trustworthy. They have a gym we all use, so you can go with me or one of the others.”

Kai swallows hard and looks around the room, until his eyes land on mine. I shove away the memory of his hard dick on my thigh when we hugged before. It’s confusing as fuck. A long silence ensues as we look into each other's eyes. This is so damn weird, why does he keep looking at me like that? I’ve seen that look in women’s eyes before we fuck, it’s full of sexual charge, but he doesn’t like guys, does he? Fuck, he has such beautiful eyes, as blue as the ocean on a still sunny day, inviting and warm. I find myself drowning in them, getting lost under their hypnotic spell. Kai is just as fixed on my eyes too, his eyelids become heavy, confirming my previous suspicion, arousal is lurking in the depths of those blues, which pulls me up sharp. He definitely feels something too. This is dangerous territory and I need to back away. I clear my throat, ridding the raspiness I know would be there if I spoke.

“When you’re settled, meet me in the living room, and we’ll go over your role.”

“Okay.”

Damn it, was this a mistake? He looks and sounds so young and innocent. Completely lost, but also lustful if that moment was anything to go by. I can’t second guess this, he’s here now, and there’s no turning back.

Leaving Kai to take in his new surroundings, I walk into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. I drink nearly the whole thing, quenching the thirst that has had my throat feeling like sandpaper, as I wrack my brain for ways to explain to Kai what the Kozlovs are about.

Footsteps on the hard floors behind me alert me to Kai’s presence. I turn and see him standing awkwardly, his baby blues flitting around the space, his hands fidgeting, picking at the cuticles of his nails. I don’t know why, but this meek version of Kai is difficult to process. The vibrant and confident Kai I had glimpses of in the past is nowhere to be seen, but I’m determined to bring him back.

“You want something to drink?”

“Uh, yeah, I’ll take a water. Thanks.”

I nod and grab him a bottle from the fridge and pass it to him. He unscrews the top and drinks the water in long, slow swallows. My eyes are fixed on his throat, watching the movement as if it’s the most magical thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve never thought about a man's throat before, how sensual it looks when the Adam’s apple moves, it’s as mesmerizing as the fluid moves of voluptuous hips on the most beautiful woman dancing to an erotic beat. Fucking hell, am I really comparing Kai’s throat to hips? Also, I really need to stop staring before I give myself away, especially now that I’ve sensed a mutual attraction. Mutual, as in, I think I’m attracted to him too. Me. Since when does someone realize they like dudes at thirty? Or is it just Kai related? Could I suck a dick? Could I just shut the fuck up.

“So, there are a few things you need to be aware of while working here—first, you never repeat anything that happens here outside of these grounds. Anything Dima or Lev orders you to do, you do it. I really need you to remember that for your own safety.”

“What kind of orders?”

“Anything.”

“That’s pretty vague, Jules. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re about to tell me someone died.”

Fuck, he’s perceptive. Screw it—time to tell him the truth.

“Let’s sit down for this. There are things about what I do that you and your mom aren’t aware of.”

“O-okay,” Kai says hesitantly as he follows me to the living room.