He appears in the doorway, hair wet and pushed back, wearing a faded gray Henley that clings to his shoulders.Water drips down his neck and disappears beneath the collar.
His expression doesn't change.Not a flicker of surprise.Not a hint of anger.
Just acknowledgment.
He knew I would look.He probably expected it.
I don't know if that kiss was real or just another layer of the lie he's been building for three years.I don't know if the man standing in front of me is Jagger or the version of Jagger he's created.
But I know one thing for certain:
If thatwasn’ta fake kiss, his handler was right to be concerned.
Six
Jagger
I should be enjoying the silence, but between the ride here, the rushed dinner, picking up the flowers, and Adena going through all of it like she was holding a lit match between her teeth, there’s nothing to appreciate.
Ignoring the lead weight that’s settled in my gut, I lead us through the maze of above-ground tombs until we reach Tommy Guidry's grave.
Moonlight filters through the live oaks, casting shadows across the cracked pathways between crypts.
Adena stops beside me and places the lilies she chose on the stone, staring down at it for a long moment.The white petals seem to glow against the gray marble.
"Now would be a good time to tell me what that kiss was about."
"I told you.I thought someone was watching."
"There was no one watching."She doesn't look at me.Her fingers trace the edge of the stone."So try again."
"Fine.I needed to know if you'd freeze."
She turns slowly.When her eyes meet mine, they're flashing fire."You really expect me to buy that?"
"Doesn't matter whether you buy it or not.When things get real, when Marquez or one of his guys decides to test us, I need to know you won't hesitate."
Her hands tighten into fists."Better when the pressure's off than when our lives depend on it," I quickly add.
"That's a really convenient excuse."
I shrug."You signed up for this, lady."
"Don't 'lady' me."Her jaw works.Each word comes out clipped, precise."I passed the test last night in the bar, and again today in the warehouse.I didn't freeze then, and I won't freeze when it matters.And don't treat me like I'm an idiot.The DEA vetted me.Scrutinized me.They wouldn't have agreed to this if they didn't think I could handle it."
"That doesn't mean jack?—"
She steps closer, so close I can smell the coconut body oil she uses."You want to test me?Go for it.Set parameters.But don't kiss me on the street and then lie about why you did it."
My hands are still in my pockets, but my fingers are digging into the fabric hard enough to tear it.
"Okay, fine.You want the truth?"The word comes out rough."I kissed you because you ride like an outlaw and you're a knockout.I lied about being watched because I lie so often I forget not to."
Her lips press together.Her breath catches audibly."Lie tomeagain while we’re working together, and you will regret it."
She looks so adorably irritated and lethal, I cover a smile."You kissed me back."
Her glare increases to full voltage."It doesn't mean anything."Her voice wavers just slightly—not much, but enough to let me know she’s thinking about the kiss, too.
