“We have a mutual friend. Sparrow’s the name.”
“Wait,” she stammered. “Who? What?”
“Come on, Lorna.” He turned to Anna. “And Jane gets a raise or it’s your ass out on the street.”
He reached for my hand and tugged me toward another big SUV. This time instead of a driver, he sat behind the steering wheel. The back seats were laid flat and the entire space was filled with boxes. “What’s all that?” I asked as I fastened my seatbelt.
“Your stuff. Well, most of it. The rest will be delivered in a day or two.”
“Mason, you can’t do this.”
“I did it, sis. I’m keeping you safe. When things quiet down, you can move out. But for now, you’re stuck with me.”
Sighing, I leaned my head back against the seat as Mason drove. I wanted to argue, but honestly, I was too tired. Maybe I could argue after a good night’s sleep. My eyes shut and opened until I let the shut time linger.
They opened wide as the SUV descended into a tunnel. The walls were lined with lights. “Where are we?”
“Home.”
My pulse kicked up a notch as Mason parked the SUV amongst a slew of automobiles. There were cars, trucks, and SUVs. Some were new while others were older, and still others were classics.
I followed in disbelief as Mason led me to an elevator. He hit a button marked A, whisking us up and up.
“Lorna, first, I need to introduce you to my friends.”
“You have friends?”
“Funny.”
When the doors opened, it appeared that we’d entered a hotel lobby. However, instead of many, there were only three doors. “Ours is the one on the far left,” Mason said, heading that way.
“You live here?”
“For now, we live here. Don’t worry. It’s three bedrooms. You’re not sleeping on the couch.”
“If there is couch sleeping, that’s you. Kidnapping 101, I get my own room.”
Mason turned my way with a grin.
Before we could reach the door, the elevator we’d just left opened again. Three rather large men walked out. Large as in tall and muscled, not heavy.
I immediately recognized the dark-haired one as Sterling Sparrow. The blond was the one with Renita at the party, but his name was lost. My gaze was set on the third man.
Words forgot to form as our wide-eyed gazes locked upon one another.
“Lorna, you’ve met Sparrow,” Mason said, unaware of my shock. “And this is Patrick and Reid.”
It was as if my brother was speaking in a tunnel with water filling my ears. I couldn’t look away from my prince. But he wasn’t a prince, or maybe he was.
I did know he was dangerous, at least as dangerous as my brother and Mr. Sparrow.
Patrick came forward, his blue eyes smiling as he offered his hand. “Welcome, Lorna. Mason was right. We need to keep family safe.”
Mr. Sparrow nodded. “Stay here for now. That way he can concentrate and won’t be worried about distractions.”
Reid’s Adam’s apple bobbed as the colors exploded in his dark eyes. He looked from me to Mason, back to me. Finally, he settled on my brother. “Mason—”
I stepped forward, offering my hand. “Nice to meet you, Reid.”
My brother just brought me to this tower in the sky with these dangerous men for my safety. Announcing at this juncture that Reid and I had already met would not go well. As Reid looked my way, I very slightly shook my head, hoping he received my silent message.
He cleared his throat and shook my hand. “And you, Lorna.”
A grin came to my lips as I saw our hands, mine in his. Even in this awkward situation, I felt it—a surge of energy. The gleam in his eyes told me that he felt it too.
Later that night, I found myself in the hotel-lobby-looking area. Mason had given me a tour of this tower. It included the huge two-story penthouse above and our apartment with the room I was temporarily to call my own. From what I could deduce, we were somewhere far away from the South Side, high in the Chicago skyline.
Biting my lip, I paced back and forth between the other two doors. One belonged to Patrick and the other to Reid. I just didn’t know which was which.
I spun as the elevator opened and Reid stepped out, his hands behind his back. When our gazes met, his lips quirked to a lopsided grin. “Fucking crossed,” he said.
I took a tentative step toward him. “I’d say our paths are now neatly tied in a bow.”
He reached out with one hand, grasping one of mine. “More like a fucking knot. How did I not realize you are that Lorna?”
“How could you?”
“I need to tell Mason what happened.”
I shook my head. “Not yet, Reid.” Knowing his name made me happy. “Please. Mace says there’s a lot going on. Mr. Sparrow thinks I’m a distraction. Can we” —I motioned between us— “try this out and see how it goes before we make a big deal with my brother?”
“He’s one of my best friends.”
“We’re not lying. We’re just not telling—not yet.”
“For a while,” he said, “if I can kiss you.”
I lifted myself to my tiptoes and reached for his shoulders. “It’s a requirement.”
I melted against him as I ran my palm over his soft hair and wide shoulders. When I pulled back, he ran a finger over my cheek. “You’re even more beautiful without that mask.” He looked down. “And you do have legs.”
I laughed. “I’m not a mermaid.”
He brought his other hand forward, holding the Louboutin shoes I’d worn to the party.
“What?”
Reid grinned. “You left these in the SUV. Maybe if I’d seen your legs...”
“You are my Prince Charming.” I kissed him again. “You found me.”
“If the shoes fit, you’re mine forever. Isn’t that how that story goes?”
I nodded. “Forever.”
If you want to learn about more of the Sparrow men, begin the SPARROW WEBS series with Sterling and Araneae’s story, WEB OF SIN, Secrets (FREE), Lies, and Promises. Next, Mason and Laurel’s story, TANGLED WEB, Twisted, Obsessed, and Bound. And you won’t want to miss Patrick and Madeline’s story, WEB OF DESIRE, Spark, Flame, and Ashes. All the Sparrow trilogies are complete and ready for you to BINGE.
Turn the page to read more of the Midnight Dynasty world...
Snow White
T.M. Frazier
Prologue
Once upon a time, the shit hit the fan.
Actually, it wasn’t once upon a time. It’s now. The shit is hitting the fan now.
On the south end of Central Park, in an old mansion boasting of even older money, lives a beautiful young widow, Regina, along with her stepdaughter, Neve.
This morning, like every morning, the widow reaches for her phone wrapped in a Swarovski crystal case and clicks on an app called The Fairest. However, she only does this after spending hours perfecting her blond coif, finishing her sixteen-step skincare routine, and applying the mass amounts of makeup it takes to create her signature ‘natural’ look. You see, The Fairest app was created for New York’s elite, more importantly, it’s for the most self-centered, those desperately seeking the meaningless approval from other like-minded narcissists. The widow, whose name is Regina Blanca, raises the phone and proceeds to take dozens of selfies. After much deliberation, she decides which is the best of them all. She then spends nearly half an hour more choosing the best lighting and filters before finally uploading it to The Fairest app.