I put my hand on his, pouring the beans on the plate. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll explain later,” he said. “But anything you want to keep, you keep. Now, mind your hand, these are hot.”
I pulled away but continued to watch him suspiciously as we ate, as we watched TV, as we went to get food. We spent the rest of the day eating and napping, cuddling and starting a series on Netflix.
Falling into a routine, like a couple.
The next day, I spent my morning compiling all the newspaper articles onVinnyGarvsonto an internet file for the lawyers to use. A lot of them had been taken down onceVinnypassed, but I still had them. I hadallof them.
I didn’t go through their contents, but even seeing the headlines turned my stomach and tightened my chest with guilt.
Nix was on the phone with his mother in the living room, and I closed the door, lying in bed on my laptop.
Now that things were different between us, I didn’t want to eavesdrop. I’d already heard more than I should have.
But once he was off the phone with her, he was on the phone with someone else, his tone angry and demanding.
When I slipped out of my room to the kitchen to get a drink, his voice softened. He gave me a smile before telling the person to sort it out and hanging up.
“You look like you’re planning to fuck up someone’s life, dressed like that,” he said and nodded at my clothes.
I rolled my eyes, gathering my things to go into my work bag. I may have dressed up a little more than usual for theoffice, wearing my long white pleated trousers, black blouse, and gold clasped belt. My hair was up in a ponytail, and I kind of got what he meant; I wasn’t going to take any shit today.
My followers had commented with similar remarks.
“You’re going to have to see Adam?”
I nodded and groaned. “Unfortunately.”
“Want me to come with you?”
Yes.
But he couldn’t.
“It’s okay,” I said. “It would probably be odd to bring my client to a confidential meeting about another.”
He nodded and returned to texting on his phone. “Guess so.”
“Talking of clients…” I started.
He slid his phone in his pocket.
“EmericGormanasked me if I wanted to join them next year,” I told him, looking up at him through my fringe. “They offered me a good deal as well.”
“Of course they did,” he grunted and leaned back against the kitchen counter, folding his arms. “Everyone wants you, but not everyone gets to have you.”
“Just you,” I said and stepped forward into his space.
He twirled my ponytail around his finger. “Just me.”
“Which is why I’m considering saying yes,” I admitted.
He stopped. “You are what?”
“I know part of the fun is the hiding, but… we could still do this and it would give my heart a rest.”
“Yourheart?” His eyes roved my face, and I hoped I wasn’t blushing, even though my face heated.
