CHAPTER EIGHT
GOOSE
Pluggingmy phone into the charger, I wait until it’s showing a charge before I turn to watch Cidney walk out of the bathroom. She’s freshly showered, the steam following behind her as she makes her way toward the bed, wearing a sexy little shorts and tank top pajama set thing.
“The meet has been confirmed,” I announce.
After we fucked on the couch expertly, I might add, I sent Bullet a text asking him to get that shit set up. I agree with Cidney and the fact that she’s done being a prisoner in her own home. She shouldn’t have to be.
However, I am glad that I’ve got her apartment under surveillance. It should have already been done a long time ago. She might not be an old lady, but she is a very important part of the Vicious Reapers and should be kept safe. That is just righting a wrong at this point.
“It is?” Cidney asks, lifting her gaze to meet mine as she stops in her tracks. She’s just a few feet from the bed, but she is frozen in place, her eyes widening.
She appears surprised, and I have to wonder why she would be. I said I would get it done, and I have. Does she think I’m going to fuck her over or something? That I won’t take care of something I’ve promised to do?
I watch as she blinks slowly, then she clears her throat before she asks a question, one that I should have anticipated but wasn’t thinking about until now.
“Does Ivy know about it?”
Fuck.
I wasn’t really thinking about Ivy. Sure, he’s been at the forefront of my mind, because Cidney is still technically off-limits, even though she’s been on-limits behind closed doors… and often.
“He doesn’t,” I state. “Would you like him there?”
I’m not sure I want to deal with the situation that would involve Ivy. He’s going to find out I’m fucking Cidney, and that’s going to be a whole new level of drama. He’ll expect me to make a decision. I won’t be able to tell him I’m just having a bit of fun, either. He will, without a doubt, demand I claim her after he kicks my ass, or at least tries.
“I’m not sure…” Her words trail off, and I can’t help but smirk. She’s probably playing the scenario over in her head, too, then she wrinkles her nose and shakes her head a couple of times.
“No, I don’t think I want him there,” she finally murmurs.
Thank fuck. We can save that drama for another day. I’ll need to get the fuck back in the gym if I’m going to deal with Ivy and him finding out about the fact I’ve been fucking his cousin.
Because I will have to deal with it… eventually.
“Then we’ll deal with it as much as we can before we tell him anything,” she murmurs.
I can tell she doesn’t want to deal with it at all, and I couldn’t agree with her more. My lips twitch into a smirk as I sit up. I patthe empty space on the bed next to me. I’m ready for her to come to bed, and I’m ready to fuck her again. Though I probably won’t, because now we’re both focused on the meet.
I still can’t believe I slept on the couch the first night here. It was on principle alone, nothing else. I thought I could do it, that I could stay away from her, but I fucking failed. Cidney crawls into bed. The mattress dips when she sinks down, shifting closer to me.
“When am I meeting him?”
My brain tells me never, because I don’t want to put her in any kind of danger, but I know this needs to be done. And she’s in more danger sitting here in this apartment day in and day out with no resolution.
“Tomorrow, for lunch, we’ll head into Raleigh.”
She lifts her hand, her palm cupping my cheek as she shifts closer to me. Then I feel her lips against mine. She tastes fucking amazing. But she breaks the kiss, settling her cheek against my chest, and I lie back on the pillow.
“I’m nervous,” she whispers.
I reach for the table lamp and flick it off before settling into the mattress, my head resting on the soft pillow. When I pull Cidney close to me, she settles against my side and lets out a long breath as she curls closer. Closing my eyes, I soak in the moment. The perfect fucking moment.
CIDNEY
Smoothing out the skirt of my suit, I take one step forward before Goose slides up beside me. I feel his hand on the small of my back as he guides me toward the restaurant. Exhaling a shaky breath, I square my shoulders in an attempt to be stronger, or at least appear that way.
Inside, I’m shaking like a leaf on a tree. I’m ready to throw up right here on the sidewalk. But I don’t do that. I take one step forward, then another. Stopping in front of the door, I tilt my head back slightly, looking up at the sign.
