64

Dorian's POV

An hour or two later, Vivian stirred in my arms, her body shifting against mine. Whether she was aware of it or not, she pressed her ass against my crotch. That was all it took. One second, my cock hardened. Two seconds later, I was inside her.

We didn’t speak—there was no need. She curled a hand around the back of my neck, tilting her head just enough to invite me closer, while her leg lifted to grant me deeper access. My hands gripped her hips, guiding her into a slow, lazy rhythm. Vivian buried her face in the pillow to muffle her cries, but I felt every shudder, every tightening of her body as she came apart almost instantly. I wrapped her hair around my fist, arching her back as I followed, pouring into her with a groan that rumbled low in my chest.

When her breathing evened out, I slid out of bed and returned with a wet washcloth, cleaning her gently. She didn’t open her eyes, just reached down, her fingers curling loosely around my wrist. Her lips moved, whispering something too soft for me to hear. She was still murmuring as I pulled the comforter up to her shoulders, tucking her in.

“Thank you,” she breathed. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

She drifted back to sleep fast, but her words echoed in my mind.

This had all started because I needed to keep her alive. That was the mission. That was the only thing that mattered. And yet, here we were—lying naked in my bed after coming home from a date. A fucking date. The first one I’d ever been on. The women in my past weren’t the wine-and-dine type. They were the pay-to-play kind. But instead of figuring out how to get Vivian out of my bed by morning, I was tucking her in, watching her sleep, wanting her to stay.

I wanted her here more than I wanted to be alone.

That hadn’t been true of anyone in a long time.

For the first time, I was out of my depth.

And I was happy to be there.

My phone vibrated, dragging me back to reality. I rolled over and grabbed it from the nightstand. Adri’s name flashed across the screen.

\-We have a problem.-

When the fuck didn’t we? If things were fine, that would’ve warranted a middle-of-the-night text. Problems were just the norm. I grew up watching my father run the Cartel, learning from the sidelines. He was everything. The beginning and the end. Men looked at him with respect. Others feared him. I used to dream about commanding that kind of power one day.

Now, I was in his shoes, and it felt like a never-ending game of Whack-a-Mole. Fires popped up, and I put them out, only for another to flare up just as quickly.

Vivian shifted beside me, her hand tucking under her chin, her full lips parting in a soft exhale. I wanted to wake her up and forget all about Adri’s message. Instead, I ran a hand through my hair and sighed before typing back.

\-What now?-

The response came seconds later.

\-You’ve been greenlit.-

I sat up, careful not to pull the blankets and wake Vivian. The room was still dark, the only light coming from the faint glow outside the window. The street was quiet. The guard shack near the gates barely flickered in the distance. I wasn’t expecting assassins to rappel from the ceiling, but someone had put a price on my head. And that meant every mercenary and low-level thug looking to make a name for himself would be after me now.

Anything was possible.

I already knew the answer, but I asked anyway.

\-Who?-

\-Sasuke,- Adri replied. -He wants you dead, bro. By any means necessary.-

Taking Vivian to that restaurant had been a mistake. It started as a way to placate Leonora. My little sister cared about Vivian, and I thought I could use that to get through to her. But when Vivian showed up in that red dress, every ulterior motive I had disappeared.

I wanted to take her out.

I wanted people to see her on my arm and know she was mine.

But if I’d known Sasuke had put a target on my back, I never would’ve risked it. I never would’ve put Vivian in danger. I’d rather she hate me and be alive than love me and die because of it.

The same went for Leonora.

It wasn’t my job to be liked.

I wasn’t supposed to be anyone’s brother, friend, or lover.

My job was to protect them.

Adri. Leonora. Vivian.

All of them.

Whatever it took.

\-If Sasuke wants a war,- I texted back, -then we’ll give him one.-

I placed my phone back on the nightstand and lay down. Vivian shifted closer, her fingers spreading across my chest.

“You’re warm,” she mumbled sleepily.

I didn’t move as she rested her head on my shoulder.

“Is everything okay?”

No, I wanted to say. Nothing had been okay for a long time.

Not since the moment that gun fired and my father dropped to his knees.

Not since Vivian walked into that restaurant—nervous, beautiful, complicated, and so damn wrong for me.

Things had been fucked up for a long time.

“It will be soon,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Go back to sleep.”

Vivian snuggled against my side and did just that.

I lay awake, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing, knowing that no matter how much I wanted to keep her close, war was coming.

And war didn’t leave room for distractions.