CHAPTER SEVEN

SHAW

This country can't do coffee worth a shit. After the gym at the hotel, I need it.

I end up trying some of their British tea with my breakfast to try that on for size. It's like drinking swill from the bottom of a barrel, with less alcohol involved. I stare at the waitress, trying to take my mind off the taste. Doesn't work, and before long I'm just leaving the hotel and heading out onto the streets around me.

The morning drifts by with me walking around London, dodging bikes, and occasionally stopping at something of interest. The fact of it is, though, nothing is of interest. I shouldn't be here – don't want to be either. It's all bullshit and of little point to me or my family. No one needs Miri back in San Antonio. Abel's just being a dick and making sure he gets the fully finished effect all wrapped up. I get that, but she's nothing to us. Sweet as fuck, yes, and probably profitable in our screwed-up world, but damn, we've got a thousand of those kinda girls roaming our own streets.

I cross the river and wander around that side of town to pass the time, finally ending up in some place called Battersea. Means nothing to me, despite hundreds of dudes taking pictures and hurrying along. It's just a building of some kind. Nothing special. I'm not sure I've ever seen any building as special, home included, other than the building that nearly took all my brothers' lives – The Priory.

I went there late last night. Took a cab. The old place looks nearly as dead as Elias is. Crumbling brickwork, rotting, charred wood. Still solid enough, though. Like me. I just do as I'm told and follow orders like a soldier despite this underlying disagreement in me. It"s like that's all I'm built for. I wasn't once. I was playful and full of fun. Mariana and I used to prank around – fighting mostly, but it was kinda cute looking back on it. We're so far from those kids now I don't recognise her, or myself, most days.

Guess it all changed when she got taken. Dante changed, Elias changed, Knox changed, she changed. Not me, though. Didn't understand back then. I just felt the atmosphere around us all turn cold and cruel, and what once was was never the same again. I'd never seen Dante like that before. In fact, I'd never seen any of them like that before. Knox said nothing had changed, but, from a thirteen-year-old's point of view, one that had known nothing but money and fun and support, every fucking thing changed. It was either grow into what they were becoming or feel alone and outside of the fold. And then Abel came out of Huntsville.

He was about the most evil-looking thing I'd ever seen in my life, and that took some doing. I shook when he looked down on me. Damn near pissed myself when he shouted and meant it. And watching Dante cower – the strongest guy I'd ever met – made me question what the fuck Abel was capable of. Took about a year of him being out, and him getting me involved in the business, for me to find out. He gave no fucks about anyone or anything unless it was family, and even then, he showed it via pain if necessary. If you're weak, you're a waste of my fucking time, he said. Yeah. I understood that well. Still do.

I check my phone – time for a coffee date.

Ambling back to the place we've agreed to meet, I look at more people passing me by. They're just average Joe's getting on with their day or tourists looking at the sights around them. I shove my hands in my pockets, questioning when the last time I took some time off was. Although, it's not like I live a normal nine-to-five like most of these guys do, I guess. My life's weird as fuck when you put me up against them. I sleep with the whores we own, or anything else connected to our business, and by night, or day come to think about it, I'm beating on guys or killing them because someone told me they need killing.

A group of girls smile as I turn a corner and nearly crash into me. Two of them giggle and bat their lashes, and one of them gets in real close. I could fuck her if I felt like it. I could get chatting and flirting and get her back to the hotel real damn quick – get them all back to the hotel. Instead, I turn and keep walking despite their sweet asses and cute faces. I've got something else to fuck around with, and then it'll be a trip down memory lane for her because that's what I'm here to do. A soldier. A yes man. I nod when I'm told to do something – anything.

By the time I get to the coffee shop she's already waiting for me outside. I wait a way off and look her over as she scrolls through her phone and inputs a message. The visual's as sweet as it was last time at dinner. She's fine as hell in reality. Shame.

"Hey," I say, closing down the gap between us. She looks up and beams at me, quickly shoving her phone into her bag. "Boyfriend?"

She frowns. "What?"

"Well, with you being as fine as you are, you must be playing with at least three of us."

"What?"

"Boyfriends. You can't possibly have just me on the scene."

She looks at the sidewalk and laughs lightly. "Just you. I'm not really into dating."

"We're dating now?"

Her head shoots up. "I ... I mean, not dating, just …"

I laugh and move past her, opening the door to the coffee shop. "It's all good, Miri. Don't panic. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't invested. You're cute as hell when you fluster, though." She slaps me on the chest as she walks past me and looks around.

"That was mean."

"Mmm. A little." Nowhere near as mean as this is gonna get, though. "You grab a table, and I'll get the drinks ordered in. What are you having?"

"Caramel Latte, please."

I nod and walk off, ordering her drink and an espresso to try for a decent coffee again.

By the time I'm back to her with our drinks, she's back on her phone again.

"Now, see, I'm gonna get worried about my competition if you keep playing with that."

She puts it down and smiles. "Really? You don't seem the kind to worry about a healthy competition at all."

"Well," I push her coffee over to her. "He might have more experience than me. Might be better at flirting, and then I'll lose, and you'll be gone, and I'll die of a broken heart."

She snorts and leans in to pick up her coffee. "You flirt just fine."

"I do?"

"Yes, Shaw. And you already know that." I smile and take a sip of my own drink. It's surprisingly good. "In fact, I doubt you've ever had a problem with women. If anyone should be worried about experience, it's me."

"Well, now I'm intrigued. How have you not got experience? You're cute as hell."

She reddens slightly and looks downwards. "I just haven't gotten involved with many people. Trust issues, I suppose. My life shifted a while back, and I've just been concentrating on myself since then. New job – new life, really."

"What was the shift?" I know damn well what the shift was, but I wouldn't mind hearing her talk it through before I start making it happen all over again.

"Just stuff." She shrugs and reaches for her coffee again. "Things happen, right? Life. Perspectives change, and we all have to make adjustments." I keep staring. "Anyway, let's talk about you. How did you get into your job? Being over here must be a change from back home. We've got that in common."

I lie to answer that, and we end up talking about random crap that means nothing to either of us. No real feelings involved. Nothing of consequence either. It makes me wonder, while she's talking, when the last time I talked to a woman regarding anything of consequence was. Maybe never, other than Mother or Mariana. One's dead now, killed by the other. We do have that twin thing, though. I feel her, and she does me. Maybe that's what fucked up the past for me. Everyone changed after what happened to her. They were pissed and hostile, but all I felt was sad. She was sad, so I was sad. She hurt, I hurt. Never did get the balls to ask her to show me the scar, though. Couldn't stomach it.

"Shaw?"

"Sorry, what?"

She smiles at me. "Am I boring you?"

"You? Never. I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to take a walk?"

"A walk?"

"Yeah. We could ease out those trust issues, and maybe you could think about the next date and what you want to do with it."

"Another date? This is a lot of dates."

I stand and put my coat on, grabbing hers to hold it up for her. "You don't want another one?"

"Yes. I just. Wow. You're like the perfect gentleman." No, I'm not. She gets up and puts her coat on with my help. "Guys are usually after one thing, you know?"

I offer her my arm as we walk out into the fresh air again. "Well, don't worry, I'm not halfway finished with you yet, Miri, and, believe me, I won't be saying no to that thing when the time's right. You're getting harder to resist."

The afternoon eases slowly into early evening. We've walked, we've talked, and we've engaged in civil, flirtatious conversation like any other dating couple would do, I guess. It's been a long time since I've had to bother with crap like it, and, in reality, I didn't need to this time either. I could have just stolen her a few days ago and got on with the thing I'm here to do. I've enjoyed playing with her, though. I've even enjoyed her learning to trust me in some fucked up way. It's been amusing, sweet-natured, nourishing. She's giggled at things I've said and slapped my arm in some show of disapproval when I've cut close to the bone on subjects. Felt almost scolding, like I should take her thoughts seriously. Cute.

"So," she says as we get close to her place. "Do you have any plans later?"

"No. Just work."

"That doesn't sound very exciting."

"No."

"This is me."

I look up at the building we're outside of, knowing that already. "Nice place."

She backs off a few steps. "Yeah. Comes with the job. Kind of." Her hands twist around in each other. "You could come up, if you want. If you're not busy. We could get around to that coffee?"

My tongue runs over my teeth. "Are you asking me up there for what I think you're asking me for?"

"Well." She blushes and takes a small step backwards again. "No, not if you don't want that. I just didn't want the day to end. It's been wonderful and-"

"I can guarantee you it's not going to end at all if I come up there. You won't get rid of me."

She snorts and smiles, looking all coy and pretty. "Maybe I don't want to get rid of you."

I move in closer. "You don't, huh?" She looks up at me. "You're gonna have to be gentle with me. I'm nervous." She laughs and puts both her hands on my chest to push me. I don't let her move me one inch. I close the distance right down and put my hand on her ass, pulling her flush against me. "You're sure?" Big eyes stare at mine, like she's not sure of a damn thing now my hand has landed on her with some intent behind it.

"Yes," she breathes quietly.

My smile emerges at the prospect, and I nod at the building so she can lead the way. She's just as hesitant about that for a second or two, so I stand still, waiting. Thing is, before I take her without her consent, I'm damn sure I want her to give it to me in some way. "You're not sure, are you?"

She looks up at me again. "Yes, I just … Yes." She smiles and starts moving, almost dragging me. A low chuckle comes from me as she speeds up, and before long, we're in the elevator climbing floors, and I'm leaning on the other side of it from her.

I study her, taking in the nerves. Cute.

"Have you done this before?" I ask.

"What? Brought a man up here?"

"No. Had sex?"

"That's a pretty direct question." She's lucky I kept the language clean.

"I'm a pretty direct kinda guy sometimes."

Her hair swings over her face as she looks at the floor. "Yes. It feels like a long time ago, though."

I keep the smile from my lips, choosing saintly instead of aroused at the idea of being the first for a while. "We don't have to, Miri. You don't even know me that well." She doesn"t know me at all in reality, but that"s not getting me inside her any quicker unless I force the issue. I'm not in the mood for that tonight.

The lift pings and opens while she's thinking that through, so I wait, again, for her to lead the way. She does after a beat or two, not answering but not telling me to go either. She opens the door and walks in, closing it softly behind me as I follow. "Do you want a drink?" she asks.

I look at her ass walking towards the kitchen area. "No."

"Oh. Okay." She stops and swings around to look at me from the island unit, leaning back on it like she's in control. I smirk and take my coat off, draping it over the back of a high stool as I get closer to her. She moves sideways quietly, flicking her gaze between me and the stairs behind us.

"You're overthinking. I don"t want that. How about this? You tell me you want me, and mean it, and then you can stop thinking and let me lead you."

"You mean you're not a virgin?" she says, rolling her eyes. I don't answer. I'm not interested in playing anymore. I'm hard as hell, ready to fuck, and trying not to think about the fact that all this is just some bullshit before the inevitability of my life catches up with us.

"Listen, if you tell me you don't want the man in front of you, I'll put that coat back on and leave. We'll have other times when we can do this. There's zero need to rush."

"You don't want to?"

I move closer, picking up her hand and bringing it to my lips. A soft kiss lands on her skin as I wrap the other hand around her back and pull her into me. "Just you and me and some soft sheets before I have to go back into work mode? What fool wouldn"t want that?" I let go of her hand and tease my fingers across her arm, trailing it until it's behind her neck. "But you've got to tell me you want me. Come on, be a good girl and get some words out of your mouth, sweetheart. Say Shaw, I want you. It's not hard." I look away from her eyes towards her neck, leaning in and breathing across her skin. She moans a little and squirms against my dick. "Speak to me, Miri."

"Yes," she stutters, as my lips land on her neck, tongue dragging. "Yes, I want you."

"Where's the bedroom?" I pull my lips across her face to her mouth, letting her get a good feel of some pressure from them.

"Upstairs."

It doesn't take us long to get up there now she's invested in the idea. We strip our clothes on the way, dropping them aimlessly in some relaxed version of fucking I'm not used to. It's all soft and easy as she tugs quietly, and I keep my hands gentle on her skin.

A moan comes out of her as I push her onto the bed, and I strain to keep my speed slow. Everything's so damn pert and sweet about her. Fine, smooth skin. Silky, dark hair that trails and wraps around my fingers. This isn't a whore or anything we've bought to sell on. It isn't something that"s already been used before, either. It's perfection really.

Sweet as candy.

She"s like Sunday afternoons and breakfast in bed, all wrapped up in giggles and me not thinking about who I am.

I climb on top of her and bring my lips down her body, enjoying the feeling of something so goddamn sweet under me.

"Shaw?" She puts her fingers in my hair, tugging me as if she doesn"t want my mouth going down there. "Shaw, stop."

I get to her hip bone and bite gently, hooking my arm under her leg to lift it out of the way. "You don't want me to stop, Miri. Lie back. Relax. This is all about you for a while." My tongue curls over the soft mound of her pussy, lips caressing until I cover the sweet spot. She hisses and tightens her fingers. "Fuck, you smell good."

"Oh my god."

My tongue curls again, rolling softly as I feel her body start tensing. "There you go, sweetheart." I look up and watch her look down at me in surprise. "We've got all night to get around to fucking. We're gonna get you as wet as we can first." Her head tips back, fingers leaving my hair so she can grab something else.