Amonth. A whole fucking month of chasing cartel vermin, digging for a weak link high enough in their ranks to matter. Leaving clues subtle enough not to spook him, but clear enough that he’d understand exactly what I was offering. Testing the waters. Waiting.
And the fucker did bite.
Just not with me.
He went straight to Bones.
My asshole brother kept that from me for over a week, until that weak-link fucker came back with intel. Shocking, useful, dangerous fucking intel. It didn’t change the fact that Bones kept his mouth shut. Didn’t change how pissed off I was. Still am.
But at least I had the lunches.
Adora’s hot-and-cold attitude nearly drove me insane, but it didn’t matter. She was talking to me. More than that, she was coming to me. It gave me something to hold on to, a light finally starting to shine in my miserable fucking life.
Leaving killed me, but I didn’t know my plan had already worked. I thought there was still more to do.
And now I’m back, with everything on the verge of blowing the fuck up. There’s no time for lunch tomorrow because I’m notgoing to be here tomorrow. I just wanted to see her tonight. Just wanted a little more of that light before I had to crawl back into hell.
She was supposed to be home, her bookstore closed two hours ago. But there’s no answer at her door.
I’m about to check her tracker — something I haven’t done in hours because I’ve been on my fucking bike — when a cage pulls in.
And there she is. Smiling that sweet smile, shining that light of hers at some preppy fucker. Dressed like a wet dream that could ruin any man for a lifetime. She looks like she’s coming back from a date.
I see red. Black. All the fucking colors.
“I will paint this entire street with his blood.”
The words rip out of me like the war cry of a wounded animal.
I can’t even look at the asshole. I need to keep my eyes on her. Let her see the truth in them. The torment. The misery.
I’m stuck between throwing a blade straight into the fucker’s heart and dropping to my knees right here in front of her, and beg. Beg her to please not do this. To just give me more time.
“If you move even one fucking step, I will go apeshit on your ass.”
The warning in her voice — and her eyes — is like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head.
I freeze in place, unable to move an inch. I want to kill the guy but I don’t want to upset her.Fuck. She has me on a leash, and she just yanked me into submission.
“Adora, should I call the cops?” There’s a tremble in the asshole’s voice. Good. That tremble better stay there. And he better stay away from her. Far the fuck away.
“No need, Noah.” She smiles and turns to him. “Everything is fine. This is my ex-husband. He’s not dangerous. He’s just being very dramatic right now.”
A pause. Heavy. We can all smell the bullshit in the air.
“You should go now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
A deep growl rumbles in my chest at her intent to see him again. She stops it with a raised finger. Doesn’t even look at me.
“Are you sure?” he whispers, throwing me a sideways glance.
I barely hold myself back.
“I’m very sure,” she says, voice firm. “Go. Now. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
Then she starts walking toward me, her face shifting into pure fury the second that fucker can’t see it anymore.
“Good night, Noah,” she throws over her shoulder.
