“Enzo thinks you’re a bad boss,” India said, winking. “Because of your reputation with the sex.”
Before Sean could ask more about that awkward topic, in unison, both India’s and Enzo’s phone started buzzing. They both glanced down at them, and India’s eyes widened. “What does ‘moderately shot’ mean?” Her voice was quiet, lacking its usual snark. She bit her lip, glancing at Enzo, who was deliberately hiding whatever was on the screen of his phone from her. She didn’t seem to notice. Sean wondered if Enzo’s message contained more information than India’s.
“He’s okay, baby girl,” Enzo murmured, setting his phone face down, rubbing her back. She was staring at the message, eyebrows pulled together for a moment longer. She blinked hard and pushed past Enzo.
“I’m going to go to the bathroom.” Her voice cracked, and she rushed off, looking like she was about to burst into tears. Sean hadn’t really pictured India as a crier. She was typically so unemotional.
“What the hell just happened?” Sean asked.
“I’d better go check on her. Her brother has been shot, and he’s her only family. Don’t fire her yet.” He grimaced.
“Moderately shot, though?” Sean asked, frowning.
Enzo hesitated, like he wasn’t sure what to say, studying Sean. He took a deep, slow breath before answering. “Her brother is an intelligence operative. I can’t share details, but he told me a few weeks ago that his cover had been blown a few times lately. This time it turned out pretty badly, worse than he’s telling India. He’s in a hospital in Istanbul, and he’s in a lot of pain, but he’ll live, most likely. I really hope so. He’s a jackass, but like, a loveable jackass.” He slipped his phone into his pocket and glanced towards the bathroom, his eyes worried.
“So, like India.”
Enzo chuckled. “Yeah, pretty much. A family of lovable jackasses.”
The big guy sighed and combed a hand through his hair, before standing and heading towards the bathroom. Sean waited a moment before following Enzo, unable to control his weird urge to check on India. They found her sitting on the floor outside the bathrooms, her arms folded around her knees, her head down.
Kneeling, Enzo whispered in her ear, lifting her off the ground, hugging her close, and her arms wrapped fiercely around the big man’s waist as she buried her face against his chest, nuzzling in close. “He’ll be okay, baby girl,” Enzo murmured.
“No one knows that. That’s what everyone told us about our parents, you know. ‘It’ll be okay, they’ll be fine,’” she whispered. “I’m going to kill him if he dies. I’ll figure out how to reanimate his corpse just so I can shoot him myself if I have to.”
Enzo chuckled softly. “That’s what he said the other day. Well, not the reanimated corpse thing. You took it next level, Indie.”
She let out a shaky breath and looked at Sean. She frowned, stepping away from Enzo and hugged Sean too. Enzo’s brows shot up as he met Sean’s eyes over her head, and it took Sean a moment to react and hug her back. He was unaccustomed to affection. No one ever hugged him, but this felt good. India was more muscular than she looked in her boring office outfits, and her hug was tight. He could feel her shivering a little against him, and he was protective over his wacky assistant, pulling her in close, trying to calm the tremors in her muscles.
“I hope your brother is okay.”
“Thank you for checking on me.” She stood up on her tiptoes, kissing his cheek.
“I wasn’t checking on you,” he said, and she hugged him tighter. Enzo sighed and stepped up behind her, dropping his lips to the top of her head and looping his arms around Sean’s waist, holding her pinned between them. Only then did she relax completely into the embrace and stop shaking. Startled, Sean looked up and met Enzo’s eyes. The big guy shrugged, his mouth tilting into a half smile.
“I’m worried that if he dies, I won’t have anyone,” she finally said.
“You have us, baby girl.”
She laughed a little harshly. “Oh great, my not-boyfriend and jackass boss. What a relief.” With that, she pulled out of the embrace and stalked out of the restaurant, leaving them both standing there, a little stunned. Sean glanced at Enzo.
“‘Not boyfriend’?”
Enzo shrugged. “Her brother asked me to check in on her, considering your... reputation. But she’s so fucking off-limits. Her brother is terrifying.”
“Right.” Sean glanced up at Enzo, who was still standing close, too close. He lifted a hand and grasped Sean’s jaw firmly, giving him a quick, hard kiss on the lips that was electric and hot. “What was that?”
Enzo’s eyes were again full of mischief, and his dimples flashed. “I’m impulsive. And I liked how you cared for India. What can I say?”
Chapter 7 - India
India wanted to kick herself for walking away from Enzo and Sean. Enzo for sure would have snuggled her for as long as she liked, keeping her company. That he tried to check in on her half a dozen times told her he would have been there for her, no matter how little he knew her. It was the kind of guy he was: steady.
Instead, she spent a restless weekend alone, waiting for news from her brother, who was undergoing several surgeries before being flown stateside. The only time she had felt safe at all since she had heard the devastating news had been when she was between the two of them, wrapped up in their arms, their warmth, their strength.
Sean fucking Blackstone. Her target. Sean and the random guy her brother had hired to be her security. Those were the men she was attracted to? She knew Enzo would likely never make a move on her because Enzo had met Moss, and Moss was more than a little terrifying. Especially if you knew what Moss was, and Enzo knew. But Monday morning, Enzo was there, waiting for her in the lobby of her building with a cup of coffee and a smile on his face.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
