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“Winter?” Mint asked worriedly.
My heart throbbed in my throat. “Mint, don’t tell him you saw me.Don’t. Dear Gaia, donot.”
Mint twitched his head like he was confused. “I won’t but—”
“Mint. You havegotto not tellanyoneyou saw me. Especially not if you run inanycircles any degree removed from Kyle.” I grabbed his hand, trying to figure out how to tell him the quick and dirty version of what I was without making it sound like I was a cartel princess.
“How do you know him?” Mint asked, bewildered.
“We’re distant cousins.” It probably wasn’t a lie Kyle and I were distant cousins, but hell if I knew the exact degree.
Mint’s brows went towards his hairline. “Oh—ohhh.I… I wasn’t expecting that.”
“My branch of the family takes it personal his branch of the family went to the city,” I added. “And I amnotinterested in being in the middle of that.”
“I’m very good at keeping secrets. I just want to know you’re safe.”
“Sure, I’m safe, but the less my extended family knows, the better. They’re toxic and very violent. And keeping with tradition, Kyle now hates Sterling because Sterling refused to invest in his practice expansion while Kyle was assumingwe’re family nowwas all he needed to say. And the cycle continues. I just wantout. It’s why I got with the matchmaker. I was likeship me the fuck out of here, please. So where do I end up? Living across the park from mycousin.”
Mint burst out laughing. “Okay, okay, I get it. I will not tell asoulI saw you.”
“As far as you know, I’m dead.”
“You sure are. Dead to them.”
Fuck, I was a terrible, terrible person, and I was going to hell for this. “Thank you, Mint. Thank you so much. And dealing with my family? Please be careful if they start sniffing around you asking if you’ve seen me. Kyle could do some damage to your career, I imagine.”
Another grim chuckle. “Don’t worry about me. Toxic and vile family not appreciating their victims breaking free is very familiar territory. I’ll be fine. And I’ll still be your friend on the other side.”
Bearing Gifts
Sterling was wearing a three-piece suit. And his antique watch.Andhe had done something to his hair.Andeven had on polished shoes and silk socks. And his tie was done in some ornate knot that looked like a braid. Or a very compressed rose.
He gave me a wicked smile from his place at the coffee table, completely aware that he looked like he was posing for an overly glossy photo.
“What are you doing?” I asked, dropping my bags (and Gaia willing, soon my panties) on the ground. Hamid put the rest on the hook beside the door and closed the door behind him.
He stood and tugged his jacket into place. His knuckles were beaten up, and he had some fading bruises along one cheek and a healing mouse under his jaw, and his ears were somewhat mangled. He slid his hands over my hips and tugged me against him. “You stated casual attire was a lack of effort.”
“I never said that.” I ran the lapels of his jacket through my fingers.
“Oh, I think you did. And I love to see you smile at me like that.”
“Like what?” I felt like I was smiling like an idiot. All flushed, cheery cheeks and all.
“Like that. And you look beautiful. This dress is…” his fingers found the lacings at my back, “intriguing.”
“Mint told me I couldn’t just toddle through West Palm Beach with the Virginia all over me.”
Sterling took in my hair, then back to me, the smile in his hazel eyes. His fingers explored the ribbons at my back. “We’ll use these ribbons later.”
I tugged on his jacket. “I’ve missed you.”
“I think about you all the time. How are things at the house?”
“I don’t want to talk about any of it.”
“Winter.”
