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“Well, with the girl being right under your roof, I assumed you’d be in bed. Or something.” He smirks and makes his way down the wooden steps. “Jeanne told me you were down here working on the boat.”
“I’m keeping my focus where it should be.”
“Or distracting yourself?” He angles his head and stares at my cheek. The bruise is still there from when Gwen slapped me. I have to give her credit for the surprise attack. I never saw that coming, but her defiance only hardened my cock. “Back at Desmier’s, you said you spoke to her, but the bruise on your face suggests otherwise. Trouble in paradise already? It’s not even been a full day yet.”
“This was never going to be paradise for either of us.”
“I’m guessing she must have put up one hell of a fight.”
“Of course, but I’ll make sure she’s as compliant as I need her to be. I have her exactly where I want her.”
His face lights up with interest. “Do tell, brother. Looks like you have something else up your sleeves.”
“She owes me Conrad’s debt now.” I’d told him all about my encounter with Conrad on the way back from Wilmington.
He chuckles. “Well played.”
“Business is business.”
“Of course, but…that doesn’t make it a crime to like her. Especially since you already do.”
Now that we’ve fulfilled the hardest part of our mission, the playful side of him I’m used to is showing itself.
“I know, but business needs to be business.” That sounds more like me trying to keep myself in check.
Zakh deadpans me, then gives me that look he always casts my way when he thinks I’m bluffing. He’s right because I am.
“Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me you’re not happy that Gwen is Santiago’s daughter?”
“Zakh—”
“Six months, Malik.” He holds up six fingers, giving me a pensive stare. “Six months. That’s it.”
“I know.” Six months is how long Gwen and I have to stay married.
“I’m just saying you’ve been on this quest forsixyears, and you accomplished the impossible. Of course, business always needs to be business, but maybe you can start loosening up a little and live. Especially if you like this girl.”
Maybe he can see that I’m dead inside. The problem with that is, once you’re dead like that, not a lot can bring you back. Sometimes, the damage is done, and you can’t repair it.
“Maybe.” I only say that to get him off my back.
“Cool. Brian would be proud of this, you know. If getting the cartel is sufficient justice for you for Captain Davison’s death, I’m sure Brian would think the same.”
“I appreciate that.” Zakh is the only person I talk to about Brian and Jim, and those conversations are few and far in between.
“I know. And with that said, my job is officially done. I just dropped by to give you these.” He reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and takes out two things. One is a brown envelope. The other is a little black ring box.
I fixate on the box because it contains Gwen’s engagement ring. I asked Zakh to get that for me.
“Her ring.”
“Yeah. I got something nice. I think she’ll like it.”
“Thanks.” It never crossed my mind that Gwen may or may not like it, because I know she’ll hate it as much as she’s trying to hate me.
I pop the box open and look at the ring. It has a delicate oval cut diamond set in the center of a thin gold band. It suits her and even looks like it was made for her graceful fingers.
“Do you like it?”
