Morgan's special name for the perfect partner he'd been promised so many years ago. Satisfaction replaced the hint of doubt worrying him. Ah, so Kisho did know what their future held in store for them. One problem solved.
“Take your hands off me, little fox, before I put them where they really belong.”
Kisho stepped back in a rush. Then he took a hesitant step forward, as if he couldn't help himself. But Morgan didn't mistake the surge of panic in his dark brown eyes now black with anxiety.
Come on, my little kitsu. Look deeper. See me. Know me.
“Whoa! Hayashi, buddy, you okay?” Another giant joined them, this one blond, and ruined the moment.
Morgan wanted to gut him. Instead, he turned to him and raised an arrogant brow. “You must be Frederik. Nice to meet you.”
Tersch glanced at Kisho and growled at Morgan. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Nice mouth, Gunnar,” Ava's husky voice sounded from behind him. She peeked out around Tersch's large body and grinned. “Morgan! Hey baby! Nice to see you again.” She threw herself into his arms, and Morgan hugged her back. Tersch's annoyance spoke volumes, and Morgan's grin widened.
“You just keep looking better and better,” he said, aware he spoke the truth. “Thanks for the tour, Kisho. Ava can finish for me. See you later, hmm?” He took her under his arm and walked away, conscious of two Circs burning holes into his back.
“They still looking?” he whispered.
“Oh yeah.” Ava wiggled closer, and Morgan swore he heard Tersch's teeth grind. Once out of sight of the others, however, Ava dragged him downstairs, past Mrs. Sharpe's grand study, and into a smaller room.
Organized without a speck of dust anywhere and with a contemporary design, the room felt like Ava. She threw herself into a chair and waved at him to do the same. “Nice to see you, cuz.” He smiled. Though not related by blood, their families had been good friends for years. He didn't deny the association. “I haven't seen you in forever, but I see Alicia's still keeping you hopping.”
“No shit.” Ava sighed, then shook her head. “But don't change the subject. What the hell are you doing here?”
“ Mrs. Sharpe hired me to work some leads. I'm here to find Captain William Delancey for your team. From what I gather, he's a traitor, a murderer, and he nearly killed your Circs at one time or another, though no one can prove his involvement.” She frowned, her sparkling eyes lit from within with an energy uniquely Ava. “Hold on.
No one told me you'd be coming.”
“I'm sorry. Was I supposed to clear this with you? Or maybe Alicia should have asked you first?”
“Asshole.”
He chuckled. “So what's it like, living at Circ central?” She sighed. “Trying. Alicia's a pain. She's gotten really bossy in her old age.” Ava grinned.
“The guys are great. Not sure what you did to piss them all off, but since that's your usual M.O., I'm sure the death threats and fights will keep us hopping for days. Or however long you're here, which is how long, by the way?”
“Worried I'll try to steal your boyfriend?” he teased. He hadn't missed Tersch's proprietary manner with Ava, or the way she'd looked at him.
She flipped him the finger, and he laughed.
At that moment, Jules Hawkins poked his head in the door. Seeing Ava and Morgan together, he scowled. “Reynolds, I need a word.”
Morgan's humor faded as he spied yet another obstacle preventing him from what he'd come to claim. The team's possessive, aggressive leader would be a problem. Especially when he realized what Morgan really intended for one of his Circs.
The minute Morgan stepped out the door, Jules pinned him to the wall. No mean feat, considering Morgan had as much weight on him as Jules. But he wasn't stupid enough not to realize the predator holding him could carve him up in seconds.
“I don't trust you, and I'm watching you. Mrs. Sharpe might want you here, but the Circs belong to me. Fuck with them,
“Take your hands off me, little fox, before I put them where they really belong.”
Kisho stepped back in a rush. Then he took a hesitant step forward, as if he couldn't help himself. But Morgan didn't mistake the surge of panic in his dark brown eyes now black with anxiety.
Come on, my little kitsu. Look deeper. See me. Know me.
“Whoa! Hayashi, buddy, you okay?” Another giant joined them, this one blond, and ruined the moment.
Morgan wanted to gut him. Instead, he turned to him and raised an arrogant brow. “You must be Frederik. Nice to meet you.”
Tersch glanced at Kisho and growled at Morgan. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Nice mouth, Gunnar,” Ava's husky voice sounded from behind him. She peeked out around Tersch's large body and grinned. “Morgan! Hey baby! Nice to see you again.” She threw herself into his arms, and Morgan hugged her back. Tersch's annoyance spoke volumes, and Morgan's grin widened.
“You just keep looking better and better,” he said, aware he spoke the truth. “Thanks for the tour, Kisho. Ava can finish for me. See you later, hmm?” He took her under his arm and walked away, conscious of two Circs burning holes into his back.
“They still looking?” he whispered.
“Oh yeah.” Ava wiggled closer, and Morgan swore he heard Tersch's teeth grind. Once out of sight of the others, however, Ava dragged him downstairs, past Mrs. Sharpe's grand study, and into a smaller room.
Organized without a speck of dust anywhere and with a contemporary design, the room felt like Ava. She threw herself into a chair and waved at him to do the same. “Nice to see you, cuz.” He smiled. Though not related by blood, their families had been good friends for years. He didn't deny the association. “I haven't seen you in forever, but I see Alicia's still keeping you hopping.”
“No shit.” Ava sighed, then shook her head. “But don't change the subject. What the hell are you doing here?”
“ Mrs. Sharpe hired me to work some leads. I'm here to find Captain William Delancey for your team. From what I gather, he's a traitor, a murderer, and he nearly killed your Circs at one time or another, though no one can prove his involvement.” She frowned, her sparkling eyes lit from within with an energy uniquely Ava. “Hold on.
No one told me you'd be coming.”
“I'm sorry. Was I supposed to clear this with you? Or maybe Alicia should have asked you first?”
“Asshole.”
He chuckled. “So what's it like, living at Circ central?” She sighed. “Trying. Alicia's a pain. She's gotten really bossy in her old age.” Ava grinned.
“The guys are great. Not sure what you did to piss them all off, but since that's your usual M.O., I'm sure the death threats and fights will keep us hopping for days. Or however long you're here, which is how long, by the way?”
“Worried I'll try to steal your boyfriend?” he teased. He hadn't missed Tersch's proprietary manner with Ava, or the way she'd looked at him.
She flipped him the finger, and he laughed.
At that moment, Jules Hawkins poked his head in the door. Seeing Ava and Morgan together, he scowled. “Reynolds, I need a word.”
Morgan's humor faded as he spied yet another obstacle preventing him from what he'd come to claim. The team's possessive, aggressive leader would be a problem. Especially when he realized what Morgan really intended for one of his Circs.
The minute Morgan stepped out the door, Jules pinned him to the wall. No mean feat, considering Morgan had as much weight on him as Jules. But he wasn't stupid enough not to realize the predator holding him could carve him up in seconds.
“I don't trust you, and I'm watching you. Mrs. Sharpe might want you here, but the Circs belong to me. Fuck with them,
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