Chapter 4
After finishing up at the scene, I climbed back into the car. Anna was inspecting her nails, unbothered. “You’re out here
grinding just to buy some guy a present? Tragic.”
I shrugged. “Wouldn’t expect a single Woman to get it.”
She had no idea what it felt like to actually want to go home at the end of the day.
I used the bounty money to buy him cufflinks.
He pulled me onto his lap. “I don’t have anywhere to wear these.”
“You will.” I held his gaze. “Starting tomorrow, you’re not stuck at home
anymore. You can go back to work.”
His throat Moved. “Why?”
“Because if you love me, I don’t need to keep you locked up.'”
It was time to open the cage.
He was still in his house clothes, cufflinks in one hand, face tucked into the curve of My neck. “Thank you, honey. I love you. But please don’t.”
My brain short-circuited.
“I want to be your househusband. I’ll tend your flowers, cook your food, and run your bath when you get home late. Living for you is the only thing I want to do.”
Only a man with his brain could say Something that selfless and Mean every word of it.
And then, I became a total wreck. “I’M going to take such good care of you.”
I stood at the Mirror removing My Makeup. Nicholas had wandered off to hand-wash our underclothes.
On a white shirt in the laundry basket, a single strand of hair caught my eye. It was gold and short.
I picked it up and rolled it between My fingers.
Nicholas hadn’t seen anyone in months. The only person I’d seen with hair that color lately was Nike.
“Anna. Run someone for Me,” I said.
“Who?”
I pulled out my hair tie. M hair fell loose.
“Nike Vale.”
soiked in
“Are you insane?” Her voice spiked in my earpiece. “What, think my life’s been too easy lately?”
I stepped into the restricted section. In front of “The Wretched Libertine”, a body knelt with a hole through its skull. It was the same pose as the figure in the painting.
Nike was a few feet away, cleaning his gun like he had nowhere to be.
I walked over, and he glanced up as I approached. “Shade, it’s been a while.”
I had him on the floor before his smile fully formed, my gun at his throat, my weight pinning him down.
He didn’t even blink. “Twice now. YOU really like sitting on me.”
“You went to My apartment.” My voice was flat. “I told you to stay away from my husband.”
Something flickered across his face. “So the whole song and dance with the contract. That was to Smoke Me Out?”
I wondered if Nike ever felt shame before. I raised my voice. “You’ve been following Me! This whole time!”
Nike huffed a laugh. The vibration Moved through his chest and straight into my hips.
His hand found my thigh and stayed there. His eyes didn’t waver. “You feel something for me.”
I didn’t answer.
His expression and tone were like Nike used to, back before everything.
“What? The husband not doing it for you anymore?”
He pulled me flush onto his lap and sat up. closing whatever was left between us. “I’M right, aren’t I? So. You and me. Why not?”
I let it slide.
“You Made a. scene over the bounty. That’s a problem for me.”
Nike laughed, and got to his feet. He steered me toward the side exit. “The target crossed another client of mine. Some things need to be returned to their rightful owner. Bounty’s yours, Babe. I take the body.”
I drove my elbow into his ribs. He groaned, low and rough.
I stepped around him and walked.
“Call Me babe one more time, and I’ll kill you.’