Page 29 of Rogue’s Mark

She turns around when I'm done.

"Got what we need?"

"Yeah."

The satisfaction hits me in a rush and when she crosses the room toward me, while I should move toward the door, I stay where I am.

My hand finds her jaw and I bring her mouth to mine. Her own hands land on the front of my jacket, and we stand in the middle of this office like we have all the time in the world.

We don't. She knows that. I know that. We kiss anyway.

When I pull back, she's looking up at me with dark eyes and slightly less composure than she walked in with.

"That was nice," she says.

"Nice? Just nice?"

She throws her head back and laughs.

I weave my hand into her hair and this time, our kiss goes longer and deeper. I press her back against the desk, and her thighs part so she can pull me closer.

But the door flies open and Sting stands there.

"Building security," he says, completely level. "Three minutes."

Vi straightens up, fixes her jacket, and walks to the door, completely composed.

At the door, she looks back at me.

"Later," she says.

That’s my girl.

18

ROGUE

We're two blocks from the building when I tell her.

Not because I've been holding back but because I just never had a reason to really dive into it before now. But Voss Property Group is clearly connected to Fischer's network and everything that destroyed this city. It's the same company that wanted my father's block on Delaney Street, and that burned his shop down when he wouldn't sell.

Vi lost her father to these same people. Different story, same machine. Same devastating results. She needs to know she's not the only one out here with skin in the game.

"My father had a motorcycle shop," I say. "Delaney Street. It was in the family for three generations."

"Voss Property Group wanted the block but Dad wouldn't sell his parcel. Someone came to see him who was very polite and suggested he reconsider. Dad said no, and three weeks later the shop burned down." I pause. "Electrical fault, the fire marshal said. Nothing suspicious."

I laugh bitterly.

"Did your father ever⁠—"

"He said it didn't matter. That Rothwell was already gone and what was one more thing." I look at the street ahead. "He left after that. Said he was tired."

"So we’ve both lost to these people."

"Yup.”

Vi walks beside me and says nothing.