“Yes, I’m aware,” Summer said, taking the tea bag out of the mug and then turning her back to put it in the recycling so she didn’t have to look at Nikki.“But I don’t believe he’s a threat anymore.”She knew she was ignoring FBI advice, ignoring their reams and reams of intel because it didn’t suit her.She’d had to sign paperwork stating that she was aware of the risk and she was refusing any sort of protection.“I mean, they’ve captured Nathan, and he’s spilling the beans about the whole thing, and Paige is dead, so their little group is shattered.Tyrone is in hiding because every cop in America is out looking for him after his arson attack.And he achieved what he wanted—to evade the FBI long enough to complete his mission—so what reason could he have to come after me again?”
It was the story she was telling everyone, telling herself, so that no one worried about her.It was a plausible story, and she wasn’t sure why everyone was making such a big deal about it.Even though her photo had led the FBI to him in the first place, it was no longer relevant, and Tyrone wouldn’t jeopardize it all just for revenge.She didn’t know the guy personally, but no one would be that stupid.Summer also conveniently ignored the fact that the police had yet to find the man who’d broken into her apartment.He was still out there somewhere, and possibly linked to Tyrone.But Summer had already decided that he’d most likely been a thug for hire, and had now just disappeared back into the underworld from where he’d come.So she wasn’t worried about him either.
Nikki nodded, but her face gave away her dissatisfaction.Summer handed her a mug of tea and then led her back to the couch, trying not to let her irritation show.She didn’t want to sound ungrateful, didn’t want to criticize either Jacob or Mårten for everything they’d done for her.Didn’t want to undervalue how they’d gone out of their way for her, and how much Nikki had also done to help her out of a very sticky spot.Her house had been firebombed, for God’s sake.She wanted to keep Nikki as a friend and didn’t want to alienate her even further.
But before she could put her thoughts into words, Nikki spoke again.“What about you and Mårten?”
“What about me and Mårten?”Summer pursed her lips.She should’ve realized this question would come up.
“I thought perhaps something might’ve…happened between you two,” Nikki said gently.
Summer wondered how much Nikki knew about her time spent with Mårten.It was likely that Mårten had confided in Jacob, and then he’d passed on every detail.And it stood to reason that Nikki suspected they may have become intimate anyway; she’d been the first one to pick up on their sizzling attraction when they’d been staying at her house.The woman had a knack for being candid, and she’d blatantly advised Summer to sleep with Mårten, even if it was just to get him out of her system.But Summer no longer cared for her matchmaking attempts, didn’t want to be interrogated on her feelings for Mårten.She’d put everything to do with Mårten—every emotion, every sensation, every goddamn image in her brain—firmly into a steel box inside her head, and she didn’t need anyone trying to pry it open.She wanted to make it crystal clear that things were well and truly over with her and Mårten.
“Look,” Summer sighed.“We had a fling.And he is very sweet.”That was an understatement.Sweet wasn’t an adjective she would use to describe Mårten.Hot, driven, intense, fascinating, sexy as hell, distracting, frustrating, and nearly as stubborn as her were all better descriptions.“But we are two very different people, who want different things, let alone the fact we live on separate continents,” she added with a smile, hoping that Nikki didn’t see how hard she had to force her lips to bend upward.
Nikki studied her for a few moments.“Oh, okay then.”She blew on the surface of her tea thoughtfully.And praise be, she decided not to pursue the topic when she added, “So what are your plans now?You know, after your arm heals.”
Forcing another fake smile, Summer told her about the upcoming wedding in four days.She babbled, embellishing all the things that still needed to be done, all the fun they’d have, how much she was looking forward to it all.Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nikki glance at her more than once with what she thought might be pity in her eyes, but Summer plowed on, eager to get away from the topics of Tyrone and Mårten.Eager for Nikki to see that she was fine and was diving back into her life with gusto.
They must’ve talked for another half an hour, because Summer was surprised when there was a knock at the door.
Feeling self-conscious answering the door in her pajamas for the second time that day—she still hadn’t found the time to get changed—she was taken by surprise when Bianca pulled her in for a hug, much like Nikki had done.
“Oh my God, Summer, what happened to you?”
Summer had forgotten that she hadn’t told Bianca or any of her other friends the exact reason she’d flown off so suddenly to Sweden.Instead, fabricating a story about a job coming up that she just couldn’t turn down.They hadn’t known her life was in danger.Or that she was with Mårten, who was actually a police officer.But maybe Bianca had guessed some of it, judging by her hard hug and her reticence to let her go, even as she studied her face.
“Did you get into a fight?”Then she noticed the cast on Summer’s wrist, and her frown turned into a look of full-blown panic.
“What the fu…?”
“Come and sit down,” Summer sighed.She figured she was going to have to come out with the whole truth now.“This is Nikki, by the way.”Summer introduced the two women and then grimaced when Bianca looked at her with curiosity.Because she’d been out in the desert when the break-in had occurred, poor Bianca didn’t even know Summer had stayed at Nikki’s house in those few terrible days when she’d needed somewhere safe to hide out and didn’t know how close she’d become to the other woman.Summer had mentioned Nikki as a friend of Mårten’s—the man who had helped her after the burglary—but that was all.She was going to have to start at the very beginning.
“You didn’t just go to Sweden for a job interview, did you?”Bianca accused.
“No,” Summer replied, shooting a quick glance at Nikki from beneath lowered lashes.This would not be easy.Bianca was going to flip out, as were the rest of her friends when they found out.And Bianca would read her the same lecture she always did, about how she refused to let her friends in, refused to accept help.Only this time, Summer would agree; she’d been a terrible friend.But that would change; she was going to be more honest and open now.If this event had taught her one thing, it was that she couldn’t do everything alone, and it wasn’t a sign of weakness to ask for support.
Nikki gave her an encouraging smile, and Summer knew the other woman would have her back if need be.
“Was your unexpected trip something to do with the break-in at your apartment?”Bianca asked as she sank onto the couch beside Nikki.
“Yes.It turns out it wasn’t just a random crime,” Summer began, taking the armchair opposite.“The guy was after my camera and my laptop.Or rather, what was on them.An incriminating photo.”
“Wow,” Bianca breathed.
“And he didn’t get what he was looking for the first time, so he came back.Remember, I told you Mayte, Trent, and Serena helped me clean up.Then we went and had dinner?”
Bianca stared at her open-mouthed, eyes wide with disbelief, nodding her assent.
“Well, he was waiting for me when I arrived home,” Summer said, adding a slight pause for effect.
“Fuck,” Bianca whispered, hand over her mouth.
“But when he chased me, he fell down the stairs, and I got away.So then I ran to Nikki and Jacob’s residence around the corner, friends of Mårten’s.”She inclined her head toward Nikki.“They offered me a safe place to stay a second time, for which I am forever grateful.”
“God.”Bianca swallowed, her face a mix of confusion, surprise, and fear.“That must’ve been awful.”But then, the light of a different emotion crept into Bianca’s eyes.“And so what did the sexy cop have to do with all this?”
Nikki laughed loudly, surprising them both..“He is rather sexy, isn’t he?”she agreed, and Bianca swiveled to look at her.
