Page 106 of Not Safe For Work

“I was a little worried you might be. You seem pretty mad.”

“Sparkles.”

“Scottie?”

I pull her onto my lap, not giving a shit if we’re in public. “I’m mad at the situation, at the fact that you had to put up with this for weeks. I’m sad that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me until now. I’m mad at Mitch. But not at you. Never at you. Not sure I have it in me.”

“Really?”

“Really. I love you, remember? And not just a little bit.”

I kiss her nose, because I know she loves it. She lets out a deep breath, like she was truly worried and nuzzles into the crook of my neck.

She whispers, “A whole damn lot,” and I smile for the first time since we walked in here.

“You’ve gotta tell someone what’s going on though. This is getting out of hand. Mitch absolutely cannot fire you if this deal falls through when the client is harassing you. It’s insane.”

“I know,” she replies quietly. “But I think I have an idea. I really want to try and handle this myself, my way. Can you let me do that?”

I let out a shuddering breath.

“No more secrets,” she continues. “I promise I’ll tell you everything. Just give me a night to work this out. Please?”

“You realize I can’t say no to you, right? That I’m completely powerless here?”

She grabs my face in her hands and tugs until our eyes meet. “That’s not what I want, Scottie. I’ve been in a relationship where one person has all the power and I’m not doing it again. You and I are a team. I’m just asking for a day, for a few more hours to make sense of an idea in my head. The rest, we’ll figure out together. You and me. Okay?”

I pull her close, because I’m not sure I want her to see the emotion in my eyes. I’m not sure I’m ready to admit how much I needed to hear those words from her.

“You and me, beautiful.”

“This feels weird,”Gabby says, sitting down at the kitchen table. “You’ve never made me dinner.”

True. I really do have the best sister ever, cooking for me almost every day. “I wouldn’t exactly call this cooking.”

I went to Liv’s favorite market after work to get some cheeses and meats that blow the Safeway deli section out of the water. It’s important that I do something nice for Gabby, and Iwanted to start with dinner. Though actual cooking wouldn’t be very nice at all. I’d most likely poison her and burn down our apartment at the same time.

I bring the charcuterie board to the table and grab a bottle of wine Liv gave me from her vineyard.

“I love you having a fancy girlfriend.”Me too, I think. “But what’s this all for? Are you about to ask me to commit a crime together? I mean I will. I just draw the line at murder, depending on the target, obviously.”

“No murder this month, Gabs.” She actually pouts. “I told you things would change around here, that I’d be honest with you about everything. So that’s what I’m doing. There are still a few things you need to know.”

I’ve been meaning to have this conversation with Gabby, and after Liv confided in me earlier, I decided it’s time all the secrets stop. Because Liv said we’re a team. And so are me and Gabby. I never meant to have a power imbalance with my sister, but I created it anyway. That stops now.

“Oh.” My sister who never stops talking looks like she’s been rendered speechless. “Okay.” She smiles.

I unload everything.

Starting with the real reason Liv and I had a fake relationship. Initially I’d just told Gabby it was to help her with the Ian stuff, not wanting the whole story to get out. Once I explain the details, Gabby’s kicking and screaming on Liv’s behalf.

“Mitch. Let’s murderMitch. I actually think I know how we could?—”

“Gabby.”

“Sorry. Please continue.” She swaps her vigilante smolder for an angelic grin. My baby sister can be scary as hell sometimes.

“So, like I said, I didn’t want to protect Mitch, just like I didn’t want to protect Davide.” Her eyes narrow again. “And theonly reason I did is because Daanesh and the board are working on an acquisition offer. You know Mojave? That huge company that went public last year? They’re making a massive offer to buy Sizzl.”

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