Kyle Thorne

“Mr. Thorne,” Ryan, one of the doormen, greets me as I stop and wait for the gate to open. “A package arrived for Miss Roberts less than five minutes ago. Do you mind taking it to her?”

“Not at all.” He hands me a cardboard box, which I place on the passenger seat. I can hear the contents rattling around as I drive.

When I get home, Cerberus and his brothers come running to greet me, sniffing and saying hello. After a careful inspection for treats, Apollo and Banguela head back inside, but Cerberus walks with me to the gym.

Seth and Brooke are training; my brother doesn’t hold back, and their exchange of blows is intense. They attack and defend in equal measure. I rarely get to see their training since I spend most afternoons at Hades’ Men’s headquarters, but today I finished everything early and got to witness this.

Sweat accumulates at the base of the blonde’s neck, her movements are precise, and her eyes never leave her opponent. The change in her body and muscles is noticeable. I’m not used to seeing them in action like this—well, not in this way—but I have to admit it’s quite a sight.

“You’re early, Kyle,” Seth says, without even looking away from the blonde, but he clearly noticed my presence.

“It’s rare, but it happens,” I reply. “Brooke, a package arrived for you,” I inform, and since Seth doesn’t stop attacking, my friend doesn’t dare turn to look at me.

“I’ll check it later,” she replies, just as Seth gains the upper hand and pins her arm. She quickly manages to free herself, but he knocks her down, and the blonde rolls across the floor, once again escaping his reach.

I’m tempted to interrupt the fight and switch places with Seth, but since the theater presentation incident, I know Brooke has been pushing herself even harder, and she probably wouldn’t appreciate what I have in mind. So, I step aside and head to the living room.

I’m halfway through one of the Fast & Furious movies when Brooke joins me, her damp hair making her floral perfume even stronger as she snuggles next to me.

“How was work?” she asks.

“Boring. I’m looking to take on a few more classes; focusing on administrative stuff is too dull,” I reply, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer, kissing the top of her head.

“I know that feeling well. Now that I’m just going to school to clock in and plan for the next academic year, it feels like the workday is eighteen hours long, and time drags on,” she comments with a grimace.

“Just one more week, Sunshine.”

“Finally, I’ll be surfing every day!” she cheers, and it seems to remind her of my earlier comment. “What came for me?”

“How would I know? You’re the one who ordered it,” I joke, pointing to the box on the coffee table.

The blonde pulls the package onto her lap and, after struggling with the tape for a few seconds, manages to open it. Her green eyes light up with excitement and surprise as she pulls out a golden box wrapped with an elegant blue ribbon. She places the box on her lap, and I can see the Godiva logo on the top—her favorite chocolate brand. An exuberant smile spreads across her face.

“Was it you?” she asks, a look of affection making me pull her face to mine for a kiss on her lips before pulling away to answer.

“No, but now I wish I could say it was.”

She unties the ribbon, and a small envelope falls out. After opening it and pulling out the card, her expression shifts from excitement to fear as her eyes scan the paper.

“Sunshine?” I call, drawing her attention. “What’s wrong?”

She stretches out her hand, handing me the card, which I take from her trembling fingers.

“Since you didn’t like the roses, I thought you might enjoy a box of chocolates. One week until your vacation and counting!”

Brooke stands up, throwing the box of chocolates onto the coffee table and walking out with determined steps. I rush after her.

“Brooke, hey.” I grab her arm before hugging her. “We’ll find out who’s behind this, I promise.”

“They know where I live, where we live,” she complains, and there’s no longer fear in her voice, only irritation. “Why me?”

“Because they’re cowards,” I reply, holding her face and tilting it up so she looks me in the eyes. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. They’re just trying to scare you.”

“They’re succeeding! I don’t understand the logic of sending me gifts. None of them are real threats, not really; they just seem like reminders.”

“It’s a cheap tactic to destabilize you, to destabilize us,” I correct, because seeing her upset and knowing those assholes continue to target her to get to us is already getting on my nerves. I’ll need to ask Ryan about the delivery person and check the security cameras later, but first, I need to get Brooke’s smile back, and I know exactly how to do that.

“Come on, let’s go for a ride,” I say, stepping back and extending my hand, which she takes without hesitation.

“I don’t feel like leaving the house, Ky,” she replies.

“I promise it’ll be worth it,” I whisper in her ear, seeing the hairs on her neck stand up.

“Do I need to change?” she asks, and I take a moment to appreciate her appearance. She’s wearing denim shorts that highlight her toned thighs and a white t-shirt. She looks beautiful as always, but we’re going to ride a motorcycle, and she’ll feel cold, especially on the way back. “You at least need a jacket… Where are we going?” she asks, surprised.

***