Page 53 of Blood & Kisses

Gabe flicks his hand dismissively. “It was clean. There were no witnesses apart from his mistress, so it was cut and dry. Quick job.”

He so enamors me as he speaks, those experienced lips moving, finger tapping on the table, blue eyes running over my cheeks, neck, and hair. I must look like a mess.

“I wonder how his wife would feel once she finds out that Crow has been seeing someone else?” I ponder aloud, thinking about Lyon’s wife and kids, hoping they’ll receive a good inheritance.

Gabe’s eyes fix on my face, holding his gaze as nerves dance about in my chest. “She’s probably glad he’s dead. The greatest cardinal sin is cheating. Women will turn a blind eye if they deal drugs or murders, but as soon as a man cheats, it’s all over.”

I snort, grinning at that analogy. “True.” I push my plate closer to him, offering my fries or a bite of the burger, and he declines. “Being skinned alive is a fitting punishment for cheats.”

“Point taken,” Blake’s charming mannerisms are in full force. “Not that I notice any other woman apart from you.”

“Agreed,” Cormac adds. “You light up a room with your smile and take my breath away.” He’s being sarcastic, but I don’t mind. I know these boys are nuts about me, just like I’m crazy about them.

Blake points his thumb at me, grinning mischievously. “That might be her hot air since she hasn’t bathed today.”

“You turned up when I wasn’t ready and gave me only a couple of minutes to change,” I say, digging my fingernails into his arm. That dimpled smile greets me. I look to Gabe to see if he will add to this flurry of halfhearted compliments, but he remains silent, although he watches me closely, giving nothing away.

“And you took thirty minutes too long,” he hits back, pinching my thigh and kissing my cheek affectionately, making me blush in front of Gabe.

“I hit him,” I say to Gabe, hoping he’d be proud of me. “I hit Crow. I mean…Cormac said I hit him.”

Gabe nods slowly. “Good.” I’m not getting the admiration I desperately want from him, leaving me dissatisfied and irritable.

“So, I guess you win the bet,” I prompt as if he forgot that he had more faith in me than the other two. Even though I’m lying, I hit the acrylic parapet first, but close enough to draw pride out of Gabe.

Those blues moved from my face to looking at Blake. “No more,” he directed, pointing his finger at me. “I don’t want her shooting anymore.”

“Why not?” I ask, noticing that he’s talking about me as if I’m not sitting two feet away from him.

“Your list is complete. There is nothing more for you to do,” he explains calmly, entirely in control of the table.

I protest because there is still one more on the list, and he’s the most difficult one to access since he’s surrounded by staff and bodyguards. “But what about Blac-”

He shakes his head. “No more,” he presses sternly, then looks to Blake again, who nods in understanding. “It’s sorted. Go on with your life, Rae. Go back to normality, your job, and school. Get that degree, go on and have a career, start a family…live your life as you meant to.”

My chest pangs when he says, ‘Start a family,’ giving me the impression that starting a family didn’t include him being part of that. “You want me to forget today?”

“Yes,” his reply stings like hell, and I swallow back the tears. “Pretend that it didn’t happen.”

I clear my throat to compose myself. “Do you want me to move back to my apartment?” I ask.

“You’ll be fine if you do,” he replies as if he knew I would ask. “You’ll be safe back there. They won’t come after you, I can promise that.”

“So, do you want me to leave?” the tears are clouding my eyes, but I shake my head to pull my shit together. I refuse to cry over this.

“It’s your choice,” he exhales as if his patience is running low.

I repeat the question to make what I am asking clear. “Do you want me to move out?”

“The job is done. You don’t need to be there anymore,” his answer fueled my irritation, and I clenched my fist.

“Answer me,” I spit heatedly. “Yes or no. Do you want me to move out?”

He hesitates a few beats before drilling me with those blue eyes. “Yes.”

I’m about to get up and run to the bathroom to splash cold water over my face and eyes, but he pushes his chair back first and stands, so I remain seated, staring at my burger.

“I already packed your bags,” he says smoothly as he stands over me. “You can stay one last night-”

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