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I nod, my mind already decided. “Okay.”
“I'll make it up to you.” His voice goes low and soft.
I quirk a brow at his promise. “Really?”
“Of course I will.” He pushes a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “And sweetheart, I always keep my word.”
Shivers tiptoe down my spine, anticipation tensing my muscles. That promise sounded entirely different than the first one.
Or maybe that's wishful thinking.
“But until then, you've got me. Put me to work.” He flashes me what I've started calling his trademark smile, his dimple popping out to play.
It takes literal effort on my part not to swoon when I see it.
“In that case, can you help me wipe down the top shelves in the pantry? They're a little too tall, and I can't find Nana Jo's step ladder.”
I spend the next two hours working alongside Nova to spiff up Nana Jo's kitchen so I can transform it into something of mine. I let my mind wander a bit, imagining the different things I could do to renovate it.
Bane comes in occasionally, but for the most part, they don't interact much. Really, it's a little different between me and each of them too. Not bad exactly. But off. And not at all how they've been around me before, when it was just the two of us.
I tuck all that information away to examine later, when I'm not so tired I feel like I could sleep for three days. Maybe it's a good thing we had to postpone our date after all.
25
NOVA
I sighand resist the urge to check my phone for the tenth time in the last two minutes. It'd be pointless anyway. It's not even my real phone, it's a burner.
It's been a while since we had to do any recon like this, and even now, it's not really that bad.
The air conditioning kind of works, the TV gets decent channels, and the room is clean. It's certainly better than other places we've had to hole up.
But that was before.
I glance out the inch of window not covered by the two dingy gray curtains. It's just enough space to see the buildings across the street and nothing more. It makes me feel a little suffocated, honestly.
I've been stuck in this box of a room with my cousin for days. Normally, I rather enjoy Bane's company. I mean, he spends more time at our house than his own, so it shouldn't be this awkward between us.
But that was before he nearly kissed my girl. In front of me.
The only thing—and I do mean only—that stopped me from physically removing him from her space and her house was the fact that she didn't seem upset.
I'd bet my bike that she wanted it.
Everyone always assumes I'm this big ladies man, a new girl in my bed every day and sometimes a few at the same time.
But no one talks about Bane. That asshole has a way of charming women without even trying. I used to be impressed by him—I looked up to him and my brother.
And I probably would still if he wasn't vying for my girl's attention. Bane never does anything he doesn't want to, and he never does shit by half measures.
It's not a matter of if but when. And I hate the thought of having to compete with him for her attention. For her affection.
Jealousy coils in my gut like a snake, swirling and twirling until I give it an outlet to strike.
I'm not a fucking idiot, I know the kind of shit they say about me around town. Most of it is rumors, but it's not like I ever tried to dispute them.
I mean, they call me Casanova for fuck's sake. I used to hate it, but I've sort of embraced it over the years.
