Page 196 of Saving Her

“Okay, I’ll make sure to leave the closet open for you to dig through my skeletons. But I think it’s too early to chat about the work I do for Cole. I can see you’re uncomfortable with it.”

Her chuckle is breathy. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Okay.” I grab her chin, grazing my fingers over her soft skin. “I’ll do whatever you want. You only need to ask.”

I press my mouth to hers, eating up her faint whimper as she settles against my chest. The connection is soft. Slow. Exactly the opposite of what the blood rushing through my veins demands.

“How are you feeling about last night?” I ask against her lips. “No regrets?”

“None.” She deepens the kiss. “Only more curiosity.”

I keep the laughter buried in my chest. The agonizing, punishing laughter.

This woman is going to get me killed.

“I think it really helped me,” she continues between nuzzling pecks.

It didn’t help me one iota.

I’m fucking dying to have her. Dying trying to keep my restraint in check.

She sighs. “Will you—”

The slam of a door cuts her question short and drags us apart. The patter of light rushed footsteps lets me know this moment isn’t going to last any longer. The kiddie giggle only confirms it. The unmistakable squeal from my niece sends my dick into hibernation.

“I think the mini stampede means Tobias is here.” I drag my hands off her. “You should go say hello.”

She glances to the closed door, her lips parting.

“What are you waiting for?” I walk to my duffle, busying myself with pulling out a change of clothes. It’s not my business to intrude on her special moment, no matter how much I wish it was. We’re not at that stage yet. Maybe we will be one day. Who the fuck knows? But I’m not going to crowd her. “Go on. Enjoy the reunion.”

“Thank you.”

I don’t look back at the sound of her fleeting footsteps. I get dressed, pulling on old jeans and a shirt loose enough to hide the gun buried in my waistband.

I try not to focus on all the fucked-up scenarios potentially waiting for us, but it’s hard not to imagine the worst when the hits keep coming.

If Penny’s right and Robert is still alive, it’s not merely his revenge we need to worry about.

His ability to blow Torian’s secrets sky-high is more than a huge fucking dilemma.

None of us will be safe, now or in the future, if news of Luther’s arranged murder becomes public knowledge. And if that information is paired with the inside info that Torian was working with Anissa—a Fed—our deaths won’t come easily.

In this world, snitches get more than stitches. They get a one-way ticket to unending torture to set a blatant example for anyone else who might want to do the same.

Men will die.

Women, too. Maybe the kids.

I doubt anyone will be spared.

Things would be different if Anissa was dirty. Turning a cop, a Fed, or a government official is worthy of a five-star bonus. But that woman wants to remain clean, meaning we’re all as good as fucked if Robert is kicking and decides to expose the truth.

So my days could be numbered, and if that’s the case, there’s no place I’d rather spend them than by Penny’s side, my hands in her hair, my mouth against hers.

I walk from the room toward the noise and find the living area filled with familiar faces—Hunter, Sarah, Torian, Decker, Keira, Layla, and my niece, Stella. All of them watch as Penny kneels on the plush rug in the center of the room, hugging the heck out of Tobias.

Her smile is amazing. Far more brilliant than anything I’ve encouraged.

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