Chapter One

Alcohol flowed freely. People laughed and mingled while dressed in their best. Toronto’s most elite freely lived their lives with no worries about ending up as a headline. Lennox wondered how he had lived his entire adult life without attending a Cattaneo party. The Cattaneos were famous for being dirty. They ran this area of Canada. Everyone knew. Be it guns or drugs, if it was illegal, they controlled it all. So maybe Lennox was a little strange for being proud of this invitation to celebrate New Year’s Eve with their family. But he understood exactly how lucky he was to be here. Not just anyone got these invitations. He felt like he had moved up in the world.

After countless glasses of champagne and a few whiskeys, and despite his large size, the room spun a bit. He spotted a set of French doors. Nothing would fix things like a good blast of winter air. Lennox headed that way like a man on a mission. He smiled and nodded at people as he passed, as if he wasn’t close to fainting. Considering this was his first Cattaneo party, not only would that be humiliating, but he also couldn’t imagine what would happen to him. He burst into the cold air, ready to inhale it into his lungs—like being on the ice. Except there was already someone standing on the other side of the doorway.

Lennox's chest collided with the back of a man’s head. The guy went flying forward. Thankfully, in spite of his inebriated state, his reflexes still worked. He caught the guy before he face-planted.

“Ope. Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t think anyone would be out here.”

The man spun, looking outraged. His features cleared when their gazes met. Lennox had seen him before. In the locker room, he had come to fetch Lennox’s reason for being here. An old teammate from his days in the minors had invited him. Hugo now worked as a sports analyst, rekindling their friendship after a few years of separation after they both went pro in two different directions. Lennox searched his blurry mind for a name. His gaze slid down the guy’s body. It was tiny. Lithe. His suit was extremely expensive, so was his perfect hair. Dark with a slight mixture of gray. Dark eyes that flashed with intelligence. His features were flawless.

“ Excusez-moi .”

It hit him. The heavy French accent brought everything back. It was like music to Lennox’s ears. Pierre. His name was Pierre. “ Bonjour, belle homme .” It was the same exchange they had last time they met. Lennox had nearly plowed the guy down then too.

A wry smile twisted Pierre’s full lips. “I get the feeling that’s how you refer to everyone.”

A smile exploded across Lennox’s face. “Only when they’re beautiful.”

Pierre rolled his eyes, but his smile didn’t fade. “Why are you always colliding with me? You are like—how they say—a bull in a tea shop?”

“China store, but yeah. I know. Sorry about that. I’m a big guy.”

Pierre’s gaze slid down Lennox’s body. “I suppose this is true.”

A bark of laughter burst from Lennox. He didn’t know why he found the statement so hilarious. It was the way Pierre said the words—like resignation. Lennox shook his head. “Aren’t you cold?” Pierre didn’t wear a jacket beyond his suit. The last Lennox checked, it was a good negative seven outside. As a man from Michigan, he desperately wanted to convert that to Fahrenheit. He made himself stick to Celsius. After all, he was a Canadian citizen now. This was his home. There was nothing left for him in the States.

“Meh. This is nothing compared to where I’m from.”

“Which is?” For some reason Lennox couldn’t explain, he desperately wanted to know the answer.

“Québec.”

The French made sense now. “Ah. Same. The cold, I mean. Not the Québec, obviously.”

Pierre didn’t seem to be in any hurry to get out of the frigid temps or finish their conversation. That was good. Lennox enjoyed his voice. “Where are you from originally?”

“Michigan. It’s usually around negative twenty there this time of year. Fahrenheit, of course.”

Pierre nodded. “Naturally.”

For a moment, they fell silent and simply stared at each other. Lennox forgot about his spinning head. He felt oddly sober… and hungry. Pierre was obviously older than him. That meant experience. Maybe Lennox had daddy issues, which was something he only recently discovered. He had spent years in a long-term relationship with his ex-fiancé. She had dumped Lennox when she couldn’t handle his heavy travel schedule. From there, Lennox had kind of thrown himself into his whoring season. There was nothing he hadn’t tried. It hadn’t taken him long to discover older men were his favorite.

“I suppose I should go inside and leave you to your peace.” Pierre moved to step around him.

Lennox grabbed his arm before he got away. “Let me escort you. You look like you could use a drink.”

A sexy smile exploded across Pierre’s face, taking ten years off him. “You look as if you could use one less.”

Fuck. He didn’t realize he looked drunk. “I can watch you drink.”

The most gorgeous laugh Lennox ever heard cut through the air. “Come on, then. Let me find you a café .”

It was way late for coffee, but Lennox wasn’t ready to give up Pierre’s company. “Sounds good.”

Together, they headed inside. When they were hit by a thick crowd right inside the door, Pierre reached behind him and took Lennox’s hand before weaving through the throng. People became fewer as Pierre headed up the stairs. The strategically placed guards at the top of the steps moved aside, making Lennox realize exactly how close Pierre was to the family. The guards’ presence had made it clear no one was allowed upstairs. Yet Pierre had easily passed.

Once they were inside an upstairs private kitchen, Pierre moved from cabinet to cabinet with obvious familiarity.

Lennox sat at a small kitchen table while Pierre made coffee. “It seems you’re close to the family.”

Pierre flashed a smile over his shoulder. “I am the Cattaneo family’s personal solicitor.”

A lawyer… for the mafia. Damn. “The way you know your way around this place makes me think you’re needed a lot.”

That sexy laugh returned. “Look around. Do you think this much wealth is easy to manage? The paperwork alone is too big for one man. There isn’t a day that passes I’m not needed.”

“I can’t imagine how much you’d have to trust someone to give them as much access as they have to give you.”

Pierre turned and leaned against the counter while the coffee percolated. “They are family to me, and I to them. You are a friend of Hugo’s, no?”

Lennox nodded. “Since I was twenty, and he was eighteen. We played in Minor League together.”

Pierre cocked his head to one side, openly studying Lennox. “So, like a year ago?”

Laughter overcame Lennox. He swiped at his eyes. “Fuck. You’re funny or flattering me. No. I’m thirty-two.”

Pierre’s eyebrows shot up. “ Menteur .”

“Nope. I’m no liar.”

Pierre’s gaze moved over him again. “Impressive.” He turned away.

Pride swelled in Lennox’s chest. He inspected Pierre’s perfect ass. “Ditto.” Lennox was suddenly grateful for the upcoming coffee. He needed a jolt to keep him going. With any luck, it would be a long night.

Pierre stared at the coffee machine and silently begged for it to hurry. He needed to get away from this man with eyes like the Caribbean Sea. Lennox was massive and solid, and Pierre was weak. Thirty-two. Goddamn. Pierre was forty-eight, staring down the barrel of fifty. He felt every year and certainly looked nothing like Lennox. This young flirt was dangerous. Pierre was too old for games, but goddamn. He missed being young and enjoying all the affairs. Now he was old and would die alone after giving all his best years to work. Being near Lennox hurt his chest, taunting him with everything he would never have.

Pierre nearly sighed in relief when the coffeemaker stopped. He poured Lennox a cup. “How do you take it?”

A solid body crowded Pierre’s space. His huge arms boxed Pierre in against the counter. Pierre felt him looming over his shoulder. The heat that emanated from Lennox’s massive body had Pierre’s knees weakening. “Any way you want it.”

“ Mon Dieu .” The whispered words fell from his lips like a plea for God’s help. This wasn’t something he had the will to resist. But Pierre knew a heartbreaker when he saw one. He didn’t have the strength for that anymore.

Lennox waited him out. He didn’t move. It was obvious his patience and determination were stronger than Pierre’s.

Pierre turned, determined to put a stop to this nonsense. Except Lennox was only inches away and his expression screamed lust. Of course, everything turned on young, virile men. Pierre wasn’t special. His hesitation was his undoing.

Lennox closed the gap between them. His lips touched the corner of Pierre’s mouth and lingered. A shaky breath escaped Pierre. His insides shook. This was a mistake. Pierre didn’t want to get hurt. The loneliness already crippled him.

Lennox pulled away. The way he stared down at Pierre wiped Pierre’s mind. “Happy New Year.”

Sound returned. Cheering, music, and party horns blowing cut through the air. Lennox had kissed him at midnight. How very stupid he was. Just a ridiculous old man, thinking it might be more.

He handed Lennox his coffee. “Happy New Year.”

Pierre’s first resolution was to stop being dumb. He would start now.