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“Lily, what would you like to help me bake today?” my mom asked, stepping into the room as she clasped the back of her earring. Even in a house where the only people my mom saw were guards, she still fully dressed each morning in her jewelry, clothes, and what she called a full face.
“Oh, can we make tacos today?”
“Hmm,” my mom mused, playing the game she liked with Lily. “I think that can be arranged.” They both giggled and ran for the kitchen.
Smiling, I stood, stretching out my back. I’d spent most of yesterday crouched as I watched the Delgado house and was paying for it today. Man, that had been so much easier to do when I was twenty-one. Walking over to the table, I picked up my phone, scrolling through the messages to see if there had been any updates.
I avoided the man along the wall despite feeling his eyes on me. I was so used to feeling them, though, that the weight was comfortable at this point. Seeing a message from one of the girls I’d met the other night, I headed to my bedroom to change, hoping to follow up on the lead. I needed an in into the Delgado house, and it looked like I might’ve just found it.
Browsing through the clothes, the hangers screeched their protest as I quickly assessed the situation. Shit, it looked like I’d need to get something new to wear. Maybe I’d call Stacy and ask for her help? It was more of a society place and not my usual nightclub garb, so I could use the assistance.
Stepping out of the closet, I wasn’t surprised to find him standing there, blocking the door with his arms stretched on the door frame. It was a damn shame he cut such a striking picture.
“I don’t like this, Nat.”
Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms, needing some shielding where Beau was involved. “I don’t think it matters. I’m doing this, and you have no say in my life.”
“Only because you won’t let me,” he seethed, leaning down toward my face. His eyes heated as he stared, and the heat between us ignited like always. But it was too dangerous to concede, too tempting to think about that path.
“We both know why.”
He stared, not breaking eye contact with me, determined to change my mind with his glare alone.
“I can’t do this right now. I need to go meet Stacy. Cami’s counting on me.”
“Then when? Because from my standpoint, it’s always something. Why won’t you give me a chance? I just want that.”
His arm dropped as his finger lifted to trap a piece of my hair. He twirled it around his finger, the touch soft and caring as he stared at me. This was the problem with Beau. He was too good, too much for me to handle. I didn’t want to mess it up and be crushed when it all ended.
Because it would end. Men in my life were good for one thing and one thing only—their dicks.
“You don’t know what you’re asking,” I finally said, ducking under the arm that had lifted to my hair. Skirting around him, I grabbed my phone and escaped. I didn’t look back, just kissed my mom and Lily bye, and headed out the door.
The air outside surrounded me, and I sucked in a breath. My body wanted him. There was no denying that, but whereas Byron was someone I could fuck on the regular without it getting complicated, Beau wasn’t. Byron respected my boundaries, never pushing for more.
But one time with Beau, and he’d never let it go.
He wanted in now, all the way, and it wasn’t something I could give him.
Sending Stacy a quick text, I popped into the coffee shop, needing something to calm my nerves. Stepping back into this version of my life wasn’t easy, and I was scared I’d fall too far back, but if there was anyone worth pulling myself out of retirement for, it was Cami. She and Loren were my family, and I’d do anything for them.
Even return to being a thief. Or as I was formally known, The Sultry Prowler.
* * *
“What about this?”Stacy asked, holding up a black, slinky dress.
“Oh, yes, that might be perfect.”
I took the dress from her, sliding it off the hanger. I didn’t close the curtain as she watched me put it on since no one was here yet. Stacy and I were comfortable enough with one another at this point, it honestly wasn’t something I even considered. Once I had Lily, it felt like modesty went out the window. When a room full of people you didn’t know watched your vagina while a human emerged, well, it changed things for me.
“Have you heard from Cami or Loren lately?” she asked, watching as I adjusted the dress.
“I haven’t seen Loren since the art benefit. I might see if she wants to grab some coffee this week. Cami is still shacked up with her new sugar daddy, according to Lark.” I dipped my head a little, letting the hair fall over my face so I wouldn’t have to lie directly.
Stacy didn’t know about our world, and I liked that. I wanted to keep her hidden from it as long as possible. It was hard when things were going on, and I couldn’t tell her the whole truth. Like how Cami’s sugar daddy was actually a sadistic bastard and had cut off her finger and was doing God knows what else to her.
Nope, that wouldn’t work at all.
