NERO: Alliance Series Book One

My eyes stay firmly on Payton’s ass while she bends at the waist, her front half out through the back patio door, her back half in the kitchen.

“Toto! Come on, boy!” she calls out into the fading light.

Giving up my view, I move to stand next to her and look out the French doors. “Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing?”

Payton startles. “Oh!” Straightening, she puts her hands on her chest, over her heart. “I didn’t hear you come up.”

“Course not. You were too preoccupied waving that fine ass in the air.”

She rolls her eyes at me, then claps her hands together when the mangy mutt comes sprinting toward the door.

After coaxing Toto into my car last night, I brought him over to King’s and asked him to have his vet look the dog over. King has always had dogs, and taken good care of them, so rather than source a fucking vet, I just used his.

I needed to make sure this dog had a clean bill of health, and no tracker showing he belonged to someone else, before I gave him to Payton. Because if I gave her a dog that keeled over dead the next day, she’d probably kill me herself. And if she found out some family was missing him, she’d of course want to do the right thing and return him. Which would break her poor heart and I’d have to punch my own face.

But other than being filthy and hungry, the doc said Toto was fine. Thinks he’s around three or four years old. And he probably belonged to someone at some point, since he’s house-trained and knows basic commands, but his malnourished frame, cracked nails and matted hair suggested he’d been on his own for a while.

Thankfully, King also had his groomer come over and clean the dog up, to the point where I barely recognized Toto when he came cautiously down the hall toward us.

I had a moment of doubt when he turned the corner, thinking maybe Payton would’ve wanted to pick out her own dog, but her instant tears and declaration of love made it obvious I did the right thing. And after, when I told her how Aspen and I had found him digging through trash, Payton burst into tears all over again. And I fell even more in love with her.

I’d never put much thought into finding a wife. Didn’t really want one, but figured I’d end up with one anyway. And the few times I did think on it, I always assumed it would be with a hard woman. One that rarely smiled. One that was in it for the money and status. One that wouldn’t shed tears for anything other than self-serving manipulation.

I couldn’t have been further from reality. Because I wasn’t meant for anyone but Payton.

This woman who wears her heart on her sleeve.

Who worries if the paid guards will be hungry or cold.

Who’s shown more emotion in the last twenty-four hours than I’ve shown in the last twenty-four years.

She doesn’t smooth out my rough edges. She fits into them.

The soft to my hard.

My better half, in every way.

Together, we step back as the dog skids across the threshold and Payton retrieves a treat from the new container decorating our kitchen island.

It was a gift from King, along with a dog bed, collar, leashes, toys, and a copy of Dogs For Dummies which I’m sure was meant to be a dig at me and not Payton.

“You told me not to go outside,” Payton continues our conversation, and it takes me a second to remember what we were talking about.

Her fine ass bent through the doorway.

“Not exactly following the spirit of the law,” I mumble but let it go. I don’t want her standing in open doorways either, but I am the one who just gave her a dog that will need to piss in the yard several times a day. “How do you feel about dinner and a movie?”

Payton bites her lip and glances down at Toto who is now lying flat on his side on the cool floor, panting from his recent adventure outdoors.

Reading her reticence, I explain. “We won’t leave the house.”

“Wow!” Payton drags her hand across the back of the large leather sofa. “I thought we were gonna watch a movie in the living room.”

I press a button on the wall and the curtains covering the front wall part to reveal a large screen, causing Payton to gasp.

Unfortunately, I had to spend most of the day in my office, getting things ready for my unplanned trip to Chicago. The Alliance shit is easy because I’m the boss no matter where I am, but there were a few meetings at my security company I had to reschedule. I’ve hired good people to fill every role, so I don’t have to spend much time at the office, but of course this would be the week I was actually needed. Which means I wasn’t able to give Payton the full tour of the house I’d promised. And it might’ve been practical to do it tonight but eating takeout pasta then watching a movie with her plastered to my side seemed like a better idea.

“This is quite impressive.” Payton stops at the far side of the room, taking in the rows of sofas and large recliner chairs.

“You can come watch movies in here anytime you want.”

“I wouldn’t know how to turn anything on.” She’s looking up at the projector on the ceiling.

“If I’m not home, all you need to do is call me and I’ll walk you through it. Same as anything else in the house you need help with. Except that espresso machine.”

She grins. “How about I teach you how to use that when you teach me how to use this?”

“Deal.” I see another question churning behind her eyes. “What is it?”

“Is there anywhere you don’t want me to go?”

“In the house?” She nods, but I’m already shaking my head. I can tell she’s asking because she doesn’t want to overstep, not because she intends to defy me. “You go wherever you want. Open drawers, use whatever you find. The only place you can’t go is the armory, but that’s because it’s locked.”

“There’s an armory?”

“More than one,” I answer. “Rocco, my Second, is the only other one with access. But I’ll get your biometrics added to the system once you’re trained.”

“Trained?” Her voice pitches up and I know I’m overwhelming her.

“Yes, trained.” I close the distance between us and place my palm against her cheek. “I’m your weapon. If you ever need to scare anyone, you tell them you’re mine.” I brush my thumb across her soft skin. “I will keep you safe, Payton.” I touch my lips to her forehead. “But you’ll still learn how to shoot a gun.”

Payton blows out a breath, giving me a tiny nod.

“And I bet you’ll be a crack shot.”

She snorts a little laugh as I successfully lighten the mood. “Guess, I’ll be learning all sorts of new things.”

“That you will. And speaking of new, I have a new phone and laptop for you up in our bedroom.”

“But I have a phone.”

“Baby, your phone sucked.” Her mouth pops open at my insult, but she knows I’m right. “If you really want to keep your old number, I’ll get it switched. But I already transferred your data into the new one, so it’s all set up and ready to go. Same with the laptop.”

“You,” she stops herself and sighs. “I was going to say you didn’t have to do that, but you already did. So, thank you.” Payton gives me that soft appreciative smile that warms my insides.

“You’re welcome,” I tell her. “And tomorrow at noon you have a virtual meeting with an interior designer.”

Her smile drops. “What?”

“You can set your laptop up in the bedroom, or kitchen, or wherever you like. But I also had a second desk brought into my office. We can share it until you get your own office designed. Or we can expand that one and share it all the time.”

“What––Share?” She blinks like that will help her understand. “Why do I have to meet with a designer?”

“Because you need to remodel this place.”

“I don’t––Nero, that’s…” She looks around at the extravagant movie room. “That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s not.” I take her elbow, guiding her to one of the plush loveseats. “I didn’t build this house, I bought it. I had a designer come through and furnish it. I’m not attached to any of it.”

“But I like it,” she insists as she lowers herself onto the cushion.

I shake my head, following her down. “Start with the bedroom.”

“But––”

“Sorry, Baby, you’re not gonna win this one.” I haul her into my side. “The bedroom is me. It’s not us.” I kiss her forehead. “It needs your color.”