“You can’t go bail her out.”
“The fuck I can’t.” He walks over to a small watercolor painting and grabs one side of the frame, opening it to reveal a wall safe.
“South wall of my bedroom,” he mutters, looking at me over his shoulder. “You want the fucking combination for your next report?”
“No. I haven’t been working you, Nix. You have to believe me.”
He opens the safe but then stalks back toward me before taking anything out of it. “You haven’t been working me? Why the fuck are you here, then? You kept me busy last night while your buddies arrested Coco, and now you’re here to make me an offer, aren’t you?”
I wince at the hurt I see mixed with the anger in his expression. “I have been authorized to make you an offer, yes, but it’s not—”
“Fuck you and your fucking offer!” He leans in so close I can feel the heat of his body.
“Just hear me out, Nix.”
“Get out. I’ll find Coco myself.”
“No!” I stand up and meet his eyes defiantly. “You can’t go yourself. They’ll arrest you.”
“I’ve got a damned good attorney, and I don’t leave trails. I’m not worried.”
“No, you don’t. Butshedoes.”
His expression morphs, and suddenly he looks downright ill. “What the fuck are you talking about?” he asks in a low tone.
“She opened you up. An NYPD Computer Crimes Unit was able to access—”
“Motherfucker!” he roars.
“I’m sorry, Nix.”
“Sorry?” Hands on his hips, he looks at me incredulously. “You fucked me over like no one ever has, and you’resorry?”
“I didn’t.” Angry tears burn my eyes. “And I wouldn’t have. The damage was already done. Whether you realize it or not, I’m trying to help you.”
“Feels like a helpful ass-fucking to me.” He looks up at the ceiling, his jaw set in a tense line. “I can’t believe I fell for a piece of ass.”
“Hey,” I say, going from upset to pissed off in an instant. “Don’t you ever call me that.”
“You used your pussy to work me. Got paid for it, even. That makes you a whore.”
I can’t stop myself. I fly toward him, shoving him hard as tears blur my vision. He doesn’t even budge. “Fuck you, Nix. I know you care about me. Don’t push me away, you asshole.”
“We’re over,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ll never be able to trust you again.”
“I didn’t do anything!” I yell. “I wasn’t working you. I found out Coco was arrested, but I had nothing to do with it. Give me a fucking chance to explain.”
He walks over to a dark wood dresser, opens a drawer and takes out a T-shirt, putting it on. “What’s your offer, Kennedy? I roll over on a bunch of people to keep Coco out of jail? Or maybe I come work for you guys?”
“The offer is for you to give us something of value. You get to decide what it is. And it buys dismissal of her charges.”
He scoffs and looks away. “Bullshit. I’m no rat. I’ve got the resources to hire the best criminal defense attorney money can buy to get her out.”
I nod and cross my arms. “You can, but what about you? They’ve got evidence you stole millions, Nix. Across state and even country lines. This is too big to get out of.”
“I could be in another country by tonight.”
“Not this time. And even if you could, Coco would pay the price.”
