Page 26 of Nova

"My lawyer quit."

"Goddamnit," Riggs seethes.

"Don't worry. I'm on my way to find her, which is why I'm callin'. I'm going to text you the address her stepbrother gave me. It's in a seedy area."

"Somethin' you need to tell me, Cain?" I hear the smirk in his voice and know what he's hinting at, but I don't cave into his prying.

"Everyone still showing up at the bar later?" I ask with a plan.

"As far as I know."

"Good. I'm sending Kiwi with Piper to hang with you guys. I want her around the family as much as possible for now. I'll catch up with you later."

"Watch your back and stay safe."

"Always." Disconnecting the call, I shove my phone back into my pocket, then start my bike.

Twenty minutes later, I'm pulling up to the address Jackson wrote down. Rolling to a stop, I throw my kickstand down and cut the engine. It's not the worst place to live but it damn sure could be better. I sure as shit don't like the fact Promise is staying here. After climbing a couple of flights of stairs, I stop outside her apartment door and knock. It takes a few minutes before the door swings open, with a pretty looking woman with black hair looking back at me.

"Holy shit!" Her eyes travel the length of my body before settling on my face once more. She grins, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I know who you are." She pauses, before calling over her shoulder. "Promise!" the woman shouts before her head swings back toward me, still smiling like the Cheshire cat. "Someone's here to see you." Her friend leans against the doorframe, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If that's Brad, you can tell him to fuck off." The last part of Promise's words fall silent as she appears, shocked to see me standing at her door. "Cain." She says my name in a way that goes straight to my cock. Her eyes cut to her friend, then back to me. "Why are you here?" She pauses, putting her hand on her hip. "Better yet, how in the hell did you find me?"

"You really shouldn't be answering your door, before asking who is standing outside of it. I could have been anyone."

Her friend holds her hand up. "First of all, this is my apartment. Second, all I know about you is that you showed my bestie what it really means to get laid, which gives you zero, " she forms a circle with her fingers, "rights to tell anyone living here what they should or shouldn't be doing. Even if you do have a magic dick."

Promise gasps, her face flushing. "London," she says low through clench teeth. "Shut up."

"What?" London, now that I know her name looks to her friend as if she did nothing wrong. "Your words, babe, not mine." I do my best to hold in a chuckle.

"London," Promise pleads.

"Fine. I'll be in the kitchen, where the wine is, if you need me," London faces me. "You hurt her, I'll cut off your balls," she winks before walking away.

"Your friend is brutal," I laugh as Promise steps outside, closing the apartment door behind her.

"She has no filter," Promise says unamused. "Seriously, Cain. How did you find me?"

"We had an appointment today. I showed, and you weren't there." I finally realize how tired she looks.

"Yeah, well, I quit yesterday," she admits to what I already know.

"Because of me?"

Her eyes lock on mine. "Oh, God, no. Well, I mean, seeing you yesterday was a bit of a shock, but no, you were not the reason. I quit for my own sanity. I couldn't take working beside someone I loathed anymore."

"You talkin' about the prick you were with yesterday?"

"His name is Brad. And that is none of your business, Cain." Promise crosses her arms beneath her breast, and my eyes fall for a moment. She clears her throat, causing me to look up. "Who told you?"

"Your stepbrother."

Promise growls. "I'm going to strangle him. Look, Cain. I'm sorry, but I can't represent you," her eyes soften.

"I don't want anyone else." The words have much more meaning behind them, and by the look on her face, Promise reads me like an open book.

"Cain."

---