"Okay," Blake concedes.
I blink rapidly, taken back by how easily this is going. I expect him to throw a hissy fit. Reaching over, I hand each of them a handgun, snuggled tightly in a hip holster.
"Shannon, Carmen and Teresa, I've scheduled for you all to have a session with Rhett this afternoon. He expects you in thirty. Dresden will escort you."
They stand and leave the room. I walk to my chair, plop down, and put my head in my hands. I've never been in charge of anything. I was Jax's second in command, but he always made the decisions. I followed orders and improvised if shit got crazy.
Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. I startle, wrapping my hand around one of my guns.
"Whoa, babe. It's me," Blake says softly.
He walks to my side, swivels my chair to face him, and sinks to his knees in front of me. My fingers comb through his hair, his face serene, except for the tension in his jaw. The muscles south of my belly button clench in desire as his irises darken.
"Hey," I whisper.
He sits his gun on the edge of my desk and opens my legs to press himself against me. The breath is forced from my lungs, want and need coursing through my veins. In a flash, he grabs my face and brings his lips to mine, kissing me in fevered need. I open my mouth and allow his tongue to invade mine, frantically exploring.
Breathless and panting, he breaks away, pressing his forehead to mine. "I don't want to carry a gun, Lily."
I roll my eyes. "Do you think kissing me like that's going to make me change my mind?"
"I was hoping it might," he says, laughing.
"Not a chance, Mr. Mason. You and your father have a session with Rhett tomorrow afternoon."
"Lily," Dresden says, loudly. I jump, snapping my head up toward the door. Dresden's eyes dart from me to Blake and back, concern flooding them.
"What's wrong, Dres?"
"I need to talk to you . . . privately." He holds up a brown envelope.
Blake's head sags forward as he sighs and stands. I follow him to the door. Dresden walks into my office and takes a seat, giving us a moment of privacy.
"I'll be done shortly, and then we can spend the afternoon together," I whisper, taking Blake's hands in mine.
"Okay." He brings my fingers to his lips. "Try not to be too long."
"Hey." I free one of my hands and cup the side of his face. "Stop sulking. The man I care for doesn't sulk."
He leans in and presses his lips lightly to mine. "I love you."
Before I can respond, he turns and walks out, closing the door. I take a deep breath, willing the nerves in my body to calm down. I amble back to my desk, stopping next to Dresden.
"What's in the envelope?"
"A problem," he says seriously, handing it to me. "It was left outside the door sometime within the last twenty minutes."
I raise my eyebrows. Tearing my gaze away from his, I look down at the coarse dark brown envelope. Turning it over, my hand shakes as I run a finger over the broken seal.
Wax . . . a blue Taurus . . . fuck me.
Trembling, I pull a single blue piece of paper from the inside. There's a short letter, typed.
Agent Williams—
We owned you once. We will own you again.
You will watch as we kill the only people you love.