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Mia gave him a shy smile, her cheeks turning pink for her mentor’s rightful compliment. She wasn’t used to the nickname the agency had christened her with before its betrayal. “It was good working with you again.” Aaron Scott was a stern yet fair man. It told a lot that, after everything she’d been through at the DEA, she still respected him so much.
“Now she has more freedom to light the fire under more bad butts.” I rounded my arm on her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug.
“I have no doubts about that.” He looked at her. “We just miss you at the DEA.” At her raised eyebrow, he corrected, “Some of us. Don’t get me wrong. Ethan’s been a terrific fit. Sometimes I even wonder how well you two would work together.”
“I don’t think the agency would like that,” she said in a sad voice.
“I know.” He nodded in understanding. She blossomed under Scott’s guidance, and she was making one hell of a name for herself, until that one case that burned her career at the agency. “It can be messed up. Sometimes I wish I had the guts to leave.”
“We’ll have our doors open for when that happens.” It didn’t go unnoticed to us that she said “when,” not “if.”
“You mean like you’re doing to Ethan?” He ignored the comment for now as his eyes narrowed into slits at me. “Don’t think I don’t know you tried to poach him from under my watch.”
“You said so yourself. Imagine him and Mia working together.”
“Unstoppable duo.” He chuckled. “I won’t deny it’s tempting. Once you’ve worked with a legend, everything else falls short.”
“Come on—” It was hilarious seeing her blush. She was quick to encourage anyone, but she never knew how to react to a compliment.
“I mean it. You made a name for yourself. The Bryant Prodigy became a legend. Arresting ‘El Segador?’ Everyone talks about it, some don’t even know if it’s real. I know.” His eyes were filled with pride seeing her pupil rise like that. It could be weird thinking of him as a mentor. He was a few years older than me, and I was a few years older than her. Between them, there weren’t even ten years. Although, besides the clear respect between them, there was also this teacher-student dynamic. The guy was a solid agent, and the Bryant siblings had a lot of respect for him. So did I. “And who knows?” he continued. “Maybe I’ll take you up on your offer one day.” He walked us to our car. “Thank you. For everything. Today was tremendous.”
“Make sure people know it was The Bryant Prodigy who did it. The Legend lives.” I snorted.
“Shut up.” She rolled her eyes and hugged Scott goodbye. “I missed working with you again.”
“Say hello to Zach.” His tired shadow of a smile fell. “I advise you to watch your back. First ‘El Segador,’ and now this?” He shook his head. “This won’t bring anything good to your doorstep.”
“I will,” she promised. But his rigidness didn’t ease up on him. Neither did mine.
He turned to me and tipped his chin. “Benjamin.”
So we’d upgraded to a first-name basis?
“Aaron.”
It was already late to call Isabella, but I’d texted to let her know I couldn’t make it back that day. Maybe I was being paranoid, but something wasn’t right. We exchanged voice messages, and I always loved to hear her voice. She sounded tense, though.
I woke Mia at the crack of dawn, too anxious to stay away from Isabella, and we went home. Since it was working hours for her, I ended up going home and sleeping alone—I hated it. After sleeping in my bed, hugging my Forest, it felt lacking being there without her warmth.
I slept a few hours during the day to make up for when I was traveling, then rushed to shower and buy take-out for us to eat at her place.
The coffee place was already closed by the time I got there, so I rang the intercom and climbed two steps at a time, rushing to see her. She opened the door, and my heart skipped at her sight.
She was in shorts, bare feet, and wearing an old shirt with several Marge Simpsons on it. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and her freckles seemed even more pronounced. She never looked so stunning.
“I had no idea you were coming now. I would’ve dressed up.”
I entered her place and crashed my lips onto hers, drinking her in to calm my heart.I feel at home.
“You look incredible.” I meant it. “I missed you.” I meant that, too.
“I missed you, too.” She seemed honest, yet hesitant. A warning lit in my gut, but I ignored it.
“I wanted to surprise you and apologize for the delay.” I raised the bags in my hand. “So I brought food. I ran by All In One before tonight’s event to grab that burger you liked.”
She looked thankful. To the point of tears. Then she kissed me feverously, running her hands through my hair and pulling me close. Almost desperate. I should’ve just loved her welcome—and I did—but I was starting to get worried at her reaction. Before I could ask her, she stepped back, not looking into my eyes, and called me to the kitchen.
“You said something about an event?”
