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“You can cry. Your tears are just as wonderful as every part of you.” I wink, knowing that my sugary compliment will make her chuckle.
She scoffs, then laughs, letting a couple of tears roll down. “Enough about sad things. Tonight was amazing.”
I press a finger to her lips before she can say anything else. “The best part is coming up.” I grin like a schoolboy as I pull out my phone.
I tap a few things and pull up the app I prepared earlier.
“A big red button? Again? What are we blowing up this time?” Tanya returns my grin and my whole world brightens. How she thinks she’s a harbinger of darkness, I don’t know. For me, she’s always been a quirky woman with a fascinating mind and a beautiful smile.
“Don’t press it,” I say as I hand her the phone.
“What?”
“Just don’t. Who knows what will happen.” I lean closer to her and kiss her on the cheek playfully.
“Oh, I see what you’re doing.” Tanya shifts back, escaping the next peck coming her way. “I’ll bite.”
She taps the red button and stares directly into my eyes. In the silence that follows, her shoulders creep up and she smiles wider, clearly bracing herself for something.
She flinches when the first firework turns the dark sky green. Then yellow, then purple, then red. I got all the colors and shapes I could get my hands on.
“Whoa! You’re breaking the law, sir! This is not allowed!” She giggles like a child as she takes in the vibrant display prepared for her eyes only.
“The perks of being a criminal,” I shout back as I too marvel at my work.
Out of all my exploding projects, this is the prettiest.
When the last heart-shaped firework disappears into the dark and the docks grow quiet again, I take Tanya’s chin between my fingers and turn her face to me. She’s trembling a little.
“I’m sorry I misunderstood you that night when Lavender fell. I don’t understand people very well.” My voice is soft, and my words feel like I’m tearing them directly from my heart. Admitting that I’m an idiot with zero social sense doesn’t come naturally to me.
“Then I’ll make sure you never have to guess. Let’s make a promise to speak our minds, no matter what,” Tanya says.
“Yes,” I whisper. “Seal it with a kiss?”
“Seal it with a kiss.” Tanya nods and leans forward, pressing her soft lips to mine.
I let the moment linger, savoring her closeness and the scent of her hair. I pull away for a second to admire her blue eyes and her rosy cheeks.
Then the emotion I’ve been holding onto for years bursts out, propelling me forward. I crash my parted mouth into hers, my tongue licking the seam of her lips, pleading for entrance.
She lets me in, allowing me to taste her after so long. She tastes like clear rain at the tip of my tongue and feels like a hot summer in my arms.
The distant sound of police sirens is our only soundtrack, and it’s fucking perfect. They’re probably coming to investigate the fireworks. Well, they won’t find us here.
I pull away, biting Tanya’s lower lip on the way. She smiles innocently, then I scoop her up in my arms, nuzzling my face in her neck. She yelps but lets me continue tickling her.
I stand up and help her to her feet. She still wears an expression of simple pleasure, and it suits her so much. I wrap my arms around her waist and twirl her around. She giggles like a child, pressing her face into the crook of my neck.
It’s perfect, but we have to go. The police sirens are closing in; their lights color the far side of the docks in red and blue. I grab her hand and start running.
“Wait, where are we going?” she asks without stopping.
“We gotta run. We broke the law after all.”
Epilogue
Abig mansion spans in front of me, with intricate flourishes under each arched window. There are at least three floors and the impression the Arcana Headquarters gives me is lavish rich lifestyle, rather than gang house.
