“I guess if I’d kept my mouth shut no one else would know the most embarrassing moment of my life,” Siena said.

“Jake provided a few embarrassing moments for me,” Emma said. “It’s that insane male leopard in them. Things get hot and passionate and they get all crazy on their women. The only thing you can do is learn to handle the fire. You’ll come to love it, Siena. Elijah’s so gone on you. Anyone can see that. I’d never seen him smile until you came into his life.”

“How did Eli get you to give him another chance?” Siena asked.

“Sex. Hot, hot sex,” Catarina admitted, a blush stealing up her neck and creeping slowly into her face. “That, and the way he loves me. He gives me the world. Just like Jake does with Emma, he shows me how important I am to him. He’s very excited about the baby. He’s already talking to it. Every night he puts his mouth on my belly and starts in. I love when he does that.”

Siena splayed her fingers over her soft, growing belly. She was definitely far bigger than Catarina, but now, knowing she was carrying twins, she didn’t feel so bad. The three of them were in different stages of pregnancy. She couldn’t help but think how alike their lives were in many ways. The differences were just as great. Emma’s husband, Jake, was a billionaire. He owned legitimate businesses and had no reason to dabble in crime. Catarina’s husband, Eli, had been in law enforcement. He worked with Jake, doing what, Siena wasn’t certain, but he also worked with Drake. And then there was Elijah. She didn’t fully understand what Elijah was doing. What he was. He worked with Drake. Was surrounded by decent men, but she knew his life had never been decent.

“Siena.” Emma’s voice was gentle. So gentle, Siena winced. She knew she didn’t have a poker face. She’d never been able to hide her feelings. “What is it?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I just think it’s rather wonderful to be sitting here with two other women discussing our very alpha men.”

“Elijah’s a good man,” Emma said. “I know he’s head of the Lospostos family. Everyone knows that. But he’s a good man. I don’t know how, Jake doesn’t tell me anything about any of the men on Drake’s security team, but they’re all good men or they wouldn’t do the things they do. They risk their lives to bring back kidnap victims from very remote areas. They do all sorts of things and all of it is good.”