“We’ll make your life a living hell. All of your assets will be frozen leaving you no means of escape or available resources to plan an escape. Now that we know what you’re capable of, we’re ready to take the necessary precautions,” Weston said.
Zin and York smiled.
“Welcome to Pro-Tech Industries. Pack your bags, sweetheart, the plane leaves tonight,” York said. She gave them the best dirty look she could when really she was relieved the plan worked.
She would save these men, her brother, and India, and she would destroy Andrei once and for all. Even if it cost her the love of five men, and her life.
* * * *
Weston and York sat on either side of Aspen on the private jet. Weston thought she looked so tired, but every time she began to doze off she would jerk awake.
“Lean on me. I don’t mind, Aspen,” Weston told her. He hoped she would because he loved the scent of her perfume, and the softness of her body leaning against his. He had this overwhelming feeling of protectiveness over her, and it only seemed to ease slightly when she was right nearby.
He glanced at York who turned to face her.
“Still having trouble sleeping at night?”
She ignored his question, an obvious show of her refusal to discuss anything personal with any of them. Storm’s actions were misconstrued by her, with help from Storm of course. He lied to hide his true feelings and completely insulted her. Now she believed they didn’t care about her and that she was more of a job. That was a lie. She was everything they ever wanted and couldn’t have. Though he was thinking just maybe, they could.
“They have things that you can take for that. Nothing addictive, maybe take the edge off so you can get a good night’s sleep,” York pushed.
Aspen shot her head up and looked at York. “Is that what you do? Take drugs to forget about the things you did while serving? Is that how you deal with being part of the Russian mob?” she asked with attitude.
“Don’t push me, Aspen. You’re in no position to gain more enemies.”
“Oh really. Like I give a shit? I think I’m in a great position to gain more enemies. Why not? I’m as good as dead anyway.”
She turned away and began to finger through some fashion magazine. Weston covered her hand and grabbed it. She stilled under his control but didn’t look up.
“We know you’re scared but this is the best way to protect you and keep Andrei from hurting you. You don’t know what kind of monster he really is.”
“Oh really? You don’t think I know anything about mob bosses? You know what? Maybe you’re right. You want to teach me, since the five of you seem to be listed under the title ‘made men.’”
“Don’t push your luck, Aspen. You’re under our control now. What we say and order you to do, you will do,” Storm interrupted.
She sat forward in the seat, pulling away from Weston.
“I get what you really feel about me. I get that I’m an obligation, so back off. I’ll work at the damn company and clean it up so it functions better than it ever has before. My personal life”—she looked at Weston and York—“my sleeping habits are none of your business.”
She sat back and closed her eyes. Weston looked at Storm who stared at her and appeared about ready to bolt out of his seat. But he was holding back. He was fighting the urge they all had to claim Aspen completely and protect her with their bodies, their hearts, and souls as well as their connections and power. But still they couldn’t. Not with Andrei wanting to cause her harm, and not with all the changes coming in the family operations. No, they had to bite their tongues and see who made the next move amongst the bosses. Then they may be all involved with a blood war.
* * * *
It had been four days since they all arrived back in Salvation. It took thirty minutes to drive into the city to Pro-Tech Industries, and Aspen already had a list of employees she was going to further investigate. The men gave her total control of decision making, hiring, and firing employees and how she handled all aspects of her job. The employees learned fast that she expected respect. She sat in the small office the men had set up for her and she looked over the training manuals and testing programs set up to monitor employees who took the initial calls from potential clients. From there she began to rewrite the manuals and offer advice on the types of questions phone reps needed to ask and then the follow-up interview process.
Some of the employees argued that there wasn’t enough time to conduct the whole interview process and they lost potential customers because of that. She ensured them that any potential customers they lost who didn’t have the patience or acceptance to answer the questions and provide legitimate documentation were clients Pro-Tech Industries didn’t want or need. There were plenty of private investigators out there sleazy enough to only care about the money and nothing else.
She took a deep breath and released it, feeling her head begin to pound from the lack of sleep. She should be sleeping perfectly in the king-size bed, and especially with the cool country air filtering through her bedroom window at night. But she couldn’t. She kept thinking about the men in the house, how they made her move in with them and of course the moment she drifted off to sleep she had nightmares.
Weston heard her one night and knocked on her door and asked if she were okay. She blew him off, and last night Zin heard her and she denied there was any problem.
She should feel safer with the five Navy SEALs in the same house with guns galore around the place. But the strength of those memories and the fact she should have died seemed to overpower anything else.
Aspen looked at the list she began to devise then pulled out the iPad mini and sent the list and information to Dmitri. She then sent a bogus report to Andrei but also asked for a few of his inside people planted in the firm. She figured what the hell. Just like most people she was a lot more brazen over e-mail then in person. Maybe he would actually give up a name or two. That would give her a greater start to her list of suspects already. She hit send and then quickly deleted her mail and the bogus account she set up then reached down and placed the iPad mini back into her bag.
She was yawning and covering her mouth when she heard the knock on her door.
Zin walked into the room and she couldn’t help but to react to him. Her heart began to beat faster, a smile began to form on her face, and she quickly hid it and looked down at her desk, placing her fingers on the keyboard.
He looked incredible in his dark blue polo shirt and black dress pants. No wonder the majority of female employees who worked there drooled over the men.
“Are you just about ready to leave?” Zin asked her. His blue eyes zeroed in on her blouse, and as she adjusted her position in the chair, she noticed how the collar parted, revealing more cleavage than she intended and the pearl necklace was lost inside her blouse between her breasts.
“Sure. Let me just log out of here and grab my things.” She typed on the keyboard and then stood up and gathered some files she wanted to look over as well as the thumb drive with the material she began to use to rewrite the training manual.
She walked around the desk and toward the filing cabinet she set up and as she turned to set the items into her bag Zin stood in her way.
She stared up into his handsome face. His blue eyes held her gaze and he inhaled, as if he was taking in her scent. It did something to her, aroused her, but then she reminded herself that he had been testing her and showing her weakness to a man’s attempt at seduction. That was the only reason why he kissed her that night on the balcony.
“Steak good for dinner tonight? Weston left a little earlier to get things started.”
She nodded her head as he reached up and ran his fingers along her neck. She shivered from the intimate touch as he zeroed in on her breasts and gently, slowly pulled the necklace from confinement.
Zin slid his fingers down the string of pearls and softly feathered over her cleavage to set them over her blouse causing the material to pull together and hide her s
kin.
“How about a little wine with dinner tonight? Maybe it will relax you a bit,” he suggested, and she stepped back and reached for her bag and her purse.
“I’m pretty tired. So much so that a glass of wine might do me in.”
“It may make for a good night’s sleep,” he said as she headed toward the door, him turning the lights off behind her.
She knew what he was hinting at and she wasn’t going to get into this with Zin, with any of them.
“I’m fine, Zin,” she said.
He said good night to the secretary, who was gathering her things, and a few other stragglers, including one woman Pamela, whom Aspen had already added to her watch list. Pamela’s eyes landed on Zin and then his hand as Zin kept it at Aspen’s lower back as he guided her out of the office toward the elevators.
“Good night, Zin,” Pamela called out. He gave a wave and Aspen harrumphed under her breath. It was obvious by the woman’s expression and eyes that she had a thing for Zin and was jealous of Aspen. Definitely one woman to keep an eye on and never turn her back on either.
They got into the elevator, and as Zin pressed the button for the lobby, Aspen caught sight of Pamela staring at her as she spoke on the cell phone she put to her ear.
“What’s that expression for?” Zin asked, crossing his arms and looking at her as he stood slightly in front of her. He was always in a protective stance. Like her own shield of armor.
“Nothing, just noticing the way Pamela looks at you.”
He raised one eyebrow up at her in that sexy way that Zin knew turned women on. She would be lying if she said it didn’t affect her.
“One of your regulars?” she shot back at his cocky expression. He stepped forward and she instinctually stepped back, her rear hitting the wall of the elevator. One of his hands went to her waist and the other over her shoulder and against the wall.
“Jealous?” he challenged.
She chuckled but it came out as an odd sound that gave away her frazzled state. Not many men could frazzle her. Zin obviously could.
“No.”
He pressed his body against hers and whispered close to her lips. “Liar.”
The elevator stopped and the doors opened but he didn’t move. She raised one eyebrow up at him and he let the hand that was above her shoulder slide down her arm to her hand, clasping his and hers together.
He pulled her along and she had no choice but to follow him through the lobby and past the security cameras as well as the security desk. The men working there smiled wide and said good night. It was in that moment she realized why Zin was doing this, making a show of possession. Those same men flirted with her the first few days. In fact one of them mentioned having drinks this Friday after work and her joining them. As they walked out the front entrance the black SUV was sitting there running.
“Jealous much?” she asked as he opened the door and there were Storm and Winter. Both Weston and York were probably both preparing dinner back at the estate. She climbed up into the SUV, her blouse obviously parting again as Storm and Winter looked directly at her chest.
She sat back against the seat, placed her bags on the floor and then adjusted her blouse.
“All set?” Storm asked. Zin mumbled a “yes.” Then Storm began to drive out of the parking lot.
* * * *
Zin was feeling pretty damn angry and hell yeah, jealous. Those fucking guys downstairs that worked the security desk had been talking about Aspen since day one. They were talking about her body, how hot she was and even had the nerve to flirt with her and ask her to meet them for drinks. They were some of the best guys they had working for them but he would fire their asses if need be.
He completely forgot about how annoyed Aspen looked after Pamela said good night to him and flirted. Aspen thought he had slept with Pamela. He wanted to kiss Aspen in the elevator and nearly did when the doors opened. Then he completely forgot about all of it as she waved good night to the guys and they checked out her ass and all smiled and waved good-bye.
“I wasn’t the least bit jealous. I just don’t think any of those guys are your type at all,” he told her and she turned to look at him. His remark grabbed Storm and Winter’s attention, too.
“Really? Like you know what my type is? I could say the same about Pamela. She’s definitely not your type.”
“Why would you say that?” he countered, turning to look at her. She was so fucking beautiful. Even riled up, he felt his dick trying to push through his pants.
“Too small up top and hardly even has an ass. You’ve always been a tits and ass kind of guy,” she retorted, and Winter chuckled.
“Yeah, well those guys aren’t your type at all either. They live to watch sporting events and they don’t hit dance clubs like that guy Jester you were living with.”
She gasped. “Jester had a great body. You jealous because he had amazing, sexy moves on a dance floor?”
“I can dance. I just prefer nice and slow. You know, while my hands are exploring a woman’s big tits and ass.”
She glared at him and crossed her arms and turned to look away.
He cursed under his breath as Storm continued to drive.
“What ever happened between you and Jester anyway? It was like he appeared out of nowhere, you were with him every waking minute, and then he disappeared. Where did he go?” Winter asked her even though they knew where he went. Back to New York to work for some accounting firm.
“It didn’t work out.”
“How come?” Zin asked her.
She looked at him and gave him the once-over. “He didn’t do it for me anymore,” she stated.
He knew she was trying to rile him and damn was she doing a great job at that. But before he could come up with a reply, the SUV stopped and she opened the door. Storm was out and helping her down. She reached for her bags and headed inside with Winter holding the front door open for her.
“What the fuck is going on?” Storm asked Zin. Zin ran his fingers through his hair.
“I’m losing my mind. I can’t take not touching her, kissing her, and wanting her. The fucking guys at work are talking about her body, her sweet personality, and it’s killing me.”
“You need to hold off.”
“Fuck holding off. If something happens between us, then it does and that’s it. I want her. I want to hold her, comfort her when she wakes with those damn nightmares. How can you and the others stay out of her room when I know you hear her crying and moaning in pain? She remembers that night. She relives her abduction every fucking night and sleeps with all the lights on in the room. Not even a fucking nightlight.”
He turned around and headed into the house. How the fuck was he going to get through dinner?
* * * *
Aspen didn’t know what came over her. She was being bitchy, trying to cause a fight with Zin because she was jealous. That Pamela woman wanted him.
“Hey, how are you doing?” York asked her as he came out of the kitchen with a dishtowel hanging from the waist of his jeans.
He looked so good, her heart immediately began to pound and her mouth nearly watered from the sight of him. All male, muscles, a tattoo on his arm that made her wonder, want to explore his body to find out if there were more tattoos elsewhere.
“She’s fine,” Zin said for her.
She swung her head to look at him and the man appeared crazed, angry, and it was directed at her.
Behind him was Storm looking just as pissed. Winter and Weston stood by the entrance to the kitchen in a dead stare.
Zin began to walk by her.
“What’s your problem?” she said, snapping at him, and it was too late when she saw the change in his eyes. She stepped back and he was on her in a flash.
Her one retreating step was halted by a single strong arm that wrapped around her waist and pulled her against Zin’s chest.
“You’re my fucking problem,” Zin said and then pressed his mouth over hers and began kissing her.
The tables turned quickly on her, making her head feel fuzzy, her body suddenly filled with overwhelming sensations. She felt every touch, every caress and shock to her system as Zin took complete control over her.
His tongue plunged into her mouth in exploration and possession. She gripped his shoulders, pulled at his polo shirt as her mind try to decipher what the hell was happening here. She was confused, yet completely aroused and affected by his touch, his actions, and his dominance. But then came the reality of this. He didn’t care for her in that way. He was teaching her a lesson. But what lesson was it? The old traditional belief that men overpowered women? Perhaps the misconception that women could be ultimately controlled by a man’s dick? No, no fucking way. Not her. Not like this. She was in love with him, with them goddamn it!
She pulled from his mouth. The sound of his heavy breathing matched her own. His eyes looked wild and his face was red, tight, the muscles and veins standing out more so by his temples and neck as he strained to keep control.
“What the hell are you doing? Is this how you welcome your new female employees? You fuck them?” She spat her words at him.
She felt the palms of his hands glide under her skirt, lifting it and gripping her ass, squeezing as he simultaneously lifted her by her ass cheeks and pressed her hard against the wall a mere foot behind her.
She gasped and grabbed his shoulders as the feel of his belt and the material from his pants chaffed against her inner thighs.
“No. I don’t fuck my female employees. The only woman I want to fuck is the one I’ve wanted to fuck for at least the last five years.” He covered her mouth and kissed her again as his words sunk in. He wanted her? He desired her in that way? Was it just the macho, male mobster who wanted to claim a piece of ass and she was one woman he never could have because of her past, his loyalty to her brother, or simply because he was sexually attracted to her? Did she even care?
She realized very quickly as the sound of her panties tearing, and the feel of his tongue plunging into her mouth took away any ability to talk.
The American Soldier Collection 10: Compromising Love (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 9
