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“The legal story here,” I tell him, “is that you and your buddy got into a fight. You pulled your gun. You shot him, but what really happened is Colt fucking Walker just announced he’s working with the Marinos. This is our city, understand?”
“Yuh-yes,” the man stammers.
I gesture for Luca to pull up, then wipe my prints from the gun and lean down, putting it near the man’s crippled hand.
“Please shoot at us,” I growl. “Please. I was only planning to kill one of you, but please.”
The man buries his face against the ground like he’s ashamed. I back away to the car, then Luca speeds off. The man doesn’t shoot.
“Jesus, Colt,” Luca says. “You don’t mess around.”
“Maybe I’m going for employee of the month.”
It takes Luca a moment to realize I’m cracking a joke. When he does, he starts wailing with laughter, and I find myself laughing, too. I can’t help it.
“We’re sick, Colt, laughing after what just happened.”
“Then stop,” I say, but I can’t, and neither can he.
“Employee of the month,” Luca repeats.
When we finally settle down, he says, “I thought you were going to send them a message.”
“I did,” I snap. “Have you heard how bad their corner of Vegas was when they were running things?”
“Yeah, and I also heard somebody wiped them out. The Cartel, people say. It was a bloodbath, but nobody ever took ownership.”
I watch the road and feel Luca watching me.
CHAPTER 11
Lexi
The following day, Colt trails behind me in his car. Ever since the conversation with Mia, I’ve promised to be tougher. I’m still the same person who was ready to charge into that frat house, screwdriver in hand, to make things right for my baby sister. I’m supposed to be strong, but this freak makes me feel so small.
Parking outside work, I check my phone. I’ve got two notifications, which is pretty rare for me. One is a text from Mia. Good luck for today! The other is a text from Colt. Let me know if you want me to wait out here for you.
I glance in the rearview. He’s sitting purposefully closer, his window rolled down, idly drumming his fingertips on his door, arm hanging out the window. He smirks. At least, I think he does.
Would you really wait all day?
He takes his phone from his pocket. I’m almost sure he’s smiling now. Considering I’m supposed to be strong and emotionally steady, I feel unstable right now. I’m hanging onto his smile too enthusiastically, but I want it. I don’t want to be alone anymore.
I might even catch a glimpse of you through all that glass.
Pressing my legs together, I have to focus on forcing the pleasure away. I’ve never experienced anything like that. My body is burning, not giving a damn if the time’s appropriate or not.
Why would you want that?
He checks his phone and then steps out of his car. When he strides across the street, my heart starts hammering. He must be coming from the gym. He’s wearing a T-shirt that outlines his powerful chest and sweatpants that show how strong his legs are, too. Even though his hair is cropped short on the sides, the top is long enough to see it’s curly with some streaks of silver shooting through it. He leans against the car window, smirking at me. He looks much wilder than last night when I last saw him. It’s like something’s changed.
Rolling the window down takes a lot of effort; it’s like my arms won’t work. “You know why,” he says. Despite the change in him, he still speaks like it’s difficult. It’s almost like he’s not used to people, or he’s holding something back.
I try to play it coy. “I do?”
He laughs in that gruff, not angry way, more like aggressive. Hungry. “You know, I think you’re beautiful. This is almost like torture, Lexi…” He shudders, seeming so different somehow. “Life is too damn short. I need to tell you that I want you. Bad. I want your body. I want you to get wet…”
“Colt,” I gasp, even as tingles dance all over my body.
He runs a hand through his hair, his mouth falling open as if he can’t believe what he just said, how far he went.
“This isn’t the time,” he mutters, nodding, “but I’m picking you up after work.”
He stares at me, almost challenging me to tell him no. My body is on fire from his words, from how he snapped, as though it’s taking everything for him to hold himself back. It’s the look in his eyes, too, like he thinks he already owns me. I should be afraid. I should back off.
Instead, I nod. “Later,” I whisper.
He turns and walks back to his car in a very soldier-like way. A moment later, a text arrives. I lost it then, Lexi. I wanted to tell you you’re beautiful. You’re unique. You’re so interesting to me. It’s a miracle I didn’t die of boredom before I met you. All that, but you drive me wild.
